Job Discussion Forums

[Iam]

Hi folks & folkessess,

How important are people skills in teaching ESOL, as opposed to other abilities/characteristics?

The reason I ask, is that in a little over a week's time I'm selling my flat in the UK & jacking in my job of 21 rather horrid years, then doing a Celta & toddling off to parts unknown ... well, Madrid, anyway.

Problem is, I've always been something of a miserable old git, with a stubborn streak to boot.

If the ability to generate a charm offensive at a moment's notice is called for, I may have problems

So, by way of general encouragement, & seeing as how there have been plenty of posts about worse jobs etc, perhaps some of you would stump up your tales of worse teachers of foreign languages you've known or (heaven's forbid) been?

Iam.

[Guy Courchesne]

While I don't think it necessary to charm your students at all times, having people skills is probably the most important aspect of teaching. Maybe I take the term too far, but I'm thinking that you will have to be patient, be a good listener, and be able to feel for your students to better be able to teach them. I suppose it depends on where you teach though, if the China forum is any indication of what teaching over there is like.

[Deconstructor]

Great teachers are great pretenders.

You know how to pretend to be interested in others. Pretend that you know a great deal when in fact you know diddly squat. But how?!! Well�

1. Pretend you are a great listener as you go aha, aha, aha while a student tells you what a wonderful country s/he comes from even though there has been a war there for the past thirty years. At the same time you are doing your banking and grocery list in your head. Note: make sure you listen enough to know when the student has stopped talking, so that you don't overshoot with the ahas. It sounds weird when no one is speaking yet the teacher is ahaing all over the place.

2. Make sure you don't write words on the board that you can't spell like pladipus. You gotta be one step ahead of yourself.

3. Always use rare and long words in class before changing your language to something a bit more comprehensible to students. This is a great intimidation tactic that tells students �you ain�t nothin!�

4. Make sure you come up with student mistakes (grammar/pronunciation) that apply to anyone. This is especially useful when you are circulating but, of course, not listening to students who are totally incomprehensible anyway, or writing a report for the DOS. Doing this the right way means profound boredom, suicidal ideations, no more planning in your head and no more weekends. Clearly my way is better!

5. Always put your hand on your chin and lean to one side in class. This gives you the aura of a deep thinker, someone who really understands what is happening in the class, though this is rarely the case. Of course, you're still doing your appointment book in your head.

6. Make sure there is a marker between your fingers as you flip through the ESL text as if you know every line in it while all along saying to yourself �this might as well be Klingon�. The whole thing gives you an aura intellectualism and masks your overwhelming terror.

7. Memorize the song �Great Pretender�. This is good during the breaks as you feel that everyone is non the wiser about your fiendish attitude.

8. Always tell students that English is God�s language and that�s why it�s international, that in fact, it�s universal, that you once heard it spoken by an alien from Alter 6.

9. When asked how long it will take to reach an advanced level in English, respond eternity+1.

10. If a student ever asks you to correct his/her mistakes, do it so often that s/he couldn't get a single word in edgewise before you scream "past perfect, you forgot the past participle and that's not how you pronounce pennies�.


Now you're ready to teach!

[dyak]

[Guy Courchesne]

[dyak]

[Deconstructor]

[Roger]

The core of a good teacher, yes, I think that's people skills.

Those that are social misfits also have altercations with fellow teachers. These fora are a good source to find that out.

Your rapport with your students depends on how you get along with people of a different age. An extrovert will get along with the youngest and the oldest, while introverts can only relate to people of their own age group - or the opposite sex.

[ShapeSphere]

Deconstructor - I love your guidelines! Brilliant! If only the teaching profession was a bit more realistic as opposed to unduly idealistic. It would be a lot better for all of us.

Iam - People skills are important, although different countries will vary. But being a "miserable old git, with a stubborn streak to boot" may actually change once you arrive in vibrant Madrid and find a career much more exciting and open than the 21 years before. Maybe?

I'm certainly more positive and open-minded in this profession than my previous work as a corporate drone. I am not overly blessed with charm and this was no problem in Germany as students prefer directness and knowledge as opposed to a fake smile and a light, frothy personality.

Now I'm in China, where students generally do prefer the teacher has a rictus grin, clownlike qualities and the ability to perform like a monkey. Sadly, I am unable and unwilling to drag my knuckles across the floor, eat bananas as if they're going out of fashion, or swing from the light fittings while making the appropriate noises.

However, once the students recognise that you can teach, you can have a laugh and you are prepared for the lesson, then they may come to accept that each teacher has a different personality. This has been my own experience.

I think you'll do fine, because you've already made light of the situation and don't take yourself too seriously. Honesty can be charming as well.

[Dragonsaver]

That was an awsome answer Shapespere and I agree with you. I also loved Deconstructor's list. I think the corporate world does something to us that's best left in dark closets and under the bed.

The stress will be there but not in the same levels and there should be less of a problem of being thought of as a dolt (which the corporate world does to us). I also have a strong personality and have had people (corporate) duck when I looked at them, but I love helping people and showing them things that I know so........ I hope I will fit right into the TEFL mode. I plan on doing volunteer teaching until this darn house sells and I have the money to take the course and get on with the rest (best ) of my life.

[darkside1]

A few years ago in Spain a mate of mine was going through a rough time splitting up with his girfriend and as a result was drinking very heavily. When he did turn up for work (at a very well known efl operation) he was usually too hungover to do much, let all his admin become chaotic, papers everywhere etc, never prepared a lesson, stank of drink, insulted people (including students) all over the place.

This went on for about 6 months until the head honcho decided 'basta' and fired him, with just cause it has to be said. I reckon he lasted that long because of some personal tolerance by the bosses to his problems and his big 'personality'.

HOWEVER, due to Spanish labour law and previous employment he had the right to unemployment benefit of around 600 euros (in pesetas back then) for two years and he got a payoff of a few thousand. I take no pleasure in recounting this story (it wasn't me by the way), and in fact he got me in shtuck when I tried to help him out, but that's another story.

The point is, I doubt things could ever get that bad...and there are some very decent efl gigs out there. The best defence against all forms of chicanery is to play a straight bat and be professional at all times.

[Will.]

nice one Decon.
I suggest we designate all the criteria as teacher levels of 'REAL' ability.
and add to the list as we go.
We may be able to designate our classes by this designation as the years pass by and ingnore the other varieties.

Wow! what a class I went to DECON 3

[sigmoid]

I'd say that the teaching game is what you make of it. If you want to be a miserable old git nobody's going to stop you. There are plenty of them out there teaching, believe me.

But in my opinion it's a LOT more FUN and REWARDING if you maintain a positive and helpful attitude. People [including cute chicks] will like you a lot more and you'll probably get more and better work through recommendations from both employers and students and make more money.

But at the same time, the ability to NOT take yourself or the job too seriously is quite helpful.

[Iam]

Thanks very much for the replies, everyone

Shapespeare, yes, I certainly am hoping to lose a degree of the miserable old gittidness, through this - it's the mother of all life style changes, to me at least. Probably no less a change than many of you have undertaken, though.

Dragonsaver, I could n't agree more about the corporate workplace. Good luck with your house sale ... my flat took has taken pushing 5 months to go, I hope yours goes soon.

Iam.

[moonraven]

I agree with Guy. People skills are non-negotiable elements of a teacher.

It isn't necessary to "pretend" to be interested, either. If you aren't genuinely interested in your students as individuals you should take up a different career.

Being a curmudgeon has its benefits--on this forum--but not in the classroom.