Job Discussion Forums

[cks]

I have almost 7 years of teaching ESL abroad- Prague and Georgia, TEFL certificate, in addition to 2 years of Russian language studies. By next Sept hopefully my Russian skills will reach the intermediate level ( I study about 10 hours per week).

I am stumped as to continue here working in the NGO field with IDP's or heading to Russia. If I moved to Russia during the peak hiring season next Sept, do I also have to start out at McSchools with my background? Should I upgrade to a DELTA? And can I save more money if I live outside of Moscow? I am used to living quite modestly. However, I have never had any problem in my past through word of mouth picking up private students and would assume the same might hold true in Russia after I have settled in and gained some contacts, so perhaps Moscow would be a better fit.

Thanks in advance and I appreciate all the help that you guys have given me the past 6 years!

[kazachka]

Get online now and start contacting schools you may be interested in. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Halfway decent non-McSchools like to see at least 2-3 yrs experience. I'd say your chances of avoiding McSchools are good if you do your homework. I came here after 9 years as a high school teacher in the US and have never set foot in a McSchool. I lived here though during my school holidays (summer /winter) and made contacts and did my homework. I started out freelancing then moved into a governess job. When the visa mess went down in 07, I went to work for a non McSchool because I needed a work visa. I'm now independent as I have found a way to officially and legally pull this off. I'm on a work visa.

[maruss]

Follow Kazachkas advice-she is one of the most experienced long-term teachers in Moscow and gave me some very good tips while I was there.

[cks]

Thanks! I guess I wouldn't mind doing a Mac School the first year if I had to- but it will only be after all options have been exhausted. But it is good know that I might not have to start over again with the Mac approach!

[Sashadroogie]

While the advice on the thread so far is all good and accurate, I'd like to add a little caution. Avoiding the Macs is possible, of course, but it is a lot more work.

Your Russian had better be fairly high level, for starters, because it is going to be you and you alone dealing with everything from realtors to bank clerks and possibly even immigration police for registration. Better paying non-Macs usually will not want to be bothered by any of this stuff, which they'll regard as babysitting. Even knowing where and how to buy a loaf of bread can be daunting on that first day. (Is that grey block building that looks like a gaol, with the huge steel door and the small barred windows, is that really the local shop?) However, I'd imagine that experience in Georgia might be somewhat similar, no?

Macs are as bad as they are painted to be. But they have one good feature: they spare you the initial shock that comes from being in Russia, or at least soften it. I usually recommend doing a short stint with one of them. Then you'll have time to figure things out and branch out on your own, knowing most of the pitfalls. Macs will treat you like a little child, especially if you've been naughty. But they'll shelter you as parents do too. There in lies the compromise.

Dunno about living outside Moscow, but friends tell me that it isn't much better re saving potential. Some costs may, or may not, be lower, but earnings certainly are. DELTA is good to have but not essential for securing a job.

In any case, best of luck to you.

[ancient_dweller]

search курсы английского языка on yandex. Contact the schools, maybe add in the city, metro station.

I have never been a big fan of the mcschool but over time i have grown to appreciate them for their benefits. However, going it alone is более вознаграждаемое дело!