Job Discussion Forums

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

My classes begin on Aug. 23. The Gulf News piece says all that could change next year though...

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

Everything is up for change in the Gulf. I have arrived to teach a class and the students informed me that I wasn't their teacher anymore. In all the chaos of the first week of classes, HCT admin forgot to tell me... but I'm just the teacher. A sudden intake had necessitated adding another group and the new group actually fit into my schedule better. And, this was my first semester there... good thing it wasn't my first Middle East job or I probably would have freaked out. Laughing

The real question is when the students will show up. Since you are in content rather than foundations (like most of us here), you may have better luck. But, families that travel in the summer tend to not come back until school starts for the kids... the university students are stuck arriving late when the schedules don't match. It was a problem every year that I taught there, but it was normally just a week or two difference. It will be "interesting" to see what happens this year.

VS

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

The first teachimg day at HCT is 30th August. Most teachers, like me, will return to work on the 16th and some will return on the 23rd but there will be no classes until the 30th. There will be challange exams, invigilation and marking during this time if first year students come to college. The 23rd will be the first day for many new teachers but they will not be teaching.

ItsJustMe · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 34

[quote="Afra"]According to the email from the VC of HCT, classes start as previuosly announced on the 30th August. As for students being there?[/quote]

Hello everyone, I'm a new member and happy to be aboard. Class without students sounds fun. Do some not show during Ramadan?

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

It is not the fact that it is Ramadhan because normally that doesn't cause many absences. The main problem is that the schools are opening later than the tertiary and many families will not return to the country until the younger kids need to be in school. This happens to some extent many years, but this year with the timing of Ramadhan, it is bound to be a bigger problem.

VS