Job Discussion Forums

[artemisia]

In recent times a number of schools have come under investigation as scams that merely allow students the necessary visas to gain residency and then citizenship. A couple of places have already been closed down. Once 'students' are in NZ long enough they qualify for a passport which they then use to transfer to Oz.

People want to live abroad for all sorts of reasons but fake students can certainly have a real impact on teachers.
Here's the latest headline: Teacher demoted for failing students

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/8400926/teacher-who-failed-poor-students-wins-compensation/

Teacher who failed poor students wins compensation
An Auckland teacher has won $7499 compensation after she was demoted for failing foreign accounting students she said didn't learn anything.

Of the 24 Chinese students in her class at the New Zealand Institute of Commerce in 2004, South African-born Judy Kraidy failed 20, the Weekend Herald reported today.
Another teacher was put in charge of the class and the replacement exam made easier, Mrs Kraidy said.

She took her claim to the Disputes Tribunal, which awarded her $7499 and said the school had made a commercial decision to retain the students.
Mrs Kraidy said the school had promised the students a good qualification if they paid their fees of about $15,000 to $20,000.
She said some students treated the "guaranteed-pass" course as a shortcut to permanent residency, though a few students did genuinely want to learn.

Former school director Nina Hsu said Mrs Kraidy did not have "a loving heart for the students".
The school closed the following year following a slower market and an illness to Ms Hsu's partner.

[artemisia]

An update on the same teacher who lost her job actually - not demoted.

Teacher who wouldn't play the game
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10690308

Another school has been told by NZ Qualifications Authority to address its English language testing assessment and moderation systems or face a shut down.

[taylor.1988]

So many crappy language schools around here, especially if you see names such as Victoria Institute or something equally faux-british, probably good to avoid. NO standards. Money raping schemes usually ran by (usually Chinese, no offense) owners who couldnt give a rats ass about student wellbeing. These schools advertise for 'teachers' under 'private advertiser' on jobsites because their rep is so bad.

Basically if it is not in obviously accessible areas of the city, I advise against applying for it. I unwittingly went to an interview for one of those places, and the dude said they are the leading language school in NZ. I was wondering why a reputable ESOL school would be tucked away 3 storeys up above a clothing factory (with no lift), with paint peeling off the grey brick walls + visibly dented and rusted white boards... lol... some nerves on that guy. Its a student trap and poor students get ripped off.

[artemisia]

[taylor.1988]

lol that is accurate id say, civilisation will come here soon... maybe

[spiral78]

Hi, all - just dropping in to throw my twopence worth: crappy schools also thrive in posh surroundings - maybe not in NZ, but don't be fooled by fancy offices. The real stuff is in classrooms, teacher's rooms, and resource rooms: that's what you want to ask to see

[artemisia]

Quite right, Spiral, but traipsing up 3 flights of stairs daily could be enough to put you off, no matter how good the resource room is!

Re: "civilisation" finally arriving in NZ. Apparently this is going to take place in the form of the Rugby World Cup in Sept/ October. I'm sure all those rugby crowds / beer drinkers will add a lot of rich 'culture' to the place.

[dmocha]

Foreign students in the bottom quintile will certainly pass in Canada. They pay big bucks and legitimate universities and colleges are not going to kill the golden goose. But it�s the same for native Canadian students too. I once spoke with civil engineering professor (roads, bridges, dams) who said they could not fail anyone because once the student is not longer on the books the department loses the provincial grant that comes with registration. So in point of fact, a grade of D is really F. Given Canada�s crumbing infrastructure, roads, bridges, dams, this seems to have been going on for some time. Ultimately cash is king and students are �basic income units� or �foreign income units�.

[cassava]

[dmocha]

Calm down cassava, we don't all work in paradise like you do!

I said "native Canadian students" not Canadian �native� as in indigenous students. In no way was I referring to Canada�s indigenous peoples.

Perhaps you could amend/withdraw your final paragraphs as you mistook the meaning of 'native'.

[cassava]

[dmocha]

Ok, Canada is a wonderful paradise where all the students are justly rewarded for their honest efforts. It's only in the US or NZ that instructors have these problems. Money does not talk, not even whisper, in Canada.
Since it never happend to you, it could not have happened to me. Or anyone else. Silly me.

The Chronicle Review
The Shadow Scholar
The man who writes your students' papers tells his story

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Shadow-Scholar/125329/

[johnslat]

Dear dmocha,

At last, a way I can supplement my income - by doing the write thing .

Regards,
John