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30 hours a week in a Koleji with each class for 10 hours

 
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2003 11:21 am    Post subject: 30 hours a week in a Koleji with each class for 10 hours Reply with quote

Folks

I have signed a contract with a Koleji on the Mediterranean coast for 30 hours of week....although the admin. told me that I would probably only teach 25 hours with 3 hours for 'club' activities. The contract was in Turkish only....but I decided to risk it....based on the fact that there are a couple of foreign teachers who have been there for a few years (normally a good sign).

The contract seems heavy....but time was short so I signed the contract.


The pay is 1000 u.s. dollars per month with free lodging and food thrown in (3 meals a day as I will have a single room in the school). I have opted inititially to lodge in the school as the other option involves a rather long school bus ride to teacher apartments on the other side of the city at fixed times only. Teachers are required to arrive August 24th for planning.


The difference with this Koleji is that each foreign teacher has 2 or 3 grades and teaches them for a total of 2 hours a day....in actual fact two 40 minute classes with a 10 minute break in the middle.

As I have been told that I will be teaching 4th grades....I am concerned that 80 minutes with this age group will prove to be too much for the kids in terms of them maintaining interest etc....

Has anyone else on this forum taught classes for 80 minutes a day 5 days a week? Any suggestions appreciated.
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richard ame



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 319
Location: Republic of Turkey

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 11:00 am    Post subject: Now this is going to be fun Reply with quote

Hi Ghost
I wish you would let me know the name of this place then I may be able to give you some juice on the place is it in Antalya ?
The contract sounds like the standard one used for foreign teachers , the salary is ok and you get free room and meals thrown in ,not bad ,not bad at all ,so far so good .You may end up with 25-28 hours a week class time and as you have already realised how are you going to keep the little darlings active but quiet for 80 minutes. Bear in mind they have a very short attention span and variety in a lesson is the key ,try to give a change of routine or objective at least twice in a lesson ,try not too hard to teach, the kids won't thank you for it,and you may nd up with a rebellion on your hands . Talk to the other N.E's and see what they say about the kids last year ,get your contract translated to English,a Turkish contract is not really worth the paper its written on if you don't understand any of it so its difficult to see how it can be enforced,get yourself a lawyer if things get sticky,infact hunt around for one now find out what your status is . Are they going to take care of your papers and documention and are you expected to pay for the cost of this ,you shouldn't have to .As you are teaching in the lower levels you won't have to prepare and mark exams (lucky you ) that means you won't be the proud holder of a grade book which you can wave at the kids in a threatening manner and tell them you will lower there marks (works every time ). Cultivate an expression of stone and supressed anger when you first enter the classroom and don't ever smile again not just before christmas I mean don't smile EVER. Learn a bit of Turkish so you can bark at the kids and defend yourself when you are hauled before a manager for barking at the kids . Never ever touch them at all in anyway shape or form unless they are with their parents and you are bullshitting them about how wonderful their child is ,a gentle ruffle of the hair is usually permitted . Don't let them address you by your first name and dress and look like you mean business,and above all remember you are only shop window . Good luck mate ,the fun has only just begun
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gelin



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 144
Location: Istanbul, Turkey

