UAE, DUBAI/SABIS TEACHING!!

Serafina_jah

In your email were you told the interview was with Sean or Oussama?! Just wondering if I'll get Sean too. I didn't get a contract sent because my degree isn't English or in education. Wonder if mine will be a group interview! Ah the nerves!

Breifne72 wrote: »

Had my interview with Sean Cooney in Dublin today. That guy Oussama was there too, but just sat and observed. The interview is grand IMO! Glad to be done anyway

Ciaran795

My degree isn't in English but I was sent out a contract before my interview. I had mine was well yesterday morning as well with Seán...if you have him too you have nothing to worry about. He's not there to trick you out, just to find out a little bit more about you and vice versa. It's quite relaxed in fact compared to being stuck in a room one-on-one!

I'd say the main thing is just to read over the Information Sheets and have some understanding of what the their Educational System is about (e.g. Points System, etc.). Just pick out a couple of things you like about the way they operate. He went round everyone with the same question each time, so it's nice to have a few ready just in case someone mentions one of them before you get the chance to. I know it's a cliché, but just be yourself and let your interest in the position/becoming a teacher come across.

Anyway, hope that's of some help to you! The very best of luck to yourself and anyone else waiting for an interview.

Serafina_jah wrote: »

In your email were you told the interview was with Sean or Oussama?! Just wondering if I'll get Sean too. I didn't get a contract sent because my degree isn't English or in education. Wonder if mine will be a group interview! Ah the nerves!

Ciaran795

Does anyone know have any experience of how to go about degrees/academic transcripts attested? This was briefly mentioned to me when I was doing my Skype interview....

Apparently, they have to be certified by the Department of Foreign Affairs first and then brought to the Joint Irish-Arab Chamber of Commerce. They then take a copy and charge for them to sent to the UAE Embassy, where they are actually attested. How would you get your degree attested though when you're still in your final year?

Ciaran795

Does anyone have any experience of how to go about degrees/academic transcripts attested? This was briefly mentioned to me when I was doing my Skype interview....

Apparently, they have to be certified by the Department of Foreign Affairs first and then brought to the Joint Irish-Arab Chamber of Commerce. They then take a copy and charge for them to sent to the UAE Embassy, where they are actually attested. How would you get your degree attested though when you're still in your final year?

Rachw444

I'm not sure how to go about it either I was wondering the same ... I imagine though that we wouldn't have to do that until we get our degrees when we graduate ? Im sure if they wanted them they would have requested it in the emails? I don't know anybody who has got it done yet anyway maybe you do it when you actually get the job?

mandymo

lyons_92 wrote: »

Dubai is my number one spot but I would be okay with Abu Dhabi, Al Ain or Sharjah haven't really looked into other places don't know anyone that has gone anywhere else other than Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Al Ain!!

I worked at the Dubai choueifat school for 5 years I have since left the UAE but as far as I know there are 2 schools in Dubai and there is a new school on yas island which looks very nice. Good luck and enjoy your time in the UAE

Breifne72

Serafina_jah wrote: »

In your email were you told the interview was with Sean or Oussama?! Just wondering if I'll get Sean too. I didn't get a contract sent because my degree isn't English or in education. Wonder if mine will be a group interview! Ah the nerves!

I was told Seán in my email. It's actually a grand interview, not there to catch you out at all!

Serafina_jah

I just had my interview with him. He's very nice. I was interviewed with another guy who had applied. Mr. Khoury just asked us to tell him about ourselves and why we want to teach/ work with them. What we think about the Sabis system, had we ever been to the Gulf and 4 places we'd be interested in teaching.

