Job Discussion Forums

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:07 pm Post subject:

Dear NCTBA,

" . . . insists that the norm is AED 20,000."

There's clearly been a misunderstanding here. Actually, AED 20,000 is what Norm Petersen gets - he used to be on "Cheers", but went into EFL to escape
Vera.

"Can I draw you a beer, Norm?"

"No, I know what one looks like. Just pour me one."

Regards,
John

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

[quote="Zoot"]30,000Dhs isn't the norm - 20,000Dhs is. You'll be fine Sahara or Desert, whichever it is you should now be known by according to Never Ceased to Be Amazed indicating he himself is something of the past! Smile

If you have been offered either furnished or unfurnished accommodation with an allowance this is nothing more than an indication that ADEC can't locate the former for you. ADEC isn't new to putting teachers in schools either, they've been doing it for 3 years now, just not with the same job role description as these new ones are, but they'll have experienced advisors in place to guide you.

17,000Dhs for a single teacher is good. Don't worry! Though one last point is this - make certain ADEC is locating the accommodation for you and that you don't have to do that yourself.[/quote]

Mmmm...that last bit of advice could be dangerous. I know of a building that ADEC has acquired. I would rather find my own. If ADEC offers you an allowance of 150,000/year, you could find a decent place on your own. Market has changed dramatically in the last 10 months.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

I was interviewed with 4 institutions in the UAE and received 3 offers. Those three offered me 30,000 for furniture. Hope that helps.

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

I suspect that the 20,000/30,000 difference comes from university versus schools. Up until this program PPP or ADEC or whatever name it goes by these days, the majority of TEFL teachers were at university level... and thus the majority got 30,000. (and always got school fees for their children) Thus, the addition of all these school level jobs will probably have a negative effect on everyone's contracts. At least the pay is pretty good at these jobs... just the benefits are lowered.

Back in the past, when I was in Abu Dhabi and spending my 30,000, there were only two buildings in town at "teacher" level that already provided appliances... and both of them were owned by Dubai Sheikhs... and appliances were then standard in Dubai flats.

It could be worse... you could have to add the air conditioning too as happens in Oman.

VS

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 4:04 pm Post subject:

Edit post...

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject:

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

NCTBA - See post by VS. Perhaps explains the discrepancy?

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

Too often we all just look at our little corner of the Gulf education system (I plead guilty too...). So, I guess we all need to be aware that we now have two large systems running in tandem with different rules and salaries and benefits... and try not to step on each other's toes. Laughing

NCTBA and I tend to think in tertiary terms.

That is why I try to step back from the threads related to the new schools system, where I consider Zoot to be one of our most dependable sources of information. He seems to have been involved with it for the longest or had tried to figure it all out.

There are only a few of us here who have taught at both schools and universities over the years, like mishmumkin...

VS

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:37 am Post subject:

I would agree, Zoot. I was refering to reputable tertiary institutions and you, obviously, were refering to K-12, right? If this is so, then were both correctly talking about the same thing, but not being clear on the educational levels that we were refering to. Very Happy

Sorry to have taken it wrong. I kinda view your posts as definitive for K-12 info and was confused as to why you were commenting on teritiary benes when you actually weren't.

Jes' to be clear AED 20,000 is standard for ADEC K-12 when it comes to furniture allowance?

NCTBA

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:39 am Post subject:

VS beat me to it! Mad

NCTBA

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

Apparently you hadn't heard that I was 'fast' Cool

VS

MrScaramanga · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 221

What's funny is that for tertiary institutions, AED30,000 has been the norm for the past 15 years at least... I wonder why that figure is so set in stone?

As already mentioned by others, apartments in AD and Al Ain tend to come without any appliances. They do however have A/C units. Phew!

MrS

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

Well just to confuse the issue NCTBA, the Madares Al Ghad project pays 30,000Dhs :lol: So just as bookra doesn't actually mean tomorrow, and enshallah doesn't mean it will happen today etc., 30,000Dhs doesn't always mean 20,000Dhs. Or is that 20,000Dhs doesn't always mean 30,000Dhs? Ah well, the OP was asking after ADEC schools and they're not MoE schools, so therein lies the difference. What??

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

VS - the terminology explained: -

Madares Al Ghad - an MoE initiative/project/program and Dubai emirate based. Charged with reforming education and not confined to that emirate.

ADEC - soon to replace the MoE (so some argue) is the Abu Dhabi Education Council responsible for reforming education across the emirate. This council hires Public Private Providers such as Nord Anglia, Sabis etc., to carry out the process of education reform in the public schools. On top of this, it also does the same job itself, but up until this year on a much smaller scale. Now it has all but taken over the process and I'm thinking will do so completely eventually as it goes about bringing hundreds of teachers into the public system in 2009.

The ADEC was formed under the auspices of the Shaikh and it manages the PPP companies. All the ADEC initiatives use the same Curriculum Standards.

P - public (schools)
P - private (private companies such as Cognition etc.)
P - provider (the company like SSAT that provides the service in the public schools for the ADEC)

Any clearer or just like mud?

What I find most concerning about ADEC's new proposal is, if there is no team teaching, then how are native Emirati Arabic-speaking students going to understand even simple classroom instructions? Therein lies the real challenge, me thinks. Forget about mobilization allowance/s, accommodation, cost of whitegoods - all these issues will pale into insignificance once the new teaching staff are faced with the demands of the realistic classroom. And behaviour management? How they goin to do that?

bhoove · Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 30

VS

thanks for the clarification on the acronyms.

I am wondering too about how the students will understand basic directions, but, at the same time, I know that students respond better to body language than to words, so maybe it's a good thing?

I don't think classroom management is going to be an issue for the experienced teachers. I know I've dealt with severe behavior problems in the past, including with students who didn't speak any English. (and many who's English is questionable!)

Although I do know that there are several first year teachers, and I imagine they will have a difficult time.

At least all the hires are certified teachers- so they should all have at least a cursory training in classroom management.