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Pre-sessional v Summer school

 
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Russell Hadd



Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 181

PostPosted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:26 am    Post subject: Pre-sessional v Summer school Reply with quote

As far as I'm concerned they do not compare. The average Summer school has low pay, long hours, a lack of professionalism and students who are in holiday mode. Whereas, pre-sessionals tend to have reasonable pay, realistic hours, a much more professional approach and students who know that they need to take things seriously or they may not get accepted for their studies.
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Will.



Joined: 02 May 2003
Posts: 783
Location: London Uk

PostPosted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 10:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you taught many pre-sesionals Russ?
Pre-sessionals also employ people able to teach the courses i.e experienced people, qualified people. The type of teacher on these courses gets well paid but the company, school or uni/college etc also gets good value. They know what they want.
That is why some people work in a summer school for the experience. The average EFL/ELT teacher returning home after a year or two gallivanting or 'teaching' abroad is and has been in holiday mode. Most of them can't teach more than one or two levels effectively. They have no professionalism and do not take working in a summer school seriously. It is a testing ground. A place to get a good short term reference. Good result; put it on the CV, bad summer; omit it. If you have the skills and the experience go for the EAP ESP pre-sessional not many get shortlisted.
So there is a reason they pay well.
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Russell Hadd



Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 181

PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I suppose that could be the problem. I was only in holiday mode for one year while I was overseas before deciding I thought I could make a career out of teaching. I've worked on 3 pre-sessionals for three different Universities and just one Summer School which was as a director in my first year. I certainly wouldn't have employed myself as the director of the Summer School and if I'd have had the choice I'd have employed fewer than 25% of the 'teachers' I had to work with. But these people were not teachers as such and not the types I would have thought would have come here complaining about Summer Schools. If anyone is serious about teaching and getting decent Summer experience then if they are in a reasonably serious mode during overseas assignments then they will walk into pre-sessional work. For me it was a kind of virtuous circle. I volunteered for Friday evening work with Spanish students hoping to enter the Eurasmus scheme and started to get more work with University students as a result. Most people I have worked with on pre-sessionals in the UK have had less experience and many have not had more than a 1st degree and Tefl Cert despite ads asking for Masters.
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Will.



Joined: 02 May 2003
Posts: 783
Location: London Uk

PostPosted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting points Russ.
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Will.



Joined: 02 May 2003
Posts: 783
Location: London Uk

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well even after all my advice I ended up accepting a course directors post at summer school... I thought I said never again. Next time I will know better and remember how to translate 'can you start tomorrow into English.
It means 'you have bitten off too much to chew already.'
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ahopfe



Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Posts: 145
Location: Zheng zhou City - nearly 10months and going stong China

PostPosted: Sat Sep 04, 2004 1:17 pm    Post subject: Summer School Reply with quote

I have completed a Summer school and I thought it was a absolute ball , sure the hours were long 5 hours a day - seven days a week , the pay was ok , and the working with children experince was invaluable , i mean like at the moment i am completing a Year contract and i am geting put in to any class at any time , atleast summer school was a standard class , and not teaching 2- 5 year olds ,

Seriously give me summer school any day - kids that want to learn
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