Job Discussion Forums

[veiledsentiments]

[mishmumkin]

[huntjuliehunt]

I disagree. I think less experienced teachers should get beginner courses. They're easier, and if a less experienced teacher doesn't know the most basic grammar, something is wrong.

And the last thing I want is someone supervising my class. The focus leaves the material, and turns to your nerves at being watched, and you end up teaching like a freaked out, red faced, robotic moron (if you're me.)

[flutterbayou]

Friends, I am non-plussed that not one person has commented on my claim that English and TESOL MA's are the pros to be teaching English.

For heaven's sake, we have accountants, social workers, nurses, and IT professionals teaching English with CELTA and DELTA certificates, as if knowing how to use language levels with knowing how to teach it.

As to not correcting speaking while someone is speaking, for sure, allowing a student to express her thoughts and claim that utterance is by far more important than pointing out errors. Besides, vernacular spoken English is granted more lenience than is written work.

I was directing programs that sent students to La Trobe University and the University of Tasmania. Both schools sent praises that while our Asian students made mistakes in written work, they were by far more pleased that they were able to share original ideas in the classroom, which contributions attributed highly to their success. They were less concerned with accurate mechanics being applied. (edited typo)

BTW, Steve Krashen is against nit-picking written work with corrections until the final draft. I agree with Borealis: tick the error with a code and require feedback on the subsequent draft. Students in my classes list the errors on the reverse side, state the nature of the error, and indicate what correct meansure(s) were taken.

Another factor gone amiss in teaching is class preparation time. It really makes my teeth curl to see a teacher show up for work 15 minutes before class, and reviewing the material for the first time over a quick cup of coffee. In my book, a lesson plan should be written and precise enough so that a substitute teacher could walk in and take over without trouble.


The point we should stress, though, is not what works for us, but what works for our students and the overall course objectives. Hearing about individuals' teaching styles is another way of claiming that self-discipline is a subjective matter. As for student criticism of unqualified teachers, well, sometimes they don't know what is in their best interests and they occasionally place responsibility for their poor study habits on their teachers.

Teaching is so much like parenting. To do well requires little, if any, time to admire one's own work.

[huntjuliehunt]

Flutter, if it makes you feel any better, I was thinking about your message while I was getting out of the shower today. I agree that a Masters is by far superior to a 4 week course certificate.

But I don't agree with your attack on someone who spends 15 minutes preparing a lesson over coffee. Some people can do it, and can do it well. I'm not one of them. If they can't do it well on 15 minutes preparation, then they'd better spend however much time it takes to do it well.

[007]

[flutterbayou]