psychbean

I would not be concerned about bullying in the ES.

Your colleagues will not be allowed to share unless they are married, and if they are married then they will be given married couple accomodation.

At the annual staff dinner in Ruwais it was announced that salary/allowance packages are to be reviewed so the sharing allowance may not remain in it's current form for September 2013. Even if the allowance is stated in an offer it should not be assumed that the allowance will be paid as promised on arrival.

There is a big difference between the Elementary School and High School in management style of the Principal and some difference in the makeup of the student profile. You are looking for information about Ruwais campus in particular.

I will speak generally though as this seems to be your concern.

The majority of students are not Emirati but ex pats from Asia, mostly India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Phillipines and Indonesia. There are a few from other Middle Eastern countries. There is very little bullying in either the Elementary or High School among ex pats.

The High School has one campus only so girls and boys mix in the School and Emiratis mix freely with other nationalities so the student body is quite easy going. Elementary is larger and has a highre proportion of Emiratis and this will likely therefore be reflected in the HS as the kids move up.

There are strict working hours which are 7.30 to 4.00 and you have to ask permission to leave the School between those hours. Failue to ask will lead to them reminding you about "contractual obligations".

ES classes are large, MS average and HS mostly small. Although you have to be on site during working hours depending on subject(s) taught your timetable will be likely be reasonable.

The Head of School (responsible for all campuses) changed in December 2011 from Lebanese woman named Rashida to American Angela Fink and most people are happy with that and would say working conditions and culture have improved. In December 2012 Angela Fink was relaced by an Emirati named Ayesha and quickly things started to deteriorate for teachers but she only lasted a short while and she was let go and Angela back in charge.

Principals of most campuses are American and the school sells itself as delivering and American curriculum. ES Principal in Ruwais has an interesting style which some like and some hate. If you like it then life can be ok but for people who dislike it life can be a nightmare. The HS Principal has resigned and will therefore be replaced in the summer of 2013. If you liked her style then life was ok if you didn't then life could be very difficult.

Teaching is very structured and moving more in that direction with lesson plans mandated to be placed on the moodle VLE which is setup and run minimalistically. HS/MS is increasingly US standards based following the appointment of a new Director of Curriculum last year. Courses are increasingly on Rubicon Atlas. They are about micro managing everything you do in the classroom. With a new HS Principal this year I think things may get a bit uncomfortable for us there.

Ruwais is a place that is rural, quiet and owned by ADNOC. Leisure time is often spent with the same people you spend your 7.30-4.00 time with. In the main teachers are professional you will find a sort of dog eat dog mentality and the small size of the place seems to drive people a bit stir crazy.

Staff will often "stab each other in the back" and most will frequently gossip about each other given the opportunity. There are some who have delusions of superiority and will form up close relationships with senior staff secretly while others just keep their heads down and try to avoid that back stabbing. There will be cliques.

One can obtain an alcohol license or drink at the Danat Hotel at a price. The Danat is about 10 minutes drive (through the security gates at the entrance to the Ruwais Housing Complex) and has gym and recreational facilities. You will usually find a few other like minded people there and after a drink or two even those who don't gossip will freely talk about colleagues.

Housing is generally fine and yes, if one shares accomodation one will receive a sharing allowance of 4,000 AED as well as the 1500 AED that one is paid as a remote allowance. Some people get on with hosemates, some less so.

If you drive there are pleasant beaches close by and places to explore. Shopping is ok but most travel to Abu Dhabi regularly (you will probably get sick of the drive) for shopping and entertainment. There is a new mall almost complete which will offer facilities but don't hold your breath or expect too much. For Ruwais it will transform the shopping experience but that says more about current facilities.

I don't know many who would choose to work in Ruwais if it wasnt for the remote allowance and sharing allowance unless they were desperate. Many are couples who are raking in the cash and therefore once here they accept the place for what it is.

I personally would not easily enrol my own children in either the ES or HS here (or at any of the campuses) but that would be a personal choice. Many teachers do just that and are happy (while they rake in the cash).

The proximity of the industrial complexes, the common smell of sulphur during the summer months especially and the likely exposure to all sorts of substances that you really don' want to think about are all part of making teaching in Ruwais what it is. Some love it, some hate it, but all go home a little (or a lot) richer than they came.

