Job Discussion Forums

[Murasaki]

The "director" of this school, Stefania Allegra, is not honest with prospective teachers. The school itself is rather a joke. She runs it in the afternoons in the state high school run by her parents. There is 1 audio-lingual room that does have quite a sophisticated array of computers and other audio-visual aids that she won't allow teachers to use unless they actually use the equipment. It's the only professional-looking room in the school -- with the exception of 1 other computer classroom that she uses as her "office." But other than that, the other classrooms are your typical Italian school classroom.

Stefania herself ovecharges the language students, pockets most of the money, and doles out a little to the teachers. A lot of work done by the teachers must be done on their own time, without pay. That includes coming for teachers' meetings. She also will not help apply for a work permit, though she will promise this, and then once the teacher arrives, she pretends to do this but in fact, will do nothing.

Even if there is noone to teach a language, she will tell prospective students yes, we have highly qualified teachers to teach this langauge; then she scrambles around trying to find someone who can speak the target language. If she can't find anyone, she will use her sister or some other acquaintance (usually this in the case of those wanting to learn English). She also thinks nothing of letting a teacher go even if she has students still.

I worked there for 3 months last year. I was promised help in getting work permit; I was paid a regular salary of only 600 euros of which I had to fork over 400 euros for rent on a flat next to hers, but which she assured me that I would have 2 other roommates within weeks of my arrival. This turned out to be a lie. I never got any roommates even though I was there for 6 months in this flat. When I kept asking her when would she be applying for my work permit, she let me go, although I had students still.

I later learned that she was running the school illegaly, although it being Sicily, it didn't mean much.

I was the more fortunate teachers. Other foreign-language teachers were not so lucky.

Mura.

[Stephen Jones]

Dear Murosaki

Presumably you are not British or Irish, as EU citizens don't need a work permit for Italy, only a residence permit.

If you are not an EU citizen it is difficult and slow to get a work permit for most EU countries. Be highly suspicious of any company that tells you to come over and start working, and promises to get you one later.