Job Discussion Forums

[talltexan]

I have two contracts offered, one from American International School for 2 years in Salmiya and the other for 1 year with American Creative Academy girls campus in Hawalli. I have been to Kuwait before and I know Salmiya pretty well but I don't know Hawalli...how far out is it from all the good stuff? (i.e. malls, restaurants, sheesha places)

Also, is there anything glaringly obvious I should know about either school that would make me choose one over the other, all things equal?

I would really appreciate any info ya'll could give! Thanks!

[veiledsentiments]

Hawalli is not that far from Salmiya. I lived in Salmiya and worked in Hawalli, and it was a relatively short commute. You could do the same if you have a housing allowance.

Can't offer much about choice of schools. I'd ask what the 'American' means in their name. Do they have any Americans attending? (often better conditions if embassy kids are in attendance) I believe the Salmiya place has been discussed here, have you done a search?

VS

[talltexan]

the American Creative Academy is an "American" curriculum based in Islamic values (the student population is almost entirely Kuwaiti). My would be principal is amazingly nice (she is American).

actually both schools have mixed reviews on the net...I was just looking for anyone with first hand experience or knew someone who worked there that could help me make the decision.

I appreciate the input! No one said anything about embassy kids for either school....

[veiledsentiments]

I suspect that all reviews will be 'mixed' because different teachers have different thresholds. Some people can ignore bad management and focus on the kids... some are driven over the edge by the often spoiled children of the gulf, but need the job.

If the offers are pretty much equal as to pay and benefits, it may come down to flipping a coin... or something like deciding that you want to live in Salmiya and have the shortest possible commute. Or that since you have lived in Salmiya, you want to try out Hawalli...

The principal may seem like a gem in the interview and once you get there you find that she manages poorly... or even worse. It's all a crapshoot really if you don't have a friend already working there to tell all. One thing about Kuwait is that people seem to find it easy to switch employers after completion of their contract. You may want to request a one year contract for that reason.

VS

[Judo]

I would decided based on your extra-curricular interests and your desire for co-ed or single-sex classes. ACA doesn't have a band, as it follows the Islamic curriculum. AIS has co-ed classes, and boys bring a separate set of challenges to the classroom, but can make things more interesting as well. The ACA parents are more likely to be conservative, wanting western education without the mingling of sexes. This could be a pain or could make life interesting here. The teachers I've met at ACA have tended to be 30+, while the AIS teachers generally seem younger. Again, could just be who I've met. One other thing - my understanding is that the censorship decisions made by the Ministry of Education vary with the school making the requests - schools which have a more conservative mandate have more restrictions. Schools which cater to western kids or a stronger American curriculum have fewer.

[The_Hanged_Man]

Well, both schools are similar in the sense in that both primarily serve Kuwaiti children. The only American school with a significant US population is the American School of Kuwait. They are far from the worst schools in Kuwait, but I have heard some recent complaints about both. Although it is a pay site, www.internationalschoolsreview.com does have some decent reviews of both places.

[15yearsinQ8]

i've taught at both
choose ais