Job Discussion Forums

[Deconstructor]

[Chancellor]

[gaijinalways]

Sorry Decon, I have some high level students that did some self study using those scam EFL/ESL books!

[Will.]

The point therefore seems to be:
We all know and respect what it is we do. We respect what other teachers are trying to do and have our own set ideas of what it is exactly we are doing but out there in the great wide world of appreciation and poll merchants nobody even knows what you are 'cos the doctors and firefighters are flavour of the month.
They are visible parts of the society that we live in. Someone mentioned the place we, as ELT people, are in and it ain't out front on the balcony. We accept that as ELT teachers we are in with remedial aducation and the such like.
What is in a name when the money is the same?

's beens said before 'n' I'll say it again.
ELT teachers are not perceived as "real" because they do not, normally, go through the same educative process of achieving a year-long postgrad cert to teach and do not, normally teach in "real" schools.

BUT
It looks like, even out in the " real" world, the "real" teachers are not getting recognition either. What does that say for the board of education selling the idea of becoming a teacher to the up and coming generation now?
Fewer teachers = greater demand for teachers = higher pay as an inducement for new recruits.

Well maybe on

Fantasy Island

[rusmeister]

True, Will.
And as I've said before, the teacher's unions support measures that will result in fewer teachers, that will result in higher pay for themselves (like infinite increase of what constitutes 'requirements' to be a teacher.) To do that it's important to make

Everybody wins except for us.

Unions get higher salaries, colleges and univs get to enroll more people in courses for more money, state ed has to budget more money to administrate all of this. It's a never-ending spiral. And a teacher shortage is one of the cards they need to keep the money flow increase.

[White_Elephant]

After reading all these posts (getting a little perturbed ) I'll just respond to the first post.

First, I really couldn't care less what Americans in the USA think of teachers (ESL or otherwise).

Second, where do Professors and College Instructors rank in this "study?" Can we lump them all in as Teachers?

Third, the only people I care about getting respect from are my students, boss/admin., colleagues and the local people in the country where I live.

Forth, I'm sure there's plenty of "real teachers" in the USA who couldn't handle living and working in a foreign country where very few people speak English. Their tolerance of non-English speakers is rather low on the average.

[gaijinalways]

I think we (university lecturers) get more respect than the average ESL/EFL teacher, primarily because we are seen as being more serious due to higher education requirements and our environment is generally seen as a more serious study enviroment (sometimes a mistaken belief) .

I don't think you need to include only American teachers as people who might have a hard time living abroad. Some of the dysfunctional coworkers I teach with are from all over, but certainly some local residents anywhere are not likey to function well living abroad (some of my students get obsessively homesick during 1 week vacations abroad! ).

[Will.]

Does respect get me more money?

I bet it doesn't


What you lot rather have?


Really??

REALLY??

REALLY TRULY HAND ON HEART REALLY?

[Like a Rolling Stone]

[gaijinalways]

Actually I want more of both (and nobody paid me to say this )!

[Mr. Kalgukshi]

I just deleted two postings as they contained personal insults. If it happens again and you are responsible for it happening, you may assume you will be taking a temporary or permanent vacation from this board.

[Like a Rolling Stone]

[White_Elephant]