Search found 72 matches

by GrumblesMcGee
Tue Sep 17, 2019 9:59 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Securing a Job in Vietnam after NQT Year
Replies: 7
Views: 10361

Re: Securing a Job in Vietnam after NQT Year

ScottishLoon wrote:
> That's encouraging to know! Do you know which third tier schools these people got
> jobs at? I'm happy to start at tier 3 and do my time.
>
> If I apply in December, will I be seen as having zero years of experience or having
> one year's experience?

Neither, likely. You'll be seen as someone with one full year (by the time you arrive) who is still developing, but who didn't flake out and leave (or get fired during an early probationary period/induction). You'll also likely get some credit, particularly from the schools who will strongly consider you, for your time in Vietnam. It shows 1) why you're leaving domestic education (to return to a place you like), 2) that you're unlikely to get homesick and pull a runner like a first-time IT, and 3) that you're comfortable with SLLs.

All in all, considering that you probably won't get full credit (pay scale wise) for your ESL experience, it makes you an attractive hire to many schools: iow risk and low cost. I'd rather hire you (for most jobs) than someone with an M.Ed. and 6 years in U.S. teaching who's never set foot in Asia.

Full disclosure: I've never been an IE admin.
by GrumblesMcGee
Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:09 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Planning ahead. How can I become an IT in Germany?
Replies: 55
Views: 61033

Re: Planning ahead. How can I become an IT in Germany?

*Yawn*

The whole "2 years experience" is a popular talking point for many recruiters and (by extension) agencies, and therefore it's filtered down into generic advice for teachers interested in IE.

It's not that it's a bad guideline. But it's so riddled with caveats (even the stubborn PG alludes to "limiting conditions") and exceptions as to render it a very, very weak guideline. Even the hypotheticals raised as alternatives to two years in DE are often overly rigid (e.g., starting at a "T3 in China").

There's nothing approaching consensus here, and anyone who suggests otherwise is being disingenuous.

That said, for a college junior (presumably without other job experience, i.e. not a non-traditional student) without much teaching experience or international experience, you have to be realistic. What's in your best interest in terms of development and mentoring? Are you ready to not only start a new career (and your working life) while also jumping head-first into a new culture? How are you going to handle issues relating to authority, power-distance, etc. (with colleagues, local admins, students, parents) if you're also just forming your identity as a teacher?

Recruiters are always going to be wary of how candidates will handle change. The more elements that are changing, the more concerns that will raise. Are you going to finish your contract or decide you want to go home? Are you going to adapt to the curriculum, to the students, to the culture?

I could sense in a lot of recruiters that I wasn't worth the risk, and I have great qualifications and a long history of overseas travel. They just felt better going with more of a known quantity.

On the other side, ask yourself about the schools that (likely) *would* offer you a job. What do they see in you? If the answer is that you're the best (on paper) that they could get, that's a cause for concern. You have to be willing to say no, even at the risk of abandoning Plan A (teaching internationally). I had my share of those interactions with schools and agencies.

Beyond the "every job search is different" cliche is the fact that every candidate has different wants/needs/limits. If you *really* want to teach internationally, you can jump in (see earlier comments about what/where you'll likely be). If you really want to aim, long-term, for a specific kind of job or location, your path will likely be different.
by GrumblesMcGee
Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:23 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Most in-demand subjects for international schools?
Replies: 79
Views: 186113

Re: Most in-demand subjects for international schools?

Heliotrope wrote:
> Maybe in one of the topics that got deleted then, from before I started
> reading topics.
> I'm sure it's in one of those then. Must be.
>
> Not sure what you consider 'major contributors' though, as both @Thames
> Pirate an I disagree with your supposed consensus, and we're both in the
> top 10 of major contributors (#4 and #6).

Don't bother. He'll just move the goalpost again.

We all know there's no consensus (and "we" includes PG, but his inner troll can't let go of the lazy argumentum ad populum move). This is yet another example of an important question devolving into a pissing contest over the most trivial of distinctions. But hey, I'm guilty of it, too. It's popcorn.

I almost woke the whole house up chuckling over PG once again falling back on his "sole and exclusive authority" status. Again, friend, you're not the sole and exclusive authority on anything--even if you have the ultimate say in how to spend (waste) your keystrokes and finite time on this marble. You're not even an authority on notions of "authority," and you've demonstrated ignorance (or worse, bad faith) in invoking "consensus."

