Job Discussion Forums

[struelle]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently doing an RSA CELTA course in Bangkok, exactly at the half-way point. I'm readjusting my goals and expecations since when I first started, given the feedback I've experienced so far. For those who have taken the course before, I'd appreciate some advice on what to expect in the second half, and tips to 'survive and thrive'.

I had two years teaching experience before I went in, and entered with the expectation that the course would be a challenge, very interesting, and certainly passable. I figured I'd get an 'above average' pass, given the feedback I had at my previous teaching jobs.

Well, those perceptions changed pretty quickly. And not for the better, unfortunately. But to start off with the positives: the course is very interesting, and I've learned more in 2 weeks than in 2 years about the English language and how to teach concepts and meaning. I've met lots of great colleauges, and exchanged ideas. We work very well in groups, and teamwork is excellent. I've learned lots about lesson planning and teaching techniques, and have improve confidence a lot.

So what's the problem? Well, the tutors are bitingly frank in their crticisms, in both lesson planning and in teaching. That's great, in they help us by pointing out where we can improve our teaching. They don't sugercoat their comments, either. But the way they approach it is like, "This is the way you should teach. This is the answer. If you don't do it like this, you're wrong." This kind of approach does little to encourage, the effect is the opposite.

During input sessions, when they elicit answers to their questions, they are only looking for one response. If a person answers with something that's not what the tutors want, even if it's valid, they say it's wrong.

In looking at the comments for my lesson plans, they are all to standard, but the comments get progressively harsher and the tutor is more dissatisfied as the course goes on. This is despite the fact I follow his advice and adjust future lessons based on what I've received. Moreover, he writes some personal and global criticisms that are not specific and don't offer and constructive points to improve. He does this to many teachers.

I'm still very interested in the course, and the EFL profession in general, but right now my goal is simply to pass and get the piece of paper. I think most of us are stressed out from the past 2 weeks, and we underestimated how tough this course was going to be.

For those who have survied the 4 weeks, what's the best approach you'd offer at this point in time?

Take care,
Steve

[guty]

Treat it like a driving test, tell them what they want to hear, make it as easy for yourself as possible to get through. Once youve finished the course evaluate their comments objectively, armed with your Certificate.
Good luck

[khmerhit]

DO WHAT THE TUTORS SAY-- DO NOT ARGUE WITH THEM -- TRY NOT TO TAKE THE CRITICISM PERSONALLY, THEY ARE JUDGING YOUR TECNIQUE NOT YOU -- IN THE THIRD WEEK THE FURTHER INCREASE IN PRESSURE IS DELIBERATE AND CALCULATED TO BE UNFAIR -- STAY ON TOP OF ASSIGNMENTS -- BE ON TIME -- REMEMBER IT IS A MINDGAME -- ACCEPT THE FEEDBACK AND USE IT IN THE NEXT LESSONS TO SHOW THEM THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANT -- GRASP THE CONCEPTS -- PLAN YOUR LESSONS DOWN TO THE SECOND -- REMEMBER WAR IS HELL BUT THIS ISNT WAR

[dduck]

Survival tips?

Count down the number of days.
Do not go out on a bender or break up with your girlfriend during the course.
Have someone prepare your meals.
Sleep.
Think of your trainers as GODS when you are in their presence, and DEVILS when you're not.
Always appear obedient.
Complain bitterly about the course in private - to reduce stress.
Lean on your team mates, let them lean on you.
Make the course your first and last priority
And finally
Make plans to celebrate the end of the course IN A BIG WAY!

Iain

[dyak]

The guys above have pretty much covered it; but from my own experience, make sure you teach the students what you're supposed to be teaching them within the allotted time... sounds simple I know but make sure your trainer hears the students producing whatever you've taught them at the end of the lesson and all will be sweet.

Oh... and if you're teaching tenses, draw time lines!

[struelle]

[Stephen Jones]

I had a friend who did a CELTA many years after gettiing a PGCE and with years of experience under his belt. This was in the ear;y 1980's and the tutor was par for the course; ignorant, snobbish and with an insecurity problem that all the Homeland defense in the world won't protect you against.

At one point they were emphasizing their latest fad. No teacher "echoing". This means if a student says something you mustn't repeat it in correct pronunciation. Now this, like the advice they gave that only 10-20% of the time should be teacher talk is correct, but when my friend pointed out that when he did his PGCE ten years earlier he would have failed if he hadn't echoed, the response was glacial.

You will be taught a load of fads that change every five years by social, personal, professional and intellectual inadequates.

It's a cult. Nobody really chooses TEFL as a career. They just choose it because it's a stepping stone to something else. If you realize that you will be a good teacher, and a good teacher trainer. If you don't, you'll be a @rshole, and the RSA world is full of them.

[struelle]

[leeroy]

On the first day of my DELTA, one of my tutors did a bit of explaining about how it differed from the CELTA, not just in content but in style too.

He saw the CELTA as prescriptive - "This is how you should teach". It was the bare minimum you could do in 4 weeks to make sure a teacher didn't screw up their lessons in the real world too badly. For people who have never taught before (as I hadn't) this is fine - but those who have years of teaching experience understandably question it a bit more.

