Job Discussion Forums

[dervish]

lskjdflskdjflksjdf;lksjdflkjsdf;lkjsdflkjsdflkjsdflkjsd;lfkjs;ldkfj;lskdjflksjdflksjd;lkjf;lskdjf;lksjdf

[sweetpea]

First: Where in the States are you working with Turkish kids? Secondly, about the frogs: I have seen this many times and I am sorry, but it is FOUR frogs on the log. If one 'decides' then he has clearly jumped. Otherwise, it is only contemplation.

Peace, Love and Happiness

[sweetpea]

Pardon, I read it wrong: Nonetheless, if four decide then there is ONE left. Same reasoning as above. Peace....

[dervish]

ldkfjs;ldkfjslkdjf;lskdjf;lskdjf;lksjdflksjdf;lksjdflksdjf;lksjdf

[mrauc941]

Out of curiuosity, where is this school? I have not taught children in a koleji myself (but will be in about 3 weeks), but have seen many Turkish students in classes in the U.S.

I have a Turkish friend who teaches in a private "Turkish" school in Patterson, NJ and the students were quite well behaved and very respectful. I also was frequently present at Turk Evi (the TR Consulate in New York) when they ran Saturday classes. Children from preschool to middle school age were there, and were also well behaved and attentive (esp. considering it was Saturday). Finally, I helped two years in a row in the organization for Cocuklar Bayrami in Central Park. I experienced them to be average children with no propensity to any of the behavior you describe.

That said, I can completely believe your experiences. And there may well be a difference in philosophy for raising children. I used to lifegaurd at this pool. I got to know a Turkish family there and I can definitely say that their 13 year old son fits your description well. But then so did numerous other American kids there. However, he also seemed to respect his parents far more than any of the American children. He kissed his mother in the middle of the pool! How many 13 year old U.S. boys would do that? It seems that characterizing the whole of Turkish children this way is a sign of ignorance. How much experience have you had with other children? Well, who knows, maybe I will be biting my tongue in a few weeks. I'll get back to you!

[dervish]

lskdjf;lksjdflksjdflkjsdf;lkjsd;flkjsldfkjs;ldkfjs;lkdfjaslkdfj;lksjf

[calsimsek]

O.K no idea about frogs and don't care.
One: Rich kids are spoilt every where.
Two: Turks pamper their young (Should know married to one)
Third: Male Turks don't grow up and develop responsablity until they finnish their militery service.
Four: No matter how rude you think they are, play to the farther or older brother ( most mums are for love here. ie useless )
Five : These are just general comments.
If you are full on type, then Turkey was not ment for you. You have to bend with the wind when it comes to working with the Turks. One day
mum will say her son is the best the next day dad will beat the crap out of him.
One last thing Turk hate to be told off in public, this extends to their kids.

[OzBurn]

I've been in Vietnam a month, and I am about ready to push on. Thinking about Turkey as my next destination, I took a look at this thread. It seems that I would not be the right teacher for "koleji" students in Turkey. I'm wondering if it is possible to teach in Turkey at a language school and just decline working with teens and kids? I know I can't go through any more high-stress situations with snotty little kids who think that because mommy bought them a cell phone, they are the apple of god's eye.

I will add this: It is not at all true that rich kids act like spoiled brats in general. I know: I was a scholarship student at a private school in the US. The average prep school student is actually quite polite in class. My teachers never had to raise their voices, even once, to get control.

I still have enough residual class resentment (I'm not proud of it, but I know it's there) to so to speak wish this weren't so. But it is. Rich kids in the U.S. are, typically, fairly nice to teachers (to poor kids or middle class kids, it's another story...).

[yaramaz]

Oz, not all kids are rich in kolejs (kolejlar?). In my school, the prep class students were there on scholarship and really had to work hard to stay in the school. They were well mannered and polite and very dedicated. I loved the 10 hours (out of 18 classroom hours) that I spent with them. If you can get a job in a k-12, see if they have an opening in the lise for hazirlik teachers. My other students (the grade 9 advanced and regular classes, and a grade 11 language class made up mostly of girls heading to English university programs) were not as well behaved but only one of the 9s were unbearable (all boys, all rich, all quite rude and self absorbed except one or two former prep class kids).

Alternately, I think the language schools do deal mainly with adults with some kids courses-- at least that was the situation with me. I taught university students and business people. They were interesting and hard working and time flew by. I'd do it again happily.

[OzBurn]

Thanks for the tips. Can you clarify -- what exactly is a *prep* class, and what is a *hazirlik* teacher?

I don't think I can handle Istanbul, though it is nicer than Saigon (much nicer). So I am thinking about Antalya -- apparently the pay at language schools there is quite poor, however, compared to Vietnam, Turkey being a more attractive destination for most people, I suppose; or perhaps the Vietnamese value the foreign teachers more. But money isn't the most important thing at this point.

Thanks.

[yaramaz]

Oz,

Prep and hazirlik are basically the same idea under two names. The Turks will call it Hazirlik so it's handy to know the name. A prep class in a lise (high school) is usually a one year program between primary and secondary school. In my school, if kids were in the primary school and did well enough in English they could move from grade 8 straight up to grade 9, the first year of high school. If they were not successful or if they were entering from a state school, they could choose to take an extra year to study English before formally entering the HS in grade 9. They studied it 25 hours a week with a Turkish teacher and a foreign teacher sharing the hours. I had 10 students, and 2 came from Primary and 8 came from state schools. The state school kids were brilliant. I can't say the same for the two boys from Primary. Kids who do the intensive prep year tend to emerge with excellent skills in English. I could always recognise exPrep kids in my grade 9 classes because they could speak English and actually did the work I assigned!

As for money: I got 600 pounds a month with free rent and internet and a lot of holidays. In spite of flying home to Canada every summer and spending Christmas and both bayrams abroad both years, I was able to save about 7000 pounds in two years. Each month I easily saved half my salary. It will not be the same in Istanbul, certainly, but it is still a decent place to call home.

[dervish]

sldkfjsldfkjsldkfjl;sdkjf;lskdjf;lskdjf

[OzBurn]

Thanks for the tips, guys.

I should have mentioned that I don't have any kind of teaching certification. I have lots of experience, and a great resume, but I have never taken one single class in education. Is this an obstacle to employment in koleji? Or perhaps I should say, an insurmountable obstacle? Do they really care?

[Otterman Ollie]

Hi Oz

I think that going straight to a high school private or otherwise will be a bit like throwing yourself into the deep end,esp bearing in mind you r lack of experience . For your first year try a language school they usually provide some on the job training and you can hone your skills before you move onto the big stuff . Good luck .
Dervis me old china,you seem to have a ghost like attitude to Turkish kids ,yet by a previous post you have a Turkish partner ,is there anything about this country that pleases you relating to teaching . Like our friend ghost you tend to make sweeping general statements about the kids and the schools ,can I ask you how much time did you spend over here ,I don't believe that all the kids are how you described . I have met a few thousand here over the last 12 years most are fairly well adjustred ,spoilt ,yes ,rude even ,but,most kids are if the parents let them .English schoolkids and teenagers are generally much worse just read any English newspaper ,makes these kids seem pretty tame .

[FGT]

Welcome back Otterman!

You said previously you were going to spend the summer in your favourite resort and indulge yourself with some decadence and debauchery. How was it? Where did you go? Were you decadent and debauched? Spill the beans old man, we all want to know!