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British
Joined: 30 Oct 2004
Posts: 133
Location: China
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 Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:07 am Post subject: |
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valley_girl.
Beyond knowing some "jargon" to spew in an interview, I would think teachers would want to spend some time really thinking about what teaching style does suit them (and their students).
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Ah the students!. Mine are lazy don't want to lean English so when i go to class i take a book to read to past the time so do the other teachers here.
I will leave here soon and find a good job were students want to learn English. |
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Twisting in the Wind
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Posts: 571
Location: Purgatory
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| Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 4:06 am Post subject: |
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| British wrote: |
Ah the students!. Mine are lazy don't want to lean English so when i go to class i take a book to read to past the time so do the other teachers here.
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Yeah mi too British. Eye just thro them a dikshunairy whil i drink my starbucks. Eye tel them everything u neeed two know iz in hear! |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 10:12 am Post subject: |
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| Guy Courchesne wrote: |
| Forgive me for being so blunt, but my guess is that the jobs wouldn't have been worth the effort then. |
Absolutely blinkin right. If the person interviewing you is expecting you to come up with some pat answer, turn and run.
Actually, I think they are looking to see if
a) you know yourself as a teacher
b) you know you need to employ a range of styles to adapt to student and school needs
c) you know the strengths and weaknesses of any styles you do mention
d) you can communicate
I really don't think they want you to answer the question as it stands. WHen I used to interview, I never asked questions I wanted answers to. Instead I employed questions I knew would reveal characteristics of the individual to me no matter what answer they gave. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 10:15 am Post subject: |
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| shmooj wrote: |
I really don't think they want you to answer the question as it stands. WHen I used to interview, I never asked questions I wanted answers to. Instead I employed questions I knew would reveal characteristics of the individual to me no matter what answer they gave. |
Can you give us a couple of examples of questions you asked? |
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vre
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Posts: 371
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| Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 10:22 am Post subject: |
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I'll third that.
I think employers are just trying to find out if you have some knowledge of teaching methodology in general and have more experience in institutions other than just being a speaking moderator and that your answer will be that you have a flexible approach, not just one choice, and that you are confident enough to explore this flexibility with them, should they wish to. |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:02 am Post subject: |
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| Gordon wrote: |
| shmooj wrote: |
I really don't think they want you to answer the question as it stands. WHen I used to interview, I never asked questions I wanted answers to. Instead I employed questions I knew would reveal characteristics of the individual to me no matter what answer they gave. |
Can you give us a couple of examples of questions you asked? |
Often the qeustions I would ask would stem from the discussion with the candidate so the following are off the top of my head with no context:
Q1: You're teaching a class of seven year olds and one boy insists on sitting under the table. What, if anything, would you do?
Q2: [Find out what texts they've used and pick one. Then say] Personally I love the [chosen text] series of textbooks. What do you think of them?
Q3: Can you give me three examples of how you deal with personal conflict?
Q4: If you worked here and found it a lot harder than you expected, what would you do about it practically?
Q5: In your work history, who has been the most influential colleague you have worked with in any field and why?
The basic point was to ask 'value judgement' questions i.e. ones which would reveal something of what the candidate thought was important in teaching or life in general. Other information was usually already supplied in the application details. |
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The G-stringed Avenger
Joined: 13 Aug 2004
Posts: 746
Location: Lost in rhyme infinity
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| Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:39 am Post subject: |
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| British wrote: |
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Ah the students!. Mine are lazy don't want to lean English so when i go to class i take a book to read to past the time so do the other teachers here.
I will leave here soon and find a good job were students want to learn English. |
I second that! To be fair, a very small minority do want to learn, the rest are not only lazy but arrogant - they act like they know it all, but they can't do it when put to the test. I'm sick of this "we don't talk because we're shy" excuse. It's been 5 months, they're used to me, claim they like me, and they still don't open their mouths. It's become a catch-all excuse for laziness. Then they have the nerve to question my teaching style by complaining I a) Don't show them enough movies and b) Don't allow them time for free discussion. Sorry, I gave you a chance to have free discussion and not one of you opened your mouths, even when I provided some structure. (My problem may have been that I didn't tell them what to think!)
