Job Discussion Forums

[johnslat]

Dear bergerac,

"How can you advice people on places you don't even know?'

How can you know that scot47, who has spent so many years in the Kingdom, doesn't know (and, as an aside, how can you not know the difference between "advice noun and "advise, verb? Sorry, it's a pet peeve.)

I (who spent a few years in the Kingdom myself - nineteen, to be exact) agree with scot47's assessment of private versus state schools.

Regards,
John

[Stephen Jones]

We talking about state universities, not state schools.

The rule in the Gulf is simple; get a job with the government or a multi-national. Neither's perfect, but the odds of anything else working out are vanishingly small.

The problem with private universities in the Gulf is that there are only two ways one can be viable. It either becomes elitist and offers more than the State Universities do (the Ivy League model), or it takes in those with cash, but not bright enough to get places in the State Universities.

There's no known case of any university having succeeded with the first approach. If you're lucky they'll plump for the second from the start. In practice they'll flip-flop and there'll be massive instability until they either go broke, or sink into mediocrity, or get grants and get assimilated into the State system.

[bergerac]

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

NCTBA

[bergerac]

[veiledsentiments]

[bergerac]

It sounds to me like you need to start your own board. That way you can make all the rules and only allow posters who do things that you like. Until then, why don't you just add your two cents on a place and let the other members here do the same.

I bet you would be a great boss... or husband...

VS[/quote]

Do not bet with people you don't know!
I might disappoint you and turn out to be a great boss, who knows, as for being a husband, then you'd have to ask my wife.
You assume a lot of things on this chat, really, it is unbelievable the amount of pre-conceived ideas, prejudices I read about here.

I am not saying people should not be allowed to speak their mind but it is unfair to give advice to people on realy very thin evidence.

Why do you speak to me like this? Have I offended you in any way?
I never suggested people should not be allowed anything on this forum, on the contrary, you are suggesting I go some place else to say what I am saying.
Who is being intolerant here?
When you run out of argument, you just insult people by writing personal comments. That is pretty cheap indeed.

If you are not interested in what I say, then don't bother yourself answering me, clearly we don't understand each other.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

bergerac:

Have you EVER slumped back in your computer chair ans asked yourself "Why in the world is almost everybody engaging me and in a negative context?

And, why do you always having a retort at the ready?

And, I quote from the DAU thread:

[bergerac]

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Well I've always been partial to humble pie!

NCTBA (Slowly, ever so slowly...looking both ways...emerging from flame-retardant clothing)

[johnslat]

Dear bergerac,

1. " . . . it is unbelievable the amount of pre-conceived ideas, prejudices I read about here."

I agree.

1. "I am just saying that people often criticize places on the basis of reported speech without checking anything.
The first disgruntled teacher who comes along and complains will attract immediate support."

2. "And, why do you always having a retort at the ready?"

I agree.

2. "As soon as you say something a little different you are bound to attract the kind of response I get, I guess."

3. "19 years experience or even more is irrelevant when it comes to places which did not exist ten years ago.
The oldest private higher education institutions in the Kingdom have just turned 10!"

3. Relevance?

3. I believe scot47, who made the original post you disputed, has been in the Kingdom for quite some time now - and, as the present perfect tense would indicate, he is still there.


4. "Clearly my line of comments does not seem politically correct here . ."

4. I disagree. I couldn't care less how "politically" correct anyone's opinions are. What I do care about is how correct they are.

5. "If the place stinks that much, what are we all doing here?"

5. By "the place" do you mean the Kingdom? If so, I don't understand the relevance of the comment once again. Saudi Arabia in general was not being discussed; private schools & universities were.

Regards,
John

[veiledsentiments]

[bergerac]

I find suggesting that people can only post their direct personal experience here is ridiculous... there would be very few posts... and certainly not any more accuracy... and people would be taking jobs without the benefit of people who know the situation.

VS[/quote]

If you think I was rude, I apologize, it was never my intention.
I still mean what I said though.

I agree that people who are about to take a job should be informed, but how reliable is the information they are getting from certain posts which are just about spreading gossips and don't give a dam about accuracy or objectivity.

Anyway, none of this really matters as the truly bad places, the really toxic institutions, never have problems recruiting in spite of all the warnings people can get.

I suggest that being a member of Dave's ESL cafe and posts reading skills should be compulsory parts of all CELTA, DELTA, TEFL etc courses and degrees.

Writing posts should also be a specialty and exams should be taken in this subject as well.

[johnslat]

Dear bergerac,

"I agree that people who are about to take a job should be informed, but how reliable is the information they are getting from certain posts which are just about spreading gossips and don't give a dam about accuracy or objectivity."

How would one judge whether "certain posts" are "spreading gossip" and "don't give a damn about accuracy or objectivity?"

If your answer is that a post is being refuted by someone else there, then how can we be sure that poster is being accurate and objective?

If you answer that a post is being refuted by someone NOT there, then should we assume that people can/should ONLY post about the school/institute/etc. they are currently employed by (which would bring us back to the first problem?)

I'm not trying to be difficult; I'm trying to understand just what you want.

Regards,
John

[rio darro]

hey bergeurac,

Did you not notice, before engaging these people, how none of them had any specific information regarding the institute to which you had applied? You came to a PUBLIC FORUM owned by DAVES ESL CAFE seeking information and with a specific question. Instead of receiving a mature answer from other profesional educators, you got a ration of BS by people-. most of whom don't even live in the K of SA anymore- who cling to this site in order to agrandize their own ego. They pose as "toughened veterans" and you're the little rookie dumb +ss who spills baby food down your pink pib because you're so dumb to think you can come here. And yea- I say HERE because I�m in the kingdom.

Maybe someday these people will realize they don't own this site, that their haggard oft-repeated messages don't serve the community of professional educators seeking valid input on decisions that are of importance to new posters. Maybe they'll remember what this site is intended to be and quit treating it like a personal blog in which they can stroke their own egos at the expense of people guilty of nothing but the desire to inform themselves. Their little vampiric click relies on new blood like yours to serve their interests only and most (NOT ALL) of these regular posters, despite their years here, are not posting to help others, but rather to paint themselves as superior to you and I. Just read the pages.
Personally, I wish you the very best of luck in your endeavor. RD