Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

IAT and Kaplan ? ????
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> United Arab Emirates
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
elmoro



Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Posts: 58
Location: The Emerald City

PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Triffid wrote

Quote:
As a woman I would really like to know whether I am going to be made to feel like a second class citizen in the workplace too.


you do realize that you will not be a citizen anymore. as a westerner, you will enjoy a first class resident status. as far as workplace is concerned, you are either admin, spy, or teacher. this is the norm in all of the english instruction (or lack thereof) asylums. just remember, you are not a citizen and you have very few rights. those rights that you do have are subject to very shady interpretation. in other words, nothing is black and white; everything is a shade of gray. life as a teacher here is definitely an exercise in socio-economic darwinism. make no mistakes about it!

elmoro

THE HORROR, THE HORROR![/quote]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Triffid



Joined: 05 Dec 2010
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

elmoro wrote:
in other words, nothing is black and white; everything is a shade of gray. life as a teacher here is definitely an exercise in socio-economic darwinism. make no mistakes about it!

I think I've done this before, but not for a good salary.

Another very general question - do expats just hang around with expats or can you mix if you make the effort.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
elmoro



Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Posts: 58
Location: The Emerald City

PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

since being here, i have adopted and promote a "separate but equal" lifestyle. i have very few friends among the natives. maybe three at most and i'm muslim. there is a really disturbing secret life here that you do not what to have any knowledge of. IGNORANCE IS BLISS!!! best thing is find a small group of like-minded expats and enjoy your time away from the asylum. as for the natives, you will have your fill in the classroom. your human side will need a break.

i know it may sound bad but i am holding back.

elmoro

THE HORROR, THE HORROR
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

elmoro wrote:
in other words, nothing is black and white; everything is a shade of gray.

Ah but it seems that this is not true of you. Everything is black black black for you. I hope all readers understand and I believe that you should make it clear that you are one person with your particular experience and opinions.

The fact is that your experience will NOT be shared by others. (unless they are also a male convert of seemingly unusual background and goals.)

Triffid wrote:
Another very general question - do expats just hang around with expats or can you mix if you make the effort.

Yes, for the most part expats hang out with like-minded expats. But there is quite a variety of expats from various countries. In the Gulf, the local people pretty much to stick to themselves... actually pretty much their own families. That is how the culture works.

VS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gus Barkley



Joined: 26 Aug 2010
Posts: 78

PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was surprised to log into Dave's tonight and find a broken record. Laughing

Oh, the horror!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Havana



Joined: 07 Feb 2011
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They have recently dropped the minimum salary for this position from AED 12,198 to AED 11,998 and require everyone to start on the minimum salary unless they have had experience with Kaplan before.

Disorganisation bedevils this project from top to bottom.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
cam



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 124
Location: Maine, USA

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The fact that Kaplan/IAT have lowered the salary so soon may be an indication of the number of qualified teachers who applied for positions. Anyone who applied for a job with the orginal salary should not accept one with a lower salary. This will only encourage the company to reduce salary and perhaps even benefits more.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
GriffinParka



Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 41
Location: West London

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't recommend this outfit at all. I applied last year and promptly received an email from the UK recruiter (not Krapland). We did a brief phone interview and they got back immediately to say they had put my name forward for an interview with Krapland in AD. All very professional so far.

After that, my fears began to surface. Krapland didn't get in touch for three weeeks or more, and then asked me to get back to them immediately with skype details, and an interview time and date that was suitable for me. I did that, suggesting a time and date three days in the future. And then ... no phone call ... nothing.

Two weeks later I received the SAME email, asking ... me to get back to them promptly with an interview time and date that was suitable for me, etc. Same old story though - no follow up from them at all.

If they ever bother to contact me again, I'll be telling them where to stuff their underpaying job.

I suggest everybody else does the same.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GriffinParka



Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 41
Location: West London

PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another reason to avoid Krapland is this story of deceit, from the Chronicle of Higher Education:

http://chronicle.com/article/Former-Students-Accuse-Kaplan/126763/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

It would certainly appear that they are THE organization to avoid in the sphere of education.

Teacher Beware!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Warning Bells



Joined: 10 Mar 2011
Posts: 87
Location: Always Changes

PostPosted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote