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tek44
Joined: 25 Feb 2007
Posts: 32
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 Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:25 pm Post subject: Interested in Middle East |
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| I have an MA in TESOL and three years teaching high school English in the US. But I want a starting salary of around 3000 US a month. Is this realistic? |
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SCHUBERT
Joined: 01 Oct 2006
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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hi TEK. Yes its pretty realisitic. Given your high school teaching experience, you might attract an even higher salary in the International schools here - though i have no information on these.
Your location is the Philippines ? - your nationality will also have a bearing on the salary you can expect as will your years of teaching experience post MA.
Incidentally, when was in the PI, the only work available was in IELTS. Is this still the case or is it possible find work as an EFL teacher out there ?
PM me if you need sites to search out work in arabia |
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Van Norden
Joined: 23 Oct 2004
Posts: 409
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| Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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| You might be able to do better on a military contract (if you've got the 'stomach' for that kind of work.) Secondary-school teaching experience is viewed favourably by military schools here; a class of 20-year-old shebab in KSA is comparable to a junior high class in the West. Thankfully, the shebab are generally more docile and (outwardly) respectful. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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| US$3000 a month ? Not so sure that you will get that. |
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SCHUBERT
Joined: 01 Oct 2006
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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| JEEPERS Scotty ! .. they been underpayin you all these years !! Yikes, but you cant trust noone these days .. i'd get down to the freakin Labour court quick as yer legs can carry you and put in for backpay .. you'll surely be able to retire when they sort this mess out .. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Salaries in government institutions are based on years of experience. As scot47 says you may not reach the $3000 mark. Companies or the military would probably take you with little problem, and their salaries are not based on experience so if you are prepared to forgo academic holidays you should get what you want. |
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amity
Joined: 08 Mar 2007
Posts: 72
Location: central Texas
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| Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Van Norden wrote: |
| a class of 20-year-old shebab in KSA is comparable to a junior high class in the West. Thankfully, the shebab are generally more docile and (outwardly) respectful. |
In what respect are 20-year-old shebab comparable to a junior high school class? Level of English proficiency? Motivation and discipline? Emotional maturity? Social skills? Something else? Could the same be said of 20-year-old binat? |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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| amity wrote: |
| Van Norden wrote: |
| a class of 20-year-old shebab in KSA is comparable to a junior high class in the West. Thankfully, the shebab are generally more docile and (outwardly) respectful. |
In what respect are 20-year-old shebab comparable to a junior high school class? Level of English proficiency? Motivation and discipline? Emotional maturity? Social skills? Something else? Could the same be said of 20-year-old binat? |
Van, sorry to interfere here, just I want to contribute to some of her points:
Level of English proficiency? Not comparable (native speakers vs non-native)
Motivation and discipline? I think students in the West are more motivated and disciplined than the 'shebab' of SA, at least in engineering/mathematics.
Emotional maturity? The concept of 'emotional maturity' is different in the West than in SA.
Social skills? There are some overlap between the two.
Something else? The 'shebab' were brought up to respect family values, and more importantly to respect the elders (father, brother, uncle, etc), and so are more docile and sociable!. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:53 am Post subject: |
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The days when EFL teachers here earned heaps of money are over - unless you work for a military contract. And many of them do not pay specially well.
Of course even in a poorly-paid job like mine I am still much better off than an EFL wage slave in Spain or Greece !
And when I am enjoying my looooong summer break on full pay I often think of these guys working For BAe, Vinnel and Raytheon ! Suckers ! |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:57 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| In what respect are 20-year-old shebab comparable to a junior high school class? Level of English proficiency? Motivation and discipline? Emotional maturity? Social skills? Something else? Could the same be said of 20-year-old binat |
While I'm not quite sure what a 'junior high school' is, obviously you can't expect Arabic speakers to have the same English language proficiency as native speakers, even if they are American. But certainly, Saudis of both genders often seem immature when compared with their peers elsewhere. This is because most of them, particularly the women, have had little opportunity to develop a sense of responsibility and independence. Turning up for an exam without a pen, or asking to be excused five minutes after an hour long lunch break 'to go to the bathroom', are exmples of the lack of discipline displayed by most Saudi students. On the plus side, however, they tend to be very kind-hearted, respectful (at least to your face....) and polite (ditto). If given a choice between teaching a room full of immature but charming Saudis, and a room full of suitably mature but charmless Germans (for example...), I would go for the former any day.
Last edited by Cleopatra on Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Van Norden
Joined: 23 Oct 2004
Posts: 409
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Of course I'm not comparing English ability but rather maturity and behaviour, as my esteemed associates have commented on above. A high school teacher like tek44 should be well prepared to deal with the shebab. In fact, it's a piece of cake. |
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BajaLaJaula
Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 267
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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ditto...
as a former junior high school teacher...I can attest to the similarities between the young Saudi men (in their 20s) and junior high students in the US.
1. constant chit chatting
2. horseplay in the classroom
3. blurting out answers or questions
4. out of their seat most of the time
5. unprepared for class
6. go to the bathroom as an excuse to get out of class
However, if you have fairly good classroom management, you can put a stop to most of this. Also agree, that although immature compared to US students...they tend to be more respectful and sincere in their attempts.
Overall....better than junior high students. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:11 am Post subject: |
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| I think part of the high school attitude of young Saudi adults is because they are in a high school like situation. |
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amity
Joined: 08 Mar 2007
Posts: 72
Location: central Texas
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:50 am Post subject: |
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| Informative answers! I am hoping someone will have specific insights into the 20-year-old binat. |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 7:29 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| .....If given a choice between teaching a room full of immature but charming Saudis, and a room full of suitably mature but charmless Germans (for example...), I would go for the former any day. |
If given a choice between teaching a room full of immature but charming Saudis, and a room full of suitably mature and charming British, Scottish and Irish (for example...), I would go for the latter without hesitation.
Another problem with Saudi students is , during Ramadan, when they arrive 20 minutes late to the morning class, and then they continue their sleeping in the class. And some of them they do not turn-up, and when asked about the reason, they reply with "my car was broken down during my way to college", or, "there were an accident in the road, and I was stuck in the middle of the traffic" !!!!!!!!
Because of the influnce of the father and elder brothers in the saudi society/family ,Saudi students, both male and female, usually seem: timid, inhibited, and hesitant.
Also, in their preliminary and secondary classes, the teacher plays (by analogy) the role of a father; he is more authoritative, dominat role, and is the main source of information. And stduents are used to 'one way' communication, and there is no class participation between students and teacher from one hand, and students-students from another hand. I think, this, has contributed to the Saudi students lacking initiative, communication, and interaction, which reflects negatively on their learning process in general. Generally, the spoken English of the majority of Saudi students is unsatisfactory and their communication skills, analytical skills, mathematical skills and English language skills remain under-developed.
Last edited by 007 on Wed Apr 11, 2007 7:57 am; edited 2 times in total |
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