Job Discussion Forums

[Cleopatra]

Don't you just dread hearing your DOS utter those words?

Because you know your pesky students have gone behind your back and com plained about you!

Never mind, however - you're not alone. Here's some advice on how to deal with this inevitable part of a teacher's life.

http://www.bebeyond.com/cgi-bin/BBS.pl?ID=p%2BZ9gs%3D%5BR%3A5%40%3D%2F&theme=Learning

[johnslat]

Dear Cleopatra,
Great site - funny but unfortunately all too often all too true. The ones who really suffer from this, in my experience, are the "newbies" at a place. The students know they're new and they also know they're much more vulnerable. In the Kingdom, if you do manage to stay around a while, you almost always start accumulating some "wasta" and most of the time, after a while, you can become darn near "fireproof". This is bad -IF it encourages the asbestos-lined one to slack off. But if not, it's a blessing from above; you can do your "strict thing" (such as actually giving homework and expecting it to be done), and not have to worry overmuch about the possible repercussions. Well, unless the student has even more "wasta" than you do, that is.
Regards,
John

[ls650]

That's weird; I've never had students complain about me (that I know of, anyhow). I guess I must be one of those evil "Popular Teacher"s.

[Glenski]

I haven't checked that site, so apologies in advance.

At my eikaiwa, two of us teachers heard from the staff that "your students" have complained about something. It is very important to pin down the staff on one point...how many students actually complained? When our staff used the plural "students", we got them to clarify, and as it turned out, there was only one person.

Maintain a good relationship with your staff so that there is no "we" and "us" atmosphere between you. We made sure that our staff knew the fine details of the complaining students, that they were chronic complainers, that they showed up late, that they were troublemakers of various natures in the class even with the other students, etc. In 99% of the cases, we got the staff to side with us and see the light. The staff is most concerned about public image, and this is rightfully so, but with careful, tactful discussions, they will work with you and understand where you come from, and they will not see you as trying to teach/administer your class solely with western techniques.

[foster]

yesterday, after I had my compostion book returned to me by my panel head, I was told that parents may complain to the principal directly and that what they hear from the kids are not always what happens, but the parents believe the kids.

I dont know if that was a thinly veiled warning that someone has called about me or what, but it has made me nervous. I have not been pulled into the office yet, but who knows. No news is good news??? I personally would rather know since I am sure that with my students being all Chinese and me being Canadian, there are some differences of opinion and I have done something that was taken the wrong way.

Either way, I would prefer to know rather than these little threats and innuendos.

[Roger]

As a kid, I was never allowed to complain about teachers, and it would have been futile anyway, given the power pyramid in those days.
Students assessing teachers was therefore something revolutionary for me when I first encountered it in China of all places.
I still passed my probation at several normal schools and colleges, but the certainty that xenophobically-indoctrinated Chinese learners have a handle is an upsetting one.
I am positive that this ensures the lowering of standards that anyone can witness here. Pleasing students more important than pushing them towards excellence?

[Alex Shulgin]

I keep detailed records of every lesson and any problem with student attitude. I also give lots of homework and only ask for it once, I keep a record of who doesn't do each piece of homework.

I also don't bother with groups if I get a complaint about me. There is so much work around right now that I just tell the school that if the group aren't happy with me I don't want to teach them anymore.

The one thing that really fucks me off about Poles is that they will bitch extensively behind your back but never say a word to your face. The last time I got a complaint it was when one of my students understood me as saying exactly the opposite of what I was saying. I knew which student it was because the other three in the group had discussed the topic and all agreed with what I had said. One student was catching up on some paperwork and only half listening. But when I spoke to them about it at the next lesson that one student denied even hearing the discussion!

[Cleopatra]