In order to communicate with those of you in the United States, I will need to use Skype, as my Verizon phone will have outrageous charges. You can call this phone number and it will be just like calling a local Milford, CT phone number- so no charges for you. I will get the call to my computer. You can even leave me a message (remember I will be 8 hours ahead!). I can also call you using this phone number to your phone with no charges. If you have Skype on your computer, we can also communicate that way.
Skype name: mccl14
Skype phone number: 1-203-951-3041
Saturday, July 17, 2010
How it all started...
A few months ago, I decided I wanted to teach abroad. Why not? Now is a perfect time- I am young, and it is very difficult to get a job here now. I have always wanted to travel, and this would be the perfect opportunity to teach and travel AT THE SAME TIME. So I went out to get a passport, and signed up with some recruiting agencies and websites looking for teachers abroad. I talked to people who have done it before and tried to find out information about different places.
Originally, I was offered a 6th grade position in the Dominican Republic. Within the week, I also had an in person interview in New York City with the Abu Dhabi Education Council. After a lot of thought a consideration, I decided to take the gamble and decline the Dominican Republic position- it would be great for someone else, but not for me. I was concerned mostly about the safety of the area. The school seemed wonderful.
The Abu Dhabi process was fairly easy. I had to fill out an online application with about 12 short essays (okay, maybe not soooo easy). Shortly after this, I was contacted for a phone interview, in which the position was explained to me. Abu Dhabi is reforming their education system, because their children were not getting into colleges. Their students were being taught English by teachers who spoke it as a second languages. AD is a very wealthy area, and they deemed this unacceptable. Now, they are bringing in native English speakers to work with the bilingual Arabic teachers to help their students. Last year, they started with 1st and 2nd grade. This year the focus is on K and 3rd (I will teach K). Next year will be 4th and 5th (if you are interested...). I will teach math, language arts/English, and science, and the Arabic speaking teacher will teach social studies, religion, and Arabic, I believe.
After my phone interview, I needed to go to NYC for an in person interview. This happened very quickly, as the council reps were scheduled to be in NYC that very week. It was basically a regular interview, and 2 days later I got a call from my recruiter that I would be offered a contract! A week later, I had already received it and sent it back.
Now as I get ready to go, there is a lot to do. Documents to authenticate and long dresses and shirts to purchase. I have to wear this in school, but can wear 'regular' clothes outside of school. I will find out my city placement hopefully by the end of July. I am starting to find people in this general area who are also going, so it will be good to have a few familiar faces, even though we may not travel at the same time. It will be a very challenging, yet rewarding experience that I will surely learn from. I am very excited to go, but sometimes it still does not seem real!
Some of the details:
- Teaching Kindergarten
- Leaving sometime in August: will get an e-ticket with departure date. This is fully paid for.
- Return round-trip airfare paid once per year. (7 weeks vacation in summer)
- 2 year contract
- Housing fully paid (single living arrangements)
- Co-teaching with a bilingual Emirati teacher
- At least 3 other Licensed Teachers in each school (this is what they call the teachers they are bringing in)
- Teachers are coming from all English speaking countries- U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad- What an experience!
- 80% of the Abu Dhabi population are expatriates
Originally, I was offered a 6th grade position in the Dominican Republic. Within the week, I also had an in person interview in New York City with the Abu Dhabi Education Council. After a lot of thought a consideration, I decided to take the gamble and decline the Dominican Republic position- it would be great for someone else, but not for me. I was concerned mostly about the safety of the area. The school seemed wonderful.
The Abu Dhabi process was fairly easy. I had to fill out an online application with about 12 short essays (okay, maybe not soooo easy). Shortly after this, I was contacted for a phone interview, in which the position was explained to me. Abu Dhabi is reforming their education system, because their children were not getting into colleges. Their students were being taught English by teachers who spoke it as a second languages. AD is a very wealthy area, and they deemed this unacceptable. Now, they are bringing in native English speakers to work with the bilingual Arabic teachers to help their students. Last year, they started with 1st and 2nd grade. This year the focus is on K and 3rd (I will teach K). Next year will be 4th and 5th (if you are interested...). I will teach math, language arts/English, and science, and the Arabic speaking teacher will teach social studies, religion, and Arabic, I believe.
After my phone interview, I needed to go to NYC for an in person interview. This happened very quickly, as the council reps were scheduled to be in NYC that very week. It was basically a regular interview, and 2 days later I got a call from my recruiter that I would be offered a contract! A week later, I had already received it and sent it back.
Now as I get ready to go, there is a lot to do. Documents to authenticate and long dresses and shirts to purchase. I have to wear this in school, but can wear 'regular' clothes outside of school. I will find out my city placement hopefully by the end of July. I am starting to find people in this general area who are also going, so it will be good to have a few familiar faces, even though we may not travel at the same time. It will be a very challenging, yet rewarding experience that I will surely learn from. I am very excited to go, but sometimes it still does not seem real!
Some of the details:
- Teaching Kindergarten
- Leaving sometime in August: will get an e-ticket with departure date. This is fully paid for.
- Return round-trip airfare paid once per year. (7 weeks vacation in summer)
- 2 year contract
- Housing fully paid (single living arrangements)
- Co-teaching with a bilingual Emirati teacher
- At least 3 other Licensed Teachers in each school (this is what they call the teachers they are bringing in)
- Teachers are coming from all English speaking countries- U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad- What an experience!
- 80% of the Abu Dhabi population are expatriates
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