Job Discussion Forums

[CaseLThor]

I've finished my first semester of teaching in uni abroad, and I had a lot of problems starting up. So I observed many classes and completely changed my teaching, which was a long process that took all semester. It got so bad before the end that the dean came to my class to observe me in order to decide if I would stay on for another semester to complete my contract. Now all that's fine. I know I'm new to this despite teaching part time for two years while getting my MA in Tesol, but the problem is with my supervisor.
I changed everything I did in class and listened to everyone's suggestions and observed classes every week, but he still insists to other foreign teachers (not other bosses) that I didn't change anything in my teaching style. The way I found out my job was at risk was through a teacher who heard it from him. To me, this seems unprofessional on his part. I'm not saying I didn't need his advice or to observe and adapt and completely change my teaching, but basically, he's played commentator to all the other foreign teachers through this entire struggle. I should be upset, right? That isn't how a supervisor should act, right? Maybe I should also say he is the supervisor for the foreign teachers.
So let me reiterate: I made a lot of mistakes in my first semester that I have learned a lot from, and next semester will be a lot better. Shouldn't I be able to expect my supervisor not to share my problems with every other teacher though?

[dean_a_jones]

Someone who acts like that once will probably be doing it regularly. You are either the kind of person who likes to gossip and berate people behind their backs or not, so I would assume that this person might continue with this behaviour.

Now, assuming you have improved and things are going well, perhaps they won't be talking about you any more. You have suggested that you have adapted your style and made improvements, but that this person is still continuing to talk about you to your colleagues. If this is really the case, then perhaps he has already just drawn his conclusions about you and is unwilling to change his opinion--in which case, perhaps looking for something different and agreeing to move on, if it is not really working for either party, is the best course of action.

If you feel that is a bit drastic then just keep your head down, ignore this kind of crap and chalk it up to the fact that in most organisations there is usually someone like this and, unfortunately, in this case they happen to be your boss. Complete your contract, focus on continuing to improve your teaching and then move onto to better things elsewhere, hopefully.

I will add that challenging your boss about his behaviour or going to his boss to do the same might cause you even more problems, so this may not be the best course of action. I can't really make such a call based on the little information you have provided, but confrontation here often seems to lead to more rather than less trouble.

[CaseLThor]

Thanks.
I mean, the dean observed me and decided I could stay on for the next semester. It seems like that would signify I've adapted after everything, but he won't even give me that credit.
I agree with your advice though. I'll definitely be keeping my head low and focusing on doing my job well.
Sorry if I didn't give much information. I just didn't want to write too much or reveal any names. I just wanted to confirm, since I'm new to teaching abroad, that this is unprofessional for a supervisor.

[Bud Powell]

Your supervisors talk to your fellow FTs and vice versa. Get used to it. It shouldn't occur, but it does. Both sides should keep their mouths shut. We hope to work with professionals, but that is not always the case.

[beckyshaile]

I assume you are in China? Thus, this is China and how things are handled. Just as hospitals/doctors do not have any concept of right-to-privacy. Your comings and goings are passed along to everyone they meet if they find you activity interesting. Your resume is shown to many. Get used to it or do what you should be doing... which is to complain to him/her and not the forum.

[Baishou]

A question for the vets: Who would be worse to work for or with, CaseLThor's supervisor, or the infinitely insufferable "beckyshaile"?

A stumper indeed!

[vikeologist]

[johntpartee]

OP, you just happened to get into a bad place. You sound like you're serious in improving yourself, so just do what you gotta do to finish this one up and move on. You'll have other bad places; all anybody can do is hit what's pitched.

[doogsville]

You just got unlucky and got a bad supervisor mate. How do these people get promoted? Well, as anyone who has been swimming in China knows, s**t floats to the top. I've had managers like that in the past. Just smile and say 'yes, of course' and then get on with doing what you know is right. You're obviously self aware and willing to learn and improve, which you're supervisor is probably unable to do and possibly jealous of your ability to do. You're still there, so work through it, and look for a better position for your next contract.

[Denim-Maniac]

Supervisor doesnt sound great, but by the same token, we dont know what your problems are/were. Its great and positive to acknowledge them as you have done in this thread, but I think Id like to know the nature of the issues you have had, and the steps you have taken to rectify them before Id give a real opinion.

Course, it could be that Im just being nosey, and who really cares what I think anyway. The whole story, and details of your teaching experiences would be nice ... especially as its almost new term time for the many newbies heading this way.

[CaseLThor]

In the US, I had taught all the four language skills except speaking, and this last semester, I had only speaking classes. I received a textbook for the class but was told it was basically worthless. They did give me a lot of supplemental material, which was good after I figured out how to organize it all. The classes were to prepare the students for a test that would decide whether or not they're allowed to study abroad, and since I wasn't able to give the test until the end of the semester, it was difficult imagining the test and trying to tell them exactly how it would be. I had a test handbook and asked questions about it, but I still wished I could have done a trialrun of the test to get a feel for it.
Basically, I wasn't giving the students enough time to practice speaking (the majority of my US classes had been Listening classes). This was obviously easy to fix. I allowed more time for role playing and such. Honestly, I wa teaching a speaking class completely wrong, I'll admit. The next biggest thing is I wasn't being clear on instructions and the vocabulary I was giving. For this, I started using power points and started asking for specific instructions of what I had said instead of merely asking if they understood. My students were professors and very worried about passing their test, so they often made complaints/suggestions. One was to allow them to repeat what I said, such as vocabulary and phrases. I started giving context sentences in addition to definitions for vocabulary. The classes are two hours, which I had never done before. Originally I did a different theme for each hour, but they said I need to keep to one topic for the whole two hours. Easy enough. Some students complaints were that I seemed unprepared for class or didn't know what I was doing. The power points' purpose was somewhat to prove I wasn't going to class unprepared. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think much of that attitude might have stemmed from the age differene between my students and me (I 24, them 40-50). There were other things, but it was a really long list.
I definitely need to make a lot of big changes, but even after everything I did, I was told I hadn't changed at all. Then the dean observed me and said I was fine.
All I know is next semester will be a lot better. I'm gonna keep my head down and do what I need to do.