Lately, I have been dissatisfied with my work place. Not the work - I love it - but the work place. With a new director came a lot of changes that haven't resulted in much good. Yes, they gave us all new erasers and markers, and name tags with terrible misspellings. But also came the change in criteria for classes, and the requirement for bigger classes. Now there must be at least 10 students in a class, and preferably more, for the class to exist. Bigger classes means less individualized time for each student, and in some cases, no attention at all, and believe me, many of them desperately need the individualized attention. Because of this, there are fewer classes altogether. But the simgle worst thing that has happened is that they are messing with our pay. We no longer know when we will get paid. Maybe next week. Maybe after the first of next month. Maybe Saturday. Hmm. So we are waiting there, day after day, for our end of the month pay.
So, when this began to happen, I applied at a couple of other institutes. Yesterday I was called by ICPNA - Instituto Cultural Peruano Northeamericano - one of the leading language institutes in the country. I've already taken their two exams that weed out those who don't have a command of the language. So next month I take the next step and attend a month-long series of seminars designed to teach the methods they want instructors to use there at the institute. I'm looking forward to it. If I don't end up gettng hired there, I will at least come away with some training and that is more than I've received at the place I work now. And, hopefully, an international language instructor's certificate. That would be nice.
Sometimes the age thing comes into play. Age discrimination is everywhere. Even McDonald's discriminates against older people here. They only hire young people between 18 and 24. Many schools turn away teachers over 30, until they get in a pinch and need teachers, then they open their doors to anyone they can get. Heh, that has happened recently. One institute lost all its teachers when they changed management practices. A private high school lost all its teachers, too, when pay was cut. Things like this leave me wondering about management practices and personnel offices. I've never heard of a teachers' strike that lasted 2 years or every single teacher quitting - not striking, but QUITTING. Wow. Makes you wonder.
3 comments:
Sheesh. Its sounds a little dicey on the job front. Things aren't looking all that great up here, either. I hope to go back to work in the schools in some capacity this fall, but the timing is not good. Doors are closing - waiting out the economic storm. I'm sure it's worse in countries without as much 'wealth'.
Hang in there. Things happen for a reason, right?
Best of luck with your job search and training. Bleh, that kind of stuff is never fun, but I hope it goes swiftly.
It sounds as though the school is in a bit of trouble, so it's a good thing you're looking at new opportunities. Good Luck!
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