Job Discussion Forums

rasd · Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 15

Are they the same place? I was recruited by MTTE or M-Trading just lst week for 12,000 plus all costs covered. IS it legit? What are the students like?
Typical Saudi EFL students or trade students?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Same place. See lots of threads.

trapezius · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject:

The other thread was right at the top when you made yours... observation skills not good?

There is/was no "Hail University". There was a "Hail Community College", or HCC for short, and it was one of the community colleges under KFUPM (King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals).

February 2006, it received its own charter and became an independent full university. And was named "University of Hail", or UOH.

Search for threads by a user called brasscat. Also see his comments in the other current thread.

rasd · Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 15

Been looking on the KSA sites - not just here - and an article about a "new" University of Hail being built in 2006. SO - thought there was a chance -
I think I'm going to keep looking for other places -Worked at KFS and it was great except for one guy - my boss - so I had to leave.
Quit actually - and it (UPP) was great. Love KSA - want to be there again but I have science background.

trapezius · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:18 pm Post subject:

UOH is operating out of the existing campus which was built as HCC 8 years ago, and a new building on literally the other end of town, which is actually an apartment building converted to classrooms. New building has all the prep-year students.

UOH is building its own campus, and it is apparently going to be in the Prince Musaed Economic City, an $8 billion development encompassing businesses, industries, educational institutions, housing, etc. (smaller version of the King Abdullah Economic City, a $27 billion development, outside of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast; there are 6 such artificial cities planned in KSA).

The new campus will be a proper university campus, with faculty housing, sport facilities, several academic and administrative buildings, etc.

UOH currently offers Bachelor's degrees in a handful of IT/computer related majors only. Their vision is to open several colleges at the new campus in a few years, including medicine, engineering, academic degrees, even graduate degrees.

Let's see how it goes.

What is your educational background? What degree, from where, and what experience do you have? And what do you want to teach?

rasd · Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 15

Actually I have a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in physics and chem but have taught ESP and some English to Asians - Chinese - Thais etc. But I want to know where I am going to be working if I accept and the guy seems to know very little or won't say - apparently he is from M- Trading - got it off serious teachers dot com site.
Replied within a week and I am in China - teaching physics to University of Missouri Students and I only really work three days a week - 15 hours - and get 10,000 RMB and great housing and all the benis. The problem with China is that it is full of Chinese - as said in Mel's movie about Scotland. Too crowded and really not very much money. I do have to admit - I don't really work and all the copies of anything I want - DVD's to shoes.
I miss the money - show me the money - and I convert Saudi money to Baht so I don't care about the dollar.

Thanks so much for the reply BTW.

trapezius · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:31 pm Post subject:

You have been hired to teach ESL, Math, or Physics there?

If you want to teach physics, the problem is that for academic fields, almost all universities here would require a PhD, except for a few of the smaller colleges/universities.

UOH requires a minimum of Master's, so you can definitely go there. You can teach ESL and/or Math in the prep-year programme. Or maybe you will be allowed to teach the physics courses.

The only good places to work here are:

KFUPM
ummm... that's about it (universally agreed upon)

Some people might mention others based on their experiences, perhaps PSU, PMU, KSU, KAAU...?

Good luck!

rasd · Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 15

It says - I have been approved for the "English program" and I will find out from my employer UOH - this is from the agency(?) that hired me.
I am not sure I will go until I have all the documents in order and If I find out whether or not I am on a criminal black list from the UAE for an unpaid loan - which by the way I never received any money from the bank. I was approved but left the Emirates before I could access the account as my wife was terminally ill. She passed away while I was out of the Emirates and as a result I never returned. I am still trying to access UAE warrants/blacklist/debtors prison sites along with GCC cooperation concerning this problem.
Thanks again - you are very helpful and knowledgeable.

trapezius · Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:00 pm Post subject:

I am really sorry to hear about your wife. I can't imagine how it would feel.

About UOH, what do YOU want to teach there, or at any other place? You prefer to teach ESL, or Physics/Math?

Since they hired you for ESL, you must have applied for ESL, right? Either way, you must be a brave soul should you choose to go to UOH. But just for a year, it is not so bad, considering you will get $32,000.

Try it out. If you want to come to SA this year, that's your only option. But if you apply for Spring 2008, or Fall 2008, you can get a job in a better place.

rasd · Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 15

Actually I can teach conversational English if I remember to listen once in a while as I love to hear myself talk. This is the main reason chemistry and physics are the only thing worth teaching - I can teach the history of science and the science itself and the ramifications of the science on everyday life. I usually have a captive audience as I require attendance and part of the grade is coming to class listening to me talk. I am an old fashioned "Chalk and Talk" kinda guy, but I learned chemistry and physics very good - here is an example of why i do never teach english in skool.

SO - I prefer the sciences and maths over English.

But my dream is a University where the students are curious and want to learn and able to learn with an English (American) teacher.

Dreams are what we never attain - but rather - why we get up in the morning.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

But, one problem is that conversation classes are not really part of the Academic English curriculum. At most it would be an insignificant part of an Integrated Skills course. Mostly it is teaching reading and writing skills.

VS

Bebsi · Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 958

resd,

Very sorry to hear about your wife, as I am sure everyone in this forum is. It is indeed a dreadful thing to happen to anyone.

UOH has a terrible reputation. The best university in KSA (to work in) that I know of is KFUPM. I understand that KSU and KFU are also pretty decent.

There are many new, private universities springing up, but they don't have a track record. I suspect that some will turn out to be excellent, a few will probably gain an appalling reputation, and most will be OK.

A masters in a science discipline would be enough to get you a job teaching that - or related - subjects. Many places may advertise jobs requiring a PhD, but the reality could be very different. Give them a try.

Good luck, and in advance, welcome back to KSA.