Job Discussion Forums

[gugelhupf]

I think I'd make the distinction between "freedom" and chaos. I'd also like to think that potential learners were free to choose quality language tuition if that's what they want. I'd never pay for a CELTA/DELTA course unless I was absolutely certain that the establishment and instructors were properly accredited - bu.gger the "freedom" to teach CELTA if I'm paying the bill.

[struelle]

[Aramas]

Ok, I'll explain what I meant by freedom. diversity, diversity, diversity. As the industry stands now, any native speaker can get a TEFL job somewhere, with no qualifications or experience, whether fresh out of highschool, recently retired or anything in between. Throw in a mandatory requirement of an education degree and a CELTA, and seriously, how many takers would they have? And of those that did take a job, how many would stick around after their travelling phase, before hightailing it back to the suburbs to breed and buy stuff?

One possible scenario of enforced regulation would be that developing countries would be priced out of the market. Demand for teachers would be up and supply would be down, which would benefit the teachers, but low-income students would be SOL. Is that what the 'qualified professional' brigade are after? Why isn't there room in the industry for all kinds of EFL teachers, from the 'just passing through' backpackers to the pretentious social-climbers? The best salaries and conditions already have high requirements for the positions, so who's going to teach in a mud hut in Inner Buttholia for three dollars an hour and all the fried eye-balls you can eat? I can't see many people investing tens of thousands of dollars for qualifications that will earn them only a fraction of what they'd earn flipping burgers at the local McCraponabun's.

We've already covered the distinction between 'professional behavior' and 'professions' elsewhere. I'm all in favour of professional behaviour in any employment, but no one can turn an occupation into a profession. The professions achieved their status because the ruling classes needed doctors, lawyers, accountants etc in their inner circle, and in return they recieved gobs of dough and the adoration of the masses. The rich and powerful don't care about teachers, nurses, cops, paramedics etc. They serve the public, not them.

[shmooj]

While I rue the lack of professionalism that there is in many an outfit in the world of TESOL, I do believe that the problem will sort itself out. The profession has changed incredibly even in the last 20 years and, on the back of this fuelled by immense global changes such as the use of the Internet, there will be yet more change.

Part of this will involve those of us who display our commitment to professionalism both here and in the classroom moving into management in ELT. When that happens, we must remain committed to facilitating professionalism in our staff. It is largely the fault, I believe, of inappropriate management that standards are below par (take a look at Leeroy's excellent post and imagine how much better those institutions would have been had the teachers there been encouraged and supported rather than left to sink or swim).

It remains to be seen yet whether those of us who consider ourselves excellent teachers will become excellent managers of teachers who can both inspire and facilitate professionalism.

This, I believe, is probably the most likely way forward. If this forum is still around in 2020, we'll be able to see if I was right

[zaneth]

Here! Here! (or is it hear hear?)

Good management, good support! I'd love to see some of that. Shmooj, let me know when you get your school.

[Teacher in Rome]

I agree with you completely, Shmooj, that ELT management has a great part to play.

The one thing I would add, though, is that ELT management doesn't always have the time and budget to spend on teacher development. For example, I am responsible for some largeish projects which involve taking on a number of teachers. Because my employers haven't received a huge amount of money from the client (the competition between language schools is fierce here - as I suspect it is in most places), I have to work on more than one project at a time. Although I think it would be a good idea to go out and observe teachers, get feedback from students and teachers alike in order to run training sessions and so on, I don't have the time and the budget to do this. I bascially have to trust that the teachers are doing a good job.

The only thing that I can do, is to help starting teachers with their lesson plans and arrange for them to observe classes. When we're not paying teachers for their prep time, or for training sessions, there is very little we can do.

I would say that this is probably similar to a lot of language schools that have to cut margins in order to attract business. I know of very few language schools in Rome that offer training, apart from places such as the British Council.

[shenyanggerry]

I get a little suspicious when people talk about 'qualifications'. I'm old enough that until high school, all my teachers had a one year normal school education after high school. At that time, most high school teachers had little more.

I believe that the education I and my peers received was superior to the usual pap in public schools today. I certainly learned more in school than my children did.

I have a TESL certificate that took an academic year full time to achieve beyond my BA. I certainly think I learned some things at university but a well organized two or three week course would have been just as useful. Much of the time spent gaining higher degrees has no direct classroom applications. It would be nice to have a masters but I suspect that unless I planned to do research on second language acquisition, I wouldn't get much practical use from it. The academic jargon I had to learn was mostly useless theory. I certainly would have liked to have much more practice teaching and more time observing in a TESL classroom.

