Search found 7 matches

by Simplewords
Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:56 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Lying former director - shut out of Search
Replies: 21
Views: 37886

Lying former director - shut out of Search

Hello All,

Our first international job landed us working for a terrible director and the relationship between us ended badly (as in we really did not like each other). When we tried to sign up with Search she outright lied about us, saying something to the extent that we were let go before the end of our contract for "conduct unbecoming of a teacher". Based on her feedback, Search denied our application. From the same school we have SEVERAL outstanding peer and parent references.

Since, we've had two other positions, completed contracts and have great references from our administrators. So, we tried to apply to Search once again, only to be told that because of what this first woman said they can NEVER take us on as candidates.

I am upset that the words of one lying director can outweigh the multitude of positive words of other administrators. This seems wildly unfair.

Is our only recourse to go with ISS? Have you heard of a situation such as ours and what did people do?

Cheers and thanks for the feedback.
by Simplewords
Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:44 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Turkey- a new dawn
Replies: 7
Views: 30950

Re: Turkey- a new dawn

If you are a single person and not easily made nervous, then perhaps you can handle being here. I have lived/taught in Istanbul through the events of the past year. The fallout for the international teacher is this: 1) you will be nervous anytime you go by a group of soldiers/police, and there are more of them now, 2) you will be "aware" anytime you're stuck in a crowd, say at a traffic light, 3) your family/friends back home will be very anxious for you and you will find yourself having to let them know you're ok more than you'd like, 4) if you're from the USA know that the Turkish equivalent of FOX News is trying to ramp up public sentiment against Americans, and; 5) people who might come visit you in other places won't want to come.

Istanbul and the Turkish people are just lovely, but I can't say I'd recommend coming here at the moment.
by Simplewords
Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:33 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Lying, unstable directors...
Replies: 6
Views: 11363

Re: Lying, unstable directors...

Thank you to all who replied with advice for us. As greenhorns to the world of international teaching, we don't know enough about the lay of the land to handle this on our own. We appreciate your help!
by Simplewords
Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:03 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Lying, unstable directors...
Replies: 6
Views: 11363

Lying, unstable directors...

Hello All,

My husband and I are in our third year of international teaching (and teaching, period). Thus far we have had a real string of bad luck, and I am looking for advice as to how we move forward.

First, as new teachers we don't have a long list of former supervisors to put on job applications. We have held exactly two positions. Our second position, which was originally to have been through the end of the 2016 school year, ended when we and three other teachers new to our school had to leave the country due to changes in visa laws. We have great references from the Director of this school.

It is with our first school the problem exists. The Director under whom worked is currently being pushed out on a year's leave of absence. Her incompetence was completely destroying the school. Enough parents and embassies (this school serves the children of staff members from several different embassies) complained with such vigor that the school's parent-organization forced the director to leave. The behaviors that necessitated this leave made our tenure under this director challenging and this, combined with the director’s impeding leave, preclude our using her as a reference.

It gets worse. Newly arrived at this school during our last year was an elementary-teacher moving into the role of Director of Instruction. This person was well-known at her former school to be controlling, threatened by anyone who voiced an opinion alternate to her own, vindictive, petty, and especially sensitive to perceived slights. After having been passed over for promotion at her old school (within the same organization as our school), she came to our school bound and determined to move up the corporate ladder. We gained her ire by voicing aloud concerns and by pushing to address some of the crumbling elements of the school, and committing the ultimate sin - occasionally disagreeing with her.

We left the school at the end of our two year tenure. As part of our current job search we applied for candidacy with Search Associates. Numerous positive references were submitted on our behalf, including one from our most recent supervisor. However, Search denied our candidacy on the basis of what this former Director of Instruction reported. She lied outright and egregiously. She said that we were highly problematic AND has been let go early from our contract due to unprofessional conduct. This was a complete fabrication, as in she 100% lied through her teeth.

