Job Discussion Forums

[eha]

[quagmire]

Unfortunately, FAE adhere to using "coursebooks," photocopied manuals compiled by instructors - often a mish-mash of Nietzsche and Hegel, God forbid Wittengenstein, too - philosophers and thinkers native-speaking freshman can hardly undertstand in western universities let alone non-native speakers fresh out of "Hello, my name is _____ ." Hazirlik.

The students understandably become frustrated, leaving no choice but to buy essays, easily obtainable from services who read the incorrigible coursebooks and print-off term-ending papers. Because FAE instructors share classroom responsibilities with Turkish colleagues, the Turkish colleagues often revert to Turkish to explain Existentialism and Nihilism, leaving the students once more disgruntled and disadvantaged vis-a-vis language learning, but intrigued they can pronounce "Sartre" in French.

The treatment of the FAE instructors and their hazirlik counterparts can be less than desired. When I arrived as a FAE instructor I was housed in a new building with great facilities - small gym with running machines, free weights; laundry room, storage, elevator - but the rooms were "doubles," very small bachelor-style rooms for two people. I asked for the standard two-bedroom given teachers of my experience, but it never materialized - I left after one term, due in part to arriving teachers being given two-bedroom apartment because they each respectively owned pets.

When I approached the head to ask why my in-classroom evaluations did not contain the detail she so passionately required of her teachers' syllabi, the subjectivity/objectivity double-standard became apparent, and with subsequent discussions with the FAE boss, she decided I was "ignorant" because the matters had been discussed at orientation... an orientation cut 2.5 days short because there were only two new teachers available - the pet owners had been delayed shopping for Iams, I guess - with insufficient time to cover fully all the orientation agenda items.

Teachers looking to come to Turkey to study any genre of Turkish history, art, language, et cetera should consider Bilkent and its unparalleld library resources. Instructors also looking to engage in fastidious amounts of teamwork regarding exam preparation and term-end "team marking" should apply. Candidates should make sure in the interview to ask what the FAE's definition of "EAP" is.

Ironic that the English Languiage Program boss for both FAE and Hazirlik is Irish.

[eclectic]

[bulgogiboy]

[spiral78]

not ironic at all. they speak celtic
Brilliant!

[Dedicated]

Celtic is the name of a football team. The language, that about 1.66 million people have some knowledge of in Ireland, is Gaeilge (Irish Gaelic) which is an official EU language.

[sainthood]

I was looking to go to Bilkent to get my CELTA while working there (http://www.bilkent.edu.tr/~busel/interrec/celtacandidate/index.html for what I'm referring to)

So, given I'll have my M.App.Ling by then (and 2 years chinese uni teaching experience on top of a dodgey TESOL dip), how do you think it will go?

Are those who teach the CELTA up to scratch?

Will they withhold it at the end if they don't like me?

Will I get treated like crap?

Is it only management that are bad? If so, I'm used to that here in China. I just tend to ignore most of what they do, and do my job... and complain later on forums

Do they work you hard? Here, I'm contracted for 18 academic hours... so I can teach or tutor elsewhere if I want... and if things are as bad as suggested, doing extra hours in that other place that was mentioned sounds like good additional money!

And... how does that sort of money go? Far? run out quickly?? Saving heaps???

Thanking you all![/url]

[thedudeabides61]

İt is good to go there for a cert. The trainers are generally well-trained and well-informed about the way things are supposed to be done at the school and you will get trained in the school's way of doing things.
Most foreigners find lots of problems with the school's factory-like approach and resemblence , leaving after a year or two. Lİp service is given to bringing in outside ideas.
CELTA there is a pretty straight forward and they will not withhold it once you pass. İt takes 8 weeks. Some have pulled a runner shortly after completing it, so they may not offer it until Spring. Lots of boilerplate stuff to push through, but sounds like you have developed a tolerance for bothersome stuff.
Management style is of the mushroom type. Nonsense from the exalted leadership will be shrugged off as the way things are or with baying sycophantic agreement and attempts to address such things is how you don't get a contract renewal. Not so different from most places İ suppose on PLantation Earth.
15-20 hours of teaching, minimal admin work, on-campus living, so quick in and out compared to local staff, who resent the unequal treatment no matter how nice and pleasant they seem to be. You will be given more slack as a foreigner and be allowed some latitude for dissatisfaction, which the local staff rarely evince outside of private conversations.The work is not hard, but students are not the most eager in the world. Many are just plain worthless. The money is not great, around 1500 USD a month last time İ knew. You can do privates as long as you don't wave them under the school's nose. Saving depends on your lifestyle. You will lose money the longer you stay due to inflation, dollar/pound pegging to Turkish Lira losses and lack of raises. Their main perks are the CELTA/DELTA/MA. Receiving a DELTA there adds little more than 100USD a month to your salary. Most people who do the CELTA there leave after their first year for greener pastures İ presume. İ would say that the School's cost/benefit analysis of making changes to entice more foreigner teachers retention is outweighed by their ability to find new recruits. And with the Global Depression, lots of recent grads will be looking, the type of candidate they love.

[thedudeabides61]

İt is good to go there for a cert. The trainers are generally well-trained and well-informed about the way things are supposed to be done at the school and you will get trained in the school's way of doing things.
Most foreigners find lots of problems with the school's factory-like approach and resemblence , leaving after a year or two. Lİp service is given to bringing in outside ideas.
CELTA there is a pretty straight forward and they will not withhold it once you pass. İt takes 8 weeks. Some have pulled a runner shortly after completing it, so they may not offer it until Spring. Lots of boilerplate stuff to push through, but sounds like you have developed a tolerance for bothersome stuff.
Management style is of the mushroom type. Nonsense from the exalted leadership will be shrugged off as the way things are or with baying sycophantic agreement and attempts to address such things is how you don't get a contract renewal. Not so different from most places İ suppose on PLantation Earth.
15-20 hours of teaching, minimal admin work, on-campus living, so quick in and out compared to local staff, who resent the unequal treatment no matter how nice and pleasant they seem to be. You will be given more slack as a foreigner and be allowed some latitude for dissatisfaction, which the local staff rarely evince outside of private conversations.The work is not hard, but students are not the most eager in the world. Many are just plain worthless. The money is not great, around 1500 USD a month last time İ knew. You can do privates as long as you don't wave them under the school's nose. Saving depends on your lifestyle. You will lose money the longer you stay due to inflation, dollar/pound pegging to Turkish Lira losses and lack of raises. Their main perks are the CELTA/DELTA/MA. Receiving a DELTA there adds little more than 100USD a month to your salary. Most people who do the CELTA there leave after their first year for greener pastures İ presume. İ would say that the School's cost/benefit analysis of making changes to entice more foreigner teachers retention is outweighed by their ability to find new recruits. And with the Global Depression, lots of recent grads will be looking, the type of candidate they love.

[sainthood]

Thanks, that's exactly the sort of answer I was looking for!

[sainthood]

Just a quick query... by the time I get to Bilkent, I'll have my MAppLing, and maybe an IELTS examiner certification (I'm currently in China... these things can happen!)

Given those quals, with the teaching experience of a Chinese university, what pay should I be looking to get.

I see on the contract it says 1500US, but negotiable based on quals and experience...

(btw, if you're wondering why I'd be wanting this job, it's cos my current TESOL diploma is of the dodgey online variety, and I could really do with learning how to teach better, while also getting a good recognised qualification, AND doing it in a nice country near to lots of places I want to see.....)

[ranter]

I worked at Bilgi and have to say that the OP's claims are way off the mark. I had a great experience there.

[ranter]

While we're on the subject, Bilkent is utterly horrible.

[candykisk]

Anyone have any particular examples? I am going for my MAappling and Bilkent was a top choice of mine. I know the program is "unfair" and you have to learn to "smile while you kill," but I'd like to know more real examples.

[Caterinamh]

All this sounds so similar to Koc University *ELC. The self promoting egotistical president is definitely the emperor.