Search found 98 matches

by Doctor
Fri Dec 06, 2019 4:06 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Teaching after departure is annouced
Replies: 6
Views: 10425

Re: Teaching after departure is annouced

Skablictady wrote:
> Hello Doctor,
>
> Methinks your pupils & colleagues have formed varied perceptions
> of your premature departure.
>

I think they all know - discipline is very hard at this school, way harder than it should be, and anothert teacher was actually moved around due to disciplne issues. The teacher I replaced for gr4ade 10 apparently hadf such a hard time that she went on medication to control her blodd pressure. I freely admit, I'm the worst when it comes to classroom management and that's why I approached management about moving on.

> I'm sorry that you were not given the opportunity to complete the school year and had to > possibly uproot yourself and perhaps, your family. Rest assured, Doctor. Your next
> designated 'surgery' [doctor's office] is forthcoming.

Yes - a son and a daughter whose education was interuptedwhich honestly doesn't bother me as much as it bothers mom. I see it as a semster abroad for them but mom thinks its a disaster.

Thanks for the words of encouragement and they did compensate me very fairly but I didn't know it would cost me so much face.
by Doctor
Fri Dec 06, 2019 7:43 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Teaching after departure is annouced
Replies: 6
Views: 10425

Teaching after departure is annouced

I'm leaving the school that I'm at. I wanted to leave at end of academic year in June but the HOS decided a December departure is better. Everything has been more or less worked out.

However two weeks ago, the HOS called a staff meeting to annouce my departure, of course all the student then knew, which I'm finding awkward. Now they are bringing in teachers for demo lessons and I have to wait in the library; obviously they don't want me there while a demo lesson is going on. I find this even more awkward.

Once the decision was made by the school to release me in December and the annoucement was made to faculty and candidate teachers are giving demo lessons, I think I should be enjoying an early holiday and waiting for my flight out. I can't see anything good coming of me just being here.
by Doctor
Mon Dec 02, 2019 5:00 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Is Search still worth it?
Replies: 22
Views: 34228

Re: Is Search still worth it?

Search has a great data base for sure but its more than that; the IS recruiters seem to trust Search candidates more than Schrolle candidates for example.

Being registered on Search is definitely worth the money but I'm not so sure about the fairs. I went to a UNI fair once and hated it and that was it for me and fairs.
by Doctor
Sun Dec 01, 2019 11:45 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Is Search still worth it?
Replies: 22
Views: 34228

Re: Is Search still worth it?

I think Search is worth it. I've always gotten good jobs with them and I've never even had to attend a fair. I just rely on their data base.
by Doctor
Sun Dec 01, 2019 11:42 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best course of action
Replies: 17
Views: 19541

Re: Best course of action

PsyGuy wrote:
> @Doctor
>
> I didnt pass over it, I just dont agree with your assumption that this evaluation
> was the deciding factor in getting the offer or not. You have your interview and
> your resume and both or either one of those is more significant than a reference
> especially for a mid term hire. The ISs main driving factor could be as simple as
> are you available and do you know the content material, and their only concern with
> the reference may have been limited too not touching students and not touching money
> and the rest isnt important. That doesnt make this a good reference, it isnt, it
> just didnt likely matter in this scenario, that doesnt make the reference something
> in the group of "good" or good enough" and considering how much you paid for it
> (paid dearly), it sounds more like your trying to rationalize value out of it instead
> of recognizing you got bamboozled by a HOS who sold you a bag of magic beans multiple
> times, and the beans werent magical.

Good point about the Beijing school being desperate; they are. But I think the HOS is being honest. For example, another job came up in the country I'm in and he told me point blank that he wouldn't be comfortable giving me a reference for that school. He knew the school and he knew I'd be facing the same discipline problems there as here. Also my Search account has been reactivated and the deal there was a decent reference from both my HOS and principal so the references must have been good enough for that purpose as well. True it did cost me some coin but for the long term, I think it was the right move.
by Doctor
Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:04 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best course of action
Replies: 17
Views: 19541

Re: Best course of action

@psyguy

I generally have a lot of time for psyguy because his feedback has actually been very helpful for interviews over the years. He does tend to pass over information though. For example, I did say that the reference from my HOS was good enough for an international school in Beijing to make an offer.