So what do we do? We can't allow potential employers to contact either of our supervisors from our longest-held teaching positions. However, employers aren't going to want us if they can't gain a reference from this employers. It is a Catch-22 situation.

What do you suggest?

Thanks in advance for your sage advice!
by Simplewords
Tue Jan 06, 2015 6:46 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: International Schools in Indonesia
Replies: 24
Views: 37563

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

From what I hear, this time round is unlike what has been seen/done before here in Indonesia, including that money to speed things up, or provide a work around, has been refused. Maybe the offered amount just wasn't enough, my school has some bank, but not a huge account. Under the new laws if a school links to an embassy it will allow them to call themselves an international school and they will not have to teach the national curriculum. However, it will also mean they cannot have any Indonesian passport holding students. Otherwise, all the schools wanting to hire expats have to become SPK schools, and their Indonesian students must now all take the national exams. Some of these kids have been opting out for years, so this will stink for them. I'm guessing a lot will now attend the Saturday sessions with tutors who provide "cram for the test" sessions. However, they won't be happy about giving up their Saturdays and I suspect it will not fit well with their family's lifestyle.

I hope you are right, PsyGuy, and that this time will turn out to be more smoke than fire. That said, in the meantime it is greatly damaging smaller schools that don't have the bank accounts of places like JIS.
by Simplewords
Mon Jan 05, 2015 6:26 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: International Schools in Indonesia
Replies: 24
Views: 37563

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Wayfarer, I am not sure what is happening at JIS. My guess is that they have been busy putting together materials to gain the new type of accreditation required in order to continue operating. My understanding of the situation leads me to believe they will now operate as an SPK school, offering both an international and national curriculum. Their students with Indonesian passports will all have to take part in the national (opting out is no loner an option), but can add the international on top and, each will have to sit the UN exam.

Lantana, I haven't read the legislation (mostly because my Bahasa Indonesian is still basic!). I've relayed here either what I've pulled out of the news articles and/or what we've been told by the administration of our school. Everyone at my current school is, as you say, a bit confused by the whole situation and unsure as to what the future holds. They say that this situation is so unusual that they're not sure as to what to expect, and this is from people who have been in education in Indonesia for years.
by Simplewords
Sun Jan 04, 2015 1:52 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: International Schools in Indonesia
Replies: 24
Views: 37563

International Schools in Indonesia

Hello All,

I am currently living and teaching in Indonesia, and wanted to pass along some news relevant to all international schools in this country. The government has recently begun enforcing laws that affect all international schools and expatriate teachers, but will especially impact new teachers trying to get their work visas (KITAS). Among the new laws are:

1) A ban on the existence of international schools with the exception of those schools directly linked to an embassy. Schools linked to Embassies cannot have ANY Indonesian students.

2) All other schools must now be Indonesian National Schools. Those schools wishing to continue offering any international curriculum (IB, AP, Cambridge International) can only offer such courses as "enrichment" classes, and must be re-accredited prior to doing so.

3) Until a school has gained its new accreditation, it is illegal for it to employee expatriates.

4) It is illegal for an expatriate to hold a Director or hiring position.

5) International school teachers should be proficient in Bahasa Indonesian (I think there are probably work arounds on this one).

Like many expatriate teachers new to Indonesia, our applications for work visas have not been processed, despite having been submitted to the appropriate agency in April 2014. It is not known when, or even if, our visas will be approved, but the new estimate is mid-February. Having been told that such delays were common in Indonesia we have continued to teach while awaiting our visas. Our school has asked all new hires to stay home on paid leave after the break.

Here are some links to news articles:
https://gjismyp.wordpress.com/2014/06/0 ... ns-312014/

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014 ... ecree.html

http://indonesianewsstand.com/news/read ... ernational

https://sekolahvictoryplus.wordpress.com/2014/12/ (about halfway down the page)

http://blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealtime/ ... indonesia/

http://indonesianewsstand.com/news/read ... -Confusion