Job Discussion Forums

ChrisRose · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 427 Location: Hong Kong

Recently bit my tongue and accepted a job in the private sector.

The interview was excellent, the interviewer a Psychology grad. Hence it was an interesting interview. �All the materials are provided. The designer formerly taught at HKU.�

Well it all seemed great, until the late course materials arrived late, and were the utter most crap I have yet seen in 14 years!

Purely worksheets, no teaching aids what so ever! Not only that but inappropriate worksheets. Not theme based, not topic based. Well I took my own materials in instead. After all it is my face in front of the students.

3 days ago I stared a new school teaching a phonics course, guess what?
The phonics materials were even worse!, plagiarised from 3 American books written by someone whom had never taught in his or her life. No god dam purpose, sense or order to how it was thrown together. Well I explained to the representative f the agency that it was unsuitable, the other 2 teachers decided to join in.

Today I get a call, the revised materials are ready! Guess what?
Same shit, no teaching aides, no theme, purpose, activities, no practise points, no pair or group work, lexis above the level of the students, and of course it is AMERICAN ENGLISH!

I called to politely explain my point that it was utter crap and that the students HAVE PAID for a phonics course.

Why is it the students are victims of these rip of agencies? Although education centres are required o be registered, why can�t the EMB at least check the quality of their proposed courses? After all when parents paid their own hard earned cash for supplementary lessons supposed to enhance their children�s English in a manner in which the schools are unable due to resource shortages or staff limitations.

This just makes me sick. Come on EMB do something please.

Mark-O · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:37 am Post subject:

Well, congratulations on the job anyway, Chris! Sounds as though you've got your work cut out for you ...

ChrisRose · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 427 Location: Hong Kong

Don't get me wrong.

I don't mind preparing the materials myself, but I don't like being misslead about it.

I also quiver at the thought of what is what is happening to the other students in the other classes.

I have lent some materials for a temp patch so to speak.

Anyway I think the EMB should have soem form of Benchmark for the private sector too.