Job Discussion Forums

Peg Leg Pete · Joined: 12 Feb 2010 Posts: 80 Location: Moscow

Actually I know of two other teachers who were asked to hand in their passports for "safe keeping". Yes, they both refused. However, I don't know all of the teachers so who knows? Maybe someone has agreed to such a policy?

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:08 pm Post subject:

I hope that the KAMs and managers will be available to deal with the police if any of their teachers are stopped on the street or metro for a passport check...

ancient_dweller · Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 415 Location: Woodland Bench

they can take you down to the bobby station if you don't have your passport. I saw some loud Americans (old couple) asking a group of militseya in paviletskaya for directions. I listened in, the militseya were very polite. No passport checks or anything. I only seem to witness passport checks of loud young americans or gasterbiters.

Nexus · Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 189 Location: Moscow

After reading all that, I wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole!

Dyadya Misha · Joined: 28 Jun 2010 Posts: 17

Also be aware that they have only a 6 hour cancellation policy with some clients, meaning that a lesson which is scheduled to begin at 6 can be cancelled any time before midday and the teacher will not be paid.

Also, if a teacher has a class which cancels late but for whatever reason cannot get the signature of the student to say that it was late (either because the course has ended, the student refuses, etc) the teacher will not be paid.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 12:06 pm Post subject:

Yes, very true. Apart from being a pain, it can hurt your wallet too, of course. Especially when a lucrative private student had to be moved to accommodate an IPT one.

However, should you try to cancel a class on the same day for any reason, woe betide... Expect angry calls, SMSes and emails threatening to terminate visas and other illegal nonsense.

Cool, huh?!

Make that a rather stout barge-pole...

Dyadya Misha · Joined: 28 Jun 2010 Posts: 17

ancient_dweller · Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 415 Location: Woodland Bench

just a point to note. 6 hours allowance for the student to cancel is not that bad. I've heard of schools that don't pay at all for cancellations. or, they pay only if they give notice 1 or 2 hours before - even then you only get 50%. 6 hours is therefore pretty good.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 5:44 pm Post subject:

Sorry ancient_dweller, but just because other schools are even more atrocious, doesn't make a 6 hour watershed pretty good.

ancient_dweller · Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 415 Location: Woodland Bench

fair point. So what is good then?

I don't think it is unreasonable for a school to have a cut off point. hourly paids are given a premium precisely because they don't get paid for cancellations. The school also has to balance the happiness of its teachers with what the students demand. With poorer schools it seems they have to offer that. I am actually surprised schools let students cancel at all. I remember i had russian lessons and i could cancel whenever i wanted because they let me. Why don't schools just say 'no cancellations' or at least limit the student to one or two?

One school 'speak up' for example, has a time limit on when you have to use the credits u have paid for.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:20 am Post subject:

Good questions. What is good then? How about notice the day before, like schools asked for in the past? Not so unreasonable, I think.

As for hourly-paids getting a premium, I don't think this is the case at IPT, where nearly all teachers on visas there have been reduced to hourly-paid work (as in, nothing guaranteed) but don't have any 'premium' rate to show for it.

However, I share your surprise that schools seem to be so tolerant of these cancellations. But it fuels my suspicion that they in fact are not so accommodating as all that, and in fact opportunistically cut the teacher's pay while demanding payment from the student...

ancient_dweller · Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 415 Location: Woodland Bench

kc4real · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 27 Location: VA, USA

Everyone keeps talking about pay issues in very general terms, What do they actually pay for 28 hours work????

I don't want to go to Moscow for anything under $2,000 especially if you have to pay for your own apt.
because its an expensive city and there are jobs there that pay better.
Thanks

ancient_dweller · Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 415 Location: Woodland Bench

i don't know about IPT, but hourly paid work with a school ranges from 800 to 1200 an academic hour and then upto 2000 for an academic hour if they are your own private student.

I haven't actually heard anything bad about IPT but if they offer visas to hourly paids that is a good thing!! Very few schools would give a visa without first putting you on a permanent contract and the salary would be something like 50000-75000 (excluding mcschools - i think they are more like 20000 a month). for that you would be expected to work full time and accommodation would unlikely be included.

if you are lucky enough to get a school to provide a visa on an hourly paid basis (provided they are not locking you into full-time hours, i.e maximum 20 hours a week) then take as little as 600 an academic hour, which will net you about $1600 a month for 20 hours a week with no cancellations, which i must say is not bad. then you have the opportunity to work your magic with other higher paying agencies or your own privates.

ancient_dweller · Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 415 Location: Woodland Bench

further to previous post.

add a school called Parlex into the mcschool low pay category