Job Discussion Forums

Qaaolchoura

So I've been offered a position which for the most part seems fairly reasonable. It's a mixed position, and I'd be filling in for other teachers 10 hrs/week.
However...

He says "You will be working from 9-7, six days a week." I hope that's just an unfortunate phrasing. If it had been a teaching position, I would have had a break in the middle of the day. I think that what the deal is is that I either have to be on call during that period, or I do have a break in the middle of the day, and he forgot to mention it.

Obviously there's no way I'd accept if I'm actually supposed to be working 60 hrs a week. If I wanted to work that much, I would have gone into law or med school. But if it's either of the other two options, what do you guys think? Has anybody had experience with either?

Also, has anybody ever held a job like this? How easy is it to handle when you're not designing your own lessons, merely filling in for other teachers?

Thanks,
~Q

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

How easy is it to handle when you're not designing your own lessons, merely filling in for other teachers?

I don't know where this job is (regional norms can be quite different) but you might want to be sure that you will have materials prepared by the other teachers. I suspect that you will be expected to fill in for a variety of groups with little notice and doubt that materials will be prepared for you....

It sounds like a huge hassle of constantly meeting students who are new to you and having to pull out something appropriate from your own bag of tricks (and you'd better have a nice big bag on hand!).

The hours are horrendous. Even if you have middays off, this is extreme, IMO. You're going to be a slave Shocked

Hope they are planning to pay very well!!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:08 pm Post subject:

Wage slave! Don't do it!!!

Qaaolchoura · Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the input guys.

It turns out that they actually were expecting me to work 9-7, 60 hr weeks, for $1000 (well below the Turkish standard even for a normal teaching job. I managed to resist using the words "Are you f---ing insane!?" in my email back, but just barely.

When I searched them in the forum earlier I noticed that this school (Deulcom) has a reputation for horrible hours, people citing the fact they had 32 contract hours. I know that's high for TESOL, but it makes for a 40 hr workweek, so it didn't seem entirely unreasonable. I've got no teaching experience, very little work experience. That may be what they're counting on, but Jesus Christ! Do they actually get anyone for that position? Working at a McDonalds' would be a better deal, and you don't need four years of college and a teaching certificate for McDonalds.

~Q

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

people citing the fact they had 32 contract hours. I know that's high for TESOL, but it makes for a 40 hr workweek, so it didn't seem entirely unreasonable.

How does 32 contact hours make for a 40-hour workweek? It means only 15 minutes prep for each teaching hour. This is near-impossible, particularly for a newbie.

If you were also expected to travel to different locations, it's simple slave driving. If all lessons were in the same location, it means ineffective teaching at best.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:20 am Post subject:

Second what Spiral said;

Most schools consider 20 contact hours or so to be full time for teachers.

As a newbie teacher, you'd probably spend another hour prepping for each hour you teach- NOT sustainable with 32 hours to teach.

Best,
Justin

Qaaolchoura · Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:07 pm Post subject:

Well, I figured if I were teaching five classes a day, and each contract hour is only 45 minutes of teaching, and since they told me I had 8 hrs/week of prep time, I assumed I'd be teaching effectively the same course (a stupid assumption, I know), which would leave an hour and 36 minutes to prepare lesson plans, plus 15 minutes before each class. I don't know why I'd travel to different locations, but if I had to teach different levels, I would probably be screwed. Also, I see on the thread on this subject, I'd be expected to grade assignments as well, which I kind of knew, but since I have no idea how long it would take, I completely blanked on it.

So I see why they thought there was nothing wrong with asking me to work 60 hours at a non-teaching job. I'm not sure why they didn't jump at the chance to hire me. I would have fallen for the 32 hour teaching job, but they decided to push their luck.

Any rate, thanks again, that's why I'm glad this forum is here. I'll be considerably more wary in the future. It says a lot about this school that they're apparently seeking the stupidest people available to fill this position. (Did they really think I'd accept the job sight unseen? They refused to let me see the healthcare plan too, simply promising that it was, like, really good).

~Q

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I don't know why I'd travel to different locations,

Depending on region and the type of school you're working for, many newbie teachers travel to different businesses across cities throughout the teaching day to deliver classes to businesspeople in their offices. It's common throughout Europe....can't speak for other regions.

Another thing you might want to double-check in your future contract negotiations - ascertain whether all or most classes are in the school, or in other locations.

Anyway, it's probably good that you've avoided this particular bad deal, and good luck on future negotiations!