Rachw444 wrote: »

I have mine with him at 11 on Thursday .. I don't know of anybody else that's had him yet tho

Rachw444

Awh perfect thanks very much for that. Did they say how long it would be until you hear if you got the job? 😊

Serafina_jah

He said anything between 1 to 6 weeks but most likely mid April! Fingers crossed for all of us. Good luck tomorrow, you'll be grand. It's just a chat really

Rachw444 wrote: »

Awh perfect thanks very much for that. Did they say how long it would be until you hear if you got the job? 😊

Rachw444

Serafina_jah wrote: »

He said anything between 1 to 6 weeks but most likely mid April! Fingers crossed for all of us. Good luck tomorrow, you'll be grand. It's just a chat really

Perfect thank you 😊

KillianMc89

Serafina_jah wrote: »

I just had my interview with him. He's very nice. I was interviewed with another guy who had applied. Mr. Khoury just asked us to tell him about ourselves and why we want to teach/ work with them. What we think about the Sabis system, had we ever been to the Gulf and 4 places we'd be interested in teaching.

I've my interview with him in the morning, did the interview last long? Was it quite relaxed?? Any advice based on yours today? Cheers

Rachw444

What time is yours at Killian? Mines 12:30, it was originally 11 but they changed it

KillianMc89

Rachw444 wrote: »

What time is yours at Killian? Mines 12:30, it was originally 11 but they changed it

I'm on at 10, how are you fixed for it?

bonbon87

Guys it is a really laid back interview, it is more like a chat. Just have a bit to say about yourself and the locations you would want to teach in ready. Good luck but ye won't need it

Rachw444

Em I think I'm ok for it.. I'm very nervous though about it being a group interview. I'm just bringing a cv and my passport ? What are u bringin ?

Rachw444

bonbon87 wrote: »

Guys it is a really laid back interview, it is more like a chat. Just have a bit to say about yourself and the locations you would want to teach in ready. Good luck but ye won't need it

Thank you 😊

KillianMc89

Rachw444 wrote: »

Em I think I'm ok for it.. I'm very nervous though about it being a group interview. I'm just bringing a cv and my passport ? What are u bringin ?

Im just looking forward to getting it over with at this stage., everyone seems to be saying thats its relaxed so it should be grand...hopefully. Just my passport id say, what locations are you going putting down?

Rachw444

Me too! Em Dubai, khalifa City A, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi .. What are u putting down? What subjects are you hoping to teach?

KillianMc89

Rachw444 wrote: »

Me too! Em Dubai, khalifa City A, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi .. What are u putting down? What subjects are you hoping to teach?

Yeah i put down the same as yourself. How did yesterday go for you?

Rachw444

It was grand now, Mr khoury was lovely. It was more of a chat though he didn't ask me anything about the teaching methods or anything just to talk about myself how I heard about sabis and why I wanted to teach. I mentioned working with children with challenging behaviours and he just asked how do I control them but that's it. He asked for the 4 locations and what age groups and subjects I'd like aswell actually. I should know in the next few weeks �� how did you get on

ArtSmart

Terrible shame there's such a reluctance to give a close detailed reading of this thread.

Guess many of us need to learn the hard way.

Ah well.

Best of luck to all (you'll need it)

ArtSmart

Mermaidmoment wrote: »

Sabis is not an organisation that I would recommend. Above all, it is a money making organisation that does not care about the welfare of children or staff. The directors are generally ruthless and do not care about the proper or appropriate delivery of education. I have never felt so bullied or intimidated in my life as I did when I was working with them. I had a great time living in the UAE and made friends for life- so in that regard it was a positive experience. However, if you are a qualified teacher, they are to be avoided like the plague. Their teaching methods go against everything we have been trained to do in western universities. They will undermine you and make you feel like everything that goes wrong in their outdated system is your fault. They do not acknowledge behavioural disorders and will blame the teacher for situations that are out of our control. There is no such thing as differentiation in this curriculum- so if a less able child is not achieving.. YOU will be blamed. You are not treated like a professional, you are treated like a naughty school child. Every Monday we had to endure half hour staff meetings which would slate us and tell us we were useless. They would say to our faces that we may as well go home because they could replace us within 24 hours. The behaviour in the schools is like nothing I have ever seen. Children run riot and your daily task becomes centred around crowd control, not teaching. Why do you think there are always so many vacancies for unqualified teachers? No one with experience in education would settle for the horrific standards. They get by on propaganda, luring Irish graduates over with the prospect of a tax free salary and various benefits. On the first two days of their 'training' they will fill your head with utter propaganda, making their beloved 'point system' out to be the the be all and end all of education. It's a cult like mindset, if I'm being honest.
I'm not saying my entire experience was terrible, the UAE is a wonderful country. But those 8 hours working with those people was soul destroying. If you're looking for experience and are thick skinned, by all means go for it (Especially if you are given KG grades). But if you are a qualified teacher, avoid!! You will gain nothing professionally from such an experience. Hope this helps!

