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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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 Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:12 am Post subject: Certified in professional development |
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Fire bad!
Last edited by lcanupp1964 on Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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OMG  ...what university is this?
Hooray for the Big Brother arm of TEFL in the UAE! 
"I've got the best practice."
"No, I've got the best practice!"
"You're both wrong, I've got the best practice, and it works for every teacher every time!!! And we're going to have seminars and meetings and projects so you can learn it well! What? You say you need time to prepare for your classes??? Fogetaboutit! Priorities, people, priorities! Focus!!!"
Bring it on!
MEB  |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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Nothing personal lcanupp... but the mind boggles. Aaaarrrgghhh... a cert in PD? a degree in PD? What a waste of time, money, and effort. A whole unit devoted to teacher abuse, time-filling, and pompousness...
Hopefully there isn't such a thing...
VS |
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2buckets
Joined: 14 Dec 2010
Posts: 515
Location: Middle East
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| PD=Pile it Deep |
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desertdawg
Joined: 14 Jun 2010
Posts: 206
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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I know of universities in the Arabian Gulf where PD is taken seriously. Or at least teachers are given time off and all expenses are paid to take a course over a week or so, or embark on some study. I wish I could give some examples of things to do.
Hopefully there will be constructive posts. I would be extremely interested in widening my skills set. Many places have an annual individuall training budget for PD/life long learning. |
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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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Fire bad!
Last edited by lcanupp1964 on Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Eisenhorn
Joined: 25 Oct 2009
Posts: 146
Location: HCT Land. UAE
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| You could always to a Masters of Education with a focus on educational leadership or ed tech... both stress PD. |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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| lcanupp1964 wrote: |
| It might help me and I might be able to help some fellow teachers at the same time. Sounds like a win-win. My goal is that all �future applicants� won�t need a warning, but come to a workplace that is better than it was. |
Hmmm...unsolicited "guidance."
I don't think so.
Yeah, they'll need a warning.
(My comments are the result of having PD shoved down my throat at HCT.)
MEB |
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desertdawg
Joined: 14 Jun 2010
Posts: 206
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:30 am Post subject: |
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Dear lcanupp1964, nice to see a positive posting amongst the cynics. It's all too easy to knock something without suggesting alternatives or trying to work from within to make things better.
I am a "victim" of PD. It was a process at the place where I was which had to be done. It wasn't a positive experience but something I learnt from. Most people will have done some kind of teaching qualification involving "PD". I know for me observation, coaching and mentoring are all aspects of my work. Whether it be with students or colleagues.
I'm sure your place of work will benefit from somebody who views PD as a "necessary evil and wants to make the best of a bad job". PD doesn't have to be negative. In another situation, the process was handled in a much better, supportive, less formal and non-threatening manner and I was a beneficiary rather than a victim.
Again my apologies for offering no concrete suggestions. It might be an idea to widen your search to more general PD, coaching and mentoring and not just that specific to teaching or EFL. |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:09 am Post subject: |
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| desertdawg wrote: |
Dear lcanupp1964, nice to see a positive posting amongst the cynics. It's all too easy to knock something without suggesting alternatives or trying to work from within to make things better.
I am a "victim" of PD. It was a process at the place where I was which had to be done. It wasn't a positive experience but something I learnt from. Most people will have done some kind of teaching qualification involving "PD". I know for me observation, coaching and mentoring are all aspects of my work. Whether it be with students or colleagues.
I'm sure your place of work will benefit from somebody who views PD as a "necessary evil and wants to make the best of a bad job". PD doesn't have to be negative. In another situation, the process was handled in a much better, supportive, less formal and non-threatening manner and I was a beneficiary rather than a victim.
Again my apologies for offering no concrete suggestions. It might be an idea to widen your search to more general PD, coaching and mentoring and not just that specific to teaching or EFL. |
Cynic...that's funny. Yeah, name-calling is great. Judge not and you won't be judged.
You want an alternative? Don't force it down teachers' throats. Ah, an idea...make it optional. There's a real stench associated with unsolicited direction from people who don't know any more than you do. They're no better or worse, but they sure do want you to believe they're better.
Regarding classroom observations, there's no way to gauge a teacher's abilities with a snapshot. It's ridiculous. But this is just the way we do things here in TEFLWorld, ain't it.
PD is just another way for administration to intimidate, cajole, and control teachers.
And the term "best practices" is a misnomer. Best in who's judgment??? 
MEB |
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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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Fire bad!
Last edited by lcanupp1964 on Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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helenl
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 1202
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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I'm hoping this is just the Korean vision of PD. The GCC vision of PD is to put unqualified and uncharismatic peers in front of colleagues - telling them what they should be doing - not granting any time to the effort of developing resources (should one be so inclined or inspired) as a result of the PD and then griping that the instructors haven't taken advantage of the PD.
There have been a few instances where there has been real and relevant PD - I can name 3 in 10+years. But if you don't have the time to put into actualizing it - the PD, no matter how good/inspirational/relevant etc,. is useless. I've not seen any institution in the GCC that provides that valuable time as well as good PD together. |
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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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Fire bad!
Last edited by lcanupp1964 on Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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| lcanupp1964 wrote: |
| I've got good news for you helenl. I am going to run the new PD Unit full-time (well, full-time KSA style). I will also have a four-man team to help me. We will be taken off all teaching duties (and paid a little overtime as well) and devote our efforts to the PD Unit. My "GCC" version will be very different then what you described. (I hope) |
This is an empire-building mentality---OMG!
Let me ask...is this PD going to be optional??? I think not, with the resources your college plans to commit to this project (oh, boy, another project).
Oh, and no matter who the quarterback is, it's still the same game. Classroom observations are based on a ludicrous premise.
And if I got that email asking me to create and manage a PD program, I'd say no.
Play the game, play the game, play the game...not.
If I manage to discover the identity of this college, I will definitely avoid it. That's good news for you since I adamantly oppose this proposition. I really feel for the teachers there. They won't have time to devote to teaching, what with all the time they'll have to devote to becoming better teachers.
Leave teachers alone so they can teach FGS!
The true source of professional development is experience teaching. And each teacher is unique--stop trying to make them Stepford Teachers.
MEB |
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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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Fire bad Chipmunk-nuts!
Last edited by lcanupp1964 on Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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