Is Big Brother watching you at work?

Are you being scrutinized at work?

  • Always
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Rarely

0 voters

Do you feel you every move is being watched at work? Do you feel that as soon as you start using your own discretion, one of you co-teachers report on you?

I’m lucky in that my boss trusts most of the foreign teachers because we’ve been there quite a while. If there was a problem, our TA or the boss would just speak directly to us. The main thing would be to make sure that you think you’re doing everything correctly in class, then you won’t be paranoid about others watching you…

That’s my 5c done … hope it helped!

teggs

Teggs

No one does everything perfectly. And who defines what perfect is? What if what is expected of you is ridiculous? :frowning:

Unfortunately, they pay the money. So if what they are asking makes no sense in terms of education or methodology, or if they make decisions that bring in more money but make for lower standards of teaching, ultimately that’s their choice. We have to do our best given the conditions we are presented with.

What I have a problem with is:

  1. Local teachers who know “the system” well, but don’t know anything outside the system who think that anything that differs is bad. They don’t understand how doing the same task slightly differently can accomplish the same goals but in a more effective way.
  2. Local teachers who make what sounds like a mild suggestion after class and then make a complaint to supervisors talking as if there was a discussion of the issue. Or worse, not even talking to the teacher they are criticising directly and getting feedback from CT’s only through supervisors.
  3. The chain of transfering feedback which leads to incorrect information being passed on and administrators making decisions based on second hand information or giving criticism based on lack of information.
  4. Criticism about following procedures or school methods before those procedures have been taught to the teacher. Or having an explanation given 1 week and being criticized for not having mastered it by the next.

Training and feedback systems in buxibans here are woefully inadequate. You can’t expect either local teachers or foreign teachers to understand good management, to have good interpersonal skills, and be skilled teachers. Training needs to cover this and a system of feedback (and how it should be given) needs serious consideration.

But my gripes above are the exception rather than the norm. Few TA’s have done such things or have done them in only a minor degree. But those are the ones that stick out.

Sorry for the delayed reply, just checked back to this thread now…

I wasn’t trying to criticize, just adding my input.

I also didn’t say anything about being perfect. I said that if you think you’re doing the correct thing, then you shouldn’t be worried about someone watching over you. If you think you’re not doing the right thing, then try do the right thing. And if you’re asked to do things that you think are ridiculous, say that you’re not able to do them. If that doesn’t work, get a new job…

Another 5c … take it as you will

Capito.

My reply to the poll is based on an experience from many years ago; the last time I taught full time. I had been working for a school that was excellent, where we were allowed to tailor our lesson plans to the needs of the students, and the students’ learning came first.

BUT… then it went through a change of management, and the new boss was a micromanager. He essentially designed the lesson plans, saying the first three minutes must be dedicated to this activity, the next two and a half minutes to that, and the next 4 minutes and 37 seconds to the other… you get the idea. No flexibility was allowed. And the guy would watch us teachers like a hawk through the window, not trusting us in any way to do our jobs. So, yes, he was like Big Brother, watching us. And he was a real asshole. Anyway, the result of his incompetence was that the kids didn’t learn a damn thing.

I wish my boss could reach the stage where e actually thinks how much time each individual activity e wants to cram into an hour takes to determine how much time will be left for the lesson itself which was designed for an hour by the way. Thet follow the latest gimmicks as soon as they hear about them. They are gimmocratic.

Just goes to show that most Taiwanese laobans are idiots and assholes. Would that make them idiotic assholes? Viz Sesame Street, et al with video cameras fixed on the white board and the teacher is expected to stay within the view of the camera lens for the duration of the class–so the parents can sit in the lobby and see how wonderful you are–, else: YOU ARE A BAD TEACHER! I never worked for them, just did one interview several years ago in Chiayi and when I saw what the deal was, I laughed and walked out.

There are too many good and trusting schools around to have to submit to B grade movie tactics for a paycheck.