Search found 72 matches

by tangchao
Sat Dec 07, 2019 6:02 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: 10444

Re: Teaching after departure is annouced

How many sick days do you have? I would be making use of them.
by tangchao
Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:54 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: How hard is it for an American to teach in Australia?
Replies: 8
Views: 15646

Re: How hard is it for an American to teach in Australia?

bish180b wrote:
> I don't think that hard
>
> get registered, start relief teaching and apply for jobs and soon enough u
> will have a contract
>
> I worked with a girl who came from South Africa, that's what she did...
>
> She now has a permanent teaching job

Apparently an exchange can be arranged through your union. I'm aware of teachers from Germany doing this too.
by tangchao
Thu Dec 05, 2019 5:04 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: American sacking culture
Replies: 34
Views: 46900

Re: American sacking culture

Sure, I have seen places where there are too many sackings and other where there are not enough. I suppose that it is always a matter of finding the Goldilocks Zone. Interesting that no one can see the link I identified.
by tangchao
Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:01 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: American sacking culture
Replies: 34
Views: 46900

American sacking culture

I have seen this phenomena mentioned through the reviews and in the fora and, having witnessed it myself, thought it was high time someone addressed it directly.

Yes, they are not technically sackings as they mostly involve not renewing contracts; however, in reality they are terminations of employment and therefore sackings.

My first posting in an IS involved an American head replacing the Australian incumbent. His first order of business was go on a "sacking tour." This involved several key people across the organisation getting unceremoniously given their non-renewal notices within a couple of weeks of the new manager's arrival. This was based on interviews he had with some whingeing staff members and helicopter parents. I was shocked at the thuggishness of it. It created a cloud of job insecurity over the school and a collapse of morale.

My next post was created as the new American bosses who turned up had basically sacked everyone in the school. They were trying to 'turn the school around.' They seemed to have little skill or inclination to this by conventional means such as running professional development or counselling underperforming staff. Nope. They just non-renewed anyone they thought wasn't up to scratch, even though their quality was far from noteworthy. Admittedly, they did get rid of some people who probably needed to go, however they got many more who were doing their best, others facing old age who had little prospects elsewhere but not enough to retire.

Again, I saw this as very callous. The American bosses of course saw themselves as making 'tough but fair decisions.' Pathetic.

I haven't had to work for an American for a while, but recently one has turned up in my current school. With him, so came the seemingly random sackings. A teacher close to me just got terminated for reasons that were beyond him. It seemed like the American boss did it to just be on the safe side.

To me it always seemed like they were doing it to show their authority, or to distract everyone from their own considerable failings. It has always been men.

I know others have observed this as I have seen it mentioned often in reviews. A famous case of an American boss showing up and sacking like he was a school shooter actually made headlines: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/edu ... nal-school.

Are we being prejudiced? Or is there really a correlation between being an American manager and one who manages through such demotivational means?
by tangchao
Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:38 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: 34264

Re: Is Search still worth it?

IMO, Search is worth it as it is the only one that advises of the pay up front.

Gone are the days when you were encouraged to "just apply" for a job with no idea of the package, only to be insulted on the spot at the last minute. Now I can just screen out the ones that aren't paying enough without hurting any feelings.

That's the main, but not the only, reason I stay with Search.
by tangchao
Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:16 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Should I take this salary package?
Replies: 28
Views: 32380

Re: Should I take this salary package?

That was my after-tax salary in a cheaper city ten years ago with half your experience when the RMB was worth more.

Keep looking.
by tangchao
Sun Apr 23, 2017 3:21 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Experienced EFL Teacher looking for a quick US Cert
Replies: 37
Views: 132216

Re: Experienced EFL Teacher looking for a quick US Cert

May I paraphrase?

I can't be bothered doing the training to become a real teacher but I want a certificate that says I am.
by tangchao
Tue Jan 10, 2017 5:02 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: How hard is it for an American to teach in Australia?
Replies: 8
Views: 15646

Re: How hard is it for an American to teach in Australia?

Difficult apparently. I have a friend from the US who tried to get a job there but was politely refused as his qualifications did not match those required for a teacher registration at the state he wanted to go. Australia is similar to the US insofar that the states are responsible for education and teacher registration. You would need to identify which state you wish to work in and try for registration with the relevant body in that state before going any further.
by tangchao
Fri Nov 25, 2016 3:17 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: London fair - any point with a trailing spouse
Replies: 4
Views: 10592

London fair - any point with a trailing spouse

Hi all,

I am considering going to the London Search fair for the first time. I am aware that there is no point turning up to the Bangkok fair if you have a (semi) trailing spouse. Is the same true for London?

My wife is a TA in elementary with some PYP training and I am looking for a secondary leadership role.

TC
by tangchao
Sun Nov 22, 2015 12:57 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Wanting to move to Vietnam. Advice?
Replies: 21
Views: 40720

Re: Wanting to move to Vietnam. Advice?

I was sitting at a bar in Pham Ngu Lao once and a TEFL bloke just walked up and offered all three of us a job. We said no thanks mate. About an hour later he approached us and offered us a job again!

He said the pay was between a bit south of $15 and a bit north of it. Go and sit down there long enough and push for the top end.
by tangchao
Mon Sep 28, 2015 12:59 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: is it ok to leave after 2 years?
Replies: 18
Views: 32810

Re: is it ok to leave after 2 years?

I must disagree with them. Whilst two years is certainly miles above a broken contract, three years is far better still.
by tangchao
Sun May 10, 2015 3:26 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Yunnan-Kunming
Replies: 12
Views: 23210

Re: Yunnan-Kunming

If you do go to Kunimng make sure you go to Moon Dog Bar. It is behind the museum. You'll have a blast.