I don't know this school, but one of two things is true:

1) Horizon Private School (Abu Dhabi) should change its name immediately

or

2) This is another of the Gulen Movement's "stealth" Horizon/Harmony schools. The Gulen Movement is a very socially and religiously conservative political and social movement in Turkey and the schools (dozens across the world) are created to fund the movement and spread its beliefs.

You will not be told this. I've known many former teachers and students of these schools who never knew that they were working for a political or religious cause. I have no problem with religious schools of any creed--BUT THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS DESERVE TO KNOW.

Perhaps this school has chosen its name poorly and it is not one of the Gulen Schools. But I'd be wary.

Please look around online for the Gulen Movement and Harmony/Horizon schools. Here are a couple of links to get you going.

http://charterschoolscandals.blogspot.c ... hools.html

http://www.charterschoolwatchdog.com/th ... gulen.html

I know someone who interview with them last year. The school has interesting possibilities and Jordan is very nice.

The people who run it are very impressed with own selves. They do not respond to emails and give you a sense that you are lucky to work there. A friend working there calls it very stresful and demanding.

I decided not to contact them. But there are some good parts, I'm sure.

Oh, bookshelf Amy--you must be very careful about ISM. Nice kids and Yangon is good (though prices are way up and traffic gets bad). The school used to have promise. But it a crazy for profit atmosphere and the director tom Eggerton--well, the big question on campus is whether he is more lazy or more stupid or more unethical.

You must seriously read some ISR reviews. Never trust one or two ISR reviews. But there is so much on this guy.



Can you tell me more about living in Yangon? The husband and I have an interview with ISM coming up, and I'm a bit nervous. We've lived in developing (and corrupt) countries before, and I understand that the safety warnings issued by the US government are intentionally over-cautious. What is it like to live there? Husband specifically wants to know about Internet access.

To be honest, while I'm excited by the opportunity, ISM is not the kind of school we expected to end up at. We were under the impression that we were fairly competitive for newbies (no dependents, Science/Math & Elementary/Middle/Library), but we haven't gotten a single nibble except for this one. When our Search Associate put us on the waiting list for Cambridge and invited us to SF instead, I decided we'd better broaden our net a bit. :)

We'd love to know any information/opinions you can offer on lifestyle, culture, food, safety, school... whatever.[/quote]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I guess the bottom line is a reminder that point or mark or letter grades are inherently somewhat random. Now that I'm in the second term, I'm just assigning fewer points for "average" work. Assuming that my general grading scale has been reasonably fair over the years--which I tend to think it has, but who can really know?--I guess I'd be looking to drop the percentage per student about 10 points, which would lead to a similar grade distribution (if student quality of work remains constant.)

For the first time this year, I am teaching at a school that uses the British curriculum. I'm surprised to find out that this school uses what I think to be a very generous grading scale. For the MS and HS, it is as follows

90-100%--A+
80-90%--A
70-80%--B
60-70%--C
50-60%--D
Below 50%--an assortment of letters going from E to G

Having looked at the IGCSE exams, I can see why that grading scale would apply to *the exams*. (Like AP exams, they are meant to be difficult. Scoring 79% of the MC questions on an AP exam is usually very, very good and is certainly not a "C" performance.)

But I am really struggling to adapt my usual grading scale. I consider myself to be a firm, but fair grader. Over the years, more often than not my class averages tend be consistently in the upper 70's to lower 80's. But by this system, my average student becomes an "A" student.

I guess my question is for those of you who have grown up with or are very familiar with British curriculum: Is this the grading scale used in all British schools, both in the UK and around the globe? And secondly (and this is a harder matter to judge) is an "A" considered "excellent" work? Or would an 82 merely be "good" (as the US system generally means a "B" grade to represent)?

I really need some guidance here.[/b]

Yes, PsyGuy, I think you have it right.

I'm more just interested in how regular it is to have so many students and no support at all. We figure over one thousand students and there have to be some that have these problems.

