21000 AED and saving

Hi
I teach English to cycle2 in Ras Al Khamiah...everyones comments are pretty much how it is here...strange wonderful place....be flexible

hi
welcome to UAE
you'll probably have teachers at induction you'll hang with, then you'll meet others at the hotel you stay at...you'll meet some teachers at school
theres a brunch every friday somewhere...people are very social...we just have to be creative as the usual venues aren't readilyavailable. 
it's culture shock but if you have a good attitude you'll be fine

safe for women, just be conservative in dress and manner.  its a power struggle here, don't let them see you angry...pretend nothing matters...

Thank you so much this information has been really useful.

Also just wondering... Where do they fly you out to when you get there and do you have a choice of area where you want to work in? Sorry for all the questions.

Ashy16 wrote:

Thank you so much this information has been really useful.

Also just wondering... Where do they fly you out to when you get there and do you have a choice of area where you want to work in? Sorry for all the questions.

Your work location will be mentioned in your offer letter. You can speak with your HR for more details.

Ashy16 wrote:

Hello, I will be moving out to work in the UAE as a teacher too and I was wondering whether it is sociable? I am moving out alone and really excited about the job just  worried about making friends and having things to do on the weekend. Is there any opportunities to mix with other people?

There are lots of social clubs in this country and it's easy to make friends here. The best one is

internations.org

jchang, thanks so much for sharing your experience so far. It was very helpful.

My visa has finally processed and I should be set to arrive sometime in January.

Ironically, for being the thread starter I recently gave up just as the visa was arriving and took a different (and, from what I read) less stressful job. 

Update:

I have experience working in both boys and girls school. The boys school are much more chaotic and unorganized. I believe I have strong classroom management, but I still struggled to get the students settled. It was very frustrating.

Managing a girls classroom is easier, but that's not to say it's always easy. You will still have to lay the hammer down once in a while.

Hope this helps and hope you enjoy your time while out in the UAE! Maybe our paths will cross one day

jchang82 wrote:

The boys school are much more chaotic and unorganized. I believe I have strong classroom management, but I still struggled to get the students settled. It was very frustrating.

This was my exact fear and the very reason I decided to ultimately not go. Naughty students are one thing. Poor staff infrastructure and support are quite another and put both together.....yeah...

Hope everyone out there will enjoy their time and stack that paper!

Yes, they provide you with a ThinkPad (IBM) and I got a SIM card at the airport.

The SIM card was 100 dirhams, and you choose from 3 plans. I don't remember exactly what they are, but you can check them on the Etisalat website.

www.etisalat.ae

Hi miss wiggles,

Have you received your departure date?

I've passed the pre employment security check, sent off my authenticated documents and received my final contract this week. I've been told I just need to wait for my entry permit now.

Have you signed your final contract yet? I'm really hoping it won't take seven weeks! My agency haven't given me any time scale. The school term ends on the 15th of December so after induction we'd only have a week of teaching if we're not going for another seven weeks 😱

Fingers crossed that we're not waiting until January! I really thought we'd be there by now! I wish there was a bit more certainty so we could make arrangements while we wait. I'd take on substitute work in the time being if I knew how long I'd be waiting, especially with Christmas coming up.

Let me know how you get on!

Lulu,

My advice to you, at this rate, is 1) call the MOE contact (I can PM if you don't have their info by now) and confirm your information. They apparently never received mine in August despite having sent it in July but after I resent the machine started moving again....very slowly.

2) carry on as if this isn't happening and if something just as good/comparable comes along, say no to UAE. I finally got my clearance and was ready to go when a decent international school decided to give me an offer elsewhere and now I shall not be seeing the shores of Dubai nor dunes of Abu Dhabi.

Hi Jchang82,

Thank you your posts have been so helpful. They have really given me a clear idea of what to expect. I really appreciate your honesty. I have found the posts on here are more realistic and saying the truth than those on the MOES teachers forum.

Have many of you posted on the actual MOE'S forum which your agency should of gave you a link to? I have found no one has posted updates recently and more useful updates are on here. So thank you Jcjang82.

I am glad you are honest about the students behaviour and how some people are struggling with classroom management. You are so correct saying that this can have a detrimental impact on your enjoyment of the role and your time in the UAE.

May I ask is the 55 year old male new to teaching? who you said was struggling. Is this is first year of teaching after just qualifying?

Also may I ask are the MOE supportive in any concerns you have or queries?

Thank you for all your help Jchange 82. Your post had so much detailed which helped greatly. Thanks for taking the time to write it

Katherine

Hi Jchang82,

Thank you your posts have been so helpful. They have really given me a clear idea of what to expect. I really appreciate your honesty. I have found the posts on here are more realistic and saying the truth than those on the MOES teachers forum. I am expected to start Jan 2017

Have many of you posted on the actual MOE'S forum which your agency should of gave you a link to? I have found no one has posted updates recently and more useful updates are on here. I have a feeling the MOE are editing the posts and only want positives on their forum. So I am glad to have found this forum. So thank you Jcjang82.

I am glad you are honest about the students behaviour and how some people are struggling with classroom management. You are so correct saying that this can have a detrimental impact on your enjoyment of the role and your time in the UAE.

May I ask is the 55 year old male new to teaching? who you said was struggling. Is this his first year of teaching after just qualifying? How have female teachers coped in all girls schools?

Also may I ask are the MOE supportive in any concerns you have or queries? What do they want to see in the 3 month probation period. As this is something I am concerned about due to forking out rent up front for 6 months ect. Don't want not to pass probation and then be stuck with no job and a massive rental bill.

Thank you for all your help Jchange 82. Your post had so much detailed which helped greatly. Thanks for taking the time to write it. I appreciate the honesty

Katherine

Hi jchang82,

Do you find the management supportive and the MOE? The staff infrastructure or is it all chaotic and very new? compared to teaching in the UK or US?

I have been told HR are a nightmare to get hold off? is this true? So your queries fall to deaf ears?

How do they assess you in your probation period? Is it easy to pass?

Thank you for your help and input. Really appreciate it

Kind regards
Katherine

Hi CrabCrib,

Thank you for your posts. In your opinion is the MOE wait and unorganised system not worth going for then?
You took a better payed and more recognised job in a international school? due to the MOE project being new this year and not yet run for a while, hence the amount of change and uncertainty?

Also I have been told the MOE project is just ADEC OR ADVETI being taken over? has anyone else heard this? As I have read on forums that ADVETI is a awful company to work for?

Thank you for all your input guys and answers

Kind regards
Katherine

Hi Sam,

Great to hear from you. This forum has been so helpful. Especially Jchang89 posts. I am glad to have read someone's posts who is actually over there and working for the MOE now.

This is a new project starting this September so there are not many past posts online at all. This forum has been the best one. MOE's forum isn't giving much away and there are no new posts at all on there. I think they have to be approved.

The lack of reply from agencies and the MOE itself is worrying. I tried to contact HR (Beena Phillips) her name is, and she never gets back to you. I think they need to understand people need to know what emirate they will be living in and working to make arrangements.

I feel like they expect you to go in blind and just hop on a plane without knowing what is going on.

I hope you hear back very soon, as they need to realise people have given up their teaching jobs in their home countries ect. we have rent/ bills to pay here ect

My visa took ages, from all these posts I have gathered everyone's does as they are processing so many at a time. My agency are Astute education and they have been vague with my questions about asking about rental costs. In the UAE landlords expect you to pay 3 to 6 months rent up front. So if you haven't got this, my agency were cagey about how I would do this. UAE loans are the answer I have read on the MOE forum.
As the MOE won't pay up front your accommodation costs.

I have a feeling the agencies just want to ship us out for their commission and not knowing or answering our questions.

Maybe your delay might be good as they should hopefully be more up and running in January than September. I have read that we should be aware of changes and unexpected last minute changes as it is a new project.

I read your last point Sam, I dread to think that is what they are doing, the hired teachers in September have left or quit and we are filling the gaps. Worrying as the project has only just started in Sept.

I have asked Jchang89 on this forum some more questions so hopefully he can fill us in as he is over there teaching now.

I feel the same Sam, I am losing confidence and belief in the MOE every day. I am meant to going at the start of Jan 2017. I am not sure now. 

Kind regards
Katherine

Hey everyone!

I'm responding from Sri Lanka. One of the perks of living in the UAE is the close proximity (cheap flights!) to countries.

