Hi all.
Amazingly, on her first day looking for work, my GF has been offered a contract as head teacher in a small early childcare center. She has no early childcare qualifications, only a freshly minted 160hr TEFL, but she really has the disposition for the job. She has a B Hons in music and a few years teaching in a non school environment (music and batista training).
The salary seems a little low to my novice ears - $1000/month on a 1-year salary. 8 hours a day, no weekend work, with the center covering public holidays and paying for work permit (not VISA). 1-5 teacher to child ratio with two Khmer assistants. Expat and local children. Unsure at this stage as to insurance benefits etc...
Do any of you have any insight into whether she should ask for more? $1300 seems right - or am I deluding myself here?
Urgent advice required
Well here's the thing, I would have thought $10/hr for a contract teacher would be right, especially a "head teacher" (spoken tongue in cheek, it's a staff of three...) That would be $1700/month.Gin&Tonic wrote:$6.25/hour
That is disgusting
But, she has no tertiary teaching quals, and so were unsure what to ask for.
(Noob disclaimer - we've been here all of 14 days...)
Any suggestions?
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An unqualified head teacher - would you send a child there? I presume she's white - that's the only criterion I can see.
The salary aside, I think it would be unfair to put her in such a situation - she'll be under so much pressure not knowing what she's doing, with no one clued up to advice her. Even in a small school, there are still procedures and policies to be followed re, health & safety etc. Sounds like another dodgy 'businessman' looking to make a quick buck off naive parents and teachers.
The salary aside, I think it would be unfair to put her in such a situation - she'll be under so much pressure not knowing what she's doing, with no one clued up to advice her. Even in a small school, there are still procedures and policies to be followed re, health & safety etc. Sounds like another dodgy 'businessman' looking to make a quick buck off naive parents and teachers.
I came, I argued, I'm out
In a nutshell, no I wouldn't.andyinasia wrote:An unqualified head teacher - would you send a child there? I presume she's white - that's the only criterion I can see.
The salary aside, I think it would be unfair to put her in such a situation - she'll be under so much pressure not knowing what she's doing, with no one clued up to advice her. Even in a small school, there are still procedures and policies to be followed re, health & safety etc. Sounds like another dodgy 'businessman' looking to make a quick buck off naive parents and teachers.
My ex-GF of 8 years has a Harvard Masters in International Policy in Early Childhood Education so I understand the pedagogy pretty well.
Comparitively, based on my experience living with her, my GF definitely has the right personal qualities for the position, but has next to zero experience in ECE pedagogy.
But if she was teaching adults or in schools here, it'd be the same - she only has a TEFL qual.
Apparently, the faculty management team provides support for developing curriculum and learning plans. I suspect the "head teacher" title is mainly symbolic - a correct title might be "only white teacher in a staff of three"...
It's obviously a profit driven center, I'd say most schools here are, no?
White, female, mid 20s, looks creative and professional, and is easy on the eye. I'm sure these all helped her to get the job...
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Are these criteria of benefit to the wee pre-school tots, or someone older and maler, perchance?KOTARE wrote:White, female, mid 20s, looks creative and professional, and is easy on the eye. I'm sure these all helped her to get the job...
I came, I argued, I'm out
I can only answer you without any sarcasm, and we both know these qualities are negligible value to anyone.andyinasia wrote:Are these criteria of benefit to the wee pre-school tots, or someone older and maler, perchance?KOTARE wrote:White, female, mid 20s, looks creative and professional, and is easy on the eye. I'm sure these all helped her to get the job...
Sering as how the hiring board were all female, it is quite possible that they were pimping out for their director, but I doubt it.
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I see red flags all over this.
First of all, if a school is offering someone with zero experience a head teacher position- what kind of qualifications do the other teachers have? Red flag.
A 1-5 teacher/student ratio? Impossible. They would have to be charging nearly $1000/month/child to cover the costs of a set up like that. Red flag.
She should talk to the other teachers that work there before taking the position. I've heard tons of stories of people who work for months on end and never get paid, then the school closes down with no notice. She should also ask about what kind of support the teachers receive and what kind of curriculum they teach.
Since she has zero experience, it will be difficult for her to be successful without guidance and support from people who know what they're doing. Teaching is not easy, especially if you've never planned or taught a lesson in a classroom setting. Just because you speak English, doesn't mean you can teach English.
I'm not saying she won't be a good teacher, if given the right opportunity, but I would NOT recommend wasting your time at a "school" that'll, more than likely, go under in a few months.
First of all, if a school is offering someone with zero experience a head teacher position- what kind of qualifications do the other teachers have? Red flag.
A 1-5 teacher/student ratio? Impossible. They would have to be charging nearly $1000/month/child to cover the costs of a set up like that. Red flag.
She should talk to the other teachers that work there before taking the position. I've heard tons of stories of people who work for months on end and never get paid, then the school closes down with no notice. She should also ask about what kind of support the teachers receive and what kind of curriculum they teach.
