Job Discussion Forums

newtogolf · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 49

Does anyone know if you have to stay in your office even though you don't have any more teaching assignments on a particular day?

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

It depends on who your employer is, and which campus you are at.

newtogolf · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 49

I can only cross my fingers now. Wink

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

At HCT the stated policy is that you must be on campus for 8 hours/day. Some supervisors try to make sure you do so by scheduling useless meetings that require you to stay on campus. That said, some campuses turn an unofficial blind eye to the comings and goings of teachers.

However, be aware that there are always those idjits on staff who will take careful note of your presence or absence (this is more prevelant among EFL teachers, not so much with content) - and be sure to let supervisors know same. It was brought up with me once - I suggested that the stoolie had too much free time on their hands if they had time to monitor me. Nothing more was said.

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

Where are you going to be working? If you're going to be employed by on the of PPPs, you'll find you probably need to be at school longer than the hours suggested at interview.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

anaxiforminges · Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 136 Location: UAE

My contract says 9 office hours p/ week, but nothing about staying on campus all day. If that's the case, I'd use the time to catch up on my reading, mark papers, write, etc., and maybe even meet the odd student who might wander in. I'd find the 8 hrs. on-site excessive beyond belief! Then again, my non-academic friends would laugh in scorn...

newtogolf · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 49

Thank you all for the useful input.

There is nothing written in the contact about how many office hours or working hours employees should stay at school. Will the post-visa approval contract include this information then?

And also do you have any winter break? According to the contract, there is only one week off during that time.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

anaxi... you are not in TEFL are you? For some reason I thought that you were a PhD or do I have you mixed up with another poster. It is the EFL teachers who tend to have these rules.

newtogolf... it depends on your employer as to hours chained to desk and breaks. If your contract says a week, I'd assume that was true. (what other contract are you asking about?)

VS

anaxiforminges · Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 136 Location: UAE

VS, that's right, I'm a PhD. The previous query made me think that the Gulf had different rules for professors. I thought it was highly unlikely that that was the case, but when in Rome...

Thanks for clarifying it.

newtogolf · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 49

Thank you for the reply, everyone.

Since I am going to teach English composition, I guess I will be subject to the eight-hour rule. Well, the good thing is I can get things done if I work in my office, instead of my home.

By the way, will the faculty member has his/her own office or share with others? Thank you.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Again, it depends on your employer. The real JOY is when you work at a place like HCT, which puts you in an open plan office - everyone has a phone - students wander in and out at will - so it is hours of cacophony where only the deaf could possibly accomplish anything. I just LOVED being forced to sit there all day unable to concentrate on that massive pile of essays that I would get to take home to actually work on them. (... may the person - surely American - who invented the open plan office rot in hell)

Private offices are pretty rare for MAs... with luck you may only share a room with 1-4 other teachers.

VS

newtogolf · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 49

Thanks, VS.

Your ordeal of having no privacy was long over, right?

What about working as an assistant pro at ZU? Will there be a private office with a closed door for me? I just wish that be the case.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

There may be hope once you move out of EFL and become an Asst Prof. Insha'Allah!! I'm not sure who is around right now from ZU who might be able to answer that one.

VS

anaxiforminges · Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 136 Location: UAE

I taught at a community college recently where none of the profs have private offices. Cubicles abound. The first day I was introduced to my shared cubicle (the lowest of the low in the pecking order at the college), my new colleague sarcastically referred to the warehouse-like room as the "palace of learning".

Needless to say, the morale wasn't very high at said institution.