Job Discussion Forums

letitslidedude · Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 81 Location: KOREA

A question for JOB SEEKERS at the conference,

If you want to attend the JOB FAIR at TESOL Arabia, you will have to pay around 1000 AED!

On-site registration: 765.00
Membership (regular): 175
JOB FAIR: 150 (not sure)

And they want only CASH!
What do you think?

Iamherebecause · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:56 am Post subject:

Given that many employers offer video conference interviews anyway why bother?

I heard the job fair wasn't that great this year - not so many recruiters, and not so many good candidates either. The UAE is maybe falling out of favour, all the Canadians are going to Atlantic College and others are fleeing the lousy exchange rate.

Maybe it'll be cheaper to do the job fair next year if the conference is at HCT rather than in an hotel. That hotel was expensive, if you couldn't survive on your coffee break vouchers the restaurants were very pricey and there didn't seem to be many options in the environs if you left the hotel and headed into the sandstorm.

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

youweretherebecause?

Iamherebecause · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 9:01 am Post subject:

Well, I certainly wasnottherebecause of the Job Fair.

Iwastherebecause of the conference. Gave a paper. Went to a couple of decent plenaries, and a few other sessions which were worth attending too, as long as you knew how to read between the lines of the abstracts.
I wasn't mad keen on the hotel, the Bustan Rotana is in a better location as there's somewhere to escape to when all those braying TEFLers get to be too much. That Celtic place down the road, for example - what's it called...?

letitslidedude · Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 81 Location: KOREA

Did you pay the fees or HCT paid for you?

Thanks in advance!

Iamherebecause · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:11 am Post subject:

My employer says it will reimburse me Smile

but hasn't said when. Sad

If you are accepting a post on the basis of what professional development you are likely to get, remember the value of their PD policy can go down as well as up. HCT used to give fees and an accommodation allowance apparently - ZU can be generous I hear - UAEU used to give nothing at all but now does have a budget for conference participation.

letitslidedude · Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 81 Location: KOREA

I think you mentioned a great idea about the location. Why organizing a conference in a 5 stars hotel? What is the point? Do they want to look good?

Why not on a yearly rotation basis at different educational institutions in the UAE. For example, this year at HCT Dubai, next year, UAEU in Al-Ain, the following may be at George Mason in Ras Al-Khayma and the story goes on!

This way, the educational setting is perfect and there will be a minimum charge to cover the preparation costs. Finally, more people will be able to attend due to low cost, and in the same time, visiting the Emirates.

JUST MY 5 CENTS!

kuberkat · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Oman

Still spinning from my very well-utilised coffee vouchers, thank you very much, (since there was, indeed, no such thing as a free lunch), here's a caffeine-fuelled answer.

Next year, the conference will, in fact, be held at Dubai Men's College, so you have your wish, letitslidedude. No more hedonistic luxuries, but there may be more necessary space. And hey, wouldn't it be nice if this spartan approach were reflected in a more spartan price, too?

There were a few inspired sessions (plenary, featured and even concurrent speakers) that certainly put the fizz back in my ale. But it really stung to see how many of our respected colleagues cannot read a schedule, show up on time or close the door to a presentation room. Not to mention the way they treated the hotel staff- a fact I realised when I started closing the door to a colleague's presentation in a salon to keep the corridor noise out- and was mistaken for an employee! What irked me even more was the way people who left halfway through, or arrived for the next session, aggressively insisted on getting a handout they could not make head or tail of without hearing the presentation. These people TEACH?!? If the recruiters took a look at many of these people's behaviour downstairs, they wouldn't hire them. At least- I hope not....

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

I was at the conference and I was embarassed by the behaviour of many of the regions teachers/students. But this has been the case for the last ten years, at least.
There were some excellent presentations but my impression is that people go to 'collect presentations' - ten minutes and then out!

sandy gallop · Joined: 05 Jan 2007 Posts: 33 Location: San Dunia

Iamherebecause · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:35 am Post subject:

Going back to the conference, what WAS that Master Teacher thing? You pay through the nose, have to sit in hand-picked sessions which stop you from going to much of the rest of the conference (but you did pay for that too) and at the end you get to call yourself a Master Teacher.

Nowhere but the Middle East.

Certainly I couldn't imagine anyone anywhere else taking such a thing seriously. OK, go to workshops and papers - but get designated a Master Teacher? When all you had to do was attend and not snore audibly while doing so? Oh, and pay.

letitslidedude · Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 81 Location: KOREA

Just wondering about this "Master Teacher" thing! I wouldn't even consider it as a crash course for God's sake! Money & business oriented conference! That's all!

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

Did they all get an "I'm a Master Teacher" T-shirt, hat and badge?

Perfect interview attire ...

kuberkat · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Oman

Afra and Sandy Gallop wrote: