Job Discussion Forums

[Samantha]

I believe that. This is one of the reasons that in my area, the schools will not generally hire foreign English teachers, especially newcomers. The well established ones with roots get hired and then hang on to the good jobs. (It is the in-between part that is tricky)

[miss_betty]

Just a side note:

I was one of those teachers that found a job becuase someone bailed.

Three days before classes, a teacher just decided not to come. It was the end of July, and school started the beginning of the next week. I had some flexibility to travel on a short notice..........

In Four days, I packed up all my things, put them in storage, cancelled my lease ( and was out $1000 US dollars) and showed up for the first day. Needless to say, the school I am at was soooo thankful, they have treated me soooo well becuase of this. The school was generous enough to pay for some of my relocation expenses too.

I cannot imagine the stress of the people hiring Foreign Teachers. That is a job I would never want.

Needless to say, this situation has allowed me to start off on a great note with my employer !!!

[MixtecaMike]

I am responsible for hiring foreign teachers at our school (in Korea) and the job sucks. There are probably more crappy teacher stories than crappy school stories, just that they are the less told tales.

Anyone who has had to hire foreign teachers can vouch for the fact that some of those who post stories about "x school/boss is an xxx" should really take a long hard look in the mirror to see what the real problem is.

[Samantha]

No doubt in my mind, Mike. I have worked with many over the past few years here in Mexico. I have no idea what goes through some of their minds when they decide to go abroad to teach. And upon reflection (some of them do reflect) instead of saying "I just can't handle it" a rather tall story is usually concocted about someone at home being sick, usually cancer, and usually mother but sometimes grandmother.

One of my co-ordinators decided to check up on some stories, because contracts had been signed or maybe she just had to know the truth. Imagine the surprise of the teacher's mother when she (teacher's mother) answered the phone and was informed of her serious illness and the fact that she was supposedly in intensive care in the cancer clinic. Come on folks, that is just not good for Karma and besides the Directors and staffers are onto those excuses, having heard them many times. Do the right thing.

[some waygug-in]

[MELEE]

Get this,

2 years ago a new teacher, who had just completed a first week (of orientation, no teaching yet) and we had a pretty positive feeling about the week, he seemed happy and totally content, left in the night sliding a goodbye note under the door of another teacher. This year he emailed me asking if I had any openings for the fall semester!!!

But, call me crazy, this year I'm not handling the hirering (I'm on Sabatical!) and I actually miss it.

[Samantha]

ROFL!! To which you replied???

[MELEE]

I didn't even bother replying.