I think most people here tip their caps to you on issues relating to certification. Don't outkick your coverage on other matters, where you're just one voice among many.
by GrumblesMcGee
Mon Sep 16, 2019 1:50 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Best Job Fair to Land a Tier 1 School
Replies: 101
Views: 503060

Re: Best Job Fair to Land a Tier 1 School

shadowjack wrote:
> Ah, Heliotrope, but according to PG and others, admin are just on the gravy
> train of fairs to have nice holidays and a chance to get away (leaving
> aside that being away, just as if you are a teacher, is MORE work than not
> being away).
>
> So he posits that admin goes to fairs to go to fairs, not necessarily to
> hire.

Exactly. Which makes his logic-twisting defenses of Search all the more puzzling. He even just jumped on a comment of mine describing Search as "controversial" by suggesting that there is no smoke there.

So which is it? Is the recruitment status quo some gravy train for admin travel and broker bottom lines, or is there a consensus in IE that this is the way we should do business?

And I'll save you the precious keystrokes by acknowledging that I've posed a false dichotomy. I just hope you recognize the whiplash-inducing way you bounce from extreme to extreme on this (and other) issues. A little nuance, friend.
by GrumblesMcGee
Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:24 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Doubling up on Recruitment agencies
Replies: 19
Views: 35486

Re: Doubling up on Recruitment agencies

If you want to maximize your chances of finding the best job (i.e. "FOMO"), sure, register with as many agencies as you can. There is a clear tradeoff (time, registration expense, fair attendance costs, burdening your references a little more) and diminishing returns (the number of jobs you're going to find on through a third agency is relatively low). As a previous comment mentioned, if you're looking at specific schools, you can typically stalk their web sites and apply directly.

Some folks here have noticed that I am no fan of Search, as I think the cost is too high and the service they provide is deceptively articulated at best. But if you're solely looking out for the maximum chance of landing the job you want, there's utility in being with them.

I am happy to see you're with GRC. I think they can make inroads and shake things up a bit if enough people support them.
by GrumblesMcGee
Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:18 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Most in-demand subjects for international schools?
Replies: 79
Views: 186113

Re: reply

PsyGuy wrote:
> As established by forum consensus and other sources, ITs generally require
> two years of post credentialing experience obtained in DE to enter IE.

#PsyGuyLogic
Step 1: Someone who is a major contributor to the forum points out that there is no consensus, and that they disagree with PsyGuy's underlying claim.
Step 2: PsyGuy replies "as established by [just-disproven] forum consensus and other [uncited] sources."

I fail to see how the sliver of daylight between PsyGuy and Thames Pirate here is worth going to war over. It's common sense that we all start somewhere. I'm starting in IE without any (comparable) DE experience, and I'm at a prestigious school. I acknowledge that I'm in the minority, but I'm not alone. If you want to talk about the most common, most advisable, etc., path to an IE job, fine. Go ahead. Just quit throwing around terms like "consensus" that you clearly aren't capable of grasping (unless you have some sort of undisclosed training in dialogue facilitation that I haven't sensed in you)...it's not worth the fight. You can still make functionally the same point without another #PsyGuyTantrum where you plant your flag on unsteady ground.

To the OP: everyone's different. Every school is different. Every recruiter is different. Every hiring season is different. Exceptions abound. But yes, try to get experience. The chances of someone with a not-perfect-fit BA and little conventional classroom experience jumping into a desirable job aren't great. But stranger things have happened.
by GrumblesMcGee
Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:53 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Hong Kong
Replies: 9
Views: 11479

Re: Reply

PsyGuy wrote:
> @GrumblesMcGee
>
> SA isnt "controversial" for the significant (and vast) majority
> of IE, they are one of the main players in premium agencies, they are
> reaching a large enough audience using SA. They are the whole cupcake
> (maybe without the Hello Kitty sprinkles) but you not approving of their
> business model or organizational behavior changes changes and means
> absolutely nothing.

Ah, significant AND vast. Well, I guess that settles it.

"Me" not approving of them means exactly that: me not approving. That's less than a lot, and more than "absolutely nothing."

Furthermore, I'm hardly alone in thinking that. I've spoken with, and interacted on here with, plenty of ITs who will have nothing to do with Search Associates. A more significant group seems to have issues with Search (e.g., feeling it's overpriced, feeling it overly favors schools over teachers in disputes, feeling it shouldn't be as big a player as it is, feeling that recruiter laziness is a big factor in empowering Search...) but are still willing to swallow their pride and sign up.