The DELTA, he said, was less about "following the path the tutor sets" and more about taking responsibility for your own professional development - which is then assessed.

(Hmmm. 7 weeks into it, I'm not sure that's 100%, but still...)

[nomadder]

It does sound like Survivor except with one person always in charge. This explains the scary "head teacher" I had in my first job who had taken this course and of course saw my TEFL course(and hence me and my coworkers) as substandard. Please don't let them brainwash you into becoming one of them. When questioned about some of her CELTA techniques she didn't have any answers(or understanding). It was like that awful rote learning the Asians are often criticized for. Much of what she told me to try did not work very well.

Hard to believe this is the standard for teaching in many parts of the world. Since this military training camp style comes from England I'm wondering if this is at all indicative of what you might find in a Masters program there. If so I think I'll find another country.

Good Luck OP!

[bobo the clown]

Steve, the truth is, those people that are teaching you how to teach are no more qualified to teach you than you are to teach them. The only difference is that they kissed the right a** to have the power to give you that piece of paper you so desperately need.

After the four week course you will realize a few things:
1)you probably could have taught the course yourself and offered the encouragement that you and your team needed at a third of the cost
2)that piece of paper means sh*t (I have met great teachers with no CELTA certificate and have employeed awful teachers with a CELTA)
3)With the right amount of discipline everything you learned in the course you could have learned on the internet with goggle searches
4)Those people teaching you have a standard to uphold, but generally everyone passes...you have paid 2000USD for that paper, right?

My advice to you. RELAX it will be over soon.

BoboTC

[Cleopatra]

Struelle,

Don't make the same mistake I did! Like you, I had a few years experience when I did my CELTA, and so already had my own approach to teaching. When I communicated this to my trainers, they were not amused. My classmates said they were stunned when I only got a "Pass" - they had all expected me to get at least a B. Looking back, I reckon my lack of subservience got me downgraded, though I do say so myself!

It's good that you are not being fooled by the lets-all-discuss-things-together sessions. Despite sitting in an 'egalitarian' circle and supposedly being encouraged to air our own views in an 'open' manner, it's all window dressing. As you said, the trainers only want their own views reiterated back to them - express your own opinion, as I did, and you will get punished for them.

So, my advice is, bite your tongue, nod politely at all suggestions and you'll sail through!

[struelle]

After the four week you will realize a few things:

[quote="bobo the clown"]1)you probably could have taught the course yourself and offered the encouragement that you and your team needed at a third of the cost
2)that piece of paper means sh*t (I have met great teachers with no CELTA certificate and have employeed awful teachers with a CELTA)[/quote="bobo the clown"]

You're right, of course, and it's not difficult to arrange this sort of training. Heck, I was the senior teacher at the school in Shanghai before doing this course, so I know the TEFL talk and the TEFL walk. Also, your advice was the same I got before doing the course. I was warned, so to speak

So why do it? Well, long-term career planning, mostly. Yeah, the piece of paper doesn't mean much. I've seen teachers with CELTA's who have taught teacher centred and boring classes, and likewise, great teachers with no certificate.

But as the TEFL market heats up and gets more competitive (and Shanghai is a barometer of that for China) certification for teachers will likely be more and more needed. No more jumping off a plane and into a classroom. CELTA is the most well known globally on the market. Other certificates exist, but for a long-term competitive advantage, I may as well go for the top brand name. I suppose going for a Trinity wouldn't hurt. But it's those lesser-known brands, or no certificate at all, that may be a poor investment.

I think the piece of paper doesn't make much of a difference on how good a teacher is. Merit and skill are more important. The course teaches some of that. But, as trends continue in this market, more employers are looking for certification as way to screen people out. Reality bites, but it's reality. So, it makes sense to get the certification, keep the skills I've got, and use the piece of paper as a marketablity boost.

[dyak]

I do agree, you have to �play the game� to a certain extent to get that piece of paper but where the �feed back� was concerned, I became stubborn.

We�d all get into a circle with the trainer, and everyone�s lessons would be dismantled, picked apart, flamed or even praised in turn. They�d pair us off sometimes too, so that we�d have to give a detailed view of that person�s lesson to them, then to the group. It always made me feel incredibly uncomfortable, to the point where I really didn�t want to comment at all save to say what I thought was positive. The trainers eventually took me aside and implied that I was somehow disrespecting my colleagues by not being �honest� about their performance. Now, some of the lessons I saw were complete crap (in my humble opinion� no, they really were) but the last thing you need when you�re under that much pressure is your colleague telling you that� plus, I really don�t think that 60 minutes teaching (I hadn�t taught before the course) qualifies me to even give that detailed an opinion, especially to those who�d been teaching for years.

I guess it also depends on the nature of the trainees; I had the most wonderfully supportive group around me� and people who do this course are generally intelligent and more than capable of self-evaluation, you knew why the lesson was bad, you know what to do next time� you don�t need to be put in the stocks. The only �benefit� I can see with the OTT feedback is to bring back down to the earth those of the �I speak it therefore I can teach it� persuasion, but trainers are rarely a selective bunch.

[nomadder]

Ouch! Reminds me of the observations I had with my CELTA trained "head" teacher. After the first one I would have rather stepped in front of a firing squad than her.