willinphil,
Not to be vulgar, but pee breaks are important. Can’t be getting them regularly with such a schedule! Good luck with the coming year.
expectations
I totally agree with the need for breaks. I would also add that sometimes you need a couple of minutes alone just to relax, refocus, and get your mind back together. I don't see how a teacher can give the students a 100% effort when they are constantly with the students, with zero breaks. The students need a break and so do the teachers.
Good luck, Willinphil. Keep pushing for better rights.
Also, I thank those of you who contributed to answering my question. Some things you say really surprised me. I agree that all teachers should expect to show up prior to the start of school. Most schools have induction periods. I can't believe, though, how many teachers condone a school expecting on-the-job training without pay or benefits prior to the contract starting. I'm curious if you would take the same position if the job were working at a hospital or a law firm or any other job in the arena outside teaching. I think many international school teachers have come to accept lesser treatment because it is the "norm." I do see lots of complaints and negativity on this and other teacher forums, and I really think that in many instances international school teachers will reap what they sow. If you expect less, the schools will absolutely give you less.
I do hope that there are enough international school teachers out there like me to continue to fight for our rights and stand up for our principals. If not, I expect this trend in teachers leaving the international circuit will continue.
Also, I thank those of you who contributed to answering my question. Some things you say really surprised me. I agree that all teachers should expect to show up prior to the start of school. Most schools have induction periods. I can't believe, though, how many teachers condone a school expecting on-the-job training without pay or benefits prior to the contract starting. I'm curious if you would take the same position if the job were working at a hospital or a law firm or any other job in the arena outside teaching. I think many international school teachers have come to accept lesser treatment because it is the "norm." I do see lots of complaints and negativity on this and other teacher forums, and I really think that in many instances international school teachers will reap what they sow. If you expect less, the schools will absolutely give you less.
I do hope that there are enough international school teachers out there like me to continue to fight for our rights and stand up for our principals. If not, I expect this trend in teachers leaving the international circuit will continue.
Ichiro,
Thanks for saying what you said. I'm really not opposed to putting in extra hours. I work an 80 hour work week because I can't turn off my brain and stop the ideas and plans from flowing.
I am so surprised to hear what Washington State did when you began. That's a shocker. I began my teaching career in Virginia, and my health insurance kicked in with the contract which began before my orientation started. Also, my previous two international schools began the contract before they held orientation for new teachers.
I want to make it clear, that I am very appreciative of my new school's induction/orientation program. It is clear they want to help new teachers settle into the routine and get acclimated. And I applaud any school that provides this service for it's new teachers.
Thanks for saying what you said. I'm really not opposed to putting in extra hours. I work an 80 hour work week because I can't turn off my brain and stop the ideas and plans from flowing.
I am so surprised to hear what Washington State did when you began. That's a shocker. I began my teaching career in Virginia, and my health insurance kicked in with the contract which began before my orientation started. Also, my previous two international schools began the contract before they held orientation for new teachers.
I want to make it clear, that I am very appreciative of my new school's induction/orientation program. It is clear they want to help new teachers settle into the routine and get acclimated. And I applaud any school that provides this service for it's new teachers.
A school I worked for in Europe paid us on a 10 month schedule, just like home. I showed up at the end of the first week of August, went through the orientation and began teaching towards the end of August. While my benefits, such as health, kicked in at the beginning of August I didn't actually see a pay check until the middle of September when I got an advance. The theory was that you got paid for the entire month of June when you really only worked half of the month so the school expected you to work half of August.
If you don't know when your first pay check will arrive make sure you find out because two months can be a long time to go without anything coming in in a new country.
If you don't know when your first pay check will arrive make sure you find out because two months can be a long time to go without anything coming in in a new country.
I have a better view than old Ichiro, aka Mr. "We are OHHH SOOO lucky to have the privilege to work overseas".
We, as teachers, also "work our asses off" and in many cases, under international school contracts that are basically agreements of indentured servitude. Ever check out the last line in most school's Teacher Requirements? It usually says something to the effect of "teacher's duties are not limited to the above and are required to do whatever what headmaster deems goo for the organization". In other words, YOU WILL DO WHATEVER WE WANT WHENEVER WE WANT!
