Having taught in Saudia Arabia, Egypt and now in Qatar, I have heard nothing good about Chewyfat "schools". I have had several colleagues who have had the great misfortune to "teach" at these institutions and their experiences were little short of horrific.
First of all, many Chewyfat "schools" employ "teachers" who are not properly trained or qualified. In some cases, these "teachers" were supposed to be teaching English, but in fact their own command of the language was so poor and so limited that their lessons were almost worthless.
Secondly, the younger children in these institutions are not given age-appropriate materials, just dull text. No colour, no pictures, nothing that can be terned "child-friendly". Play-based learning is actively discouraged.
Thirdly, the "teachers" have to stick rigidly to the SABIS textbooks. Don't try to extend the more able or do reinforcement activities for the less able. Woe betide the "teacher" who does not follow the textbook. So much for differentiation!
Fourthly, it is Chewyfat policy not to allow parents to meet their child's "teachers".
Fifthly, trememndous emphasis is placed on regurgitation and repetition, but any real understanding of what you have learned is discouraged because that might mean deviating from the correct page of the textbook.
Finally, the SABIS schools call themselves "international schools", but really they are just for Arab kids. Of course, all the mothers turn up to school in their black bedsheets and the fathers turn up in their white bedsheets, while the Filipino maids carry the kids' bags for them. The kids just jabber at each other in Arabic all the time and shout insults at their Nepali drivers, so it is a waste of time trying to teach the children that racism and sexism are wrong.
Maybe some of the parents would like their children to learn English, but unfortunately it does not occur to them that sending your child to a school full of Arabs is not a good way to do that.
Having taught in Saudia Arabia, Egypt and now in Qatar, I have heard nothing good about Chewyfat "schools". I have had several colleagues who have had the great misfortune to "teach" at these institutions and their experiences were little short of horrific.
First of all, many Chewyfat "schools" employ "teachers" who are not properly trained or qualified. In some cases, these "teachers" were supposed to be teaching English, but in fact their own command of the language was so poor and so limited that their lessons were almost worthless.
Secondly, the younger children in these institutions are not given age-appropriate materials, just dull text. No colour, no pictures, nothing that can be terned "child-friendly". Play-based learning is actively discouraged.
Thirdly, the "teachers" have to stick rigidly to the SABIS textbooks. Don't try to extend the more able or do reinforcement activities for the less able. Woe betide the "teacher" who does not follow the textbook. So much for differentiation!
Fourthly, it is Chewyfat policy not to allow parents to meet their child's "teachers".
Fifthly, trememndous emphasis is placed on regurgitation and repetition, but any real understanding of what you have learned is discouraged because that might mean deviating from the correct page of the textbook.
Finally, the SABIS schools call themselves "international schools", but really they are just for Arab kids. Of course, all the mothers turn up to school in their black bedsheets and the fathers turn up in their white bedsheets, while the Filipino maids carry the kids' bags for them. The kids just jabber at each other in Arabic all the time and shout insults at their Nepali drivers, so it is a waste of time trying to teach the children that racism and sexism are wrong.
Maybe some of the parents would like their children to learn English, but unfortunately it does not occur to them that sending your child to a school full of Arabs is not a good way to do that.