If you don't need the money think twice (or three times). If you are a free spirit and want to sample all that life and the Earth has to offer before you die, including the weird stuff then give it a go perhaps.

I am here. I will leave when my contract is up for somewhere pleasant and enjoyable with a little less sand.

ps. the students are probably among the nicest, hard working and most rewarding you will find anywhere.

Psychbean

Elementary or HS/MS for working?

Elementary or HS/MS as a place for ex pats to be a student in?

"If an admin cant effectivley manage time, a budget, or a staffing schedule and they supervise you, then yes, they have a personality conflict with you. Their personality conflicts with their ability to do the job required of them.

Our personality doesnt just conflict with others, but sometimes ourselves."

Not sure what you are gibbering on about here. Inability to manage is not about personality clashes/conflicts.

Agree with mathman, in many international schools, the management is unable to manage in addition to be poorly trained in education.

"Our personality doesnt just conflict with others, but sometimes ourselves.".... are you by chance schizophrenic psy?

What sort of information are you looking for psychbean?

nikkor

I have to be honest and say that I have more concerns about you making attempts to "heal" Psyguy over the mysterious clod of the world wide web that I do about Psyguy getting a little close to the line with his example.

I think it fascinating that you have drawn up theories and models developed mainly in an age when the internet did not exist and some before Victoria came to the throne in Great Britain to sort some of the damage you see in Psyguy. Psyguy does not actually exist. He/she is an online personality which may bear no relation to his/her real personality at all, and even if that does not really matter I would question the benefit of trying to heal him/her on this thead. I would also question the ethics of doing so. There may be a number of people who actually know who Psyguy is in reality and if this is the case I question whether you should be making such unsolicited attempts to heal him/her.

Of course you may actually be Psyguy, knowingly or unknowingly responding to your own comments.

The only other thing I would reflect upon, is that you appear to be one of the individuals that felt the need to comment loudly to Psyguy's post and therefore I guess this might make you one of the individuals you referrerd to in your own post.

A wonderful thread and some fascinating issues to reflect upon.

Now not wishing to bring the whole thing down to the level of a gypsy reading the tealeaves, if you wanted to have a go at sorting me out nikkor I would be only too pleased.

Give Psyguy a break.

No-one would have identified this pupil from the information given. Psyguy was just indicating that this stuff goes on in many schools and is not just about Principals.

Get real.

I am with you Psyguy.

The world has gone mad.

I will paraphrase sochrates who would have said....."what the f*ck"

or Dunkin and Biddle...who would have said "for fu**sake if they can teach they can teach"

or St Augustine of Hippo......"Give him a break"

The world has gone mad and political correctness prevails. If the candidate is the best candidate then give them the job.

Thank you. That's the one.

Portia

I have been approached by such an agency and this is clearly disgraceful.

As you are completely anonymous and I have no way of knowing who you are would it be possible for you to share the name of the agency either explicitly or implicitly. You could send me details on teachergirl at the hotmail site dot co and dot uk. If anyone else wants to share any information privately they could do the same. I am already coninced but if this is the same agency I will have a quiet word with the CEO, or perhaps even a loud word.

I am just thankul that there are professional teachers like you to help others. As a female teacher going to the Middle east I need to be even more careful than some.

Portia

Sorry to be a nuisance, but did you find the job at Glenelg yourself or via an agency.

I notice that they are recruiting via agencies who either seem blissfully unaware or the agencies are ignoring the truth themselves.

People seem to post most warnings on the paid part of this site which many will not join as you can never be too sure whether these sites are worth the money. Many of them are a waste of time. I have now joined and the posts are shocking. I was looking at Higher Colleges of Technology but people post lots of negative stuff on public sites for them.

I am just worried that others won't be as lucky as me.

Thank you for the info you have given me.

First hand accounts cannot be ignored, this place needs a wide berth.

I hope you have now found a nicer place to work, good luck.

Thanks for this, I am certainly glad I asked the question.

Do you actually work there Portia. I only ask because you you said " is reason for most to accept work here".

Thanks Portia

Managed to find all except for Abu Dhabi Woman . Indeed this school seems to be a nightmare.

How do they manage to recruit teachers year on year and when people realise they arent going to get what they were promised do they just up and leave?

wow thank you for the replies.

Portia, you seem to have good knowledge of the school, are you an ex employee. Could you give more information about some of the specific issues.

I will join the site and check out the reviews.