Job Discussion Forums

[the new guy]

Hello.

I have been having some trouble with the behaviour of some of the students in my class.

I had a small discussion with the owner the other day asking what i could do to solve the problem, as my solutions didn't work. The owner said that he didn't have any time at the moment to talk about it, even as he was just sitting in the corridor lighting up a cig, but yet continued to discuss other matters with me related to other things.

Nice of him to care. Nice to know that there is no support from the upper level.

[Sonnet]

Apologies if this sounds harsher than it should, but;

What have you done to earn his support? You work in a field in which 90% (at a guess, worldwide) of employees leave or move on after a year or less. The only way an EFL teacher can command any kind of deserved respect from their employer is if they work consistently hard for a period of time & show commitment to an institution and its students.

Otherwise? Blame all the fly-by-nighters who besmirch your reputation, I guess. Or turn into one of them.

[Sonnet]

Edit: Double post. Darned Chinese internet speeds...

[dixie]

[fluffyhamster]

Unless the composition of the class leaves a lot to be desired (e.g. toddlers in with going on teenagers), classroom dynamics and discipline are ultimately the teacher's responsibility, and most employers would expect us to be able to find at least partial solutions ourselves to problems - it's part of why we've been hired, the duties of the job; that being said, I'd be suspicious of a boss who wasn't at all sympathetic or appeared to have no suggestions at all for any teacher who'd felt the need to ask (the least they should give a genuinely clueless teacher is a rocket LOL).

Anyway, why not tell us what the specific problem is with the class itself and see what advice us caring souls on Dave's can come up with to help.

[dixie]

[soapdodger]

Just guessing, but I would suspect that any class with behavioural problems is going to be little kids or young teenagers. I would say it is absolutely essential to have a good knowledge of the native language to teach this kind of age, or have someone in the classroom to assist who can, otherwise behaviour problems are going to happen and are going to get out of control because the kids, who see it as a bit of fun, are going to take advantage of the teacher's lack of class control vocab, and their perceived inability to understand instructions in English. Having tried young learners ( I tend to find the bones get stuck in your throat though) my advice to people who aren't specially trained is don't even think about it, especially women who might think they love kids and are all motherly...you'll have a nervous breakdown.

[fluffyhamster]

The problem soap is that employers expect everyone to be willing if not able to handle young learners, and sometimes no amount of pleading will enable you to avoid the on-the-job learning experience, the shrink's fees etc. About the only time I heard of somebody getting out of having to teach kids was when a guy was being expected to visit the same elementary schools a second year running - it would've been a bit too much to have him develop further materials and/or avoid repitition with up to six grades to cover (the boards of education are usually of no help or use when it comes to actual teaching, with useful and/or exciting English etc).

[the new guy]

thanks for all your input.

I work at a private language school. mostly adults 17+

the problem stems from a student (male, 23-27,old enough to know how to act) He constantly comes into the classroom late, makes plenty of noise when doing so, talks to the other students in the class all the time.

I told him one time that if he wants to talk, he can leave the room, because it is disruptive to all the other students that are paying good money to learn. If I don't teach, they don't learn. simple.

According to the owner that was not the right approach to take. I asked what I should have done differently, and the owner said that he had no time to discuss it. (read original post)

He claims to have been teaching for 10 years, but could not have offered me any pointers.

As for things now, we have had a major falling out. Teachers that just started 2 months ago are getting my hours. I've gone from 22-28/week to 16. So I confronted him about this, and he said he is the owner and can do what he wants with the schedule, and if I don't like it, I am free to leave. I have a feeling he is going to play a game of attrition to make me leave, because he hasn't the cojones to fire me and has no-one to replace me and no native speakers. Now I know why he can't keep any.

And I have a strong feeling that he will not pay me all that I am owed. I plan on leaving soon. I already have a new job lined up. If I do not get paid what I am owed, I am considering telling him, that he will regret doing that. I could easily go back to my home country and notify the authorities in that schools country that I was paid cash under the table over the year of employment. I would gladly pay all the money owed to the govt. The amount they paid me was fairly significant over the year, and would have to have a good accountant to hide it.

thanks again

[jonniboy]

Trouble here is that based on your previous thread, http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?p=590529&highlight=#590529
your issues at the school seem to go deeper than just one student, so it may indeed be a case of cut and run.

With the amount of black money in the Polish economy I doubt that your complaints to the authorities will do you much good especially since you say you were the only native speaker there. It's your word against the owners and the authorities are far more likely to believe him. Drawing the authorities attention to the fact that you worked illegally in the EU isn't really a smart move either.

[soapdodger]

Oh, Poland! Just get a Polish friend to draw up an anonymous letter to the Urzad Skarbovy suggesting that they might benefit from a snap examination of the owner's accounts. Get his NIP and the other business number,can't remember what it's called now and include them. Don't go into details.Don't mention anything about yourself and don't threaten the owner,as alot of Poles are inclined to have a vindictive streak ( amongst others) and you'll find yourself in all kinds of bother. Also, don't do this until after you've left. Most Poles in business make so many enemies he'll never know who it was. Why people bother with Poland at all mystifies me.

[naturegirl321]

Might be cultural stuff as well. Is the owner a foreigner? My principal gives lots of advise, none of which I ask for. She can barely speak English and doesn't know much about English teaching.

Try scheduling an appointment to talk about things. Maybe he was just having a bad day.

[arioch36]

[the new guy]

so things have gone completely south. The owner of the school has backed me into a corner, made our environment completely uncomfortable and it cannot be reversed, to I'm leaving.

Plus having been told I am manipulative, dishonest, a liar, deceitful, and that I have some mental problems didn't make my decision to leave any more difficult.

I know I taught my students well, and they enjoyed my lessons before the turn of events, even with all this duress for the past week.

I'm leaving Poland for good. I've known many non-Polish ESL teachers in PL and they all said that Poland will eat you up and spit you out. I refused to beleive it. But now I do.

thanks all

[soapdodger]

Right decision. Just an interesting note from experience: usually the kind of people who voice judgements about others such as your dear schoolowner did suffer from precisely the attributes they try to apply.