Job Discussion Forums

[princessofquitealot]

Does anyone know of any institutions in Oman where you can teach without a Masters Degree (i.e. just a BA + TESOL + experience)?

[veiledsentiments]

Hi Princess

Actually SQU will hire without an MA, but I believe that you come in at a lower salary than the usual 800 OR. I believe this information is on their website.

Most of the small private colleges also take people without MAs, but again the money is low. But, I see that you are in Yemen? So, perhaps money is not your prime motivating factor?

VS

[kaw]

Hiya
When I was there most people at SUC didn't have a Masters - don't know much about the new crowd. PM me for more info. They do have a web site but not sure what it is off hand...... Sohar also employ people without a Masters as do Majan and as VS said most of the other private colleges.
Happy hunting..

[veiledsentiments]

Hi KAW - nice to see you on board again.

Back in the 80's, SQU required an MA plus one year of experience. But, it ended up that they were mostly getting Americans, since we get more MAs. (certs are basically useless within the US) Upper management was mainly British, and they didn't like that. So, the requirements were lowered. It has also allowed them to keep the overall salaries down.

It is an easy google search to find the websites for most of these institutions. SQU has quite a helpful site actually.

VS

[MindTraveller]

I had a colleague I think who didn't even have a Bachelors, but he had fake Bachelors and Master degrees. Another supposedly had a PhD but he was useless as a teacher. A Tunisian changed his PhD from one UK college to the Sorbonne once a UK colleague said there was no such university in the UK where the Tunisian said he had gotten his PhD.

I don't know if the Colleges of Education are checking more carefully. But I've got a colleague now who can't write even a quiz and says he's been teaching overseas for 10 years - maybe at language schools where tests are not part of the curriculum.

Desperation seems to have driven Oman into hiring questionable Westerners. and even East Europeans. Then they get a mixed bag of good and bad, go back to hiring Arabs, then try Westerners again. There's a big problem between native and non-native speakers, and underlying jealousy.....

I just HATE it when Arab speakers put their periods (full stops) just anywhere after a sentence . And these are people who say they have PhDs . I mean , don't they read any English ? Can't they see where the . and ? really should be ? Drives me nuts, and upsets them a lot when I comment on it .

The latest response was typically male - "The secretary will fix it. That's her job." Well, we don't have secretaries here. We native teachers type the memos, minutes, etc., and fix up the grammar, etc. I'm ticked off that the non-native speakers REFUSE to take the minutes of meeings, so I refuse too.

So it may be possible to get a job here without a Masters. But don't expect th paperwork to go very fast .

[kaw]

[quoteDesperation seems to have driven Oman into hiring questionable Westerners. and even East Europeans][/quote]

Oh dear and what the h*ll is wrong with Eastern Europeans???????
I have a very good friend currently working at a certain Higher Ed. Insiution in Oman who is both qualified and experienced, and probaly knows far more about the English langauge than most 'native' speakers do.
I have know this guy for a long time and in fact I used to work with him myself so feel I am more than qualified to comment on his teaching ability.
As for Arab teachers - again I have worked with one or 2 of my time and generally had no complaints. Of course they are not native speakers but at the end of the day how important is that. Just because you're a native speaker does not mean you can be understood. Ok so I'm English but drop me somewhere in the North of England and I have a problem understanding people up there (obvioulsy I'm a southerner so what do you expect).

Anyway I rest my case and have to go and teach - great - can't wait..