@Sid

"The past will eat you alive, but the future will save you.""
This is worth remembering.
by Doctor
Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:00 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best course of action
Replies: 17
Views: 19541

Re: Best course of action

PsyGuy wrote:
> @Doctor
>
> Im a bit confused, is the 9 months severance not even on the table anymore because
> you agreed to a rewriting of the contract for the end of year? If thats the case
> just how much severance would you now be eligible for, because if the new EOC is
> too early June (so January, January, February, March, April, May) is only 5 months
> of severance compared to buying you out at term and 4 months salary than 4 months
> vs. 5 months isnt that much of a difference and you would have to work the rest
> of the term? Is this severance just salary or comp (includes housing, your childrens
> education and tuition, etc.)? I could see why staying the whole year and your kids
> being able to complete the year than having to hustle to make something work for
> them and how that would be worth it.

Yeah they don't give a shit about me or my family and yeah I'm basically screwed for next semester. Should have kept my mouth shut. As far as severance, the first meeting was severance until June; the second meeting was severance unil April or May and the final meeting was severance through March plus insurance for rest of academic year and we can stay in house until end of January. I said forget the insurance and house; I'll just take it all as severance. Waiting to hear back on that but I'm out of here December 19th if possible.

> Your HOS doesnt have much integrity, they want to replace you for January and this
> is November, they either were talking about it, working on it, or have nearly done
> it, and they werent going to tell you until th last minute, your conversation only
> forced their hand early in so much as telling you.

> You dont know that your going to get an honest reference. Even if you do get an honest
> reference, based on hat youve written, it doesnt seem like the reference would be
> very strong. It seems like there opinion of your work performance is at best lack
> luster and at worst is incompetence.

Like I said, he doesn't give a shit about me or my family BUT he did stay true to providing a good enough refernce because I did get an offer. Unfortunately there was no space for my daughter so that fell through. I don't think the guy is out to get me or anything, he just doesn't really give a shit. I don't know what they were thinking before I talked to them but I did broach the conversation of an early departure.

In all honesty, it was classroom management and I'm not the only one dealing with it but I'm probably the worst at it. My career has largely been in Asia and the reason is, the kids are so easy to manage. I'm at a school in Central/South America and it is not the same here - classroom management wise - as say China. I don't think my performance was lack-luster. I think I lack "strong classroom management skills" and the headmaster has agreed to frame references just like that.

> I agree with @Sid, though if you push too much and too hard they may dismiss you
> for cause but then you would have to fight it with whatever labor, union or arbitration
> options you have available to you. Based on hat you have said you probably have
> a very strong case, but maybe thy have a better case then you think, and maybe they
> have logistics on their side 9can you afford to fight this out, can you get another
> job in the region while arbitrating it).

I'm ok with the deal - its not generous; it's not even on the generous side of fair but they didn't throw me to the wolves either. Nobody wins in a situation like this.
by Doctor
Sun Nov 17, 2019 4:37 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Teaching International Schools in China
Replies: 11
Views: 14390

Re: Teaching International Schools in China

Why not try a bilingual boarding school. The money is excellent and the ones that I have worked at had Chinese teachers.
In fact, I was at a school in Sichuan and the Head of Math was Chinese and the most highly regarded teacher in the department; also in science there were Chinese teachers in physics, chemistry and biology.
by Doctor
Sat Nov 09, 2019 6:12 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best course of action
Replies: 17
Views: 19541

