Job Discussion Forums

[lovelace]

Just reading yet another rant against a language school and wondering when, if ever, this industry will get its act together and start to become a little bit professional? Is it better in other countries? What does it need, here in Istanbul, in Turkey, in the world?! Yes, there are a significant number of TEFL blaggers who don't care who's sitting in front of them or if those people have parted with a lot of cash to learn a language they need so they can get a better job, etc etc, but there are others working hard trying to do their best and wanting to be rewarded - just a little bit, and not just in money either, believe it or not - for their efforts.

[thrifty]

No, it's just too easy to get into and its practioners are so unaccountable.

Get out if you can. That is my New Year's Resolution.

[dmb]

[thrifty]

Yes

[dmb]

Go on. share
Does it involve strong beer?

[thrifty]

I will inform you all when I have given 3 months notice later this year.

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

This one's top of the range ... Les Routiers no less ... you could probably get a small telly in there too ...



Free ketchup for posters from Dave's?

[TeachEnglish]

We all know the biggest problem with the TEFL industry is the low lifes that just want to take as much money as they can from anyone, and give as little as they can get away with to the people trying to teach to people that want to learn. Sure there are people giving lessons that may not be the best trained, or the best qualified to do so, but that is not a problem. If the Berlitzes, ET's, Wallstreets, etc., did not hire cashiers, and anyone else that can speak the language, to teach, then maybe it would be more professional. But I don't think anyone needs a degree to be professional.

[thrifty]

[molly farquharson]

ET does not hire cashiers unless they have a university degree and a TEFL certificate, which puts them on a par with the people who are teaching before they go back to grad school or taking a year or two off before they start their "real" lives.

I too am concerned with the lack of professionalism, and you can't blame that on ET or most other schools. And it is not necessarily because of the money that is or is not in it. I made about the same as what teachers make here when I taught in the US. That supported a couple of kids, too. while I was teaching there, I had a very active professional life, went to two or three conferences a year, presented at most, published a little, sat on executive boards, blah blah. In contrast, there is no association for TEFL teachers here, except for INGED, which as a sort of affiliate of TESOL (the largest professional organization for ESL/EFL teachers in North America) does not, like TESOL, doesn't seem to notice or care about the teachers with "only" certificates. Most of the people in TESOL are committed to the profession, as most have masters degrees and expect to work as ESL teachers for most of their lives. Some are academics. They are more mature, usually. They are very different from most of the teachers who come here.

I think professionalism is an attitude, a committment to the students first and foremost. there is a lot of slagging that goes on here which, aside from the venting, is disappointing. So many people here seem to want something without putting much effort into getting it. That effort is also part of professionalism. Why wait for someone/something else, when you can make your own efforts?

All that said, I think TEFLers are a much more colourful group of people than the ones I worked with back in NA. Living in a different culture changes one's outlook on life and those who go on or back will be a little different than they were.

[TeachEnglish]

Yes, the infamous managements should clean up their acts, hire better people, and try to treat them like they are people, and encourage longevity rather than short term back packers. Some back packers are ok of course. Having people that want to stay at a place might require some benefits and a raise or two sometimes but that is not too much to ask. Howver, this does seem to be too much to ask for those low life owners and their managers that only think of themselves. But for the most part, TEFL'ing here is ok. İ like it. İ like being here. İ feel sorry for those that get their shocks when they arrive and get involved with some of these places.

[Baba Alex]

Hire a donkey

[TeachEnglish]

Send in your CV...

[Baba Alex]

[thrifty]

Is that why you have not been yourself lately?