Archive for September, 2008

This post refers to those students who sign up to attend an
interview, you agree about the time and the price, you even
prepare for the first lesson and then suddenly they call to cancel the
whole thing. They give a variety of reasons ranging from a business trip
to having found something cheaper. Today I had to of them.

Next time a person comes for an interview I will charge a fee. I will
deduct it from the first month’s total. I am sick and tired of people
who suck my time and effort.

Well, the weather is not communicative enough to do something else
but sit and browse the Internet, tracking down all ‘English teacher
needed’ adds in the country and boosting my ego-self with the fact
that they need me and I can say no. Bear with me, I have my reasons.

Another thing is that I signed up for Italian lessons. I will have
lessons Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7.30 pm to 9 pm. The time is
a bit late but if I can pull a group for my 5-8.30 pm slot, that
will be worth it.

There will be coming a few more people for an interview/placement test
next week. That will make me a couple of hundred litas richer, so I don’t mind.
I have only one slot free anyway, and that’s morning time. I’ve got
a few colleagues in the same business, so we share students we cannot
timetable ourselves. So many people woke up to find they need
lessons after 5 pm! This time has been booked since August, for that matter.
A rude awakening for some folks who still don’t get the importance of
private tutoring and expect to have a private tutor at their door whenever
they wish. HHAHAHHA!!!

Next, there will be a conference for business English teachers in Vilnius.
That’s on the 9th of September, a Thursday. Some people think
other people don’t have to go to work, eh? This publishing house
has been organizing their events on working days for I don’t know
how many years, that’s so embarassing. However, it’s better than
having to come on a Saturday. The point is, WHO IS GOING TO
COVER YOUR CLASSES?

Yada yada yada.

Okay, I’m still alive and kicking. That’s good news.

My private students are filling up spaces in my timetable. I hope there
will be fewer cancellations of agreements but new students will have
to pay for their interviews, that’s decided.

My college groups are a mix of something. They’re only a couple of
years my juniours so it’s tricky to establish discipline. However, my job is
to make sure the educational process goes on, so I’m not going
to worry myself over their progress, should they decide they don’t need any.

The first official week of work has almost passed. This is what I have at the
moment: 6 private students who have paid for this month. That means they will
attend, hopefully. Then, a couple of lessons at a college in their business
studies faculty for evening and distance students. I have also
received my bill for the office, bah. And a couple of cancellations of agreed
timetables, which hints at starting to charge for interviews.

An abundance of teachers have advertised online and I have left a few
comments there asking if they have tax inspection’s permits. That should scare
their adds away, I hope. I have fixed rates and I don’t want to lower them
not even for one Litas, better I’d stay at home in bed.

Now I’m trying to sort out a lesson for the evening group (one a week,
18.00-19.30, 27 people -TWENTY SEVEN!!!-, small classroom) from
Market Leader Intermediate. It’s Unit 7 for Wednesday. I also need
to make copies for their individual reading and activities folder
to be left in the library, but copies are for free for the teachers
there, so all I need to do is to pull together a nice selection on
activities on advertising management.

Lately I’ve been troubled with the idea that I don’t want and it will
really not be possible to teach for a profession for ever, so
I’d need to have another qualification, something that English
would be a plus to. I still need to work for this idea.

So far, so good. Could be better, though.