Job Discussion Forums

[pogoniasis]

Hello all.. I got my first English teaching job in March at a small language school in Oristano, Sardinia. I've been teaching here for just over four months. I got my contract extended from summer work and two weeks into it, today, I get fired.

I believed for the four months I've been here that I've worked hard and done well, considering that I was preparing different classes for PET, FCE, CAE examinations and also doing more general teaching in preperation for Trinity exams.. Obviously these are all exams that I have had no prior experience with and have had to learn what is required for each as I go and got offered little in the way support or guidance, as the DoS was incredibly busy herself.

They do these standard lessons and also chat lessons which are structured with language games and activities to get the students talking. The problem comes down to these chat lessons.. I was told a while back that I am too reserved with the students and tried to work on it and thought I was doing all right, but still felt the classes to be a little awkward and forced and with these summer courses, the groups are very large (~12 students) and they assigned two teachers to each group to make it more managable. As the other teachers were more experienced than me, I would let them take the lead and manage the class and I would help out where needed or take half the group if they were divided in two for an activity. This was seen as me not participating and being too reserved again. They also do these chat lessons with beginner and elementary classes, which I think simply doesn't work, as they don't know enough English to have any sort of productive conversation.

So they let me go earlier today, saying that they weren't comfortable jeaporidising the possibility of students signing up for courses next year with me being too shy and reserved in the chat classes.

So, rant over. I just feel a little blue at the moment and am wondering whether perhaps teaching isn't the job for me.. My plan was to continue teaching next year in mainland Italy and still is really.. They said at the school that they'd still give me a positive reference.. I just feel a little shaken by being fired and have less belief in my own ability as a teacher. Does anyone have experience with this? It's a pretty shitty feeling to get fired from your first job. So I was hoping maybe some of you have some advice that might be helpful.

[smithrn1983]

Really sorry to hear about your situation, but I wouldn't let it get you down too much. You did do well with the Cambridge exam classes, after all, and these are no walk in the park, even for experienced teachers. I know a few teachers who have been in the profession for years, and still refuse to teach these classes because they can be so challenging. In short, well done to you for doing it, especially with limited experience.

As for getting fired, well, that sucks but it's by no means the end of the world. Different schools all have different priorities. Some language schools are genuinely interested in educating their students and hire teachers who can help their students achieve their goals. Other schools focus less on this and tend to hire 'edutainers'. And, of course, there's a wide range of schools in between, and from the sound of it, the place where you worked was in this range, though I cannot say for sure.

If teaching really is what you want to do, then you should give it another shot. Try to find schools that are strictly interested in education, and who judge their teachers based on student progress. In future interviews, highlight your success with the exam classes, and point out that your goal is to educate your students. When the issue of your dismissal comes up, be honest about it, explain the situation fully, and that you're trying to be more extroverted in class while pointing out that your goal is primarily to educate students not entertain them.

There is a balance to be struck between the two, but in my experience, students stick around and give you recommendations and referrals based on the former far more than the latter.

[nomad soul]

Smithrn1983 offers sound advice. Pogoniasis, it's not that you weren't a good fit for the job---the job wasn't a good fit for you. Consider this an opportunity to not just think about what went wrong, but what went right as well. In other words, don't dwell on the negatives because of one bad experience but remind yourself of your strengths as a teacher. Best of luck and hopefully your next teaching job will be in a supportive environment.

[Teacher in Rome]

[pogoniasis]

Thanks very much for the kind words. I did get the feeling they wanted entertainers sometimes, more than teachers. The manager of the school also has very little idea about teaching and how it works, having never actually taught himself.. He also speaks very little English so the DoS had to sit in a translate as he fired me and she was obviously upset at having to let me go. I do feel like I worked my ass off at times trying to learn about the exams and prepare appropriate material and they never really acknowledged this but, hey.

I'm still a little unclear as to what the problem was exactly, I know the jist of it but I'm hoping to have a chat with the DoS without the manager being there as I'll probably get a clearer picture as I believe my lessons to have been going well and several students said personally to me how much they enjoyed the lessons. It's just the damn chat sessions.

Regarding the possibility of it being an unfair dismissal, the problem there is that my contract finished at the end of June and this is basically summer work being paid cash in hand, with no real contract backing it up.. So probably not a lot I can do in that regard.

I was thinking of using this time to fly to someplace on the mainland and hunt around language schools there.. See if there's the possibility of work for the next school year.. Do you think this is a good idea or will I most likely be wasting my time and money (which I don't have all that much of)?

[naturegirl321]

Sorry to hear about that. We have conversation classes here and the students don't seem to be satisfied. We think they think they can learn through osmosis

You ask a question and they all look down at their desks. the other day I asked them what they wanted to do and they said
1. Play hangman (not really conversational)
2. Listen to me tell my life story (my English is fantastic, I don't need to practice and this isn't a lecture class)
3. Have me bring my friends to class (sorry, no can do)
4. Have foreign students enrol (I asked the director, but they don't do that either)

Summary? Students don't always know what they want. If they want to get better at English and enrol in a conversation class, they should know that they will be expected to have a conversation. Not just listen to the teacher talk. And not stare at their desks.

My two cents. Don't worry. I'm sure you did fine, it depends a lot on the boss, students, and school. I'm sure next time you'll find a better fit.

[fladude]

Let me chime in on behalf of the usual responders on here:

1) It is obvious from your post that you are party boy and not serious about teaching. Quit today.
2) You are bad teacher.
3) You are no good because you are not from english speaking country.
4) You are bad person.

Just kidding!!! Some bosses are morons. Move on and work someplace else. I've been fired before myself... it happens. The boss probably wanted to hire one of their friends.

[Chris Westergaard]

Sorry about your situation, but I wouldn't pull the plug on teaching yet. Teaching is a skill. You are untrained and don't know what you are doing. Those are the facts.

My advice is to look around, find who's considered the best teacher at the school or at some schools and watch their lessons. You have to animated as a teacher, you have to engaging. If you are shy or reserved - unfortunately you are probably doing something wrong. Teaching is about communication. You are the ambassador of the language and culture. Your job, besides language instructions is to get these students motivated and get them excited.

Find a teacher that is doing this and copy them. Yes it is act, but there is a performance side to teaching and you seem to be lacking that element.

[Teacher in Rome]