Job Discussion Forums

ESL Hobo · Joined: 23 Oct 2008 Posts: 262

Hi all,
I have read a lot of posts on how "immature or misbehaved" university students can be at times. I would like to hear from teachers (with experience teaching in the UAE) how to survive your first 6 months of teaching there.
This list of do's and dont's might also include how to get along with administrators and parents as well. And if there are more than TEN feel free to add to the list.

Thanks,
the ESL Hobo

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

Of course, it depends on where you are working. I was at HCT and I thought the students (female) were absolutely lovely. As everywhere in the world there are a few problem students now and again, but honestly, I wouldn't run out of fingers counting them over the 4 years. I never met a parent in relation to their college work (in all of my 15+ years of teaching university level in the Middle East).

As to management... it all depends on you and them. I'd say that there is only one rule. Keep your head down and do your job for the first semester. Watch the dynamics... listen to the other teachers... every time you think "this isn't the way we do this in X" bite you tongue. Laughing

Relax... if you are an experienced teacher, I think you will find it a breeze. I did.

VS

ESL Hobo · Joined: 23 Oct 2008 Posts: 262

Thank you VS,
I am thinking of checking out the new job with Ambermax Recruiter, and I have read all the things you mentioned and will be very wary. I cant remember which poster said it, but someone mentioned that it may be a job with ADU. In that case I guess I will do a search on the specifics for that school.

Your general suggestions are excellent and having 20 years experience I would do those things by habit. I was just wondering if there are any specific things, cultural No No's that might turn the students against a teacher.

For example:
1) What amount of eye contact would be considered, flirting.
2) In university level classes what might be forbidden or taboo subjects as far as human relationships go, would it be out of place to discuss a love poem, or dating norms for their culture verses western culture?
3) Touching, handshakes, men kissing on the cheeks. I have done some research in general on these things but nothing specific to Teacher/Student norms for UAE.

I suppose these type of questions may need some long answers but I would be happy with just some basic top ten list with no explanations.

Thanks for your input.

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

It is pretty much the common sense stuff... no religion, no politics (especially local politics). Naturally you can't discuss dating, as it is not done. My female students were normally informed of their marriages near graduation time. Some knew who it would and others didn't. I would stay away from any topics like this until you have the lay of the land. Almost all marriages are arranged by the parents.

The female students will shamelessly flirt with you and your best response is to treat them like a daughter. Avoid ALL physical contact. The women tend to be very affectionate with the women teachers once they get to know us... some of them even promote us from the obligatory kiss on each cheek up to 3 or 4 on each cheek... Laughing

You will see the male students kiss each other on the cheeks in greeting and they will hold hands when they walk together. I'm not sure about how the men interact with the teachers.

As to eye contact, I never even thought about it. The fact that being in my 40s-50s put me at the age of their grandmothers perhaps made me immune to a flirtation problem. I have also taught the men, and my ex-students would normally greet me with a handshake - although the most conservative will not shake hands with a woman.

VS

(Brace yourself when reading of ADU, but remember the vast majority of the truly bad posts are quite old and things have improved. I think... I hope... at least we haven't had anything horrible for awhile. It has a nice campus. I encountered some pictures just yesterday. What has not improved seems to be short-term contracts, short holidays, and single teachers are stuck in shared housing)

MrScaramanga · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 221

- do not criticize the local government or culture -- if you're going to say anything at all, make it positive!

- do not engage in conversations about religion (even if the students seem genuinely interested) -- I generally tell them they know we cannot discuss this

- if you are male, do not get close to female students (in any way) -- they will flirt with you, but don't be fooled...

- if you are female, do not flirt with male students -- they will flirt with you

- avoid touching the students -- even same sex touching

- do not compliment the female students on their appearance

- if you are angry with your students and need to scold them, make sure you do so in plain language (a colleague of mine once reprimanded her students and said "do you think I'm stupid?" - one student understood: "you are stupid!", reported the teacher and all hell broke loose.) You do not want to be in a situation where it is your word against that of a student...

- do not talk about pork, alcohol, other other haram products...

After a while you will develop a "feel" for what is okay. However, a word of caution: people have been known to be in the UAE for years and then suddenly, poof! they're gone over some silly misunderstanding with a student. So be on your toes and don't get too cosy with the students!

