Job Discussion Forums

Little_Dove · Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Posts: 6

Hello,

I won't paste my experience in detail here again, it can be read in full in the Turkey section.

I recently had my contract completely canceled in country (read: I gave up everything to move abroad) after the director decided that the way I walk was unsuitable to the school. I never got the chance to teach. I do have tight ankle tendons which means my walk is slightly different (I don't limp or anything) but as a trained teacher with a lot of classroom experience this had never been a factor and I do my job to the maximum always. I love being a teacher.

This experience has left me incredibly sad and and distrustful. It's been less than a month so and I find myself crying most days over what has happened. I have never been so heartbroken in all my life.

I am well travelled and well trained with a BA and MA in Education but really wondering if I should stay in the international school game? In my 'what to do next' search I paid for a membership to a sister website and what I have read about about a lot of schools is completely disheartening.

Keep in mind I am a trained classroom teacher and it is clear to me that some of the behaviour I have read about by directors and parents wouldn't tolerated at all in the average American or Australian school.

I just don't know if the international scene is worth it. I am a relatively new teacher so obtaining work in Europe would likely prove difficult and frankly from what I read about places like Kuwait, Dubai and Korea I could just as easily be at the whim of another shallow director, administration and perhaps spoiled, wealthy parents that don't "like" a teacher with different walk.

Not sure what to do.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I've scanned your post in the Turkey forum and it really seems that you happened upon an unreasonable school. They are not all like this, of course.

If I understand correctly, you feel that your contract was terminated solely due to your slightly unusual way of walking. If this was in fact the only reason, I think you'd be well-advised to try again to find another school. You might even be open about this with a potential new employer in the interview process; it would be a good way to introduce the subject in advance to defuse any possible problems with it later.

If this is the only reason you were terminated, it will be something later on that you will be able to laugh about, I'm sure. This certainly won't be typical of all or most international schools management!!

So far as where to work, if you are not from the UK, Europe will indeed be difficult to get into. You can apply for international school positions there, of course, but openings are fairly rare, and there is competition, and most jobs usually go to people with local language skills and local connections, though that's not 100% true.

Why not Asia or Latin America? No visa troubles there, and in Asia particularly I think that jobs are fairly easily found.

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

dean_a_jones · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China

I agree with the what the others have said. Stick to it and try not to let it get you down. Unfortunately this kind of insensitivity is not unusual wherever you go from certain people, but you will also find plenty of people who are willing to look past something like this (or better, not even see it as an issue in the first place, as they should). This is especially true if you are as passionate about teaching as you come across in your post.

Unfortunately in a lot of ESL teaching, there does seem to be an appearance bias, it is just the reality of the situation (and can reflect the customer as much as the school). Having said that, there are plenty out there in every country who don't fall into this trap, and some of the best teachers are not the blue eyed, blond haired, trim, tall and beautiful foreigners so many places seem to lust after.

Good luck.

eurobound · Joined: 04 Apr 2011 Posts: 155

Your experience certainly makes for a depressing read and I'm not surprised you've been feeling down about what happened to you. You were treated in a terrible fashion and let go of for no good reason.

But like others have said, if you love teaching then you should definitely give it another go somewhere else. I wouldn't let this experience finish you off because it sounds like you're better than that.

Like Spiral78 suggested, I too think it would be a good idea to mention this incident in any future interviews; don't make a big deal of it - just tell them what happened and then laugh it off as a peculiar experience but one that caused you a lot of hassle. They'll probably see you as resilient for taking it on the chin and giving things another go.

If Western Europe is off limits but you fear a similar incident in Asia or the Middle East, then you could look into Eastern Europe. But really, I wouldn't have thought that having a slightly odd way of walking would have you shown the door in every school in any place, so go wherever interests you most.

You struck out this time with an idiot of a boss, but give it another go. I wish you the best of luck.

artemisia · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 875 Location: the world

So sorry to read of this Little Dove. It's bad enough to be on the receiving end of prejudice anywhere, but even worse when you've moved abroad and then have something like this happen. As eurobound said, it's hardly surprising you feel completely disheartened by it.

Chris Westergaard · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 215 Location: Prague

It's a shame with what happened to you. The realities are that schools can really hire and fire as they see fit.

You shouldn't give up nor should you spend your nights crying about any of this. Teaching abroad is about survival. It's about meeting these challenges and others head on.

My advice is to pull yourself together and give it another go. Keep at it until it works. There are jobs in Turkey that you can find and there's no reason for you to feel sorry for yourself.

artemisia · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 875 Location: the world

Chris Westergaard · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 215 Location: Prague

I don't think you understood the message. Teaching abroad will present anyone with ridiculous challenges that they have to face and overcome. Doing so and seeing these struggles through will make them a more confident, complete and adaptable person than they were before.

In this situation, the OP can allow it to ruin her dream of teaching abroad, or she can rise and ove