Now that I have a semester under my belt, it's clear why I had to wait so long for my Visa and plane ticket: it's completely unorganized. All the horror stories you hear are true and behavior - especially for guys schools - are also true. The best teaching gig would be to teach the ASP stream. This is the "smart student track" and currently, it's limited to 7th grade. But I have heard rumors that it will expand to 6th thru 9th grade. So there's hope that you could get a good match of students. However, those are limited to maths, science and English.

I've asked a couple of my teacher friends out here "if you knew back then what you know now, would you still have come out to the UAE?" They all sheepishly say yes because the money is so good. Many of my friends are living out of hotel, which ranges from 3500-5500 dirhams/month (in the city of Fujairah) I actually found a one bedroom for 1000/month but it's in a small town and it came completely unfurnished - no refrigerator no air conditioner no stove. I'm a guy so I don't mind, and I'm saving a ton of $$.

As for me, I plan on staying here for another two years. I have a great situation since I'm in a girls school and teach maths in the ASP track. The curriculum is similar to the one in the US. The culture that the students are used to is quite different. A lot of the local teachers are "yellers" and they don't have the best structure when it comes to student behavior or communication. For example, a student will just shout out a question without raising their hands and the teacher will answer it anyways. This drives me nuts!! Another example, if a student does raise their hand to answer a question and they get called on, sometimes other students will yell out the answer. It's taken a lot of training for me to gety classroom the way I want it, but its totally worth it.

The forum that my agency gave me access to was really helpful. I'm not sure why it would be quiet, but I remember being active on that too.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your visa!

Hi Katherine,

Basically between the ambivalent rudeness of the staff/lack of communication and possibility of getting a better job in SE Asia, I found no reason to be optimistic about MOE in UAE outside of reconnecting with a couple friends there. It simply wasn't worth it for me.

Hi everyone,

I've been waiting for 11 weeks in pre employment stage, how long do you think I might be waiting now until I arrive? I'm going to be teaching business (well hopefully).

Thanks

Thank you Crab Crib for your honestly. I am feel the same. The staff are rude and HR don't get back to you at all. If you are taking the time and effort to invest your time and life moving to this country, the employer should realise this.

Thank you for all your help and time

Katherine

Hi Steph,

From what I have gathered about the MOE they take their time. So no teacher is given a date until it's last minute. Time limits for this government recruitment go their own tune. I have read teachers get a weeks notice. Good luck!

Kind regards
Katherine

Hi All,

Glad I found the forum, it's given me a good insight as to what to expect. I've found the whole process rather stressful due to the lack of information, but just have to get on with it.

i am used to living abroad, China for 14 years and Italy for 2. The problems of classroom management sound like a Korean school i taught in for 3 years, all they were concerned with was appearance, even when it came to assessment. I was told that no student could score below 70%, so I gave them all the exam questions and answers before hand, no skin off my nose.

Is this the kind of thing that is expected teaching in the UAE? Better to be the water than the rock?

i am also a little worried over the amount of money needed to set myself up. It sounds like the initial $2000 isn't enough and I've read worrying things about bank accounts being frozen if you have loans with UAE banks at the end of your stay, thus not being able to move your money out of the country...also a bit concerned about transfer fees from their banks to home, do they charge extortionate fees?

I am still waiting to hear my departure date, do teachers get sent out in large groups, which would of course be more efficient. Or do we get sent as and when visas are issued?

If anyone could shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated.

Robert

I have got the same offer 21000 AED ..  but i am a newly pregnant ? Does this case will let my application to be rejected  ? Please help me.
Sawsan

Hi Sawsan, probably not
When did you get your offer and which agency you are dealing with. I am waiting for my offer.
Can you provide me with your email address please ?
Thank you
Good luck

Hi I am just like ,did interviews in Johannesburg but its now a week no response.

Its now a week since I have been waiting for interview results

You'll be waiting for a while longer.

Last year, I interviewed in late May and didn't hear back until mid-June. Then July I received my contract followed by silence until I poked them in August. They told me for two months "Soon, just wait." I decided ultimately to let them go when I found a different job in Vietnam. I knew I had taken the right choice when I asked the MOE folk if they could please wait a week to let me tie up some loose ends.