While I'm primarily in this game for the money, I'd like to think that ITs cling to some pretense of improving the world by teaching critical thinking skills and responsible citizenship. If you're someone who has no personal issues with Search, that's on you. If you're someone who thinks that there's nothing "controversial" about Search, your willfull ignorance makes me shudder for those who are stuck with you as a teacher. And if you're someone who frequents these boards and you're still floating the line that there's nothing controversial about Search, then that's outright laughable.

Every teacher has a right to their opinion on how education should be, both out front and behind the scenes. And every teacher has a right to balance those opinions and their own self-interest as they see fit. I have no problem with some of the thoughtful people on this board who, after weighing the pros and cons of Search membership and accounting for Search's more problematic impacts on IE, still think giving Search their business is right for them. But that's a far cry from your (typical) blustering that most ITs see Search as pure as the driven snow.
by GrumblesMcGee
Sun Sep 15, 2019 4:23 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Hong Kong
Replies: 9
Views: 11479

Re: Hong Kong

Psychometrika wrote:
> I'm not in Hong Kong but am curious as well. I do know that HKIS has posted
> a large number of openings for 2020 on the Search Database. Right now I see
> 10 positions posted which seems like a big number for a Tier 1 school this
> early in the recruiting cycle. Maybe it means nothing, but I wonder if the
> disruptions are enough to make some teachers to pull up stakes.
>
> I'm tempted to apply since it seems like a great school overall, but the
> religious aspects of the school in combination with the unrest in HK give
> me pause.

That's surprising. I didn't see the vacancies, as I do not use Search (hint: if they want to fill those vacancies and reach the broadest pool of candidates, listing with only one (controversial) agency isn't the way to go), but I can read the (super-brief) descriptions on their website and they state that ISS users can apply with a simple email.

But that's a prime destination for a lot of folks I work with. I'd even take a look, even though I prefer my current location slightly to Hong Kong.
by GrumblesMcGee
Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:17 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: FAQ: GLOSSARY
Replies: 75
Views: 77375

Re: Reply

Heliotrope wrote:
> > Im the sole and exclusive authority on what is and isnt a waste of my time.
>
> Nobody is disputing that, but it says something that you don't mind investing time to
> engage in endless discussions that have nothing to do with the the OP's questions,
> but don't want to take two seconds to introduce an acronym (which you then quite
> often have to explain later anyway, thus rendering your time-saving argument
> irrelevant).
>
> And yes, I also frequently engage in endless discussions. Like TO (this one).

I have to do this.

Actually, I'm disputing that PsyGuy is the "sole and exclusive authority" on what is/n't a waste of his time. He can be the primary authority, but when he crosses the threshold into ridiculousness or trollish behavior, he opens the door to critique.

Not only are his ubiquitous acronyms and use of jargon a detriment to understanding, undermining the ostensible purpose of his contributions, they're a net waste of time given the "cleanup" work he does after the fact.

He's entitled to waste his time. He's entitled to claim he's the arbiter of when he chooses waste/conserve time. But
that doesn't change the objective, external reality: he's wasting time, not saving it. And my reasonable outside perspective is that he uses jargon not to save time, but to gain satisfaction. And he knows it, doesn't care, and gains additional satisfaction from lobbing flimsy arguments in defense of his choices.

That's fine. It's weird as hell considering he provides value to many people with some of his posts. But weird is just gonna do weird.
by GrumblesMcGee
Sat Jul 20, 2019 4:00 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: When do schools begin hiring?
Replies: 53
Views: 48481

Re: When do schools begin hiring?

Given my experience last year on the market, I'll echo sid's timeline.

In terms of recommended courses of action (not knowing your background), I'd register with ISS-Schrole and keep my eyes open on sites like TES.

If you've already coughed up the money for Search, go ahead and use their database (hey, you've paid quite a lot for it) and there's no harm in keeping your profile there up to date, as some recruiters will look you up there even if you aren't applying through Search. But if you haven't yet (re)activated I'd suggest you stick with ISS-Schrole, as the cost is far lower and your service/protection is better. Check out the discussion boards and you'll see all sorts of horror stories of Search throwing candidates under the bus when disputes arise, being unresponsive/unhelpful, etc. There are some similar stories about all the major players (including ISS), but you find it on a far greater scale with Search; and you find folks (myself included) who have had recent apples-to-apples comparisons of their interactions with one agency vs. another, with Search coming out at the bottom.

