Job Discussion Forums

[CECTPA]

Hello all

I would like to hear from anyone who is happy with their school and teaching situation. Which schools have the better reputations?

Also, which are the places to avoid? (I know, there's a place elsewhere on the site that has 'rants and raves' of this kind but much of that information is five years old or older.) Thanks

[Mark Loyd]

I won`t contribute to this thread and we will see how much of an on topic debate we get.

[coffeespoonman]

I teach at English Time, and I absolutely love my job. My students are generally hard-working and generous. They are always taking me out for dinner, tea, to the cinema, etc... Furthermore, the working conditions are great (free tea in the canteen, a wealth of materials), and the hours are, for me, ideal (I work in the mornings and at night, and since I live 3 minutes from my branch, I have my whole afternoon to stay home or go out). In fact, I really don't like Istanbul very much, and the only thing keeping me here is my great job.

You'll find dozens of people complaining about ET on here, and very few people praising it. Of course, that's because most people who are happy with their jobs have no reason to post about it.

Having said that, I really believe it depends what branch you work at. ET has branches all over Istanbul, and I have heard some horror stories about some of the branches. In the end, it really depends where you teach and who your head teacher is.

Are there better jobs in Istanbul? Sure. Without a doubt. I'm sure there is a place where I could work like 12 hours a week, make 2000 USD a month, and get a free furnished flat overlooking the Bosphorous. I have a Masters degree, so I could probably find something with free health insurance (you have to buy your own at ET, but they have a group plan), holiday time, sick pay, work permit, etc. But I'm only planning on staying here for a year, and, knowing nothing about Istanbul, I don't think I could have just walked into a better job.

Now, let's see who wants to tear me apart... En garde!

[teacherdude]

First of all have to thank ML for abstaining from his usual histronics on this topic.

Cfspmn u r obviously new to ET...give urself time..the sh%^ will eventually find its way to you.

If u take ur classes seriously and expect support from management when u have probs. in class, this is not the place for u.

Of course the level of crap differs from branch to branch, depending on who ur Manager and H. Teacher are.

Even if u have a good Manager, they tend to get rotated, so don't expect the good times to last for ever. Most of the complaints these days come frm the Taks and Kad. 2 Branches.

I don't know where u work, but this is what I can tell u. Most teachers tolerate the Taks branch becz of the social atomosphere, ie. nice big canteens and partying with the students in Taks. after class.

The social atmosphere is the ONLY thing I miss about ET.

Continue teaching there and u will realize how pathetice the support is when u have complainst about ur students. If u go to the Personnel, they will listen and do nothing. If go to Management, they will only ignore u half of the time.

U will find that Management are far less willing to tolerate rudeness from students in comparison to tolerating it when YOU are the recipient.

U will find out what a joke those ET Diplomas are. DK yet? Don't worry u will.

U will observe the little tricks they come up with to pay teachers less. No, not actually give u less, but techniques to reduce your hours or what ever they can come up with.

About 10 teachers from the Taks. branch have not renewed their contracts in the last yr. They have remained in Ist. and obtained better paing jobs.

No one is complaing becz the ppl who were screwed last yr..have moved on. The dumb or lazy ones have stayed on.

Ask them abt the teachers at the Taks. branch who were threatened to change their contract or face being fired and not being paid for the month.

U will notice (in time) that they say there aren't enough hours. but hire a newbie and LOAD him down with hours. Just another way to save money.

U r right with ur qualifications u could have done better. But if u don't mind more hours, more stres and less pay...then ET is the place for you.

When I worked at ET many complained..but not on the net. They waited until they left...so did I. So don't allow the lack of complaints to fool u.

Why were u hired at ET? Becz u were willing to accept not being paid what u r worth.

Enjoy the free tea.

TD

[Mark Loyd]

[coffeespoonman]

I knew it... Bring on the argument This is eslcafe, after all...

teacherdude, some of what you say is true, but some certainly is not. I have been here for 2 months, not long, true, but enough to have seen that when we have problems with students, there is definitely support, from the Turkish teachers and the other native speakers. However, I have found that this is generally not a problem because the students here are almost uniformly polite, generous, and well-mannered. A welcome change from the people on the street in İst... Additionally, this help extends outside of the classroom. Our head teacher showed me how to go to the supermarket when I first arrived. What is cheap here, what is expensive, and all that.

Furthermore, I work about 40 hours a week, which I asked for, and most of the employees here, especially the veterans, have as many hours as they want. Add in the travel money, the bonus, and the rental allowance, and I make significantly more money than I was making in the States, so no problems there. I don't feel that I make less than I am worth. I take teaching seriously, but I don't feel that I have to work very hard at ET, and there is very little prep time, largely because ET has so many resources on site. So, I'm not stressed, I'm not overworked, and I make plenty of money.

Also, I have heard all of the complaints about K2 and Taksim. But, at my branch, 3 teachers just signed a new contract within the last 2 months, and 2 are not returning after their contracts end, but only because 1 just got married and is going back home, and 1 is moving to the south of Turkey to be with his fiancee. In fact, absolutely no one at this branch is leaving because they are not happy here.

Now, I don't want to start an argument about ET here. That happens enough on these boards. I simply wanted to tell the op about the inside scoop on my branch. And if he's interested, he can PM me, and I will tell him what branch I work for.

[Mark Loyd]

[teacherdude]

Re: less probs in the class, this is probably due to the fact that students can no longer repeat classes for free.

In the past they would go through the motions, sometimes deliberately f%$% around becz they had every intention to repeat.

you would tell management and get nowhere. It took them more than two years to correct this.

U are a newbie and everything is fine and dandy for the moment.

However, if u r at the Taks branch, they have a reputation for a reason.

Let's see what tune u are singing a year from now.

Who knows maybe the Dude is wrong.

Regards,
TD

[coffeespoonman]

teacherdude,

Thank goodness I am not at the Taksim branch. At ET, I think you have to be very careful what branch you work for. I got lucky.
Second, at my branch, students can, and do, still repeat classes if they fail, assuming they have good attendance. This does create a problem sometimes, and I do have a few students who are absolute jerks. But, my other students hate them, and we usually make them feel stupid until they either shape up, or leave the class. For me, it hasn't become a problem.
Anyone want to give the inside scoop on a school that's not ET? I'm interested.

[teacherdude]

So u r not at the taks. branch, that would explain ur cherry disposition.

When u said only a few were not renewing contracts, I figured u were either nuts or it wasn't taks.

Glad to know u r not nuts...

Welcome to Turkey and good luck at whatever branch you're at.

TD

[Otterman Ollie]

Yeah I'm quite happy with my current position ,salary wise and conditions the kids are ok too . Best thing about though is that its not in Istanbul .

[Otterman Ollie]

Sorry T.D almost forgot ,ın case you don't know its spelt you and your,just thought it might help ,ok ?

[Mark Loyd]

It is cheery not cherry.

[teacherdude]

It's you, your, you are...u, ur...u r....or whatever I choose.

and it's cherry or cheery.

In case u didn't know...

TD

[Cynthia Tax]

USAGE EXAMPLE: I lost my cherry disposition at 13, and have always been cheery about it.