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 2:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your flippant attitude really bothers me, Richard. Your type of teaching shows the mark of a true unprofessional teacher, in my opinion. Yes, Turkish children can be a handful, but bully tactics and threats will only perpetuate the problem. There are many successful teachers who are kind, nurturing and not terroristic. Ghost, take his advice with a grain of salt.
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yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll second that motion, gelin... Ghost, I think I told you when you were here last week that my grade 5s and 6s became much easier as the year wore on and that the 7s did the opposite. I didn't become stricter, in fact I used the system of reward and punishment which the little kids totally grooved on and most of the older kids dismissed with teenaged hostility (as expected). I was actually able to sit down, smile and laugh with them after months of trying to get them to sit down and be sane. What I did was choose one kid each time to be the recorder of 'happy maryanne' and 'angry maryanne'-- on the board I let that chosen child draw two columns on the board, illustrated with a happy face and an unhappy face. Some were quite monstrous. Before I started this plan, I went over rules and expectations in the classroom- raise hands, dont interrupt, bring a pen, no water fights, etc. Whenever a kid broke one of the rules, I asked the monitor to write their name under the angry face. At the end of the class, I chose 5 or 6 kids who were really good (not just stoney silent, which they seem to think means 'good') and put them under the happy face. After a child gets 3 happy faces, they get a reward, usually sweets or stickers, in a bi-weekly award ceremony in front of the class. Kids with 3 angry faces were reported to the director nd classroom teacher etc. Of course, they did very little except to yell and pull the kids' ears but it did introduce some sanity to my classroom. I just had to tap on the angry face for the kids to calm down a little. This wont guarantee absolute peace and undivided attention but it will get them to sit down and actually notice that you are in the room! I have a bunch of games I played with my kids when I sensed their attention was waning. Send me a message if you want me to tell you about them.
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 7:00 am    Post subject: 80 mins ın purgatory or heaven? Reply with quote

The Koleji told me they would pay for my return flight to my home country so that I can do the Turkish Embassy thing.

I had to pay for the translation of my passport here in Turkey...but only 10.000.000 TL.

It will be very hard for me to maintain a 'stony disposition' during my teaching....that is not my style. And kids can usually 'read' a teacher within 3 minutes....

Question....might there be a possibility to change to the middle school after a few weeks if things do not work out with this age group? 80 minutes of activities might prove an impossible challenge.
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richard ame



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 319
Location: Republic of Turkey

PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 7:45 am    Post subject: A grain of salt with a tongue in the cheek Reply with quote

Hi Ghost
Anybody who has done any work in large private high schools for anylength of time will know exactly where I was comimg from and yes gelin is right I was flippant and my remarks should be taken with a bucket or two of salt not just a grain,however there are certain realities that you will find out when you get there one of them is going to be the name of the school which somtime soon you going to let us know aren't you ghost???
I was teasing you son and teaching the youngsters is going to be a breeze if you use a little psyscololy (yes I know I spelt htat wrong bosver).Don't expect them to let you move to middle school and don't do if you can avoid the olders ones are the worst 8th grade students are something else and the lise well you just wait and see . good luck dostum . Oops there goes my tongue firmly in my mouth again .
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gelin



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 144
Location: Istanbul, Turkey

PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Richard, I thank you for taking the criticism gallantly. I am certainly not disputing that Turkish kids are tough to teach sometimes, and, sadly, Ghost, I think the younger group will be difficult for you if even before you get in you are already thinking about moving. Each level has their own set of problems. I have been teaching in Turkey for 10 years now, mostly high school, but now middle school. I've been in administration and been in the classroom plenty, and every group of kids seems to get easier and easier for me. Either I'm used to it or I'm doing something right.
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 8:08 am    Post subject: Turkey teaching Reply with quote

My eventual aim is to teach in Turkey at the University level, and on paper I would qualify as I do possess an M.A.

However it will be interesting to get a couple of years experience in the Kolejis, because that will help me eventually when I move up to the higher education levels. The plan for year one is to teach the lower age groups, then teach the Prep. classes and Language classes in year two. Year three would be University if all goes well.

The place I am at now is comfortable, but quite frankly there is more luxury here than I would like and this means that the Turks one meets here are more mercenary in their attitudes and less interested in foreigners. I hope to eventually move to places further east or the Black sea coast. I found the mentality of the people in Zonguldak a refreshing change from the materialistic attitudes so prevalent in my present elected domicile.
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richard ame



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 319
Location: Republic of Turkey

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 9:40 am    Post subject: where are you ? Reply with quote

Come on ghost you still haven't answered my first question just where are you going to teach in the next academic year ? You are a great one for asking questions but thats all, it seems !!!!!
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 7:35 am    Post subject: answer Reply with quote

Revealing personal information to dubious characters on the internet would not be prudent for anyone in their right mind.
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