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This thread is really because the OP is angry that people spoke about his/her lack of ENglish language skills. Most people expect teachers to be competent, dedicated professionals and we understand that teachers do not know everything. However, it is expected that teachers will have a good grasp of the language spoken in the country in which they are looking to teach.
OP, it is really that simple. I speak a foreign language, but if I want to be a teacher in a country where that language was spoken, I would seriously immerse myself and brush up before trying to to get a job. I speak fine and I get my point across, but I would want to polish my language skills first. If you really want to teach here, you need to the same. Simple as that.
So? That's not a big deal. You need to understand that it is OK not to know as long as you help the kids find the answer.
One of my son's best physics teachers would tell the kids if he didn't know an answer and encourage the research needed to find it. He had very little he was not able to answer, but he did this when he didn't know something and the kids (AP kids), appreciated his willingness to be open about it.
I suspect that you son's physics teacher was crafty enough to understand the teaching value of not knowing everything ....
I do this a lot as a sales tactic when I'm working with clients. When they ask a question about something that's important to them, learning how to research the answer in our product is as vital as having the answer for no effort.
They rarely forget the research lesson and are far more capable of using my products to their advantage in the future.
This thread is really because the OP is angry that people spoke about his/her lack of ENglish language skills. Most people expect teachers to be competent, dedicated professionals and we understand that teachers do not know everything. However, it is expected that teachers will have a good grasp of the language spoken in the country in which they are looking to teach.
OP, it is really that simple. I speak a foreign language, but if I want to be a teacher in a country where that language was spoken, I would seriously immerse myself and brush up before trying to to get a job. I speak fine and I get my point across, but I would want to polish my language skills first. If you really want to teach here, you need to the same. Simple as that.
I would agree. It's not personal, OP -- I'm sure you're a lovely person, but unfortunately, even if you're not teaching English grammar, writing, or literature, you're communicating ideas. Ideas need to be communicated clearly in order to be understood.
Speaking as a parent, it's been very frustrating when my daughter's teachers have given assignment directions which were ambiguous. For example, in the direction, "For questions #1-3, answer in one paragraph," does the teacher mean that the student is to write a single paragraph which addresses questions #1-3, or does he mean to write one paragraph per question? One paragraph or three? Obviously, choosing either option could be risky.
Knowing English well could alert a teacher to those potential areas of uncertainty, and I'm sure that with dedicated study and immersion in the language, your language skills will improve immensely. However, as it stands now, I would recommend further study before beginning my career as a teacher of native English speakers.
If any of you went around this site and go to any threads or posts and READ, you will see a lot of grammar and misspelled words, a lot of mistakes. So, my question is:
For the people who are bashing me.
Why are these people (AMERICAN born, so called english speakers) making mistakes in their grammar and misspelling words?
So don't judge me, for I know my limitation and weakness and I have the guts to acknowledge it. I plan to overcome this limitation and weakness. And I will be the best teacher out there.
I know what I want, and I am going after my dreams. Not many can say the same.
And people like me who have high self esteem and go after our dreams, will always come across losers who only have mean things to say.
I am within, my rights, according to the terms of service and I do follow rules. Now for those who are being rude and correcting others when is not asked, they are breaking the site rules. If I was a mean person, I would report you all, that are here just to judge and be rude. But since I am an adult, I am going to let it go, for I HAVE A LIFE.
The end of story. I am not going to be here arguing with ignorance.
Last edited by toobusytoday; 01-31-2012 at 05:38 AM..
Reason: fixed some typos and removed (some) rude remarks
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Teachers are not encyclopedias that they most know it all. A teacher most dominate the area which she will teach. She most have at least 90% to 95% knowledge of what she going is teaching, the subject matter. The other 10% or 5% that she is lacking knowledge of, she most do research and get her self up to date, before she gives a class, so she doesn't pass on wrong information.
Teachers like I said are not encyclopedias, for they are human beings. They will one day or another make a mistake. Humans are bound to do mistakes one time or another. No one is perfect, expect one human being that I know of, was Jesus.
Teachers like doctors need to be more cautions, YES. And try not giving wrong information or doing any mistakes. Try to correct themselves when they do or try not doing them at all.
