# observation



## deborahc9133 (Nov 27, 2010)

I was in colima last week for an interview for english teacher at a private school called Campo Verde. I did a demo class observed by the director. The class was for 14 YOs with intermediate english. At first, I could not get their attention as thy chit chatted and texted. Finally, they listened but that soon fell apart. And the director was there the whole time. I had them draw on flip charts describing the topic we discussed. Again, chit chat, texting, and one girl was kissing her boyfriend!!! After, I asked if that is normal. The dr. said that I was lucky that they did what I asked. She said that if they don't feel like doing something, they don't. She called it "creative self-directed learning"
(Translation - spoil brats).

Here in the states, my parents would have grounded me for life!!! My husband, who is from Mexico, said that this does not happen in public schools, but that was long ago.

these brats want to go to school in the states. I felt like stopping the class and explain to them that they would not be that special here. I also wanted to ask "so, you can really speak English?" and proceed with a typical dialogue full of slang, expressions, and idioms and knock them down a few pegs. Any thoughts?


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Change schools obviously the director and the parents feel it is fine...it happens a lot in private schools that are in for the money rather than high standards.

Sit down with the director and tell him that you will not admit cell phones or other electronic gadjet in class to start with, they can turn them in or turn them off, First person observed wusing one , you confiscate for a week or so.

Chit chat you can stop with silence , stop talking. have the erpsn who continues spend the reat of the hour standing up if they continue kick them out and send them to the director´s office. To do this you need the support of the director and the school otherwise you are waisting your time.

A big problem with private schools is that many parents expects miracles out of the teachers and their beloved brats cannot do any wrong. Some of the good private schools are different, it is all a question of the culture in that school.

Do exercises that allows the kids for 10 or 15 minutes to express themselves in front of the others and in English and have fun with them in English.

Teaching is a lot of work and underappreciated, after 2 years in English public schools 1 year in a reform school in France and 2 years in private school for rrich girls in Alabama and being offerd a job for another rich little girls in Stanford, Ca, I decided I was better off working at a minimum apy job and learn about US business and it turned out in my case that I was right..


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