Job Discussion Forums

[the princess bride]

So after my first round with the Saudi recruiters, I am just wondering how many of you have taught in other places?

I have taught in Canada, Korea and China and have found that most people will throw you in front of the bus to make some extra cash or earn some "face" (wasta, I think is what is the equivalent for KSA).

So a few questions to the uni experts out there:

How hard do you work? With recruiters talking teaching hours of 20+, how much prep/marking/lesson planning are you doing? What are your office hours like?
How many teachers per room are there for prep hours?
Can you go anywhere on the campus or are you required to stay in the teacher's room?
How clearly are your tasks defined?

From what I have been reading there seems to be a lot of discrepancies. I guess I am trying to figure out if it is worth the trouble of going to KSA, given that it is a hardship location or whether I should just head to the beach instead and enjoy some sun.

Thanks in advance!

[nomad soul]

It's unclear what you're trying to glean with your questions---how others' responses will be useful. You seem to assume there are some sort of 'set' office hours, configuration of teachers' office spaces, campus rules, specific number of hours for marking/lesson planning, etc., that's common in all Saudi PY programs. Yet, you wonder why so far you've noticed a lot of discrepancies in your dealings with recruiters.

Regardless of any responses you get from strangers on this forum, ultimately, you need to figure out if it's worth it to work in the Kingdom or not based on your own comfort level, need for money, teaching interests, whatever.

[the princess bride]

I am interested in coming for money and adventure, after Korea and China something new is on the horizon. But I am an active person and only willing to give up freedoms such as running on the road for a certain amount of money, otherwise I can head to thailand or veitnam, net less, but enjoy life more.

The prospect of a new edu-culture, especially getting to understand the feminine perspective from within the heart of the middle east is alluring. Part of teaching is understanding new ways of being, learning a new language and trying something new. However the world is a bit place and there are a lot of new places.

My question really is this, 20+ hours of teaching is a lot, especially if there are a lot of preps. Last year I had 18 contact hours and 10 preps, with materials that were not suited to my students, so I had to create basically everything. It was draining.

In Korea, I taught at a uni, 16 contact hours, with 2 preps. We purchased a text with all the bells and whistles, media, teacher onine support and extra materials so no one had to spend all their time prepping. I mean you could, and of course you didn't just teach the book, but it meant having time for privates, yoga and other lovely things.

So when you have prep time at school is it enough to get the work done?

The recruiters I have spoken haven't given me clear criteria regarding working hours etc... Again, there is no point in going to a new place to work your face off for lots of money, only to spend it all on creature comforts or worse yet have no time all the weekends to do fun things because marking calls.

[hocus pocus]

Every school will be different. From my experience, 20 contact hours and 10 office hours is the norm. Re: prep work - female students will require more prep work than the men.

I'd avoid schools like KFU (Shabaka is the contractor). They want warm bodies, not teachers.

[lcanupp1964]

In the ELI prep-year program at KAU in Jeddah, they teach 18 hours a week and have 10 hours of office time. Many people don't stay for the 10 hours and can easily leave right after teaching for the day.

I transferred from the ELI to the Dept. of European Languages at the start of the new teaching year. We teach 12 hours (with 6 hours of office time) per week.

[scot47]

Those with Korean experience do not often fare well in Saudi Arabia.

[egyptfan]

On a slightly off-topic subject, when one gets the initial entry visa (employment), how long is it valid for? i.e. how long does one have to enter the Kingdom before it expires, 30 / 60 or 90 days?

[Wilsonthefarmer]

[shebab]

[the princess bride]

First thanks for the replies, and I think I can see how my last post was a bit unclear, what I mean to say was in Korea, 16 teaching hours, 2-3 different levels (all the classes were essentially repeats of each other), so the prep was very little. In China, 18 teaching hours, no repeats in levels or classes, so every class required a separate prep. We didn't have our own personal space anywhere and as mentioned the materials provided were inadequate.

Obviously we work hard we are teachers, it is part of the gig, but doe the job consume you or can you get your work done at school and leave it there?

[Sheik Yerbuti]

Do yourself a favor and stay in Korea.

[the princess bride]

[the princess bride]

[the princess bride]

[plumpy nut]