But (full disclosure), that's just my perspective. And I have a stubborn streak when it comes to financially supporting (i.e. voting with my wallet by giving Search $200+ and then thousands in commissions) or enabling more market share (i.e. furthering Search's position in IE by running my candidacy through them) if there are more ethical alternatives. Others take a more transactional approach to the market, and that's their prerogative.
by GrumblesMcGee
Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:59 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: FAQ: GLOSSARY
Replies: 75
Views: 77375

Re: FAQ: GLOSSARY

Does anyone else want to take over the portfolio on the whole "a step is a barrier" thing? Or is he just too trollish to deserve the keystrokes on that one? I'm tired.
by GrumblesMcGee
Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:57 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: FAQ: GLOSSARY
Replies: 75
Views: 77375

Re: Reply

Heliotrope wrote:
> I don't agree.
> It's primary purpose is to help people asking questions about IE.
> And throwing acronyms at them that aren't introduced properly in the thread
> but are explained in a glossary they don't know exists isn't helping.
> If you can't spare 2 extra seconds to do so, you might not be very eager to
> make your answers accessible to the readers, and it makes me wonder why you
> reply at length about many many things unrelated to the topics posted, such
> as telling @Thames Pirate that you know more about how much she's saving
> than she does herself. If you'd used all the seconds you've spend typing
> about that you could have explained a whole lot of acronyms upon first use
> in threads.
> I admit I digress frequently as well, but then again I don't claim my time
> is so precious that I can't type two words to explain acronyms upon first
> use in the thread.

Glad someone got to the "you waste so much time here yet can't afford the 2 seconds?" part of our scripted melodrama. I knew it was inevitable but didn't want to preemptively answer PsyGuy's predictable retorts.

I think a lot of us get diverted into silly arguments [and probably enjoy them too much], so I'm loathe to propose any sort of "quit bickering and spend that time making your posts clearer" deal. Get your kicks wherever/whenever you want. But anyone who knowingly obfuscates their attempts to help others in the name of "time savings," but is willing to spend hours on the meta level chirping in defense of their obfuscation, has serious issues.

And the whole intertextuality argument is a complete joke. This isn't a graduate class. It's not scholarly research. It's not even Wikipedia (and any effort to hotlink your acronyms to glossaries, etc., would make you an even bigger hypocrite, as that would take more time than simply spelling them out). The notion that someone asking a straightforward question should look for baseline understanding of your response text beyond the text--to your OTHER texts--goes beyond naval-gazing and fart-sniffing to full-blown idiocy. I write this as someone who has no problem with the EXISTENCE of your glossaries or even your penchant for copying and pasting some of your (occasionally dubious) rants as part of an answer. If someone asks a complicated question and you give them the baseline answer, sure, pull a "see also" move and point people to additional resources. But if your answer qua answer cannot be sufficiently understood because of selfish "time savings" choices (really a stalking horse for your egotistical desire to spew/invent jargon), you're crossing a threshold.

You perform a service here, beyond entertainment--at least on certain topics. Embrace it, take the constructive criticism, improve your efforts to assist, and put down that shovel. Or is this just going to be the long-unawaited sequel to The Cost of Apartments in The Hague?
by GrumblesMcGee
Tue Jul 16, 2019 1:42 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: FAQ: GLOSSARY
Replies: 75
Views: 77375

Re: FAQ: GLOSSARY

It's cute how quickly a position crumbles. Let's follow the bouncing ball here.

First, PsyGuy stubbornly (surprise!) insists that he isn't trying to create barriers while straw-manning the critique against him:

> If I was so disposed to creating barriers, why would I create a glossary and explain
> terms when asked. Introducing them on first use is not very helpful...

Then, PsyGuy doubles down, arguing that not only does he not intend to create barriers through his writing, but that his writing doesn't create barriers, period:

> So the difference between being disposed to creating barriers or that my
> writing creates barriers differentiates the barriers how? Your position is
> my writing creates barriers, mine is that it doesnt.