If I were teaching History or Physics, greater subject knowledge would be essential. When I graduated from high school, I already knew far more English than my students will ever ever comprehend.

If I were entering the TESL field as a career choice and not as a retirement project, I'd go for at least a masters. This is because it would be important in getting the job rather than in doing it.

Since we all learned English without the benefit of a highly trained 'professional', perhaps the empathy and dedication of the teacher is more important than a string of degrees.

I don't know if I'm a good teacher. I try to be. The only feedback I've received is to have my contract renewed. My students seem to have better English at term end than at the beginning. However, I don't know if I'm deluding myself because my ear is better attuned to their accent.

[grahamb]

Exclude Yanks, Anglo-Saxons and anyone under the age of 35.
Voila!

[guest of Japan]

Hey, I'm a yank under 35. Be nice.

[grahamb]

I wondered how long it would be before someone took the bait.
Do you really think I'd risk incurring the wrath of Johnslat?

[shmooj]

This makes for a very timely read bearing in mind the discussion on this thread
http://education.guardian.co.uk/tefl/story/0,5500,1220370,00.html

The situation on the ground in the British Council in Europe as described in this article differs very little from that in many centres in Asia but we have no opportunity to develop anything under the aegis of the EC to help us out.

I think this illustrates grass routes reform being attempted. My next ten years at the Council should provide evidence as to whether this is successful or not. I think that if it is successful then the knock on effect will be to filter down to the smaller TESOL outfits in the end.

Zaneth, just FYI, I had "my" school in Japan and left it to come here. I was far too inexperienced to be the kind of manager we so desperately need in the profession and so have spread my wings. I will quite likely end up in management somewhere in years to come and it will be interesting to see what the view is like from there as well as from here.

[kev7161]

Hmmm. Professionalism. How about these tidbits:

1. Be prepared for class. Make sure you know the lesson from your textbook (if you use one). Make sure you have all materials needed for your lesson: visual aids, art supplies, photocopies of worksheets, etc. Have backup plans available in case something goes wrong or you have extra time on your hands. Use a VARIETY of activities in class (see creativity below).

2. Don't go out and get drunk every night thus showing up the next day with a hangover and sour attitude.

3. Dress comfortably and professionally. Tshirt and blue jeans is not it. Khakis and a polo shirt would be fine. (for guys - - gals, you know the differences as well, I'm sure) Shave, wash your hair, carry breath mints in your pocket (esp. if you are a smoker).

4. Establish fair yet balanced rules in your classroom and make sure you carry them out.

5. Devise ways to give all your students chances to practice their english in groups, pairs, and/or individually.

6. Be creative. If you don't feel creative, do some research. There's plenty of fun, interesting, educational ideas here on the internet.

7. Make sure your kids can trust you and make sure you are available should they have questions. You DON'T have to hang out with them morning, noon, and night, but it wouldn't hurt to put aside a couple hours a week to be in their midst (instead of hanging out here at Dave's). My students love it when I come and eat lunch in their canteen rather than the teacher's room.

8. Show up to work on time. Heck, show up 15 minutes early and be prepared (see #1).

9. Most of all smile when you can, laugh with your students (and not at them), sing a song from time to time - - these kids go through enough dull, uninteresting classes in their lifetime. You can be (and should be) their one, bright, shining spot in their long, dreary days.

Those are my thoughts and I try to follow my own advice as much as I can. Some days are certainly off days for me, but I can feel it when I've enjoyed a lesson and when the students "seem" like they've gotten something out of it.

[willy]

wow! what can i say. I left Taiwan after a year of DOS`s asking if i could sing and dance!! no joke.

Since I have been here I have improved 500%, however the school management is the same �there only teachers and we can cheat them, nothing they can do�

I got one of those funny papers that say I can teach waste of $$.
I learned how not to teach in Taiwan and how to teach here.

[kev7161]

To clarify: I don't mean to sing and dance like a monkey for the children. I mean, teach them a song, play CDs, find out if any of your kids play the piano or guitar - - etc. Music works wonders in a classroom. I will often be playing a favorite CD when the kids are walking into class and I'm singing along (because I do love to sing) and some of the kids look at me like I'm weird and some are smiling but it generally seems to put them at ease.

[Aramas]

In twelve years of school and three years of university I encountered one good teacher and one good lecturer. Most were mediocre and many were bitter, hateful, broken shells of people who should have been barred from contact with children and young adults on the basis that their disappointment could be infectious. All were 'qualified professionals'.

I find it interesting that some people here consider qualifications to be synonymous with competence. That has not been my experience.