[quote="iTeach314"]For those that will be attending their first fair...I surprisingly had 15 interview invitations by 4p on the first day of the UNI fair. Out of those 15, I had only contacted 2 prior to the fair. My top choice school did not send me an invite so I went to them during Round Robin, talked with the ES Principal and he confirmed that he had received my letter but after talking to me was really intrigued and now wanted to interview me. [/quote]

I concur about how awesome the UNI fair has been. The other candidates are awesome, the fair people are super helpful, and - at least for my subject - there were lots of invites. I ended up with an amazing job in Mexico, and I am SO glad I picked the UNI Fair. Congrats to everybody on their new jobs!

I am here at UNI, and there's a girl here with an offer from Bina Bangsa, but we can't find any reviews about the school itself. The other forum post just talked about the location. Anyone know anything about the school? The principals? The curriculum? The kids?

Thanks!

[quote="liketotravel"]
They have coat racks where you can hang your coat while your in lines for the sign-ups.

I really liked my experience at UNI (not so good at Search). The UNI people are so nice and accommodating (Search = not so nice and slightly militant).

GOOD LUCK![/quote]

Glad to read about the coat racks at UNI. I'm originally from New England, so I'm not TOO worried about the weather. What you said about UNI is exactly why I picked it - so many people concurred on that point that I knew it would be the best choice for me. My one quibble so far: seriously, putting me on a 10:30am shuttle on Sunday back to the airport when my flight is not until 4pm is ridiculous.

I'm starting to feel very positive about it. I've been emailing with a couple people already in reference to the cover letters and CVs I sent out, so I think it's going to go well. *knocks on wood* Thanks for the well wishes.

[quote="gr8teach"]Bring something warm. I've heard its pretty darn blustery in Iowa. I've never been but I have been to TORF at Queens in Kingston (also cold) and they set up coat racks for candidates to hang their coats.[/quote]

I was hoping there'd be something like that - let's hope UNI has their own coatracks. Thanks.

So I am in the midst of packing for my flight to Iowa tomorrow, and I know it's pretty chilly there at the moment (we're currently having a bizarre warm spell here at the cusp of the midwest and the south right now). Obviously I'll need a coat, but what do you DO with it while you're, say, waiting in line to schedule interview times? I am trying to figure out which jacket to bring and how heavy it needs to be, etc.

Thoughts?

[quote="PsyGuy"]You make about 2500€ a month. You dont get housing. Housing in Rome for a one bedroom is between 1000€ and 1500€. Utilities run another 200€. That leaves 800€-1000€ left for EVERYTHING ELSE. Its never enough money. I got to see Rome but never had the money to see the rest of Italy. When I left i had like just under 1000€. At the end of any one month Id have less then a 100€. The way they do the temp housing is you get like a months salary (about 3000€) for relocation expenses, you have to buy your airplane ticket, and then you find a place to live, and most school recommend this line of short term apartments (and you get a good rate), so not knowing anything else, most people just go with the schools recommendation.[/quote]

Ah, okay, thanks for the details. So, basically, if I want to travel around Italy/Europe I'd need to use my savings. Thankfully, I don't have any debt, and my college loans are canceled out, so I could definitely swing it. It's just a matter of whether I'd want to deal with all the aggravation of the helicopter parents and the head, and if I think being in Rome would be worth the potential hassle. Though, honestly, if the kids aren't behavior problems, day-to-day school life would be far and away better than the inner-city school where I teach now.

[quote="PsyGuy"]You should be more insulated in middle school, a lot of the "naughty" stuff involves the high school. In the middle school its the parents you have to worry about, they are crazy, bat $h!t psycho, type A+ nut jobs.

The head is sociopath, management who has to have her nose and finger in everything, but I assumed you read the review section and already knew that. Many people that leave for personal reasons, say she was the reason.

Anyway all the schools about 6 of them are on in the same area, and on friday afternoons after school we would end up at the same cafes, that and a lot of us were in the same temp housing which is how we would know each other. AOFS does tend to pay higher then the others, it didnt really matter though, you really couldnt make enough to do all the things you wanted.[/quote]

Thanks for the info about the parents.

As for the head, there's only school review and one director review in the review section, so I wasn't sure if I was really getting the whole, accurate picture. Hence me making this post in the first place to see if anyone else had some info. Different people = different perspectives, y'know?

Re: money. So you're not really making enough to travel much? Or at all? Just the day to day expenses taking up everything? As it's in Europe, the school doesn't do housing, right? Or does it, and that's why you all end up in the same housing?

Thanks.

[quote="overseasvet2"]Interesting that the director would be a micromanager. She has no training as an educator; she got into education through family connections. She does have an advanced degree in "school management" - not sure what that means.

When a parent complained a child was not in the yearbook, she made the creator go through and tick off that every child in the school was in a candid photo.

