I would like to be able to post a reply here, even though I know nobody has replied for a long time.
I have taught English to adults in Taiwan for many years. There have been ups 
and downs 
. Since I know my own feelings, I can honestly say that I care about all the students that I have come across.
I remember working hard to teach one group of high level adult students. They went to my director and complained they thought I didn’t like them and said I never sat down and talked to them, even thought this was not true. They almost wound up getting me fired from my job 
. I worked harder to make them happy and they were still unconvinced. Later on, they said they didn’t feel like I was being their friend, but didn’t see that it is hard to want to be one’s friend when that person has gotten you into so much trouble.
My suggestion to students is to learn to take responsibility for your feelings toward your teacher and for your own shyness. This will help you immensly.
[quote=“Whole Lotta Lotta”]I would like to be able to post a reply here, even though I know nobody has replied for a long time.
I have taugth English to adults in Taiwan for many years. There have been ups and downs . Since I know my own feelings, I can honestly say that I care about all the students that I have come across.
I remember working hard to teach one group of high level adult students. They went to my director and complained they thought I didn’t like them and said I never sat down and talked to them, even thought this was not true. They almost wound up getting me fired from my job . I worked harder to make them happy and they were still unconvinced. Later on, they said they didn’t feel like I was being their friend, but didn’t see that it is hard to want to be one’s friend when that person has gotten you into so much trouble.
My suggestion to students is to learn to take responsibility for your feelings toward your teacher and for your own shyness. This will help you immensly.[/quote]
I agree, but would add that adult learners should take responsibility for their own learning and not expect the teacher to provide a magic bullet. The teacher’s role is to maximize and facilitate the learning and speaking opportunities in the classroom, but in most cases that’s around 6 hrs a week. It’s about how motivated the students are, but the teacher can definitely help by building a rapport and making the learning process fun.
[quote=“Dougster”][quote=“Whole Lotta Lotta”]I would like to be able to post a reply here, even though I know nobody has replied for a long time.
I have taugth English to adults in Taiwan for many years. There have been ups and downs . Since I know my own feelings, I can honestly say that I care about all the students that I have come across.
I remember working hard to teach one group of high level adult students. They went to my director and complained they thought I didn’t like them and said I never sat down and talked to them, even thought this was not true. They almost wound up getting me fired from my job . I worked harder to make them happy and they were still unconvinced. Later on, they said they didn’t feel like I was being their friend, but didn’t see that it is hard to want to be one’s friend when that person has gotten you into so much trouble.
My suggestion to students is to learn to take responsibility for your feelings toward your teacher and for your own shyness. This will help you immensly.[/quote]
I agree, but would add that adult learners should take responsibility for their own learning and not expect the teacher to provide a magic bullet. The teacher’s role is to maximize and facilitate the learning and speaking opportunities in the classroom, but in most cases that’s around 6 hrs a week. It’s about how motivated the students are, but the teacher can definitely help by building a rapport and making the learning process fun.[/quote]
Thanks for your support Dougster 
. Unfortunately some adults can be quite picky and this can hurt them as it affects their rapport with the teacher. I hope the OP sees this and considers whether or not she sees herself in what I am saying.
I think it is a shame that the OP hasn’t stayed with the discussion. I think she could have learned somethings.
That would have gone against her entire credo, though. Don’t be so insensitive! How would she be able to hold her head high and ejaculate “fucking bastard foreigners!” if she then had to temper it with “well, some of them, anyway.” What kind of lame-ass bigotry would THAT represent? 
That would have gone against her entire credo, though. Don’t be so insensitive! How would she be able to hold her head high and ejaculate “fucking bastard foreigners!” if she then had to temper it with “well, some of them, anyway.” What kind of lame-ass bigotry would THAT represent? [/quote]
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! True.
Lets try a little thought experiment.
Let’s say the teacher was totally in the wrong for a second. Yet let’s also assume that, as is industry standard, he’s getting say, 750NT/hour tops. A guy who is in his fifties anywhere else in the world is not going to be pulling $25/hour if he’s a professional who has been working in said professional capacity for twenty years. So let’s assume all the usual stereotypes about him being a foreign loser who couldn’t get a real job elsewhere and so on, just so we can take some moral high ground.
So, of course, the OP who wants incredible professionalism and so on is also, of course, willing to pay enough to attract a highly skilled professional with great people skills away from a stimulating job paying twice as much in the West. Oh…wait a minute, the tuition costs per student would have to double? Not in Taiwan.
People get what they pay for.
Or maybe the teacher was actually okay and this student has read a whole lot into the situation. As mentioned by others, we don’t know.
I taught some conversations classes in an adult English learner school many years ago. Most of the students were only slightly more animate than paint drying after another hard day at work. The usual hobby topics would come up of ‘shopping’ and ‘sleeping’. I’d have to crack joke after joke to get any reaction and really resented some of the classes for putting all the effort back on me. Tough job.
Yes, some Taiwanese sudents lead desperatley boring lives (work, study, sleep). The challenge for the teacher is to get them talking about things, their interests, etc. It can be difficult at first, but once they open up, they become more chatty. Travel, culture and food usually work for me. If these topics don’t get your adult learners talking, then you’ve got problems.
Is that really relevent how much he gets paid to how well a student will perform in a conversation class?
Satellite TV: Yes and no.
(Not the only possible explanations for either response.)
For the no:
Obviously, paying someone more does not necessarily guarantee anything.
There may be factors beyond the control of even the best paid and motivated teacher that affect how a student will perform in a conversation class.
There are dedicated teachers who do it for a whole lot of reasons other than (or despite) the money.
For the yes:
Of course, since money is a motivator for many people, and to a certain extent, quality employees will be where the money is (not just for the money itself, but because they will perceive a certain amount of respect given to them by someone who offers to pay them a lot, rather than as some glorified burger-flipper).
It is sad that the OP has not stayed with the topic. She could have learned something 
. But that is typical of Taiwanese adult students when they are not happy. They speak up just enough to stir the pot a bit. Then, they leave.