Pirgos 01 (MT)
The following information was supplied
by the school in September 2001
SCHOOLS-CLASSES-CONTRACT
The schools are luxuriously decorated, within a small
walking distance from each other. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and there
are 9 teachers altogether ( only two native speakers ). There is secretarial
assistance, fully air-conditioned classes with wonderful desks and colours.
There is an Internet access from everywhere .
The teaching groups are small (maximum 10-11 students of
5- 75 years old (!) following strict, specific Internal Rules and Regulations.
Therefore there are no discipline or any other kind of problems within the
teaching groups.
The students you are going to teach have already had a
minimum of a-3- year English study , therefore most kids / adults are good or
excellent communicators depending on the number of years of studies they have
had.
All teachers (Greeks or native ones) go through a
methodology course during the last fortnight of August or the first week of
September, free of charge. We offer that short preparation course to make
teachers familiar with the books/methods we use and the exact way they are going
to teach . After that course teachers are fully prepared to fulfill their
duties. It’s an excellent opportunity for those of you who wish to become true
teachers. All our previous teachers have fully appreciated the help they had
from the above mentioned course .
All lessons start the earliest around 14,30 pm and finish
the latest around 10,30pm. This of course does not mean that you start at 2,30
and finish at 10,30 pm . Your teaching programme is of a maximum of 27 hours as
I mentioned before and it fully depends on the weekly timetable ( which comes
out around 15th of September). There might be a day with 5 teaching hours and
another one with just 2 or 3 . There might also be some morning lessons ( these
for adults only ,who work in the afternoons ) but this is something we all try
to avoid .
What all teachers love about the timetable is that they
can stay out till very late at night without having to wake up early in the
morning ( I have to remind you that here, bars-cafes and pubs stay open till the
first hours in the morning or maybe all night at holidays ).
Lessons start on the 17th of September but teachers’
preparation starts much earlier (Greek teachers have already started ) therefore
you should arrive as soon as possible. While getting prepared or attending your
introductory course, you will always have a lot of free time to go swimming or
enjoying your nightlife out, combining learning with holidays.
AVAILABILITY IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE .
You are going to teach for a maximum of 27 hours per week.
In case of fewer teaching hours, some office hours will be arranged to come to
the 27 hours total your contract mentions . In case of some more ones, you are
of course getting extra money paid per hour .
During school holidays ( which are quite a lot in Greece)
or Christmas/Easter holidays ( a month in total) you are getting paid as if you
were teaching regularly.
LIFE IN PYRGOS
Pyrgos is situated within a short distance ( 15-20 mins by
bus) of many wonderful beaches with everything a medium size city can offer (
night clubs , big super markets , internet cafés ,laundry, DVD showroom ,
cinema with the latest movies all in english, a wonderful and cheap Saturday
open market etc ). You can go swimming till middle November !!!
For football and basketball fans , we rent a private
outdoor field for Lexis teachers and students in a local club every Saturday
morning where they all have a wonderful time keeping fit and happy .The little
rest area is ideal for those who want to be with others on Saturday mornings ,
watching the game from the windows , enjoying their hot chocolate or coffee
!
The port of Katakolo (15kms from Pyrgos ) is a traditional
island-like one, with many cafeterias, bars, tavernas, night clubs and regular
buses .
Olympia ( 20 kms away ) offers one of the richest history
in humanity with breathtaking monuments , a museum and archeological sites . I
can provide you with a lot of information through the internet - web sites -
about Pyrgos, in case Mr Beech hasn’t given you URLs about it.
The population of the city of Pyrgos is around 5.000 , and
the cost of living is really cheap( at least much cheaper than the one of bigger
cities like Patras or Athens ). The cost of living in Greece, in general, is
much lower than in England.
Your salary will allow you to spend a wonderful time here
, enjoying your stay , visiting the Ionianl islands (Zakynthos, Keffalonia
-Where the Violin of Captain Correlli was filmed -, Corfu and many others within
1 or 2 hours voyage .
We frequently have nights out with teachers having some
great time. Of course when you come here you will have an orientation personally
by us .
Vegetables , fish and meat is really cheap and of course
fresh from the local cultivation . To give you an example, a packet of
cigarettes costs about 1,25 pounds, a bottle of gin 5,2 pounds ,an alcohol drink
in a bar is about 2,5 pounds, a steak in a tavern is about 2,8 pounds and a kilo
of fresh fish (almost 2,2 pounds in weight ) costs about 5 pounds.
THE FLAT
Words cannot easily describe the flat provided for your
stay. The rent is paid by us, the bills ( electricity ,central heating and water
) by you. All these expenses are about 25 pounds per month (15,000 drachmas for
each teacher ). As winter here is really mild ( normal winter temperatures are
around 15-18 Celsius) , central heating is necessary for a couple of months
,only at nights as your flat is on the second floor with huge windows all around
, viewing the whole city and "absorbing" all solar heating .
There are two bedrooms with French beds and their own big
balcony as well as a bathroom and a Kitchen -Living room area ( the flat is a
modern studio ) with a huge balcony and big windows from side to side. It’s a
roomy flat and I’m pretty sure you’ll be spending many hours there in the
cosy and nice environment because you’ll love it from the very first moment.
The flat is fully furnished. Utensils are provided . There
are a couple of towels and sheet provided but it might not be enough. It would
be advisable to bring some extra ones.
What we want from you
ˇ To be always tidy , with teacher-like clothes . (
female teachers wear :shirts ,blouses , skirts -not mini skirts - trousers ( not
jeans ) , smart clothes, everything well ironed and always clean ) ( male
teachers always wear well ironed shirts with ties or scarves and trousers or
suits, no jeans and boots ) .
ˇ To be friendly ,warm and patient with the students and
to follow the given teaching instructions.
