Job Discussion Forums

Isla Guapa · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:11 pm Post subject:

Dear fields,

Is this job worth all this hassle, not to mention lack of respect? Are you being paid extremely well? Do you need this job to pay the rent? If the answer to these questions is no, then I suggest that you leave this position at the earliest possible opportunity and discourage fellow English teachers from taking your place!

MotherF · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:23 pm Post subject:

Dear Fields,

Tell them that in order to be on the cutting edge of teaching--and the Mexican government deserves nothing less than that--you need to be provided with a computer projector. Then use your laptop or other device to present lessons. You can even open a blank word document and type there rather than write on the board for things that come up during the class.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:27 pm Post subject:

Dear MotherF,

Do you think it likely that they'll spring for a computer projector when they're too cheap to provide a blackboard?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Seriously, I think the best realistic option is to recruit the students to assist in putting the request.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm Post subject:

Teacher in Rome · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286

I like Spiral's suggestion, but if the people responsible for the course are this unaware, they might also be very slow to take action. You may get your board - but after the course ends.

So I second JohnSlat's suggestion. Either that, or write on lots of pieces of paper and stick them on the walls. Or limit what you have to do on a BB. Lots of dictation of new words, lots more student participation / clarification; lots of post-it notes, flash cards, etc. More photocopies of your main teaching points instead of getting them to write stuff down - you can distribute handouts at the end of the lesson.

Do you also have other materials - books, CDs? If you've got these, and access to photocopiers / printers etc, you can do quite a lot of stuff without a BB.

artemisia · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 875 Location: the world

It depends really on how much you're willing to risk pushing them and having them pull the contract. I'd also question whether it's worth having the work given the lack of respect being shown.

There are a number of helpful suggestions that have already been made that may suffice. I'd consider getting back to the powers-that-be with an ultimatum IF I were prepared to lose the job. Either they provide a board of sorts or I'd have no choice but to divide the group up into mini sessions given the lack of one (and awkward seating).

Is the class a 90 minute session? With 15 students that's three groups of five that get 30 minutes each. It's possible to work with large paper (around a big table) with a small group of beginners and then you just re-use it for the next mini group.

That would be my 'expert' advice to them!! It's just as sensible as what they're suggesting. Wink

MotherF · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:01 pm Post subject:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Do they have an overhead projector you could use?
Does the room have a projector you could attach to your laptop so that you could display things from that? (If not, portable projectors are not that expensive, and I'm sure you'd find more uses for it.)

I'd bet people in the Peace Corps got / get by without chalk boards. What exactly do you have to teach them? Reading? Conversation? Writing? Depending on the needs of the students, if you really want this job, you'll find ways to minimize the need for a board. I have found too many teachers cover boards with unnecessary stuff anyway.

I taught a small company class once in a tiny room barely large enough for the space heater and table & chairs. Yeah, they had a white board, but the close proximity to the students made it easy to show them things on a white board I carried with me (large as a piece of paper). There's another option.