Job Discussion Forums

[voodoochild]

So, TEFL eh? .... read this and weep..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?xml=/education/2004/01/17/teftefl17.xml

It was written a couple of years ago but on the nail..!!

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[Gordon]

That article was bantered about a year or 2 ago here.

Makes me glad not to be teaching in Europe.

[voodoochild]

Yeah I remember seeing that article here a while back however its not just in Europe now it also getting this way in Japan... Nova? Geos? ALT work? all the same ...

quoted from the article....

" ..Of equally questionable value are the language-teaching religions championed by the various "method schools", such as Super Rapid and Berlitz, where I once worked for two hilarious months. These are based on a narrow set of beliefs, zealously applied, about how English is learnt. In general, grammar and analysis are avoided, the methodology is highly formalised, and it is strictly verboten to address the students in their own language." ...

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[fluffyhamster]

The article was also discussed over on the Teacher forums:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=2796

[william wallace]

nil

[william wallace]

nil

[expatben]

This is why we need to make EFLTU stronger. It reminds me of an exercise I once did as a student. We went into groups of 4, our teacher told us to make bags out of paper and for every bag he would pay 3 rupees (we were pretending to be in India). So anyways we made our bags and when the time came our teacher came he offered us only 1 rupee. We were not happy but he said if we refused he would go to the other groups. Reluctantly we accepted.
It turns out we all gave up and took the deal and thats when he told us the lesson-which is what I am saying now-
if we all band together in solidarity, if we all realise that we are professionals we have something that we have something they need than maybe, just maybe we can make a better deal for us all.

Check out the union website lets all band together. If we refuse to work for bad schools they will close. No teachers= no schools=no money for fat cat owners.
So strike, protest and never stop demanding our worth!

[ls650]

[Justin Trullinger]

I have taught EFL, briefly, in Italy- and the situation described by the author of that much circulated article is certainly true.

So is the situation of having a good job with a stable income.

It depends on what you look for, what you're qualified for, and what you're ready for. It's no wonder that that sad lot of losers described in the article had the jobs they had- being pathetic isn't a marketable skill.

Teaching is a fairly marketable skill, though. And if you have the skills and training to do it right, you wouldn't be working for the scary bitch described in the article.

Best,
Justin

[expatben]

Thats great and of course its everyone's right not to be in the union.
I am in the union because I believe the fight for better working conditions cannot be fought individually. Its us vs them them of course being the fat cat owners that exploit the teachers (note, I am not generalising, some owners are great). Rather than have corruption vs 1 ESL teacher lets us all get together and take on the machine!
It doesn't have to be a "union." All I am saying is that we need to remember we bring something to the table that owners do not, they do need us to stay in business.

[Justin Trullinger]

Historically, unions have been effective in closed labour pools, especially those with high levels of union membership. (A single factory, a single company of industry, a single trade, or a "company town.")

This is because, through their members common commitment, they can more of less control the availability of labour. In a lot of factories, if most workers are union members, they can effectively shut down production, and although in some countries this is now rare, it's this power, and the threat of using it, that gives a union it's bargaining power.

Historically, unions have been less effective in trades with a larger, or more elastic labour pool- as union ability to strike is hampered by the fact that they really don't control the labour pool- and if union workers walk out, they are easily replaceable. (I'm afraid that large, elastic labour pool is a good description of us, guys.)

Another thing to remember is that unions, as the very word implies, depend on unity for their strength- this tends to be only possible when they are facing, and fighting against, the same problems, abuses, and excesses. While I'm the first to admit that in TEFL, problems, abuses, and excesses aren't in short supply, they tend to vary from place to place. Since we all have different problems, depending on our locations, the idea of a common solution is weakened.

Lastly, unions generally do best tackling one opponent at a time. I know of a language institute in Spain where one teacher joined the local teacher's union, and convinced colleagues to join him. They were able to make some significant changes in labour conditiions in that institute. But these had no effect on the conditions at the school down the road, if you see what I mean. Even less in the schools in the next country.

TEFL as an industry is too widely spread out, and has no central governing body or structure. More or less by definition, it doesn't fall within the laws, customs, and practices of any one country. This makes it hard to unify the fight, when we're all fighting separate enemies.

I believe in organised labour, expatben. Send me the details, and if it looks good, I'll certainly join. But the idea of it significantly affecting the conditions of TEFL work where I am strike me as slim, for the reasons I mentioned. I think a better option may be local level organisation and solidarity. And TEFL workers aren't a big enough population in any place I've been to do it alone. We should be unifying with local teachers and other workers, English speaking and otherwise, to address the serious problems that exist on local and national levels.

Here, the problems I see most are: short term contracts, and no job stability. Abusive conditions, especially regarding late pay, unreasonable schedules, no fixed disciplinary procedures, and dismissal without appropriate process. No grievance procedures. But I know that these things, here, aren't really symptomatic of TEFL internationally, but of the local situation for all workers who aren't owners. And I don't see how those things can be fixed for TEFLers until and unless they become the law of the land, for everybody. And to me, even if TEFLers could somehow get those things first, it would be an awfully hollow victory. Solidarity means that we all have to get there together, not that some of us go first.

Best regards,
Justin

[expatben]

You make a good point Justin, several actually. When you think about it, any trade has a large pool. What we could have are local chapters for regions in every country. When an ESL teacher goes to a new region they can check the unions black list-something else we need.
I'm not saying a global wide revoltion is the way to go but locally we could do it.
For more info log on to www.efltu.org

[paulmanser]

Ignore that article. It's a load of bull. Every profession is looked at from pos and neg side. Personally in my situation I have nothing to lose. For me in the UK its either the RAF or TEFL. I choose TEFL. There are no good jobs in the UK with great satisfaction, unless were talking high flying jobs that require a MA.

I read that article AGES AGO. Big deal.

[expatben]

Actually there is something I would like to point out-I just finished a 2 week holiday course and will expect a �444 pay check and an extra �125 for travel reinbursment. Now, I have a friend who works in a factory wiring AC generators and he actually earns less as does his work mates. Its not just ESL that pay low wages.
As for career advancements what about senior teachers? Dos'? Maybe owning your school one day?

[voodoochild]

�444 for 2 weeks?...that wouldnt go far in England especially after paying the rent in London....