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JohnCB · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

Actually, I was referring to IAT/HCT and merely agreeing with you, because I know the sort. Now let me ask you this Beast, do you really think the natives are clueless to their establishment? There will always be a native around who reports back to brass and you can bet your *ss on it!

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

Natives or western management, it's HCT. If managers/administrators don't have the backbone to stand up to those in the highest of positions, then they are part of the problem and just as much to blame. Spinelessness does not excuse them.

MEB Cool

JohnCB · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

The brass hires the spineless admin. who bends to their will. I doubt if anything will change. People are not willing to confront the natives. Have you contacted the Emirati who runs the place? Have the teachers united to present their concerns to the Emirati? My guess is no. Now I would think, if the students can go directly to the top and complain about us, can't we do likewise? Perhaps, we are the spineless ones. Rolling Eyes

johnslat · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject:

Spineless - perhaps. When you have a family (and some teachers /administrators do) courage can have a high price tag.

Powerless - certainly.

I can't speak about HCT, bur I know that teachers uniting to present their concerns is both unlikely and, in any case, fruitless in much of the Gulf.

Plenty more where they came from.

Regards,
John

JohnCB · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

Well John, then this forum is all in vain. Some of like working in the Gulf, but as you correctly said, nothing will change because no one is willing to stand up and make a difference. Until teachers (in the Gulf) unite and 'diplomatically' confront the top mgmt., we will be slaves to these people.
That is the reality, like it or not. Mad

Teachergirl2011 · Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 9

One ought not to forget that there a lot of disillusioned educators in every country in the world. Many staff rooms are filled with the sounds of crap management poor decisions and ill treatment of teaching staff.

There are also many contented staff at HCT, as well as staff staying for all sorts of reasons but in the main hose that stay choose to do so, no teacher as far as I am aware is chained to HCT premises.

It is also the case that you are talking about the Middle Eastern country and Middle Eastern countries are not well known for ethical practice and quality organsations/education. The UAE clearly has a different culture to the US, UK or other western democracies.

People who work in the UAE need to be aware that the culture is different and work within that. Everyone who goes to work for HCT needs to go in with their eyes wide open but this is the case for most of not all Middle Eastern establishments of education.

In my experience it tends to be western teachers who have most dificulties and complain the most. It is these people who seem to feel most hard done by. I know a numer of Egyptian, Lebanese and Indian teachers in HCT and they are all happy with their lot.

HCT does seem to be a strange place to work but one is left to wonder whether the problems are in the minds of those who feel they are hard done by rather than in the organisation.

Teachergirl2011 · Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 9

johncb

It is difficult to argue that one is a slave when one can simply get on a plane and go home whenever one wishes.

JohnCB · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

You are merely making excuses for unethical people who engage in backward practices. You are absolutely right, I have gotten on many planes to escape from those lot, but not before I confronted them. They are unethical because they have no shame. If I could sit and drink tea and talk on my mobile all day, I imagine, I would become lazy and uninterested in the going-ons of an educational institution!

johnslat · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 5:31 pm Post subject:

Dear JohnCB,

" . . . this forum is all in vain."

Well, here are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

"Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.�

I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven;
it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with.
I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun;
and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.�

If you think that teachers are going to present a "united front" to the powers-that-be in the Middle East (not to the "spineless administrators, who are powerless to effect substantive change, but to the Emirates or the Saudis, etc.,) I think you are indulging in fantasy. Oh, it's a very nice fantasy, but let's be honest about it: that's never going to happen.

Regards,
John

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

johnslat · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 5:37 pm Post subject:

Dear MEB,

"Some are enslaved to those paychecks, especially if they have dependents."

Thank you for reinforcing one of my points. Now, any volunteers to be Spartacus (but remember how he ended up?)

Regards,
John

JohnCB · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

'Teacher Spring' anyone? Crying or Very sad

johnslat · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 5:39 pm Post subject:

Dear JohnCB,

Nice post - but maybe we'd better check first on how that "Arab Spring" is working out.

Meet the new boss - same as the old boss Very Happy

Regards,
John

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

JohnCB · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

All the more reason for a 'Teach em Spring' John. Shocked