Job Discussion Forums

silasbilas · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

Is it a no-brainer? The $500per month plus shared accomm LL teacher/intern position **versus** 3x that monthly pay for in-company teaching with GI, no accomm provided. What is the stress factor in both?

GF · Joined: 08 Jun 2003 Posts: 238 Location: Tallinn

Your choice is basically down to this: If you have acceptable qualifications and experience, then you take the GI offer. Otherwise, do the internship.

silasbilas · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

I have offers from both, despite no formal quals or experience teaching English. From what i read, $500 per month even plus the accomm is 'skirting poverty'.

GF · Joined: 08 Jun 2003 Posts: 238 Location: Tallinn

No formal qualifications or experience teaching English? Good luck. Russian students are demanding (in a good way) and expect a teacher to be a teacher. You may be in for a rough ride.

silasbilas · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

So why would GI offer me position then, as they know about my lack of previous experience.

GF · Joined: 08 Jun 2003 Posts: 238 Location: Tallinn

That should tell you something about their standards. I work for a private high school and you wouldn't even get an initial interview here.

Deano1979 · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 34

Here we go again.

Last I checked, A PRIVATE SCHOOL is a PRIVATE SCHOOL. You would expect that they would want qualified teachers just like any other first world country would want. Not just for language, but for all fields of study.

A language school is a totally different kettle of fish. I did not go to a local school to learn how to speak spanish expecting university professors to teach me how to speak spanish. All I asked for was for a Spanish speaking person who knew how to instruct.

People have different requirements and expectations when it comes to learning language. Really now. People comparing universities and private schools to Language centres need a bit of a wake up call. One is an 8 week course, the other is a frikken EDUCATION.

You dont need a degree to teach English unless you are going to be teaching in a proper school or University. And even then you may get lucky.

silasbilas · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

Hi, just read the responses. Can anyone else offer anymore advice or knowledge of what it's like to work in either LL or GI?

What are the LL accommodations like? Clean, close to the Metro's? Is the initial training thorough?

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

I'll just say not to set your expectations high.

silasbilas · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

Rusmeister, can you pls elaborate? My expectations of the conditions or teaching?

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

Hi Silas!
I was thinking living conditions, but it covers teaching conditions, too.

There are other threads in this forum that report recent conditions - here's one on pay (I mention visas, too): http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?p=575561#575561

I don't want to seem overly pessimistic, but I'd say that unless someone was really interested in teaching specifically in Russia, I would not even consider the entry-level deals being offered now.

Those of us that are here generally love Russia, but know that it's a hard haul for someone who hasn't developed that love and what it takes to make it here.

silasbilas · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

Thanks for all the responses, guys.

I thought a 1yr working visa meant you could stay in the country for a year, no quibbles??

And btw, has anyone worked for either LL or Globus Int, or know anyone who has?