Re: Best course of action

sid wrote:
> It is sad that this is happening. Sometimes the fit just isn’t right. No one’s fault.
>
> Please help me get clarity so I can give you my best advice.
> First, you discussed the situation and agreed mutually on an early departure in June.
> No severance.
> Second, the school brought up the possibility of a Christmas departure. Not so much
> to your liking, and you are wondering how to approach it. This is where I feel unsure
> about what is happening. Are they forcing you to leave in December, against your
> will? Or are they negotiating with you? If the first, yes, they owe you severance.
> How much is beyond my kenning, not knowing the law or whether your prior agreement
> to leave in June reset the end date of your contract from two years to one. If the
> second, you should negotiate. Say no if you don’t want to go then, or if the offer
> is insufficient incentive.
> Good luck.

Sid - yes, my principal and I agreed on a early departure in June after 1 year but the HOS is "considering" a end of semester 1 departure date in January. What he is obviously doing is looking for another teacher and he will let me know next week if its a January or June departure.

If its a June departure, everything is fine, no severance and I get an honest reference based on my performance between now and June. If its a January departure, he would essentially be forcing me to leave and there would be negotiations about severance. Tied to those negotiations is the issue of a reference for SA. SA is great and all but I could ghost this job on my resume and find a job through TIE or UNI so I have to wonder how much money SA is worth.
by Doctor
Sat Nov 09, 2019 5:17 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best course of action
Replies: 17
Views: 19541

Re: Best course of action

PsyGuy wrote:
> I understand what your saying, you talked to your leadership about leaving at the
> end of the year, but because you brought it up now your HOS wants to dismiss you
> at the end of the term.

Exactly what happened but I framed more like, "Do you think this is working out?" initially with the principal and after discussion, he agreed to an end of academic year departure. The HOS wants to find someone now to replace me.
The HOS is unique. I just saw him standup to parents and support a teacher in a way I never thought an HOS would and all over some stupid book. He has integrity. He is also cut throat. I know he is looking for another teacher but he asked me to wait on sending out resumes until a week, which is a long time since I'm looking for something in Spring.


> The quality of the reference is worth zero both in value and effect if you ghost
> it, the HOS is trying to sell you a poor quality something you dont need for coin
> thats actually valuable. The reference will mean nothing if whoever calls the HOS
> gets a negative endorsement of you. Which it sounds like this HOS is entirely capable
> of doing. You have no control over any of that. Once you sign off on the reduced
> severance you are entirely at the mercy of their good will on what they will say
> for the future. You cant come back later if you somehow find out the HOS is trash
> talking you and demand the full severance or demand they stop. This leaves you with
> the only option of ghosting the term and you did it for a cut in coin. You may as
> well get all the coin and ghost it now.

Actually this is a big concern for me. He seems like a trustworthy guy but you never know about people.

> The only way this might, may
> be worth it is if the HOS is going to give you a top shelf glowing reference, and
> find you a new job for the Spring through their connections, because if its really
> just about fit then your still a great hammer and the ISs problems are just all
> screws.

I agree - if he is well connected, he should be able to use those connections in my favor.

> This is not your fault, but leadership like to frame all issues as somehow a failing
> of you the IT, and because its your failing, they like to put the responsibility
> square on you and make you liable for everything. Thats what they are trying to
> do. They are the customer and they are always right and they are not happy, and
> you are responsible for them not being happy. Thats all bunk. I dont know what they
> repped as the job and the conditions or the environment, but if your doing a lot
> of work (effort doesnt equal work) but if its not happening its as much their responsibility
> as it is yours. If youre the engine, than theyre the transmission, and their part
> has to work as much as your part does. If your pumping out the horsepower but the
> car isnt going thats something wrong on their end.

Oh yeah - that's exactly the feeling I've been getting from day 1. Anything that's wrong is wrong because of me and honestly, the leadership isn't even all that polite about it. It's a very well established and well known IS, and its like I should be honored to work here. And the pay isn't even all that great!