The keyword here is TRY. Especially doctor who handles lives, they MOST try not doing any kind of mistake. And teachers Do and most try knowing the subject matter she will teach.
But even doctors, it is rare but doctors do diagnose people with a wrong symptom saying it is a seriously. Example if you have the flu and you end up just having a normal cold. Just giving an example. That is why there is second opinions.
Anyways, point is that if an English teacher teaches english, she must know what is a verb, linking verb, adverb, and be able to tell the differences and the similarity and what not. Yes, but if she does a mistake and a student correct her she should be able to accept she did a mistake, or if she caught herself doing a mistake try to correct it.
A teacher teaching pre-school or kindergarten must know that there are short vowel A sound and long vowel A sound . And be able to teach the sounds by rhymes so the student can learn to read and differentiate the sounds of the As and so on.
And know that a child of 3 will not learn like a child of 5 and blah blah...
The point is each teacher, if she is an art teacher, english teacher, elementary, or pre-school teacher, she needs to know and have skills to be able to handle the job.
Okay, so for those who think a teacher is Jesus and most be perfect. Think again for she is a human being and will do mistake. The point is facing up to your mistakes and know your limits and TRYING TO OVERCOME THEM.
Teachers are generally not thought to be perfect. I have several friends and family members are teachers. I've never thought of them as having to be different then me, which is certainly not perfect.
However, if they were planning to go into a field where they were to teach my children, I would indeed expect them to not only know how to speak correctly, but also how write clearly. For someone whose native language is not English, I think you are doing extremely well at expressing yourself Romila and I'm sure that with time your written English will improve.
I think the fear for most posters is that if your posts are an indication of your ability right now that you really will not be able to get a job here because you will be competing with people who do not have a language barrier. As I've mentioned before, there are already thousands of out of work (certified) teachers desperately looking for work.
To add to this^^^ post, even if your grammar is excellent (and I agree, the mistakes you have written are pretty minor), a discernible accent will work against you too. My children have complained in the past when they were assigned teachers they found difficult to understand. The guidance counselors would find themselves with multiple requests to transfer into a different class.
When our middle son went to college, his advisor told him one of the most important ways to set himself up for success was to make sure he took classes with native English speaking professors.
And just because we work in a job that is publicly funded doesn't mean we are able to do anything you need us to for free.
I teach computers and a web design class in high school. I have had 3 different parents bring their computer into my classroom (while I'm teaching) and describe a problem they are having with their computer and ask me could I please tell them what is wrong or fix it? Yesterday, when I was in the grocery store, I had a parent tell me she heard I taught web design, she just started a new business and she wondered if I could "whip up" a quick webpage for her. I told her about a local company that designs web pages, and she said "Yeah, but they will charge me". Then I told her about a class she could take at a local community college to teach HER to do the webpage, and she said she was too busy to take a class.
The 3 parents who brought in their computer? I told them about the local computer repair store, but they said they didn't want to do that because it would cost them to get it fixed. One of them insisted "Can't you take a quick look and tell me what is wrong? It won't take long."
You are missing out. I am a high school computer science teacher too. I tell parents like this, "I would be more than happy to help you. My consultation fee is $200 an hour with a minimum of two hours upfront. Can I give you a call after school?" I don't know why they suddenly no longer need my services.
And just because we work in a job that is publicly funded doesn't mean we are able to do anything you need us to for free.
I teach computers and a web design class in high school. I have had 3 different parents bring their computer into my classroom (while I'm teaching) and describe a problem they are having with their computer and ask me could I please tell them what is wrong or fix it? Yesterday, when I was in the grocery store, I had a parent tell me she heard I taught web design, she just started a new business and she wondered if I could "whip up" a quick webpage for her. I told her about a local company that designs web pages, and she said "Yeah, but they will charge me". Then I told her about a class she could take at a local community college to teach HER to do the webpage, and she said she was too busy to take a class.
The 3 parents who brought in their computer? I told them about the local computer repair store, but they said they didn't want to do that because it would cost them to get it fixed. One of them insisted "Can't you take a quick look and tell me what is wrong? It won't take long."
Please, for the love of God, tell me that you told them NO!
I know someone that is like this..they go to my friend who is a chiropractor..and they have never paid once! Just because you are a teacher doesn't mean that you are a doormat!
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