I concur.

ArtSmart

Mermaidmoment wrote: »

I did the year with them because as I mentioned I did really enjoy life over there. At times it felt totally unbearable though and I just wanted to leave. The school I was in had a huge dropout rate. Teachers will leave in the middle of the night and will be replaced in a matter of days. It's not a happy environment to be in. I'm going back to work in the emirates this year in a proper international school so I would recommend looking for decent schools as the life over there is really great. If you look at their Facebook page you will notice how negative comments wiill be deleted in a matter of minutes and they recruit somewhat satisfied employees to talk about how wonderful experiences with them. It's total bull. I remember reading negative comments on this forum before I went and I thought they were just exaggerated.. But turns out they were totally accurate!!

BigStupidGuy wrote: »

Pretty much everything in that above comment is accurate. Thank god we have boards for some truth online lol.

The behavior problems are really bad in my school (and it's one of the best apparently), personally I blame....

1: The kids are generally rich and spoiled (not used to people telling them no)
2: They're given way too much freedom with 90min lunch breaks (8/9 year olds and above) and run riot etc... The "shadow teacher" classes are also a bit of a joke as the kids don't listen to their peer and mostly use the class to talk and doss and do anything but work.
3: The super strict school system makes them want to rebel (some have 11 exams every week)
4: Most importantly the supervisor system makes kids NOT respect the teachers as much as I remember when I was a kid in Irish schools. They see the supervisors as people to respect/fear and teachers as the opposite (since you're not allowed to punish kids). I used to fear my teachers giving me a note or detention etc. but teachers cannot do that in Sabis.
5: The high turnover rate of teachers encourages kids to see them as "replaceable".

I find the job 90% classroom management, 10% teaching. For some classes it's actually even worse then that. But I suppose I'm not a qualified teacher so I would struggle more than most in that regard. Thank god I have a scary supervisor, otherwise I would've quit a long time ago lol.

But if none of that puts you off it is quite a good experience! Also you can save a lot of money here and the lifestyle is nice. It's just Sabis itself lol, ALL smoke and mirrors, don't believe a word of what they tell you.

But yeah, they are quite cruel to the kids, and it has side effects, the kids mostly hate the school. Also as was mentioned the Middle East in general doesn't acknowledge learning problems. So if someone has down syndrome in your class (which can easily happen) you'll just have to deal with it yourself. But I think Sabis is just like any other school here in that regard.

I concur.

I post these in the hope that the desire to work will not overwhelm the inner voice of common sense of those who intend to teach there.

The worst school in the UK is 1000 times better than this crowd.

Fudgey1994

Just wondering has anybody heard from Sabis since the interviews 2 weeks ago, anybody been sent contracts or anything?

Rachw444

I didn't hear a word yet anyways.. They said I'd know before the 15th of April

Serafina_jah

I was wondering the same thing Fudgey! I haven't heard a peep yet. Will post when I do.

Fudgey1994 wrote: »

Just wondering has anybody heard from Sabis since the interviews 2 weeks ago, anybody been sent contracts or anything?

mercek

I had my second and final interview via Skype about two weeks ago. Yesterday I emailed to ask about my status. They let me know I had been successful in my interview and I would be hearing about the next steps in the next few weeks!

mercek

Rachw444 wrote: »

I didn't hear a word yet anyways.. They said I'd know before the 15th of April

Did you interview in person or on Skype?

Mudmask

I have just started my application. Did those who interviewed submit a video CV?