Job Discussion Forums

[Teacher in Rome]

That's so true Scot! I was in London last month, and got on the bus. The driver - poor bloke - had to repeat what he was saying at least once as I couldn't understand a word. Fortunately, my OH is fluent in sarf lunnen and could translate.

[I'm With Stupid]

[7969]

Cresswell-Turner's article is over the top and he does come off as a guy who couldn't cut it in the world of TEFL but he does make some valid points in his article. Just go to the China forum (and probably a few others), read some of the threads and stories people post, some of the complaints people have, and the proof to support what he says (TEFL has a good share of losers) is right there. I think most of us have enough personal experience to tell us as much. From Cresswell-Turner's article:

[Hod]

[johnslat]

Dear Hod,

"Someone, who�s already retired, said on this very thread that you shouldn�t plan"

I couldn't find that. Could you point it out?

Thanks,
John

[Cool Teacher]

[Hod]

[johnslat]

Dear Hod,

I suspect that scot47 was being a little sardonic there. However, based on my own experience, I also think he has a point, the part about long-range plans. Not that one shouldn't try to plan for the distant future, but as a countryman of scot's so well put it:


"The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley" (often paraphrased in English as "The best-laid plans of mice and men / Often go awry")

Life has a large supply of monkey wrenches.

Regards,
John

[Teacher in Rome]

But there's planning and there's planning!

Although I also think that life throws up a lot of unforeseens (and there's a whole school of thought that has "positive uncertainty" at its heart) this is not the same as blithely going ahead and never giving a thought to what you might do when you're finally too old to "work". Some sort of plan - preferably one rooted in reality or worst case scenario - is better than none.

Scot47 has presumably retired after a lifetime of paying his NI contributions. And I imagine you've also regularly paid into your Social Security scheme. That's a retirement model that might not be so valid for younger generations - who should be thinking about other options. And it's much easier to save for it when you're in your 20s and 30s than it is to wake up when you're 60 and realise your options are, well, bleak.

[johnslat]

Dear Teacher in Rome,

"this is not the same as blithely going ahead and never giving a thought to what you might do when you're finally too old to "work". Some sort of plan - preferably one rooted in reality or worst case scenario - is better than none."

Is there a disagreement?

"Not that one shouldn't try to plan for the distant future. . ."

"And I imagine you've also regularly paid into your Social Security scheme."

Not really - since I was unable to pay into it during my 22 years teaching EFL.

All I'm really saying is that when one makes long-range plans, one should not forget that life has a way of intervening.

Regards,
John

[Teacher in Rome]

Hi John

I don't disagree with what you're saying - especially this:

[Moto]

Be happy or be miserable ......your choice .

[Hod]

Clich� 1: Life's a compromise. We would all have fantastic retirements if we ploughed every penny/cent into pensions, but even as early as our forties, we start to notice some things we just can't manage anymore. We need to have a life whilst we're young as well.

Has anyone done a study on typical "should have dones" from the thoughts of those on their death beds? I can guess one straight away, but it�s not for this respectable forum. I bet hardly any of these soon to be departed wish they�d done less financial planning or blew more money on beer or travel. In any case, most deceased leave behind loved ones who will be more than grateful to inherit all that cash. (A will is a good idea).

On the other hand, you get some miserable pensioners, who for whatever reason have inadequate pensions. They may have had massively bad luck or been cheated out of pensions. I tell you what, though. Every one of them would go back and change at least one thing about their lives. So I really struggle to remain calm when certain individuals already retired tell those decades younger not to worry. They just haven�t done the maths or fail to see the blatantly obvious demographical changes which have taken place in their own life times.

Clich� 2: Failing to plan is planning to fail.
(apparently originated by Alan Lakein, some author of How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life which sold 3 million copies. What does he know anyway?)

[dackinator]

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[artemisia]