Length of Position: 9 months
Dates: September 2007
Description: Teachers work between 25 and 30 hours per week. Most of the hours are from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday. Some classes may be held Saturday morning. All levels are taught and ages range from 8 years old to adult. Classes are small and limited to 8 students. Most classes are taught at the school but we do teach at some company locations. The school supplies all teaching materials.
Highlights: English OK is located in Stavropol, the capital of the Stavropol Region in the south of Russia. A few hours to the south are the Caucasus Mountains and an overnight train trip to the west is the Black Sea. The city is has a population of about 400,000 and enjoys a mild climate with summers getting up to 35C in August and in winter, most days hover around 0C. The south of Russia is a rich agricultural area and Stavropol is in the center.
Most impressive are the city parks, which feature vast open spaces surrounded by heavily treed areas. The city is said to be the greenest city in Russia and is one of only two cities in Europe to have a forest within the city boundaries. There are many things to do in Stavropol. We have 2 new bowling centers with automatic pinsetters and computer scoring, discos and nightclubs for dancing, cinemas with Dolby Surround Sound and large screen sports bars. For those teachers looking to experience more traditional Russian culture, there are majestic Russian theaters featuring, concerts, plays and operas, open air markets, museums and fine examples of Russian architecture.
Not far from Stavropol is the ancient Greek city of Tanais (200 BC) which was unearthed in the 1960's. Visitors can walk around the streets and examine the homes of the elite inside the protective walls and the peasants' homes outside. The port city of Azov, where Peter the Great routed the Turks, is well worth seeing and museums are rich with artifacts. There is also one of the few complete skeletons of a woolly mammoth on display.
A few hours trip to the south is Albrus, the highest mountain in Europe, and the resort town of Dumbai features some of the best skiing in Europe. Kislovodsk, a four-hour bus trip from Stavropol, is world famous for its mineral spas and health resorts. The Special Astronomical Telescope, the world's largest just a few years ago, is located near Arhis about 4 hours from Stavropol. This telescope is so high in the mountains that when you look down, you can see the tops of the clouds. Sochi, an overnight train trip from Stavropol, is a resort city on the Black Sea and has palm trees, banana trees and casinos. Sochi recently wonFamilies come from all parts of Russia to rest and relax in Kislovodsk and Sochi.
Our School
English OK was founded in 1994 and has branches throughout the south of Russia. The school is growing and each year has added new locations.
Our Students
We teach all levels and ages at the school. Most of the students are between the ages of 13 and 20. Many of the adult students are interested in emigrating and are professional people; doctors, university professors, teachers and business people. We often prepare them for embassy interviews, TOEFL or other international ESL tests. The common thread is the intense desire to learn and as a teacher that makes the job very satisfying. Class size varies between 5 and 8 students.
Excursions
During holiday periods, we take small groups of students to various resorts in the south of Russia. Teachers will have an opportunity to see these places without cost. We travel to Sochi, a resort city on the Black Sea, which just recently won the winter Olympic bid to host the 2014 games.
Hours of Work
Our teachers usually teach between 25 and 30 hours per week. Occasionally, teachers want to earn more money and they accept extra classes over 30 hours, which are paid at overtime rates. Most classes are Monday to Friday between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Benefits
The school provides a furnished flat and pays the rent. They are typical Russian flats with bathroom, kitchen, balcony. The school also pays for your telephone (excluding long distance charges), income taxes, and up to 100% of utilities (electricity, water, gas). We pay up to $1000 US for your air travel at the completion of the contract. Visa assistance is also provided.
Qualifications:
* University degree
* TESOL or other teaching certification
* Native fluency in English
Languages :
• English
Languages Used as a Medium of Teaching:
• English
Salary / Pay: Teachers earn between $500 and $800 US per month but it is important to understand that this is a NET amount. There are no deductions. This represents several times the monthly pay that public school teachers earn in Stavropol. Moscow schools offer more money than schools in the south of Russia but teachers must consider that Moscow is currently the most expensive city in the world in which to live.