Job Discussion Forums

delal · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 251 Location: N Turkey

Just read this in Today's Zaman: www.todayszaman.com/news-239130-turkey-to-hire-40000-native-english-speakers-as-guest-teachers.html

Basically there are plans to get 40,000 native-speaker English teachers for state schools here. Wonder how much they could afford to pay?

Kirkpatrick · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 205 Location: China

I know Zerva Universtiy pays 1,700 usd per month no flat, with 12 hour days , 6 days a week..... I would guess they would pay something simmilar.. I guess 2250 tl with some sort of housing deal... Not much really... They sure as shit won't be paying 2,000 usd per month like Korea or Japan..
The Turks are cheap donkey's.. I am out of here on the 23rd of May... Turkey is a total waste of time... Back to South East Asia where I can make the same money and have a beer in peace with out paying a small fortune...

burdik · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 33 Location: izmir

Shalana · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 150 Location: Istanbul

Yes, if you don't like it here, it is best for all concerned if you leave. I don't know about state schools, but my private uni pays me 2000 USD and I do not work weekends or 12 hour days. I don't know anything about public schools and how they pay. And yes, do as much research as possible before moving to any new country.

burdik · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 33 Location: izmir

Thanks for your post Shalana. I know a bit about public and state uni's in Turkey, and for the vast majority of them (if not all) I can safely say that NO EFL teacher will be asked to work 6 days a week, 12 hours a day. I'm sorry but that is just b**s**t. It is in a way both funny and sad how people for one reason or the other are not happy with Turkey and then come here say things that do not actually exist. For all I care, one can hate Turkey and / or Turks, I have no intention whatsoever of changing their minds, but they should keep their racist comments for themselves and by coming here and ranting about things that are based on factually inaccurate claims, they are only embarrasing themselves.

wiganer · Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 189

http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/index.cgi?read=22875

30 hours a week and every weekend off. I am giving it a go, sounds good to me!

billy orr · Joined: 15 Jul 2009 Posts: 229

The plot thickens. So many questions arise from this ad.
I have my ear quite close to the ground, so how did I miss a posting from early March?
Is this the massive 40000 teachers for state schools scheme (sounds like something out of Herodotos)?
If so, why does the ad refer to private and state chools?
Why are the posts limited to Canadians and US citizens?
How came the salary quoted is considerably higher than in the articles in the Turkish (English language) press?
And why does the ad refer to the mysterious city of Anchora? Do they not know how to spell the capital of Turkey? In the eighties my elderly uncle Reg and his wife Aunt Dobbie regaled me with tales of their business trips just before or after the second world war to a city they called Angora.
Have these posts been advertised anywhere else?

delal · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 251 Location: N Turkey

You're right Billy-just read the ad and it seems very suspicious, especially the wages (almost 4,000 tl a month?)
An agency fee scam?

CallieWho · Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 25

It's not a scam. It's for real. And it's not going to happen. Turkey is not that organized. Sorry! My employer ( a Turk) said no way is that ever going to happen. Apparently, they tried to do it a few years back and it was a disaster. They mostly got teachers from Pakistan, India, and other countries like that.
Pay varies widely here. I've got friends working in K-12 schools in Istanbul making 3000USD. and i got friends doing speaking classes for 15TRY an hour in Antalya. it fluctuates depending on where you live, experience, who and what you are teaching, AND a bit of luck. Some of the people that i have met that complained about getting ripped off and not paid - there's a reason. I've met these kinds of people and I wouldn't pay them either.
Every country has its drawbacks and its positives. Just depends on what you can put up with, and what is most important to you.

delal · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 251 Location: N Turkey

Hi Callie
I meant that maybe the ad above is a scam-not the plan-as they appear to be offering too much money. Having said that, I visited the website for the company running the ad and it appears legit so maybe the gov does have the funds to spend that much on foreign teachers. All very strange.
Does anyone know how much a Turkish teacher working in a state school earns so we could do a comparison/get a reality check?

CallieWho · Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 25

Hi Delal,
Sorry, guess I didn't read your post carefully enough!
What I heard about the pay is that it is the "going rate" for yabancı teachers. which was quoted to me at 2200TRY per month. but that's what I heard-not sure how true it is.
i have a couple Turkish teacher friends at state schools. They said they're making like 1200-1400TRY per month. Now that's in Antalya.
Are you going for it? Are you going to apply? I heard there'll be a co-teacher in the room to smack the kids when they won't shut up or stop running around the room or throwing things or any other obnoxious behavior. Ha ha ha! Can you imagine?
of course, not all the kids are awful. i think its about 20 percent or less. i'm sure i just made some people angry Smile

delal · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 251 Location: N Turkey

Callie
The ad is offering about 4,000 tl a month, if I calculated the amount in Canadian dollars correctly
Not sure that I'd want to be the first foreign teacher in a state school though as there would no doubt be many teething probs plus understandable resentment from Turkish teachers given the salary difference (unless you were expected to do double shifts ie morning and afternoon school)
Re behaviour, I haven't worked in a state school but the state school kids I've taught privately have been much better behaved, more motivated and respectful than many of those in private schools (generalisations of course)
What about you? Are you tempted?

CallieWho · Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 25

Delal,

No, I'm not tempted Laughing

I've had my fill of kids. Maybe at the State schools they're little angels but I'm bored with teaching kids. Been doing it for 2 years. Finished teacher!
Got my sites set on Vietnam, and teaching adults.

good luck!

Kirkpatrick · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 205 Location: China

I got an ex-gilfriend who works at a state school. They pay her 1,800tl for 15 classes a week. No housing , but all the other benifits.

delal · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 251 Location: N Turkey

Er, is that in a state school in Turkey? Is she Turkish or foreign? Dual national? Had no idea that foreigners were working in state schools here. Is she teaching English or something else?
Does she have other duties or just 15 contact hours? If the latter then it sounds a really good deal. Paid school hols? Excuse the many questions-I'm just interested in this as a way to avoid working in a private school