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Ruth Moody |
Ruth Moody currently teaches at Educacentre in Saint Petersburg. With an honours degree in English and a top cTEFL pass, her ambition is to work towards becoming a teacher trainer. |
| Ruth Moody reviews Educacentre, one of Saint Petersburg's largest independent private schools. | ||
Educacentre St. Petersburg
Educacentre often comes up in discussion about the best EFL schools to work
for in St. Petersburg.
Students seem to be happy with Educacentre. They ask how they can learn to
listen better, speak more fluently and write more naturally. Even the teenagers
there, unlike those in many other schools, are focussed and committed to
learning. In short, they are close to every teacher's ideal.
They chose the school either because of its reputation or because the British
Council in St. Petersburg recommended it to them.
You'd think that with such a reputation, Educacentre's organisation would be
seamless and flawless. It isn't. It's good, no doubt about that, but there's
room to do better. I've been an hour late for an in-company lesson I was
covering for another teacher because I'd been given the wrong time by a DOS.
Another incident involved being half an hour late for another in-company session,
this time a demonstration lesson, because the school gave the wrong address. I
drove round in circles for an hour looking for No. 69 when I should have been
sitting in No. 61 teaching. I didn't get that class.
Communication between DOSes needs to be improved, as does the communication
between different departments.
Nonetheless, good hours are readily available, in-company or at Educacentre's
premises near Petrogradskaya metro station. Educacentre pay the right amount, on
time, with correct adjustments for pay advances or visa services.
Although the school is quite TEFL-oriented in its teaching approach, they do
not make it a matter of do-or-die. The staff recognises that the measure of a
good teacher should not be how many pieces of paper he manages to cut up and
distribute to students in the course of a lesson. Individual approaches to
teaching are respected, whether or not they entirely correspond to the dogma of
commercial TEFL.
Criticism of teachers is always constructive and supportive, rather than the
‘beat ‘em down' approach employed in other St. Petersburg schools. Problems with
students and even in personal life will find a sympathetic ear.
The length of some lessons is something that could be improved – 4 academic hour
sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings are somewhat excessive for adults who
have spent a long day at work. Even the most motivated students can lose
concentration in the last hour.
Working at Educacentre would be great for those who dislike routine. You may be
working 8 hours a week in-company one month to cover another teacher, and only
two the next, with the difference being made up by classes in Educacentre
itself. Once you have been offered a minimum number of hours (and they are
offered, rather than forced) Educacentre keep to their word and always keep you
supplied with at least that amount of work, and there is almost always the
option of more if you want it.
Other benefits and support include limited assistance with visas (they issue
invitations and organise registration). Educacentre rarely recruit teachers not
physically in the city, and very little support is given in terms of language
learning for teachers new to Russia. Assistance in finding accommodation has
been excellent.
Educacentre pay well above the average St. Petersburg teacher's wage. All the
teachers I have spoken to are highly satisfied with the school. Staff are always
ready to give advice on the best bars, dentists and bookshops to visit. It is
the only school in Saint Petersburg about which I have heard only good reports,
which is something worthy of note in itself.
Educacentre's retention rate of teachers and students is probably the soundest
proof of its popularity.
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