I try to make a difference in the classroom, but the total absence of support for the foreign teachers (even had to fight to get some blank paper) from the school and the un-motivated students who don't want to learn puts quite a dampener on things. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
Q1: You're teaching a class of seven year olds and one boy insists on sitting under the table. What, if anything, would you do?
Q2: [Find out what texts they've used and pick one. Then say] Personally I love the [chosen text] series of textbooks. What do you think of them?
Q3: Can you give me three examples of how you deal with personal conflict?
Q4: If you worked here and found it a lot harder than you expected, what would you do about it practically?
Q5: In your work history, who has been the most influential colleague you have worked with in any field and why?
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All great questions, none of which can be adequately answered by responding with "um, I make my students have fun".
We discuss the topic of what a language school will expect in our TEFL program....one of the last day's topics.
Some of the interview questions we look at and consider in classwork:
_________________________________
Do you have any formal training as a teacher?
Do you have any formal experience teaching English?
What other work experiences do you have that may contribute to your performance
in the classroom?
IN THE CLASSROOM...
How would you get students involved in class?
What are some of the reasons for (and against) teaching grammar in class?
What, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of language learning in the classroom?
(writing, reading, speaking....)
What is a good way to teach vocabulary?
What are the main reasons for and against correcting students' mistakes?
How do you implement group work into your lessons?
In your opinion, which of the following jobs would best prepare a person for
language teaching? Why??
-sports coach -actor -social worker
-tour group leader -salesperson -nurse
Why do you think you are suited for language teaching?
How could you most easily convey the meaning of the following to a group of language learners in the classroom?
a. To switch (something) on...
b. Secretary...
c. Congratulations!!...
d. Reliable...
How would you characterize yourself as a learner?
How would you describe yourself as an employee in relation to your co-workers?
Your superiors? Your students?
Administration...
How long of a time commitment can you make with us?
What are your reasons for wanting to work with us?
What are your salary expectations/needs while teaching?
What are your general expectations for this experience?
_____________________________
I've posted it here before, but this is an example interview routine we post on our site.
http://www.innovative-english.com/what_to_expect.htm |
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Deconstructor
Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 775
Location: Montreal
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| Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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IMO, overseas institutions that "teach" English don't give a damn about your teaching style since they're going to force their own ideas as to what teaching style to adopt. So the whole thing is a moot point.
What you can do is this: find out before the interview what kind of school you're dealing with and what their teaching philosophy is then design your answer according to that. |
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valley_girl
Joined: 22 Sep 2004
Posts: 272
Location: Somewhere in Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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| British wrote: |
Ah the students!. Mine are lazy don't want to lean English so when i go to class i take a book to read to past the time so do the other teachers here.
I will leave here soon and find a good job were students want to learn English. |
Some of mine don't really want to learn English that badly either - they are just doing what their parents want them to do. Nonetheless, they are only wasting their own time (and their parents' money, in many cases) by not learning English. The ones who want to learn will learn and I will give them every bit of assistance I can as long as they are putting forth some effort.
I'm curious though...do you really think that if your students are "lazy", that gives you the right to be lazy as well? You are, after all, the one running this show (your English classes), no? How do you expect to get offered a "good job" down the road with a track record of being a laissez-faire instructor? Just wondering... |
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Lynn
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 696
Location: in between
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| Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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I went on quite a few interviews in New York City, and many of the interviewers wanted to hear the "buzz words", so I gave them.
Others questions asked?
Can you recall a time when you had difficuty with a student?
I explain the story.
HOw did you handle that, what did you learn from it?
What is your favorite group to teach?
Which group do you have the most trouble with?
I always have really good stories, too. |
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