Robert College
Robert College
Hi guys...I saw some dated reviews of this school but wanted to see if anyone on the forum has more current info? My impression is that the kids are SOLID, but I am wondering about admin, responsibilities outside of class, and overall package. Anyone with knowledge please share! Thanks!
I noticed that no one has responded to your question yet. I visited roberts college, and knew people who worked there about five years ago. The reason I'm replying(and I could be wrong) is that i don't think very much changes at roberts college from year to year.
Roberts college is one of the oldest international schools in Istanbul. the campus is really nice, in an elite prep school sort of way. It's location is the best of any of the international schools in Istanbul. If you could live nearby the school it would be very nice.
For salary, I don't know any exact numbers, but you should be able to live comfortably and save a little.
For responsibilities outside of class, my impression was that there were some, but you aren't required to stay until 7 every day, or something like that.
The catch is that the Turkish ministry of edu puts a lot of requirements on international schools in turkey. I'm not going to try to explain it, but there a lot of policies handed down that allow students to have massive amounts of absences without penalty, and take special end of year exams which can be substituted for grades on report cards, things that really make teachers lives difficult.
Let us know how it turns out. If you do go, I think that you will love Istanbul and love turkey.
Roberts college is one of the oldest international schools in Istanbul. the campus is really nice, in an elite prep school sort of way. It's location is the best of any of the international schools in Istanbul. If you could live nearby the school it would be very nice.
For salary, I don't know any exact numbers, but you should be able to live comfortably and save a little.
For responsibilities outside of class, my impression was that there were some, but you aren't required to stay until 7 every day, or something like that.
The catch is that the Turkish ministry of edu puts a lot of requirements on international schools in turkey. I'm not going to try to explain it, but there a lot of policies handed down that allow students to have massive amounts of absences without penalty, and take special end of year exams which can be substituted for grades on report cards, things that really make teachers lives difficult.
Let us know how it turns out. If you do go, I think that you will love Istanbul and love turkey.
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eion_padraig
- Posts: 408
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 8:18 pm
I've not worked there or visited, but in my days as a college admission officer we used to receive applications from Roberts College from time to time. From what I recall, the students applying from Roberts College were all Turkish citizens. My read of the school is that it is an elite private Turkish high school with English language instruction in a hybrid international/Turkish curriculum. My understanding is the student body is largely (all?) Turkish nationals.
I do have friends who work or have worked in other schools in Turkey. Quite a few of the schools that recruit foreigners are actually private Turkish high schools rather than international schools serving foreigners who live in the country. This is a subtle difference, but it it's an important one. As Nikkor, "The reason I'm replying(and I could be wrong) is that i don't think very much changes at roberts college from year to year." I bet he's right. Again, with only half of their hires being foreign, a much higher percentage of their staff is permanent and Turkish. A former colleague working at another school in another city mentioned it was hard to break in socially, and I think it was equal parts cultural and the majority of the teachers were not international (and thus more temporary hires).
I personally like international schools far more than private national schools with English language curriculum. It's the same issue for me in China. I'd not like to work at one of the Chinese private high schools that hire internationally to teach Chinese students. The danger is that the school is run like a Chinese high rather than a US/Canadian/UK school.
I read the reviews on Robert, and I find them credible about the pros and cons. Istanbul is expensive, and probably even more so if you don't speak Turkish and you have to pay the "foreigners tax" on everything you buy. I bet the school is run like it has been for many a decade, and probably falls closer to Turkish notions of how a school should be run than a US/Canadian/UK school. I'm sure some people find that challenging. I do think Turkey, and Istanbul would be a great place to live. Roberts does have amazing students coming through.
A lot of this is conjecture and extrapolation based on what I've seen of applicants to college and what I've heard from friends working in Turkey. Maybe someone will have something more substantial for you.
Good luck.
I do have friends who work or have worked in other schools in Turkey. Quite a few of the schools that recruit foreigners are actually private Turkish high schools rather than international schools serving foreigners who live in the country. This is a subtle difference, but it it's an important one. As Nikkor, "The reason I'm replying(and I could be wrong) is that i don't think very much changes at roberts college from year to year." I bet he's right. Again, with only half of their hires being foreign, a much higher percentage of their staff is permanent and Turkish. A former colleague working at another school in another city mentioned it was hard to break in socially, and I think it was equal parts cultural and the majority of the teachers were not international (and thus more temporary hires).
I personally like international schools far more than private national schools with English language curriculum. It's the same issue for me in China. I'd not like to work at one of the Chinese private high schools that hire internationally to teach Chinese students. The danger is that the school is run like a Chinese high rather than a US/Canadian/UK school.
I read the reviews on Robert, and I find them credible about the pros and cons. Istanbul is expensive, and probably even more so if you don't speak Turkish and you have to pay the "foreigners tax" on everything you buy. I bet the school is run like it has been for many a decade, and probably falls closer to Turkish notions of how a school should be run than a US/Canadian/UK school. I'm sure some people find that challenging. I do think Turkey, and Istanbul would be a great place to live. Roberts does have amazing students coming through.
A lot of this is conjecture and extrapolation based on what I've seen of applicants to college and what I've heard from friends working in Turkey. Maybe someone will have something more substantial for you.
Good luck.