It is hard to know, because most of our ISM students aren't English speakers when born, so it can be both. But we also only got three ESL teachers for 11-1200.

It is just sad when I have students who are really sweet and really really try, but who can't come close to it. But it seems the school will take the parent money, but not cope with the problems the student has. And there are not many options in Myanmar.

This is a bit of an open question. My school in Myanmar now has about 1200 hundred students. We tell parents that we do not offer any for learning disabilities or needs that are special. But of course there are students who are clear to have these problems.

The school says it is normal to have no special ed experts, that most international schools just remove students who might have these problems. And that they won't hire anyone for this.

Is this usually true? I know some schools do not offer any these services, but they have small numbers of students. But in a school of 1200 that pretty much means we have learning disable students.

What are other people's experiences? And is the experiences different with the non profit schools? I am just not sure what to do with my students who just can't possibly pass a class with real standards.

Yes psyguy, thank you. I understand. I think you are right--we know that it is not ethical of course. We are adults. School cannot tell us to not talk to other adults.

I meant really this--in places like United States can schools make teachers sign agreements like this. I haven't taught in US and I've only been teaching in places without real strong labor laws. So I guess I was asking not if its ethical, but if this sort of thing is done in places with a history of worker rights.

I guess that's why we keep working at places like ISM. Get the experience and get to places with honor.

I wrote of ISM before because they are changing with their contracts and are trying to keep staff money. From talking with others here, I see that there are two sides to that point.

But a new thing--a teacher was reprimand and not given a new contract because he told a parent he was not planning on coming back. Teacher is forced to sign a paper saying he will not talk with any parents from the school.

Has anyone hear of a school that tells you you cannot talk to other adults on your own time? Yes, it is Myanmar. But this is not my point. My point is can a school with ethics try to do this?

I am not signing the new contract. But I do not like how they are treating we teachers and students.

But aslo Icharo--you say there are no specifics, but the school dosn't give specifics. Maybe you trust them if you have a heart attack and do not return. Or maybe they keep it anyway.

You think it is hard to get teachers in Myanmar? Yes. But try to get money that is owed to you from Myanmar!

Possible, Icharo. Only the "last month" pay is the pay from the last month already worked and not from the next year worked.

I don't know any job where you work your 40 hours, but don't show up next week and they keep your last weeks money.

Yes, it is hard for school if you don't come back. But still--you already finished year one of the contract. So how do they pay you 90% of what you work for?

Anyhow, this is what International School Myanmar does now. If people like it, they should work there. If not, they shouldnot.

It depend, I think, Icharo. The add to the handbook just says International School of Myanmar keeps your money for a month if you don't return for a contract. But it does not seem to matter. If an old teacher has a heart attack and can't return--the school gets to keep a full month from the last year. Or if we can't get a visa which is a real problem in Myanmar it means the school keeps our money?

Yes, it is difficult for the schools if someone don't come back. But we already worked for last year. I don't think it legal to keep our money. Also, I never hear of this before.


[quote="ichiro"]Dear joethelion,

You'll have to be a little more specific. When you say, "If we do not return for second year of contract" do you mean that you'd be breaking a two year contract by leaving after one year?" If so, then yes, this might seem a little shaddy, but what other recourse do you leave the school? It is expensive to recruit and bring teachers overseas. The one month "hold" is to help the school cover costs of finding a replacement--and one month's salary is a small drop in the bucket of doing so. Again, you don't mention specifics, but if you do a mid-contract runner, your school might be stuck with unpaid utilities, rent, phone bills, etc. All things considered, if you flee, forgoing one month's salary will be the least of your worries...[/quote]

This is something new I am not understanding. We teachers at International School of Myanmar are told now that we leave one month salary with the school over the summer. If we do not return for second year of contract, the school keeps the one month salary.

I have never hear of this before. Does other schools do this? Is it legal? I think it probably is not.

What can we do?