Oh, how quickly that shifts. Even in the same post cited above, he starts to walk out this "beyond the text" argument. It'd be a great argument if we weren't on a de facto help forum. But the "my writing [doesn't] create barriers" argument crumbles instantly. Heliotrope kicks it off:

> If a lot of people have to look up the acronyms used, in a glossary they
> might not know exists, it does create a barrier.
> It's pretty standard to introduce acronyms upon first use [...] and it's standard for an obvious reason:
> it lowers the barrier.

PsyGuy instantly concedes that readers have extra work to do to understand him:

> Well readers will have to explore the text to determine if there is a glossary.

After Heliotrope (accurately) points out that many readers will be confused by the acronym and not even know a glossary exists (let's call that a "barrier not overcome"), he hits the nail on the head:

> Plus it adds a step, where introducing the acronym upon first use in the
> thread isn't much extra work, plus it should be second nature to you if you
> ever attended university.

At this point, most people would just concede. Maybe a little righteous indignation ("I help people, I'm entitled to some shorthand") could be understood. But the battle is lost. The point is proven. That PsyGuy's writings creates barriers is beyond contestation by any rational........wait...

PsyGuy argues that they'll [all?] know of and consult the glossary, adding:

> So what, lots of systems processes can add a step, its a step, type
> 'glossary', click search. Its not climbing Everest.

In a few short posts we went from.

PsyGuy: I don't intend to add any obstacles to understanding. I'm helpful. I've added a glossary. My writing doesn't add any obstacles.

...to...

PsyGuy: "So what, lots of processes can add a step."

Honestly, PsyGuy, you should've stuck with your selfish "the time and typing savings are significant" argument. It's still laughable, but for a different reason. You spend a LOT of time [trying to?] [help?] people here. It's worthy of admiration. Even as I critique you, I've gone out of my way to acknowledge the areas where you are knowledgeable and your assistance valuable. You deserve credit for that. And if you could make a coherent argument along the lines of "I'm able to help the same amount and save 10% of my typing time with acronyms," it'd be hard to deny you your "time and typing savings."

But it's all bull. What do you really save from these acronyms? 1% of your forum time? Probably less. As an old saying goes, the cheap pay twice. Whatever you save, you wind up having to explain at length after reading follow-up inquiries. That's assuming everyone who doesn't get it follows up (they don't), and that's also ignoring THEIR lost time trying (often unsuccessfully) to look "beyond the text" for meaning.

You ultimately fail in your defense because of the very nature of this forum. You're [ostensibly] trying to help people. No one's forcing you to, you aren't paid, you aren't even receiving "credit" beyond your pseudonymous persona. If those you try to help don't fully grasp your meaning, or need twice as long to decipher your meaning, or have to follow up with you, you've helped them LESS. But instead of taking the constructive criticism, you hunker down into a ball of idiotic stubbornness, making your stand with an indefensible "I create no barriers" position.

You do. You've admitted that you're now aware, waving it off as an extra "step" (an understatement), but let me just put it this way, as someone NOT on your official adversaries list: if you're really so deluded that you think your time savings from (often made-up) acronyms outweighs the lost time (and lost comprehension) of readers, you have no reason to help people in the first place.

Oh, and an aside. Asking someone to spell out not-universally-understood acronyms "on first use" applies at least at the thread level (one *could* argue that it applies to posts; I'm not making that argument). The whole "its [sic] a minority of readers that will go back to read previous posts on common topics" routine is a red herring; as long as the acronym is spelled out the first time it's used in a thread, that's sufficient.
by GrumblesMcGee
Tue Jul 09, 2019 2:18 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Insurance Question
Replies: 15
Views: 52842

Re: Insurance Question

Given the details you provided, I'd recommend looking into basic traveler's (i.e. tourist) insurance, which PsyGuy mentioned in his earlier reply.

You seem to be focused on "a medical emergency or getting fired." While the latter is a pretty stark (and self-defeating, I'd argue) thought to consider, it's reasonable to worry about potential gaps in coverage. When does it kick in? Will you be covered before you arrive (either by the school (unlikely), or by other insurance you already have)?

The upside to traveler's insurance is that it's relatively cheap and can cover you for more than just medical emergencies (e.g., it can cover you for travel-related mishaps like stolen luggage). The downside, as pointed out, is that it's really just meant for catastrophic circumstances with regard to medical coverage. But at least it provides a bridge until your new medical coverage goes into effect. As for worrying about getting fired, that's a bit odd. It's not like you're going to carry an extra insurance policy like a parachute. If something happens with your employment, you can always purchase additional insurance at that point.