Teaching in Dubai

santyhat

Does anyone know anything about teaching in Dubai? I have researched a good bit on the net but a lot of it is the official line stuff and it seems ver y strict, I would love some advice from people who have experienced it..

I am thinking about going there but want to find out for sure can couples live together if the schools are organising our accommodation?

Also I have seen a number of reports that Sabis are not supposed to be good to work for.... who else hires teachers? is there another agency?

oh i've so many questions....

gaeilgegrinds

Friend over there at the moment. Definetely not living together for her and himself. She loves it bar that though!

loalae

I'm working for sabis at the moment in the UAE.

It's not strict really, you have to be sensible though. You can't be drunk off your face in public, you can't have drink out on the streets. Public displays of affection just don't happen, you really can't even hold hands without people glaring at you. In clubs if you get too close to somebody the bouncer will pull you apart so it's a bit like being at a school disco. You have to be discreet about relationships. Lots of westerners in Dubai do go to the malls with skirts over their knees and with string tops on but they get stared at, personally I feel more comfortable when I'm covered up and there's less chance of men trying to chat me up.

About living together - the only way that's going to happen is if you're married. I heard a rumour that one couple working for sabis were told just to wear wedding rings and they could live together but I don't know how true that is. You could chance it though.

If you're looking to come over just for the experience of living here and the social life then do it definitely. If you think that it's going to be good for your career, forget about it. The only way to cope with teaching out here is to almost not care. Discipline in the schools is nonexistant, the kids run riot. As a teacher you won't be looked after because you are completely replacable, dispensible almost.

The weather's nice, the pay's alright, the accommodation is grand and the other teachers are great craic.

anamaria

I have a telephone interview with Sabis in the next week or so. I've been researching them online and everything I read seems to be very negative.

Has anyone had a bad experience with them before?

loalae

Working for them isn't a bad experience. As long as you know that you're not going to be treated the same way you would be at home it's alright. If you can handle working in an environment where people are paid different salaries for doing same job purely because they're from different countries and if you don't mind people looking down on you because you actually have to work for your money then it's a great experience.

Positive points - your flights are paid for, you have no bills (except food), the accommodation is pretty nice, the lessons are completely planned out for you all you have to do is look at the page that you need to teach, the other teachers are in the exact same boat as you and you will make friends, you get to live in the UAE for a year.

Negative points - the children are INSANE!!!!! The parents are either pushy or completely indifferent. You gat blamed for the discipline problems in your class (that may sound reasonable now but wait until you meet the children). You WILL lose your voice at some stage during the year. The system doesn't work.