Since she has zero experience, it will be difficult for her to be successful without guidance and support from people who know what they're doing. Teaching is not easy, especially if you've never planned or taught a lesson in a classroom setting. Just because you speak English, doesn't mean you can teach English.
I'm not saying she won't be a good teacher, if given the right opportunity, but I would NOT recommend wasting your time at a "school" that'll, more than likely, go under in a few months.
I totally agree with you.MackenzieNicole wrote:I see red flags all over this.
First of all, if a school is offering someone with zero experience a head teacher position- what kind of qualifications do the other teachers have? Red flag.
A 1-5 teacher/student ratio? Impossible. They would have to be charging nearly $1000/month/child to cover the costs of a set up like that. Red flag.
She should talk to the other teachers that work there before taking the position. I've heard tons of stories of people who work for months on end and never get paid, then the school closes down with no notice. She should also ask about what kind of support the teachers receive and what kind of curriculum they teach.
Since she has zero experience, it will be difficult for her to be successful without guidance and support from people who know what they're doing. Teaching is not easy, especially if you've never planned or taught a lesson in a classroom setting. Just because you speak English, doesn't mean you can teach English.
I'm not saying she won't be a good teacher, if given the right opportunity, but I would NOT recommend wasting your time at a "school" that'll, more than likely, go under in a few months.
The kindergarten is attached to the primary school, and the head teacher of the school has USA teaching quals.
ECE is often not taken very seriously (America is a good example), and it is possible that this dynamic is in play here, seeing it as a glorified day care center with English language benefits. In which case, your only white ECE teacher could be as TEFLer as any other school.
What concerns me is that, while the kindergarten photographs show it as well fitted and resourced, it is relatively new. That worries me - I'd hate for my GF to not get paid and this will probably throw us off of the contract.
5-1 ratio for under 5s is not uncommon in the West - in NZ good centers go for a 1-3/4 ratio. What is normal here in ECE, I do not know. All ECE centers have a much higher teacher to student ratio than primary schools, but I'm totally sure that you're aware of this.
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FTFY.MackenzieNicole wrote:I see red flags all over this.
First of all, if a school is offering someone with zero experience a head teacher position- what kind of qualifications do the owners have? Red flag.
Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the dishevelled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame.
Fair enough.electric hedgehog wrote:FTFY.MackenzieNicole wrote:I see red flags all over this.
First of all, if a school is offering someone with zero experience a head teacher position- what kind of qualifications do the owners have? Red flag.
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Your slip is starting to show. Be careful.electric hedgehog wrote:FTFY.MackenzieNicole wrote:I see red flags all over this.
First of all, if a school is offering someone with zero experience a head teacher position- what kind of qualifications do the owners have? Red flag.
Back to the OP: You know the answer to the issue yourself. You're in Cambodia now, not NZ and the sooner you leave your western sensibilities behind the better it will be for you and your gf.
At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself one question. Is $1000 for doing a non-job which your GF got only because she is a western woman (and no other reason, believe me) ok or do you want to fart around for many more unpaid months trying to find the dream job here in Cambodia, knowing deep down it doesn't exist?
It's your call.
It's good advice.
As soon as we found out that the head of curriculum was a graphic designer, well that was the end of that... Surprisingly, I don't feel responsible for the quality of the curriculum, just wary that she won't get paid.
FTR, I didn't come here for a dream job, and I've only been here a week or so, not months.
My GF had a few other, better offers, and I'd say she got them mostly because she has an Hons degree and a fresh TEFL and is white. That's fine, I don't have a problem with her having an advantage over us older western men. She deserves it.
As for me, I've only just started applying for work. I'm holding out for a cool $250 a week, hardly an ideal job
The best news of the week? I have Fox 2 which plays the RWC.
Worst news? Our new expat neighbors installed a 2k rig for a rooftop party over the past two nights and I'm saturated by really bad music until like 4 in the morning.
The anonymous letters you think up in your head at 4 in the morning...
As soon as we found out that the head of curriculum was a graphic designer, well that was the end of that... Surprisingly, I don't feel responsible for the quality of the curriculum, just wary that she won't get paid.
FTR, I didn't come here for a dream job, and I've only been here a week or so, not months.
My GF had a few other, better offers, and I'd say she got them mostly because she has an Hons degree and a fresh TEFL and is white. That's fine, I don't have a problem with her having an advantage over us older western men. She deserves it.
As for me, I've only just started applying for work. I'm holding out for a cool $250 a week, hardly an ideal job
The best news of the week? I have Fox 2 which plays the RWC.
Worst news? Our new expat neighbors installed a 2k rig for a rooftop party over the past two nights and I'm saturated by really bad music until like 4 in the morning.
The anonymous letters you think up in your head at 4 in the morning...
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