Ichiro has NO IDEA of the salary and perks the people whose children we teach earn. Take it from a man who worked for a time for Saudi Aramco - NOT THE SCHOOL BUT THE OIL COMPANY. THE BENEFITS ARE STAGGERING. Yet WHY HAVE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SALARIES for teachers remained stagnant, with most actually decreasing, over the last 12 years?
The reason is because people, like our Ichiro, think teachers should be happy to have a job overseas.
Well, Guys, as a professional my job as a teacher is harder (and more valuable to society) than my "real job" as an oil engineer. And I expect to be accorded the respect - salary and benefits included - of ANY hard working professional.
So, once again, it seems that Ichiro - come on, man, you are a school admin guy, aren't you - is speaking with a forked tongue.
THERE IS NOTHING wrong with standing up for yourself, even if it costs you a "job" in Pattaya, Thailand making a whopping $21, 000 per year - BEFORE TAXES, of course.
As long as teachers have this idea that WE and not the schools are lucky, the international school circuit will always be slanted toward the admin.
We, as teachers, also "work our asses off" and in many cases, under international school contracts that are basically agreements of indentured servitude. Ever check out the last line in most school's Teacher Requirements? It usually says something to the effect of "teacher's duties are not limited to the above and are required to do whatever what headmaster deems goo for the organization". In other words, YOU WILL DO WHATEVER WE WANT WHENEVER WE WANT!
Ichiro has NO IDEA of the salary and perks the people whose children we teach earn. Take it from a man who worked for a time for Saudi Aramco - NOT THE SCHOOL BUT THE OIL COMPANY. THE BENEFITS ARE STAGGERING. Yet WHY HAVE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SALARIES for teachers remained stagnant, with most actually decreasing, over the last 12 years?
The reason is because people, like our Ichiro, think teachers should be happy to have a job overseas.
Well, Guys, as a professional my job as a teacher is harder (and more valuable to society) than my "real job" as an oil engineer. And I expect to be accorded the respect - salary and benefits included - of ANY hard working professional.
So, once again, it seems that Ichiro - come on, man, you are a school admin guy, aren't you - is speaking with a forked tongue.
THERE IS NOTHING wrong with standing up for yourself, even if it costs you a "job" in Pattaya, Thailand making a whopping $21, 000 per year - BEFORE TAXES, of course.
As long as teachers have this idea that WE and not the schools are lucky, the international school circuit will always be slanted toward the admin.
I guess I am some sort of stupid, ignorant slave. I am glad I get the privilege to teach. This is a chance to change someone's life. That is powerful. I guess I could go around comparing my salary to others, but in the end, it really doesn't matter.
Would I love a better salary? Sure I would and if it is too low, I'm going to move on. I don't go around thinking the world is lucky to have me. There are lots of people who are better than me in many, many ways.
I also do not measure my success/respect level by how much I get paid, nor do people "owe me" respect. I hope I have the respect of my students and parents - at the end of the year they seem happy with their child's progress and thank me. That means more than some administrator "showering me with respect and money". I hear teachers complain about the schools, "The schools are greedy!" What is the teachers' biggest complaint? They want more money. Sounds hypocritical to me. That's why I can't stand politics. It's okay if I/my political organization does something but it is wrong if someone else/someone else's organization does it - How dare they!
There is really only one person who can make you happy - you. I think you give other people too much power over you. We as a society are so into blaming everybody else for everything in our lives. Everyone owes me and they should be grateful to have me, as well as always agreeing with me of course!
Teaching is not Monopoly. The teacher with the most money at the end of the game does not win. If you make $20,000 a year and you are happy -you are a winner! If you make $80,000 and you are happy, you win as well.
Would I love a better salary? Sure I would and if it is too low, I'm going to move on. I don't go around thinking the world is lucky to have me. There are lots of people who are better than me in many, many ways.
I also do not measure my success/respect level by how much I get paid, nor do people "owe me" respect. I hope I have the respect of my students and parents - at the end of the year they seem happy with their child's progress and thank me. That means more than some administrator "showering me with respect and money". I hear teachers complain about the schools, "The schools are greedy!" What is the teachers' biggest complaint? They want more money. Sounds hypocritical to me. That's why I can't stand politics. It's okay if I/my political organization does something but it is wrong if someone else/someone else's organization does it - How dare they!
