Job Discussion Forums

[ChrisRose]

Questioning my part time job.

For several years I have been lecturing some part time courses at a local college.

Unfortunately, the classes have always been of extremely mixed abilities.
The classes comprise of;: Associate degree; Foundation, year I and Year II students, along with Bachelor years, I, II and III. All, in the same class for the same English program.

Add to this some non-speakers, whom were neither placement tested, or students whom have completed the higher level English courses, but then decide to take the lower courses.

As you might imagine, it can be problematic to develop a suitable syllabus to suit the wide range of abilities. However, this year after a great deal of planning and hard work, I believe I have the beginnings of a suitable course.

Unfortunately, although the administration staff are all wonderful and caring, after 3 classes out of 12 and a period of 4 weeks, approximately, just 25% of the students have purchased the course books!

This is dam frustrating. I asked the admin. staff to forward a list of the 2 course books that they require. Along with a list of books I wish to have for classroom usage and library reference. Alas, the mail was never forwarded to the students. I have purchased 16 supplementary books for the class. However, I found that 4 have been taken without permission.

I bought those dam books, with what little money I have. It would be nice if they had asked prior to helping themselves. As I mentioned earlier, this is a part time position. Payment is at the end of each course, approximately 4 months after commencement.

I wonder if it is time to call it a day? I can either honour my contract, something I have always done, or perhaps I can request they seek a replacement as soon as possible.

Could it have been any worse. This term, I sought assurances that the class wouldn�t be of mixed abilities. I received it in writing. Then on day 1, guess what; AD Foundation to bachelor year III and some non-speakers thrown in.

Has anyone had any similar experiences to this?

Chris

[11:59]

No, I've never had any similar experiences, but then I've never taken a job that only pays once every four months. I have to ask, when you say college, what do you mean? Are you using US or UK English? That is, is it a 6th form college or a university? Or is it a private training 'college'? And what is a 'non-speaker'? Also, associate degree, foundation year and bachelor year III students are not necessarily of mixed ability when it comes to competence in English, are they? (And damn it, there's an 'n' in 'damn'!)

[ChrisRose]

It is a university.

I use the term college as; the college offers fully accredited AD degrees, but it's Bachalor and Master degree programs are those of Southern Cross & Victoria University Australia.

The reason I have stayed for so many years is, you can see the dedication in the core of the admin. staff, they work there because they believe. Alas they are all over worked.

I will be putting the curriculum I am desiging in for a number of awards, ACoT and possibly the M.Phil. from London U.

However, only 2 courses of 33 contact hours to cover Ggeneral English, Academic English. The General English is the problem area due to the abilities range.

I have chosen to use a combination of course materials and am attempting to interlink them with a high degree of IT support to individually monitor the students progress. At the end of the day though, I sometimes wonder how much the college actually do care.


Chris