Job Discussion Forums

[Jetgirly]

Beyond being accountable to yourself, who are you accountable to?

When I started my job I requested that I be allowed to observe a senior teacher give a lesson; my request was denied because no teachers would agree to be observed. I have been working for the same school for a year now and I have never been observed and nobody from administration has ever discussed my students' progress or my progress as a teacher. Nobody corroborates my students' test results and no physical records are kept of their tests. Whether or not students progress to the next level is entirely up to me, and if they are then placed at the wrong level it is the responsiblity of the new teacher to get them up to pace.

I am sure that most schools are not this hands-off, and I wish that the admin at my school took more of an interest in my students' progress (and less of an interest in their chequebooks). As I have gained more experience teaching I have noticed that my students' average test scores have risen by about 15% so I know I am now doing something right (this has coincided with my decreased use of the school's "special method"), but I really wish that my boss would haul me into the office and yell at me every now and then, just so I know she is paying attention.

PS - In September 2006 I start a B.Ed program in Language Arts Teaching, and I think that it will be a real shock when I am actually held accountable for the progress of my students!

[zakiah25]

First of all, I would like to say that your teaching attitude and professionalism are commendable.
It would be interesting to know your actual teaching situation but from what you have described, it sounds like a private language institute or school from your comment of the administration's interest in their chequebooks rather than student progress.
I would suggest that perhaps upon completion of your studies (or even start searching now), look for a new place of employment that provides access to some form of professional development that will improve your teaching methodologies and also places a greater emphasis on accountability.
Many of us have found ourselves in a similar teaching situation to what you're now in - sometimes, you just have to put it down to experience! If you are stuck in this situation, then you have to be accountable for your own students and just as importantly, to yourself.You can do this by conducting your own evaluations and assessments of your lessons and your students (you seem to be already on track with this).
Best of luck

[Justin Trullinger]

With regards to your current situation, it sounds like it sucks. But in the world of TEFL, there is an enormous range of organisations. There is so much desire to learn English in the world, that some people see it as a BIG business opportunity. My experience is that a school mainly interested in money eventually suffers from gradually diminishing standards, gradually lowering student satisfaction, gradually becomes unable to recruit good teachers, and then (hopefully) goes bust.

It sounds to me, at a glance, like your school is somewhere on this curve. And like you deserve, and would benefit from, a better place. Start looking. There's a lot of places out there.

Justin

[Jizzo T. Clown]

[gaijinalways]

Actually, quite a few schools are like this. The only 'monitoring I have at my universities are surveys that are done for each class, and these give the students too much leeway in their comments as the students are not listed, even for the admin.So, basically if a student has an axe to grind, he/she has free rein. I wouldn't mind having them observe or beter yet video taping, especially if it can be done without the students' or my knowledge.