teaching in Manamah, Bahrain?

[emcnovel]

anybody know anything about the modern knowledge school? thanks, Ellen

[fran]

If I were you I would invest the $29 and read the reviews on the site. There are a few very long reviews that will tell you everything you wan to know.

[emcnovel]

thanks, Fran. Talked to them yesterday and learned that, as in China, the gov controls the temp reports - the real August temp is 120 deg f the whole month, 80 degrees nighttime temp, 60-70% humidity. That killed it right there!! Ellen

[specialed]

I think Fran and Ben are one in the same?

[emcnovel]

Dear Specialed - Don't know who Ben is. Anyway i'm not going to pay MORE money out for school reviews; that's why i joined this site, to find out info. from people who know something about teaching abroad.

Speaking of Sp Ed, that's what i really want to teach, but am having a hard time finding a job, because not only am i trying to get a WA state certification, I don't have a Sp Ed endorsement yet, even tho i have two CA credentials and my MA in Education. If i'm enrolled in school in a Sp Ed program I can get a waiver, so i'm enrolling, but as of now i am last on the list unless there are no qualified applicants. I've worked in Sp Ed high schools for the last four years with second language learners; i know i can teach them! Anyway, onward and forward!

[specialed]

Ben - supposedly - is the administrator/owner/whatever of the site and is very mysterious. I have never seen "Ben" post and we know nothing about this person(s). Who he/she is, what kind of experience this person(s) has - basically nothing. I suspect that Ben posts on the site under other names to "stir things up" sometimes to drive up sales for ISR. With the anonymity of this site, nobody really knows anything past their own experience. Unless you know the person, for all anyone knows, it could be a kid in high school, someone who has never taught overseas, someone in prison, or who knows who. Nobody does.

About Special Ed - many international schools just look for certification in anything, and if you are certified in something, that is enough to get a work visa. The last time I was looking for a job, most schools only cared if I was certified in something and had experience. Some don't even care about certification if you have a Masters degree.

I looked at MKS in Bahrain a couple of years ago, and it seemed okay. I remember they said they provided housing for a month or until you got an apartment. I don't remember the pay as being great, but it was better then schools in South America. I don't have firsthand knowledge of Bahrain itself, but it seems like a middle of the road Middle Eastern country, not fabulous, but certainly not as terrible as some of the other countries can be.

[emcnovel]

thanks for the tips, Sp Ed, Ellen

[wenpow]

When I taught in Malaysia from 95-97, one of my roommates had come from a teaching post in Bahrain. She said she had to wear long dresses and long sleeve shirts all the time when in public and I believe to teach. She didn't speak too much of sexist from the students but then she taught elementary school. Older students it might be more of an issue. In Malaysia, we had a few very wealthy students who were dropped off by drivers and escorted to their classes. Kidnapping of rich kids are always a concern in countries such as these. Very hot, I don't think they drink there at all and everything may close down by 8 or 9 pm so little to do.

Something to think about.
Wendy