Licenced Teacher Job in Abu Dhabi ?

Would love to know this also am going there this summer and hoping to work with ADEC.

If you are flexible, fairly thick-skinned and have the initiative to sort out problems on your own, you will do well. I actually enjoy my job as an English Medium Teacher (used to be called LTs). There are definitely more positives than negatives.

Thanks for your reply!  Really delighted to get some positive feedback. I have heard alot of negativity from ppl butany of these were not actually working in the system as an LT .

In terms of flexible and thick skinned and problem solving.. Do you mind me asking are these issues in relation to staff or children??

Staff, really. There are cultural issues, where, perhaps, we don't quite understand their perceived attitudes. Students may appear rude, but it's nothing personal, just a difference in cultures. However, I have never come across anyone who has actually meant me any harm. The students are absolutely great and I have a fantastic relationship with most of them. What you have to remember is that it's THEIR culture, not ours.

I love the life out here and there are great opportunities. Positive, flexible people get on with it and enjoy it here.

Good luck!

Thanks for your honesty.. It's really appreciated. There has been much negativity surrounding the ADEC jobs.. However I have heard negatives re Sabis and private schools. I like the idea of working with locals in terms of learning about their culture. I get the impression that if you respect their culture it makes life easier, bu I can imagine it's not all plain sailing. Not many new jobs are!! Adjusting being the key.. Do you mind me asking do you have to travelfar to work? Do you know many that are faced with very long journeys? Do you know people based in western region an their opinion of it? Thanks or your input it's really appreciated. Great to hear from an LT/English medium
Teacher. Also what is the accommodation like in general??

Thanks!!

This is really interesting... I would also love to hear from anyone who can share their experiences as licensed teachers in Abu Dhabi. As I'm hoping to be out there this summer..

I travel 20 minutes to my school, from my apartment. I do not drive, so I use taxis, which are quite cheap - two of us share and it costs about £5.00 each, per day. Our accommodation is absolutely fine. I have two bedrooms, a decent-sized kitchen and a living room, which is actually quite dark (as it looks 'inside') but it is quite cool and this means I don't spend a fortune on air conditioning. We also have a communal sitting area, outside and a swimming pool. It's a nice place to socialise, after a hard day at school. There's also a fully-equipped gym.

You are correct about the cultural issues. If you respect the Arabic/Islamic culture, you, too, will be loved. Be inquisitive and talk to the students about their lives and they will really take to you. I was invited for a night in the desert with one of my students and his male relatives and we had a great time and a great barbequeue!

Do not try to force western culture on anyone, particularly in class. 'In England, we do it like this.' will go down like a bacon sandwich at a Bar-Mitzvah! However, the students are 'really' into western culture and they know all the latest music, fashions and films. They can be very noisy in the classroom, though and it's hard to be heard, sometimes. It's not that they are 'bad', but they often see English lessons as 'down-time' after being made to work so hard in other lessons. One of the ways to combat this is to learn Arabic. If they think that you can understand them, they will be quieter.

You will enjoy it, I'm sure.

Thanks for all the info! Must say the job sounds more do-able than others have been
Implying in relation to ADEC positions. Final question.. Western region.. Have you heard much about the area and about staff who have been placed there?? Is it super remote?? Are there good roads to the city if one was placed there?? Thanks!!!

Thanks for all the info! Must say the job sounds more do-able than others have been
Implying in relation to ADEC positions. Final question.. Western region.. Have you heard much about the area and about staff who have been placed there?? Is it super remote?? Are there good roads to the city if one was placed there?? Thanks!!!

As a lone female, I would avoid the Western Region. However, my pal knows a girl there (KG teacher) who is very happy and safe! It's subjective. Sila is very remote and conservative but Ruwais sounds OK. You would need a car as the schools are usually quite some distance from the living quarters, which, by the way, are often shared accommodation. Al Ain is the 'nicest' place, but Abu Dhabi is a 'buzzing' city. It depends upon your tastes!

Hey Molly,

I have a number of friends who work for ADEC, and although there is a difference in culture, the people out here more welcoming than the media suggests.

When I came out here my friends and family were very skeptical about me moving to an Islamic country. However, I have never felt more safer being anywhere else, and this is my fifth country outside the UK.

There are obviously social changes when you move from Europe to here, but since I have been here I have more or less lived the same life I was living back in London, and this is without the drunken behaviour on the streets, which I don't miss one bit

Regards,


Mohit

If you are considering working in Ruwais, then maybe I can put you in touch with a friend of mine, who moved from the US to become a principal for an ADNOC managed school in Ruwais. Okay its not Abu Dhabi, but she's really enjoying her time there.

Ivatt43106 wrote:

As a lone female, I would avoid the Western Region. However, my pal knows a girl there (KG teacher) who is very happy and safe! It's subjective. Sila is very remote and conservative but Ruwais sounds OK. You would need a car as the schools are usually quite some distance from the living quarters, which, by the way, are often shared accommodation. Al Ain is the 'nicest' place, but Abu Dhabi is a 'buzzing' city. It depends upon your tastes!

Thanks for the info. 15% chance of being placed in Western region. I would defo prefer Al Ain or Abu Dhabi but have to go where we are placed so we are just hoping that first we get the Job and secondly that we wil be placed in abu dhabi or al ain... Chances are slim but have to be prepared none the less. I am shocked to hear that accommodation can be shared I was assured by the agency that it would single accommodation regardless of the location. Thanks again for reply- all the info is gr8!

pabbm wrote:

Hey Molly,

I have a number of friends who work for ADEC, and although there is a difference in culture, the people out here more welcoming than the media suggests.

When I came out here my friends and family were very skeptical about me moving to an Islamic country. However, I have never felt more safer being anywhere else, and this is my fifth country outside the UK.

There are obviously social changes when you move from Europe to here, but since I have been here I have more or less lived the same life I was living back in London, and this is without the drunken behaviour on the streets, which I don't miss one bit

Regards,


Mohit

Hi Mohit,
Thanks for the reply. I think I share your perspective in terms
Of the friendliness of people in the UAE and not missing the drunken
Behaviour. Delighted to hear your friends with ADEC are quite happy. In terms of working in Ruwais I will not know where I will be placed until I get there- which is the gamble that teachers take
When they go with ADEC. I am
Hopeful that I will be placed in Abu Dhabi or Al Ain but if I am placed in the Western region I
Wil accept the challenge that it wil pose in terms
Of travelling to the city at the weekends and hope for the best!!

Thank you for the offer of a contact. This is a great forum. Some great and honest insights!

Molly

Hello Mollypink,

I have been doing some research on working for ADEC. I noticed you were also from Cork so I wondered if you could give me any advice please? I know it was a few years ago so maybe you don't check this website anymore but maybe you get notifications???

Any help would be gratefully appreciated!!

Hi Abu Dhabi-dooooo,

Just to inform you that this thread is old (2012) and that Mollypink didn't showed up since 2 years already.
If you have some questions, maybe it would be best that you create a new thread on the Abu Dhabi forum.

Thanks

Priscilla