You can e-mail me on simon_hill81@hotmail.com and I will try to answer any questions you may have.

"Chalk (and fruit) make good projectiles for the kids to hurl at teachers - no kidding." This was written by someone who has tried to teach in a SABIS school and it suggests that not all SABIS students are so wonderful as the previous poster has suggested.

If you read a recent article that has been published in the ISR about Kuwait, you are left with the impression that most Kuwaitis - and perhaps other Gulf Arabs - are deeply racist. What was written about Kuwaitis could easily have been written about Saudis and Qataris. Therefore I do not believe that many (or most) SABIS parents are some of the nicest people you could ever meet.

The previous posting admits that the SABIS schools are rubbish and that anyone with any sense would never send their child to such a dreadful institution. If parents care about their child's happiness and welfare, why do they send them to the Chewyfat schools? It does not make sense.

Having been accused of racism, I would like to say that I met many delightful, kind and funny Egyptians during the two years I was teaching in Cairo. During a recent trip to Oman, I also had the pleasure to meet some of "the gentlefolk of the Gulf". Omanis are hardworking, hospitable, humble people. They are lovely human beings.

Lying is not something that "nice" people should do. It is a lie to say that the Choueifat Schools are "international". I would even suggest that it is a lie to say that they are "schools", since rigidly following the SABIS textbook is indoctrination, not education.

As the Choueifat schools cannot be bothered to give a proper education to their pupils, I don't see why I should be bothered to spell their silly name correctly.

As for those who complained that what I wrote was "second hand" and a "diatribe", you may (or may not) be interested to read this quotation (taken from the TES teaching overseas forum) from a teacher who has actually tried to work in a SABIS school:

"I taught in Choueifat in Amman, Jordan. Do not touch them with a barge pole if you are serious about teaching. It is prescriptive, dull, irrelevant garbage, by and large. In classrooms, you have a blackboard and that is it. Chalk (and fruit) make good projectiles for the kids to hurl at teachers - no kidding. The UAE sector is run by a chap who should be in a small padded room. Awful is the best way I could describe our one term there and the UAE is no better. "

Quod erat demonstrandum?

For my American colleagues, I would imagine that it's a lot tougher, as Africa or the Far East seem such a long way from the States. For English teachers in Europe or the Middle East, it's not such a big deal.

Having taught in Saudia Arabia, Egypt and now in Qatar, I have heard nothing good about Chewyfat "schools". I have had several colleagues who have had the great misfortune to "teach" at these institutions and their experiences were little short of horrific.

First of all, many Chewyfat "schools" employ "teachers" who are not properly trained or qualified. In some cases, these "teachers" were supposed to be teaching English, but in fact their own command of the language was so poor and so limited that their lessons were almost worthless.

Secondly, the younger children in these institutions are not given age-appropriate materials, just dull text. No colour, no pictures, nothing that can be terned "child-friendly". Play-based learning is actively discouraged.

Thirdly, the "teachers" have to stick rigidly to the SABIS textbooks. Don't try to extend the more able or do reinforcement activities for the less able. Woe betide the "teacher" who does not follow the textbook. So much for differentiation!

Fourthly, it is Chewyfat policy not to allow parents to meet their child's "teachers". Why not? What do they have to hide?

Fifthly, trememndous emphasis is placed on regurgitation and repetition, but any real understanding of what you have learned is discouraged because that might mean deviating from the correct page of the textbook.

Finally, the SABIS schools call themselves "international schools", but really they are just for Arab kids. Of course, all the mothers turn up while the Filipino maids carry the kids' bags for them. The kids just jabber at each other in Arabic all the time and shout insults at their Nepali drivers, so it is a waste of time trying to teach the children that racism and chauvinistic attitudes twowards women are wrong.

Maybe some of the parents would like their children to learn English, but unfortunately it does not occur to the Arab parents that sending your child to a school full of Arabs is not a good way to do that.

I would very much like to hear from other teachers who have had first-hand experience of teaching in the SABIS system. My information is second-hand, I freely admit, but what I have heard seems to have a ring of truth.

There are some other countries, apart from Saudi Arabia, that require exit visas. Exit visas are needed in Qatar. Without an exit visa, you cannot leave anyway, so whether or not you have your passport is a bit irrelevant.

Some schools in Qatar take AGES to process your residency (Qatari ID card), for which they do need your passport.

Having taught in Saudia Arabia, Egypt and now in Qatar, I have heard nothing good about Chewyfat "schools". I have had several colleagues who have had the great misfortune to "teach" at these institutions and their experiences were little short of horrific.

First of all, many Chewyfat "schools" employ "teachers" who are not properly trained or qualified. In some cases, these "teachers" were supposed to be teaching English, but in fact their own command of the language was so poor and so limited that their lessons were almost worthless.

Secondly, the younger children in these institutions are not given age-appropriate materials, just dull text. No colour, no pictures, nothing that can be terned "child-friendly". Play-based learning is actively discouraged.

Thirdly, the "teachers" have to stick rigidly to the SABIS textbooks. Don't try to extend the more able or do reinforcement activities for the less able. Woe betide the "teacher" who does not follow the textbook. So much for differentiation!

Fourthly, it is Chewyfat policy not to allow parents to meet their child's "teachers".

Fifthly, trememndous emphasis is placed on regurgitation and repetition, but any real understanding of what you have learned is discouraged because that might mean deviating from the correct page of the textbook.

Finally, the SABIS schools call themselves "international schools", but really they are just for Arab kids. Of course, all the mothers turn up to school in their black bedsheets and the fathers turn up in their white bedsheets, while the Filipino maids carry the kids' bags for them. The kids just jabber at each other in Arabic all the time and shout insults at their Nepali drivers, so it is a waste of time trying to teach the children that racism is wrong.

Maybe some of the parents would like their children to learn English, but unfortunately it does not occur to them that sending your child to a school full of Arabs is not a good way to do that.

I lost my luggage and Harry Deelman loaned me a pair of trousers. "Spanning the Globe with a personal touch"!

I was teaching for a year at another school in Jeddah, while my wife was teaching three days a week at the Conti. She was very impressed with the school and had a good working relationship with her immediate boss, the Head of Music. As I understand it, Saudi children are not allowed into the Conti unless they have one non-Saudi parent.

The facilities at the school are superb and the staff accommodation is very good too.

I used to teach at the British School of Bucharest, so maybe I am a bit biased. I have the impression that the Fundatia place is not terribly British (hardly any of the teachers are from the U.K.) and it is not true to say that the children are an "international" bunch, since most of them are Romanian.

Yes, I am in Doha and have heard bad things about this school. Having said that, the one where I am currently teaching is much the same!

I am currently working at Newton International School in Doha, Qatar. if you would like to know more about this school, please send me a PM.