Job Discussion Forums

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Would you teach'em?

Would you refuse'em?

Would you take a midnight run?

Would you be creative?

Cheers and beers to all hard working laowais in China

Shan-Shan · Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 1074 Location: electric pastures

Personally, I prefer not being given "a plan" or course materials. Schools here are guided by brains without a single cell of TEFL awareness; thus their attempts to create materials and a curriculum for English programs only interfere in the success of such programs.

Better to rely on my own experience, training and ability to develop materials myself. Mr. Wang or Professor Lee are only capable of obstruction and reduction of quality.

DistantRelative · Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Posts: 367 Location: Shaanxi/Xian

Truthfully, if you've been in China for a couple years, by now you should have enough material put away to teach a month or 2 without stressing about it.

Zhuhao,

Shawn

mandu · Joined: 29 Jul 2004 Posts: 794 Location: china

i think being given a plan is a good idea,it gives you a base to start from then you can add your own ideas into the lesson

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

i've yet to have a school give me a plan. just as well, i prefer to do it on my own anyway.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

i've yet to have a school give me a plan. just as well, i prefer to do it on my own anyway.

PattyFlipper · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 572

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

If I get a plan I use it for five minutes at the start of the class and then get on with teaching material that at least has some interest in it for students. This way I keep management happy plus the students. So is life!

Kootvela · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 513 Location: Lithuania

Having one group would be a paradise for creativity. Having seven plus working on Saturdays is just what seems right for a plan with little deviation.

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

one small group, i'd say..hate working weekends though

Anda, i miss your fine avatar...i agree with you on that getting students interested in our lessons, however i must say that whatever one does has got to be academically useful

plans for such courses could be a real headache, since employers often think of money only..they don't tell you much with respect to ages, the length of courses, or the students' level at times..creating a plan under those circumstances may not be as easy

then, there're some rather peculiar academic materials your employers may provide you with..often the employers do not think of any supplementaries to the course books too..run, reason or take it are options, but you've got to realize you'll be the one standing in front of those 25 or so young learners having their own expectations of you Smile

given the circumstances that we're the experienced "experts", i'd agree with posters that say their own material is easiest to work with, but still i'd be worried who i'd give it to and what they'd want from me with repsect to students Wink

by the way, some ch-employers have previously "COPIED" my academic material before, so if you want to keep it to yourselves and your students, do consider how you use your office computers, printers and the chinese ever high quality copy machines

cheers and beers to our winter courses, but no cheers or beers to this wintery weather that keeps my turtles and me so very cold we are drinking WARM BEER