Two opposite points of view from psyguy and sid - how surprising is that.
by Doctor
Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:42 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best course of action
Replies: 17
Views: 19541

Re: Best course of action

sid wrote:
> As for Search, you can be fine with a half year stint so long as the reference is
> ok and everyone agrees the departure was just about “fit”, nothing more serious.
> It’ll be a little harder to recruit but not too much. Then in your next post you
> have to ensure you stay long enough to offset this anomaly. Do that and it will
> never be an issue again.
> If you try to ghost this, you risk getting caught out. How connected are your principal
> and director? How long have they been on the circuit? What fairs and agencies do
> they work with where they might see your redacted resume?

Thank you Sid; good points.
This is a very reputable school and my headmaster is well connected. He's also very honest but I think he can be cut throat if pushed. I don't know. I seem to be doing a lot of work and getting nowhere here.
by Doctor
Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:39 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best course of action
Replies: 17
Views: 19541

Re: Best course of action

sid wrote:
> I’m not really understanding. If you’re going by mutual agreement, and definitely
> if you requested the early departure, I wouldn’t expect to see any severance at
> all. You’re not having your service terminated without cause, you’re being released
> at your request. You’re lucky that the school isn’t trying to claw back the costs
> of your recruitment and family relocation.
> If you’re offered anything, sign fast and smile. Count yourself lucky. If you make
> waves, you’re likely to find the school decides to honor your contract, or in other
> words, insist that a) you stay and work the full contract, b) you stay and risk
> termination for cause if you mess up, or c) you have to officially quit, making
> you liable for repaying costs as mentioned above.
> If you’re actually facing termination against your will, that changes everything,
> but your post makes it sound like you requested release.

Sid - did you not read the post?

I went to my principal not to resign but to let him know that in my opinion, it was not a good fit for me or for the school. I did not resign or anything like that. It was a discussion about my suitabilioty for the post. My principal agreed. He achknowledged my hard work (I'm here by 6:15 am every day trying to make this work) and he appreciated that I accept his feedback. We agreed on an end of academic year departure. The headmaster is thinking sooner, which I also get; why should they keep me if I'm leaving at the end of the academic year?

Anyway, I'm not resigning and there are no grounds for dismissal and in this country, labor laws are quite strong. Expat's on contracts have specific rights. My question is, do I insist on the extra coin over a B refernce all so that I can maintain a Search account? I'm thinking if a head of school sees that 1 semester along with a B reference, he'll just say no way. He'll think this guy must have done something really wrong or they would have let him finish out the year.
by Doctor
Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:18 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best course of action
Replies: 17
Views: 19541

Best course of action

So this job isn't working out, which is kind of heart breaking because I was really looking forward to it and I relocated the whole family but it isn't working out. I talked to my principal about it and we agreed on an end of academic year departure but my headmaster is considering an end of semester departure, which would be really hard but I did open the door.

For a January departure, they would have to pay me severance; in fact since we have a contarct, by local labor law, if they dismiss me w/o cause they should pay me 1/2 remaining number of months left, that would be like 9 months. My headmaster wants to give me 4 months severance at most plus ä B refernce" as he calls it. I already contacted Search and they said they would need that B refernce plus an assurance from the headmaster that he is ok with the change in contract. What they won't do it just ghost the job on the Search site. It has to be on there as part of my profile.

My question is this: is it even worth it just to maintain my Search account? If a recruiter on Search would see that I left a school after 1 semster, wouldn't that basically end it for me? Maybe I should go for the money, forget about Search and just use TIE or signup with UNI and totally ghost this job on my resume?
by Doctor
Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:13 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Life in Armania
Replies: 34
Views: 27148

Re: Life in Armania

Anyway the job fell through.
What I meant was are they well behaved or hard to manage; are they hard working students or lazy; things like that.
by Doctor
Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:45 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Search Associates Agreement
Replies: 12
Views: 13698

Re: Search Associates Agreement

After your contract ends, you have to reapply to get reactivated and start searching again.