Job Discussion Forums

Dish Washer · Joined: 13 Sep 2010 Posts: 4

I have some questions about the classroom monitors.

1. Is a monitor in every, single, class?

2. How are they chosen?

3. Why don't monitors communicate with the foreign teacher, instead of telling a coordinator or director to pass on a message about wanting more grammar, more listening, or games, or whatever.

I'm a newbie who's curious about this, as in the west, we never had monitors in class.

Do neighboring countries of Vietnam have monitors? Is this just a Vietnamese concept?

Andy123 · Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Posts: 206

A monitor is a nice name for their job. They are there to watch you. It is a power thing. Yes, other Asian countries have them but this concept seems to be the most accepted SOP.

One time a campus manager of one of the largest schools in the city told me to tell the other teachers that she had listening devices in the teacher's room. I'm certain it was BS. It is just a way to tell the teachers to be careful what you say.

snollygoster · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 478

You mean the "Snitch". She (it usually is a she, but not always) is expected to check that you are doing exactly what the boss wants, and ask the students if they like you.
Fortunately, the "monitor" is usually employed in the schools with shaky reputations and shady management- they are looking for any excuse to tip you out if you dont play to the party line.
Also, if you do any real teaching, (you know, with a modicum of academic integrity) the students may not "like" you because you actually have expectations of their academic progress and may even encourage (force) them to do some study or participate when they just want to speak Vietnamese, eat and drink in the class-room, take long breaks, and use their mobile phones.
If they dont like you, then the parents and other finance suppliers may not re-enrol. So if you want to be a teacher teacher instead of a happy clappy nice guy who plays games for no purpose other than to be a rock star, then maybe you are not a "good" teacher. Turf him/her out or we may have to pay for a Work Permit- get a new chum for 3 months and do the same!.

Your "monitor" is a snitch.
If you have a monitor (I dont mean a TA for low level classes) then you are working for the wrong school (is schoool the correct word? I dont think so- child minding facility.-Rip off joint)

Oh My God · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 273

otto88 · Joined: 16 Nov 2010 Posts: 3

hihi.. snolly, you crack me up.. lol

flyingmonkey · Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Posts: 24

But I thought that Vietnamese students had a lot of respect for a teacher's authority.

VietCanada · Joined: 30 Nov 2010 Posts: 590

My school puts an experienced (usually) Vietnamese teacher in the class with me. I love it. I work with these people to get the best possible outcomes for my students. Of course part of their job is to write reports about me, that is not a big secret.

If you can do the job with a reasonable degree of competence then classroom spies are not an issue. Keep the lines of communication open. If your school is run questionably then keep your resume out there and your options open.

You can go crazy worrying about stuff like this.

The Mad Hatter · Joined: 16 May 2010 Posts: 165

I don't know where you heard this about class monitors. Ive never seen one and I dont know where your explanation of one comes from because I've never had this. Its been my experience that anything that happens in the class will get back to the school support staff - good or bad. That's different than a co-teacehr. Schools like ILA & AHS have a Viet teacher in the room, and that's not the same as monitor. They are good to have around actually. You have to remember in general the culture is pretty much monitoring one another in their own way , always being curious, watching things. so it's just a fact of life here that you are in a fish bowl and you get used to it.

Andy123 · Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Posts: 206

Mad Hatter we are not talking about co-teachers. I know for a fact that many, many schools assign a class monitor (student) to classes. Trust people like Snollyguster and others who have been here awhile.

It occurs in several Asian countries as well.

deadlift · Joined: 08 Jun 2010 Posts: 267

A few years back doing some volunteering travel, and I agreed to do some teaching at a small university in one of the smaller cities.

When I arrived at one particular class, I noticed an older man dressed in woeful business attire, sitting at the back of the class. He stood in stark contrast to the other dozen or so 20 year old women students. For the whole time, he said nothing, even when I addressed him directly. I am quite sure he didn't even speak English.

I didn't bother asking anyone about it, but I am sure that the