MrS

GlobalDawg · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 91

Along the same line of MrS's comment on "if you are angry with your students . . ." I suggest that you do not come on as a hardliner, consistently. That is, don't enter the classroom every day barking orders and moving forward without taking time to smell the roses--don't be a grump. I have found Arab students to be very sensitive and being nice and kind to them tends to be a cultural expectation. It's not like in the States where you can maintain an unpleasent disposition in "your" classroom for years and go down in history as "Remember Mr/Ms So'n'So? I hated that teacher! S/he was mean--every day!" Not smiling until after Christmas will polarize the relationship between you and your students. Once this happens you will either learn to smile and to be a nice person (eat crow) or you will quit or be released because the students will work you. They will revolt against you in various ways and make your life miserable while you're in "their" classroom.

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

Another tip, avoid using the word "rude" and under no circumstances use it like "you are rude" - make sure you emphasize the behaviour or words being used are not acceptable "talking while I am talking is not very respectful " would be a good way to compromise.

johnkg · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 127

Do not take away their mobile phones or laptop computers. I used to do this, to my cost. The students got me back big time with their semester-end feedback.

The female students are great - they are a whole heap of non-stop fun. Do respect them even if you think their behavior doesn't warrant it. Build leniency into your lesson planning. Do not lay down the law - students don't react kindly to this and there are better ways of making students aware of proper classroom conduct. Do try and find a fun way through trying lessons. The best way of doing this is to make your lessons fun and hands on. Keep them busy.

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

I wrote to Ambermax and asked for information about the Universities they're hiring for in the UAE. No reply as yet. Has anyone asked them if they have a website to check out?

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

Glad that someone brought up discipline. I always had first week lessons on my expectations (since there tends to be much fluctuation in your class list... and besides repetition is good).

Good advice here on taking care not to humiliate them publicly about their misbehavior. I found that a private little sit-down discussion - both with male and female (but especially with the boys) could do absolute wonders. Of course, what I was doing was playing the "mommy card" and the men especially respond to it. The key is to never lose your temper and there will be a few that you have the urge to throttle. But, with a little patient counseling, I managed to turn some of the repeat offenders into little angels... at least in my class. Cool

A sense of humor is also very helpful. Studies done a few years back in Lebanon of Arab students showed that it was top of the list in what male students looked for in a 'good teacher.'

VS

anaxiforminges · Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 136 Location: UAE

I've actually printed all your comments, in case the thread goes missing for some reason. Great stuff!

I keep hearing about "wasta". If a student has this magical yet intangible aura of influence, are you as a teacher expected to treat him/her preferentially? If so, how can you find out who has it? It seems ludicrous to even ask such a question, but when in Rome...

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

To be honest, it is something that I never worried about. You are going to AUS, right? Not a worry for you there... just treat all of them with normal respect and all will be well. insha'Allah

VS

johnslat · Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 3:00 pm Post subject:

Dear anaxiforminges,
I never treated a student with wasta any differently, and I'd strongly advise against doing so. That would create a very bad precedent and could even end up getting you in considerable trouble. Above all, NEVER make use of a student's wasta, for, if you do, you will be in his/her debt, someplace you never want to be. Treat ALL your students the same way.
How do you find out who has it? Why bother? But you probably will learn through the ubiquitous grapevine.
Regards,
John

newtogolf · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 49

This is a great thread! I appreicate all your comments on this issue.

However, how could you have a good balance between proper sense of humour and cultural awareness? I sometimes made fun of myself/my own culture or tradition to convey a sense of humour, I noticed doing this can make both yourself and your students comfortable. I even made fun of my students (Americans) with a good intention, something like "due day and peer review day seem to be a stimulus plan: there is always a dramatic increase of attendence and participation, who said you guys were not motivated to learn?"

But I guess this kind of sense of humour is not a good idea here. Correct me if I am wrong.

MrScaramanga · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 221

Just assume they all have wasta! Better safe than sorry...

There can be huge discipline problems in classes. The way I always address them -- much like what VS has suggested -- is on a one-on-one basis. Public humiliation is a really big deal here and the students, who are usually pretty forgiving in this area of the world, will not forgive that.

MrS