There is really only one person who can make you happy - you. I think you give other people too much power over you. We as a society are so into blaming everybody else for everything in our lives. Everyone owes me and they should be grateful to have me, as well as always agreeing with me of course!
Teaching is not Monopoly. The teacher with the most money at the end of the game does not win. If you make $20,000 a year and you are happy -you are a winner! If you make $80,000 and you are happy, you win as well.
I hate to be a fence sitter here but ... We're all professionals and some are motivated by money and others not. Personally having free furnished accommodation with the utilities paid for is great. I can't get anything close to that in my home country. As for unpaid training, I've done it both paid and unpaid. In fact I didn't even check my current contract for it until I saw this thread and checked it, consequently I have a week of professional days with no pay before school starts. I'm fine with this (ok it would be great to get 5 weeks pay at the end of September but it was my goof for not checking and negotiating it). However I get plenty of time to get to know my new colleagues, find where things are in the school, get my classroom set up and get all the prep done for the first week. I'd rather have a week to do this than a day.
And one final point, from what I recall at Emirates National School, we got paid for the professional days. I burnt my contract once I'd broken contract and left the country, so I can't check it to see if my memory is correct. But seeing as how they're well known / notorious in these forums, I don't think being paid for professional days is an indicator of a 'good' school. Its certainly not the case with ENS.
And one final point, from what I recall at Emirates National School, we got paid for the professional days. I burnt my contract once I'd broken contract and left the country, so I can't check it to see if my memory is correct. But seeing as how they're well known / notorious in these forums, I don't think being paid for professional days is an indicator of a 'good' school. Its certainly not the case with ENS.
-
willinphil
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:56 am
- Location: Philippines
- Contact:
happy
I suppose that i should also be happy that i have a roof over my head during the time that i'm in school. Not everyone has that.
If someone was teaching in a refugee camp, or for a local barangay school in the Philippines, then they could talk about doing their job for purely altruistic reasons. But most of us are talking about organizations that portray themselves as top educational institutions, taught by 'authentic' well-qualified western staff, and charge a large sum for it.
That is the realm of it being a profession. It may be a profession that i love, and get great personal satisfaction from, but it is still a profession. So, i do feel entitled to, and worth, a good wage, benefits, and working conditions. I, like all of you, give a lot back for that.
Ideally, it is a two way street. I'm lucky for the opportunity, they are lucky to have me. One of the things that does annoy me about teaching, is that the 'good of the kids' is often used as a tool of manipulation against teachers. We are expected to give more of our time, ability, and resources altruistically, while the other players aren't asked to do the same. Asking for more money isn't necessarily being greedy, it may simply mean standing up for your worth.
If someone was teaching in a refugee camp, or for a local barangay school in the Philippines, then they could talk about doing their job for purely altruistic reasons. But most of us are talking about organizations that portray themselves as top educational institutions, taught by 'authentic' well-qualified western staff, and charge a large sum for it.
That is the realm of it being a profession. It may be a profession that i love, and get great personal satisfaction from, but it is still a profession. So, i do feel entitled to, and worth, a good wage, benefits, and working conditions. I, like all of you, give a lot back for that.
Ideally, it is a two way street. I'm lucky for the opportunity, they are lucky to have me. One of the things that does annoy me about teaching, is that the 'good of the kids' is often used as a tool of manipulation against teachers. We are expected to give more of our time, ability, and resources altruistically, while the other players aren't asked to do the same. Asking for more money isn't necessarily being greedy, it may simply mean standing up for your worth.
Specialed, you said exactly what I was thinking. I've been cynical and unhappy, and I've been upbeat and happy. Upbeat and happy are much more fun. Perhaps I was just very lucky in this, my first overseas position, but I can't see teaching in the U.S. again. I feel appreciated, respected, and valued by students, parents, and colleagues, for less than half the salary I made in the U.S. Another school here pays MUCH better than the one I'm at, but friends who teach there note that the teachers at my school seem more content and relaxed.
Ichiro, don't lose your attitude. I'm always happy to see someone who appreciates the privilege of teaching.
Ichiro, don't lose your attitude. I'm always happy to see someone who appreciates the privilege of teaching.