I worked with her for a short while and would never do so again. I have no respect for her ...perhaps she's changed over the years.[/quote]

Hmmmm. You've definitely given me a lot to think about there, so thank you for the info. Presumably this was at the same school? If so, any other impressions of the place?

Of course, I have a pretty high tolerance for ridiculousness after six years in my school district (science director for district: "no, you have to teach every part of every investigation in every module, in order, just like it says!" Me (thinking): "Um, you do realize that's since that's three semesters of material to teach in two semesters, we actually can't do that?"), so your anecdote is not out of the norm for my current reality.

[quote="PsyGuy"]
It means exactly what you think it means. Again, you never know how much of anything is true, exaggerated, but there was a lot more talk about it in Italy then anywhere else I had been (well maybe tied with Thailand). [/quote]

Ew - that is all kinds of disturbing. I'm certified for middle school, so hopefully I'd be a bit more isolated from all that mess.

As for the experience, I'd love to also be at a school that is a real quality one, but I just can't help thinking it would be immensely stupid to pass up on a chance to spend two years in Rome. Granted, I haven't had the skype interview yet, but if it goes well, that's what I'd be thinking. Plus, as I currently teach in a title I, low-income, inner-city school that only escaped being audited this year by a big enough change in our population, I have a feeling that almost any international school - despite its foibles - is going to be far better.

[quote="PsyGuy"]
Is it financially worth it, no. You go for two years and you break even (if your lucky). Is it worth it to make a career, no. Unless you like the idea of living pay check to pay check in perpetuity. Is it easy to fall in love with the place, the people, the culture, the food, and just outright "fall in love", and not care about the money, yes, without a doubt. [/quote]

See, and what I care about at this point isn't the money. I am not ready to settle down yet, and I really would love love love to spend two years in Rome, even if that's all it is.


[quote="PsyGuy"]
OFS, is like a prime time teen angst drama. Everyone pretty much finds the gossip, scandal, and politics entertaining. Does that make the work environment stressful, yes, and their are management, and coworker problems/issues that go well and beyond any IS, BUT you have to put it in context. This is a country where until recently, the national past time was gossiping about the prime ministers sordid love life, and italian culture is quit proud of that.[/quote]

OFS? I thought the American Overseas School was referred to as AOSR. Anyway, I am, however, quite familiar with lots of gossip and craziness at my current school. A common refrain is that middle school teachers haven't grown out of middle school.

My one big question would be about you referencing student/teacher dynamics, as that is an issue I know I will care about. What did you mean when you said "we wont even get started on the student/teacher relationship dynamics"? If there's big issues there, that is of concern to me.

Thanks!

Anyone have some more detail about this school? There's only one school review and one director review. Both mention they aren't big fans of the director (she's a micromanager), but it's certainly not awful either, and I would LOVE to live in Rome. But I also don't want the fact that it's in Rome to totally blind me to all other aspects of the job.

Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Okay, I totally don't have advice, but I do have a question. You've said you lived in Italy, right? I get that the tax rate is awful after the first two years, but is it worth it to go for two years? I mean, I have been there before, and I LOVED it, and my major impetus for choosing the school to which I've applied is the location. I got an email back from the middle school principal (well, secondary school principal, as they group middle and high together under one principal) wanting to skype/phone interview with me - and, wow, what a pain scheduling that is going to be, what with the time difference and me leaving for the UNI Fair on Thursday morning. But, anyway, is Rome worth it for the two years? And, since there's only one review on the website, do you know anything about the American Overseas School in Rome? Thanks!

And good luck to your friend.

[quote="dreamgiver"]I ALWAYS email the director and principal every time I send my information to the generic HR email. And about 90% of the time have gotten personal replies from either the director or principal that have morphed into skype interviews, requests to interview at the fair, or personal notifications when the position has been filled with someone else. I've always found their email address on the website, even though sometimes it takes a lot of hunting. And if you really can't find it, guess what it would be based on an email address you might find for someone else on the website.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice!

[quote="PsyGuy"]Id email an admin, such as the head or principal. Your not bothering them if they WANT to hire someone and if their inbox is full, and you have no other way to contact them, I'd rather be looked over then over looked or never heard at all.[/quote]

Good point. Would you suggest mentioning in the body of the email that I got a message about HR's inbox being full, hence me emailing him/her rather than HR?

Thanks.

[quote="centennial95"]How about going to the school's website and figuring out the email of the principal? Or is there maybe a generic contact form/email address?[/quote]

I guess so. It is the generic HR email address, and I couldn't find an actual personal one for the woman who runs HR. I just wouldn't want to annoy the principal if you're supposed to email HR, y'know? I think I'll try again tomorrow and then maybe I will see about emailing the director or maybe the division level principal. Thanks.