Dubai Teaching Jobs - Information on Teaching in Dubai

Teaching overseas can be a rewarding experience as so many individuals have experienced, and Dubai teaching jobs are no exception to this. But as with any overseas job posting, you will need to do your research about which schools to apply to, what sort of compensation and job perks you can expect, and what life can be like for an expat teacher in Dubai.

Personal accounts of teaching jobs in Dubai vary, with some saying it wasn't or isn't the most pleasant of experiences while others say otherwise. Like anywhere else in the world, there are also schools in Dubai where the teachers don't experience too many problems concerning issues like student discipline or working conditions. On the other hand, also just like elsewhere in the world, there are schools in Dubai that make the expat teaching experience less pleasant because of the frequency and severity of such problems.

Teachers' Working Hours and Conditions in Dubai

A regular school day usually starts before 8:00 AM and ends by 3:00 PM (or earlier for younger children), with a lunch break of about an hour. Classes are held from Sunday to Wednesday or Thursday. There is no work or school on Friday, which is considered a holy day. The school year starts in mid-September and end around mid-June.

Your working hours as a teacher will of course not adhere to students' school hours. After all, you will have to attend to lesson plans, parent-teacher meetings, grading of papers, supervision of extra-curricular activities, etc. But one of the good things about working in Dubai is that teachers (and other professionals) get plenty of holiday time.

When it comes to teachers' salaries, what can you expect? Wages at government schools range from 1,000 to 6,000 dirhams a month while at private schools teachers can get paid from as low as 1,000 dirhams to as high as 20,000 dirhams per month. But to earn really well, consider schools that follow a US or UK curriculum; in addition to a monthly salary of more than 20,000 dirhams, teachers at these schools are also provided with perks such as free accommodation and flights to/from their home countries.

Some of the best-known international schools in Dubai include the American School of Dubai, Cambridge International School, and the Lycée Libanais Francophone Privé.

Tips for Finding and Evaluating Potential Dubai Teaching Jobs

Though there are numerous online and offline classified ads and recruiters, it's recommended you bypass them and lodge your application directly with the school you're considering by emailing or faxing them. This is to avoid being scammed by employment agencies who charge ridiculous (and illegal) fees just for accepting a job applicant's CV. If you must use an agency, make sure it's a teacher recruitment agency with a solid reputation.

Before signing anything, carefully examine the salary and benefits package being offered by the school. Some excellent teaching in Dubai perks, as mentioned earlier, are free accommodations and return flights, as well as medical care coverage, transportation allowances, and free or discounted tuition fees for the teacher applicant's children at the same school.

So if you are planning on teaching English abroad, or any other subject for that matter, then you should include the UAE in your list of international job opportunities. Dubai teaching jobs could bring you a memorable and lucrative experience in your teaching career.