ˇ To be well prepared for the lessons and to correct your
homework on time.
ˇ Skinhead , piercing , coloured hair (red,green etc) are
out of the question .
ˇ To be open hearted and display a spirit of
understanding with everyone at school .
ˇ To participate in any school activities you might be
asked .
ˇ To keep the flat clean and tidy.
Please let us know about :
ˇ When you can arrive ( I remind you that AVAILABILITY IS
OF GREAT IMPORTANCE)
ˇ Your hobbies , interests .
ˇ Your family background ( parents , brothers and sisters
‘ profession)
ˇ Any further questions you might have arisen from above
information .
ˇ You have to send us an email with two pictures of yours
: 1. Face pic 2. Body pic
Please keep in mind that :
As you see from the previous teachers’ references I’m
sending you, all of them were satisfied because they had a very good time , they
made a lot of friends here (which you are going to "inherit" if you
want ) but the most important factor for their good time was the warm and
friendly relationship we had.
We were always standing by them ,whenever they needed help
in work or in person, spending a lot of time socialising as we would do with
friends of ours, going out together many times. In a few words , we try to make
your stay here the best it could be because we not only see you as teachers but
as friends also.
Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible,
Mary Triantafillopoulou,
Lexis Education Language School Owner- Director of Studies
PREVIOUS TEACHERS’ REFERENCES
To whom it may concern,
Anthony and Mary Triantafillipoulou are the founders of
Lexis, a language Institute comprising 3 schools. The 2 principal institutes are
to be found in Pyrgos, a small town only 4 km from the Aegean sea. Lexis caters
for a wide variety of people, from children to fluent adults and with its plush
facilities and professional teachers is viewed by many to be the foremost
language school in the rapidly expanding town.
Not only can clients expect the most effective educational
service at Lexis, they can also be assured of excellent pastoral care. The
staff genuinely have their students’ needs and wishes at heart. Care for the
student is balanced with care and consideration for the employee, and I will be
most satisfied if I can find employers as accommodating as Anthony and Mary.
My employers’ attitude reflects the general values held
highly throughout Greece and the notion of hospitality is by no means a
misconception. A teacher can expect to be responsible for children ranging from
9 to 17 years old as well as for adults of varying abilities. All the students
are a delight, though be sure to try and keep at arm’s length every now and
then so as to not be exploited! Teaching will generally be between the hours of
2 and 10 pm, which is ideal as there is no need for early mornings and plenty of
opportunity for late nights !
Pyrgos itself is a busy little place, just sit in the
central platia in the evening to see how the town comes to life. You will find
night life to be refreshingly free of crime or any intimidation whatsoever and
if my experience is a yardstick then you will only feel warmth from the curious
locals. The region is renowned for its beauty and variety of landscape, and
locally too you are never far from idyllic spots such as Katakolo or Agious
Andeas. The beaches 4 km away would be a godsend to "even the most jaded
Californian" (to quote the Rough Guide)
If you suffer from sunburns you will not be disappointed
with the flat you will have at your disposal, and you can always escape from the
balcony into a spacious, modern apartment boasting very friendly neighbours.
Working for Lexis offers an ideal opportunity for anyone
searching for something stimulating, challenging and, of course, rewarding.
Yours Faithfully
Matthew Taylor
To whom it may concern,
Having lived in Pyrgos for nine months now I can say
whole-heartedly that the hospitality and affection that I have been shown here
has certainly made my stay very comfortable. Mary and Anthony Triantafillipoulou
are the owners of the Lexis teaching establishment, the most respected centre
for foreign language learning in Pyrgos. The two central schools have very high
standards and offer the students and teachers a friendly comforting environment
to enable all to excel. The decor in both schools certainly aids learning, with
the rooms set up to maximize the development of both oral and aural language
skills. The colour scheme is designed to enhance friendship with an aim to
defuse all confrontation in the classroom
As a town Pyrgos is situated only 8miles from the
sea and with regular bus roots to the harbour at Katakalo and Agious Andreas
enjoying the spectacular scenery is a sure way to unwind. Not that life is ever
stressful here. The laid back attitudes perpetuated by the Greeks is mirrored in
all aspects of life. The typical working day highlights such a cultural trait.
Work usually takes place between the hours of two and ten. Such a situation is
key to enjoyment of life.
There are obvious advantages to this way of life as it
fully enables you to enjoy late nights stretching into the early hours of the
morning. The locals are warm and friendly and a wide range of different
attitudes and tastes can be found in many non-threatening establishments. Among
the best are Melrose whose owner is a charming individual with a good taste in
music and Skikois on Ermou street. Both play a wide selection of contemporary
and traditional music from both England and Greece.
The children are aged between nine and seventeen and can
be a joy to teach, but keeping a distance from them is advisable as you may get
exploited. The flat has extremely friendly neighbours and is situated close
enough to all amenities. The shop that occupies the ground floor of the building
is an indispensable asset and the owner one of the friendliest people in
Greece.
The balcony acts as an extra room for the vast proportion
of the year. The weather here is very warm and fortunately the beaches are close
enough to be reached in under twenty minutes.
As a teacher you will get all the support you
require from both Mary and Anthony. As bosses it has been my privilege to
work for two people who have been of a great support to me enabling the Lexis
family to operate smoothly and efficiently. They will always have time to
discuss any problems which may arise and will help you with anything at all that
may occur in your private or working life. You will be hard pushed to find two
more helpful and reliable employers in the whole of Greece if not Europe.
I hope that you enjoy the time you spend here. If you have
any questions feel free to contact me at:
Mr. A.J. Howard
78 Forest Drive West
Leytonstone
London E11 1LA
Yours Faithfully
Andrew Howard.
