Job Discussion Forums

[Hod]

[spiral78]

[buravirgil]

[Hod]

[spiral78]

[buravirgil]

I believe you're failing to acknowledge a nuance. Until challenged, proffering an example to illustrate your prior assertion didn't happen. I agree what you advised prior to Hod's challenge has value, and I agree an illustration does as well.

To go further, the query/illustration exchange is one for which I've been paid in the past, but many of us on this forum demonstrate analysis and resolution of a professional level and simply enjoy its exercise. I think that's the case here. You had professionally advised a poster with an expectation they not require spoon feeding, but an observer tasked "the talk".

I've agreed with a rationalization Hod now proffers for challenging you (and termed it a maxim) but don't mean to relate either of your responses was lacking.

[johnslat]

It's interesting (to me, anyway) that all this fuss should, I suppose, have arisen from this, which was posted first - and not by spiral78

"Everyone in TEFL has 'a passion for teaching English', it's a well-worn cliché, did you put that in your C.V.s"

That question was never answered, I believe. In fact, given tommypc's answer:

"I assure you the phrase is patently false in most cases, particularly in Asia. In my experience, the vast majority of teachers are there simply for lack of something better to do, and consider teaching ESL an extension of college: no real responsibility, partying all the time, etc... My girlfriend and I consider this our profession, and that's a big difference."

it seems doubtful to me that he would have used that phrase in a CV, a phrase which he states "is patently false in most cases."

Also, spiral's comment:

" . . . a passion for teaching English' has been overused by huge numbers of un/underqualified EFL wannabes - the message here is to think of some way to more professionally and accurately express your very real seriousness about the profession. Using the hackneyed and hijacked standard 'junk' phrase won't help your CVs stand out."

doesn't seem to me to be doing this:

" . . . and then you lump them in with unqualified wannabes. Rude and unhelpful."

since it seems two different matters are being talked about: 1. that phrase in a posting and 2. using that phrase in a CV.

So, has tommypc used the phrase in a CV? I doubt it, seeing as he thinks that it's false in most cases.

Then, there's the faulty cause and effect relationship here: " . . . You're quite rude in saying someone's using a hackneyed phrase because they're passionate, and then you lump them in with unqualified wannabes. Rude and unhelpful."

Are they really using a hackneyed phrase (in their posting, remember) because they're passionate? Again, I doubt it.

So, all this tempest in a teacup seems very confused and confusing.

What's being argued about here is a phrase that was used in a posting (and there's no basis for thinking it was used in a CV), and the assertion that people use hackneyed phrases because they're passionate.

Is anyone actually reading this thread?

Regards,
John

[buravirgil]

[johnslat]

Dear buravirgil,

It is - for me.

Care to offer your own?

Regards,
John

[spiral78]

Dear johnslat

I will go with your interpretation - it seems accurate to me.

Best
spiral

[JN]

[Hod]

[buravirgil]