Job Discussion Forums

[flutterbayou]

I'm home for the holidays and have been browsing the ESL sites for pleasure, and received an interesting email announcement from one of the job sites for Laughing Coyote.

The ad grabbed my interest because it claimed to follow a pure Chomsky methodology, as if this were viable. I wanted to know more about a school that sticks to one theorist in an age where language institutes engage all sorts of good methods and stumbled upon some disturbing issues.

First, their website posts a blacklist of people, with full names showing and home countries listed, and with a barrage of accusations that appear never to have been presented before a court of law.

Secondly, they post that all of their bad people came from Dave's ESL cafe and print, ver batim, that no one who is associated with Dave's may apply for a job. No one who has anything to do with Dave's ESL may apply, whatsoever.

Curiosity piqued, I requested a telephone interview. The person who called was so high strung and negative that I felt really sorry for her and ended the phone call after only 3 minutes of conversation.

What is going on with this school? Why is it so over the top about its suspicion of others? And why do they have so much trouble with their teachers, while claiming to be the best around?




Back to enjoying a hot cup of holiday tea.
And it didn't feel good.

[TheLongWayHome]

Where there's smoke there's fire I guess. Does commenting on this thread rule me out of job there?

[geaaronson]

I have no experience at all with Laughing Coyote, but consider this. If you think the initial contact was weird, how normal do you think working there would be?

[flutterbayou]

I just discovered something more to consider.

This school advertises that the first 4 weeks of work is training that is unpaid.

Later the school wrote me in an email that 90% of the people fail their training.

But here is the caveat: the training costs each "hiree" 1500 USD.

Is it possible that, in order to create enough revenue to subsist, this "school" fraudulently brings in people to train, knowing fully that they have no intention of providing a job after training?

I did not like that Laughing Coyote prejudices this website we all enjoy, and forwarded on the exchange to the Administrator here.

I also think that people must protest the public blacklisting of teachers that has taken place. Though criminals walk the world, we must prove their guilt and not attack people who have no means of protecting themselves. It is against international laws to libel others.

[MO39]

In the recent past there've been a number of negative posts about Laughing Coyote on Dave's, hence the black-listing of ESL-Caf� participants by this school. Do a search and you'll see what I'm talking about.

[flutterbayou]

Interesting.

I hope not to ramble but I have reported this principal to two email abuse carriers due to 9 attacking emails her office has sent me today.

I haven't answered them; they just keep on a comin'.

It's worth a search if any newbies had considered applying, unknowing it would cost them a bundle.

Like the colors in your avatar - beautiful.

[Elkythedogsperson]

Some of you may remember flame wars started over this school. The owners are very good at getting threads removed by replying with pure vindictiveness and slamming any negative comments about them. It has happened here, on ESL Base, and on the old TEFL School Reviews board. There is currently one remaining review at http://www.teflschoolreviews.com/laughing-coyote-school-in-nayarit-20081109.html. An interesting thread that shows these tactics is at http://bbs.oaxaca.com/read.php?5,63689,63689.

I am a Coyote survivor, one of those listed on their infamous blacklist. I know of no foreign teachers who are not family members who have managed to survive one year at that school. When I left in May they had no American teachers left on staff except the AC's son (the AC being the American wife of the owner and undoubtably being the person you spoke with.)

I wonder how long this thread will stay up.

I congratulate you on picking up on the issues you noted.

[MO39]

[jprimm]

All I can say, and I am on the Black list, that these people are really crazy! They are mentally ill and no one has lasted there except the owner's baby boy. Stay away!!!! If they ever return to the United States I will sue them for libel and slander.

[flutterbayou]

I've pm'd you..When libel occurs across international zones, an individual can sue for libel.

I have pasted you a document sent to me today.

[MO39]

[john_n_carolina]

....that no one lasts 6 months or a year is just a bad sign for them. they could blacklist the Pope and still no one would want to work there anymore.

90% failing rate? what are you studying for, the NY Bar?