After two months of making me wait, they couldn't be bothered to wait a week. I felt no guilt informing them that I had no intention of boarding any plane of theirs.

I have some friends over there. One of them decided to leave after a few months, the others are looking for ways out.

Proceed with caution.

To be honest you are totally/completely/absolutely right and I agree with 100% unfortunately some of Emirate schools students have a bad behavior exactly as you said they don't raise their hands up to answer the questions and here is why some of them are not actually interested in learning they just come to school because they are forced to by the government and their parents they just want to get acceptable grades which allow them to go to the next class because they just want to graduate and join the military that is all they think of so they don't care about the educational process and learning but the biggest problem is that the bad students interrupt the class/lesson and spoil on the good students who study hard to build their future or the future they want by their own efforts this drives me to the madness I am grade 9 student or 9th grade student I study at an Emirate/public school in dubai and I really know students behiver very well I remember a lot of times when the teacher asks question and I raise my hand up to answer after that a student shout out the asnwer but the teacher doesn't give them marks ( I am talking about that kind of students who answer the questions without raising their hands up) he does the complete opposite he cuts their marks and I really like and appreciate that from the teacher because I remember at once when a student answered without raising his hand up while I raised my hand up to answer I thought of the situation and said to myself why do I raise my hand up why don't I simply answer as every student else does but I said no I will never do that it is a backawarness and stupid thing so I will never do as long as I have my mind I got 96.4 in last year as a total and I got 100 in science I also got 95 in maths but I think there were mistakes in correcting my exam after I got 96.4 I thought I am eligible to sing up/register in ASP (advanced science program) since it will be from 6th grade to 9th grade and I was going into grade 9 or 9th grade whatever it is lol anyways but I couldn't sing up unfortunately because it is just available in 25 schools in the UAE seventeen of them are in Dubai and the other eight are in Abu Dhabi so as I live in a village 40 km away from Dubai and my dad is not ready to pick me up to school I simply couldn't achieve my desire in joining ASP but it is okay I will complete grade 9 here then I will enter advanced way after that I will complete achieving my other aims I preferred to enter ASP because it is just better and I will be fought by more native English speakers than I am taugh by right now or I will have more native English speakers teach me than I have right now so that is all what I have and I hope everyone has a nice time warmest regards

Hey everyone,

I've just stumbled across this website and was hoping someone could help answer some questions I have. I've been living in Dubai for just over 3 years, decided to leave teaching back in 2014 and joined one of the airlines over here. I've recently decided to give teaching another shot but in Dubai this time.. i just got my initial offer today from MoE... now I'm reading some of your stories and I can't like it's scaring me a little 🙈 I'm worried that I won't find out where I'm placed till induction and by that point il have resigned and left my old job so it will be too late to change my mind. My husband and I live near JLT in Dubai and I was really hoping it would be easy to get placed in Dubai, is this not the case? One of the reasons I'm thinking to teach, is to be at home more with my husband rather than on layovers in different countries but I could be placed anywhere right?!?!?! Can someone also tell me, do we get paid 21,000 even through the school holidays? Thanks in advance and would really appreciate the advice!

Hi,
I have just been screened for interview, which will take place on 26th November for a business teacher. I am currently a university lecturer in a permanent position in the UK so taking this job will be a huge risk for me. However, due to health reasons I need to move to warmer climates as I find I have no issues with my condition when I'm abroad where itw warmer than the UK so when an agency contacted me about this job I decided I would give it a go and then move on to lecturing in the UAE when the right opportunity arises.

Did you manage to get your contract? I was hoping you could give me some insight into your experience of working and living in the uae as a MOE employee. What the major challenges were? Was the salary sufficient to cover living costs (im coming with my partner) and also extra savings?

Any information/advice/direction would be a great help.

Sam xxx

Hi,

I am a Maths teacher in the UAE and I want your help.

I am having an interview for the MoE on Saturday so any piece of advice would be great.

I am also screened for an interview for business teacher position. Could you please tell me if u have attended interview? What's the format of interview

I am also screened for an interview for business teacher position. Could you please tell me if u have attended interview? What's the format of interview

Anyone for business course attended interview???? Plz tell me what kind of question expected and any other written test or demo needed ???