Job Discussion Forums

[annwalls]

Hi. I am a young female just starting out teaching in QRO. I�ve had positive experiences in the past in Mexico, but I�ve always taught groups of young adults and teens. I found it easy to engage them and plan activities that they�d be into - high fun and energy level, lots of moving around, pop culture references, partner work, etc. etc.
So now I�m entering into the business terrain, which appears to be where the best paid jobs are here. I just really don�t know much about the whole business culture here, though. I know a 40-year-old executive likes to have fun once in awhile just like the rest of us, but I just don�t think the activities I used with younger students would appeal. Add to that the fact that my classes will now mostly be one-on-one, which changes the dynamic....
Any insights about business culture in Mexico? Cultural things? Pointers for a young woman working mostly one-on-one with older men? Suggestions? Please?

[Guy Courchesne]

Generally speaking, I find such business English classes - especially the one-on-one types - to be very focussed on the language needs of that person or the business. That might often mean going over presentations, emails, corporate literature, etc, and less about a structured program.

I've used Market Leader and other off-the-shelf business English series in such classes, but heavily adapted them to work around the students' needs.

[Samantha]

It will depend on the level of English your student has, as to what is important for him to accomplish. Do lesson plans on that basis. Grammar rules seemed important to the business types I have taught, so brush up on that area. Be prepared to answer the question "what's the rule?" after making a point. I would dress conservatively for classes, which is what I think Guy meant when he said "smart". That's really important. Keep the relationship strictly business. I believe there is a forum on teaching business English here on Dave's.

[MELEE]

[qrogirl]

I used to (when I was young!) teach businessmen in QRO, mostly in small groups rather than one-on-one. I do think being a young female is something of a disadvantage when teaching older male students. Early on, I noticed some students bristled visibly when I corrected their mistakes. A young female being any kind of authority figure is very difficult for most Mexican men, I think. I felt like I had to tiptoe around egos more so than with college students, for example.

I tried to keep the class atmosphere light-hearted, in order to take the sting out of correcting mistakes, and also to make the class more enjoyable. The students were co-workers anyways, and tended to joke around with each other. So I encouraged a relaxed atmosphere. I very probably undermined my own authority in doing that, but I don't know that I would it very differently, if I could do it over.

I dressed conservatively. I don't know how you want to define "sleazebag" but my (married) students asked me out, not infrequently. And often repeatedly. Declining firmly but politely usually works. Only one of them turned kind of stalker on me.

[TheLongWayHome]

[Guy Courchesne]

I guess I'd have to say DF is very different from the provinces in this respect, in my experience here. I've had a lot of classes that were mixed gender in the office, and never really saw machismo there. In some classes where it's just been the boys, then yeah, they'll joke around. Here however, it's very common to find women in executive and management positions, and I doubt any guy would dare put his job on the line by belittling a superior, equal, or underling female worker.

[TheLongWayHome]

[MO39]