Need advice about an impossible class

[byrdsong]

Hi, I've been teaching TEFL in Madrid for one month now and I'm seeking some advice from some seasoned TEFL teachers.  I'm working for a company that sends teachers to primary and secondary schools.  One of the evening classes I teach consists of 14 students and there are at least 3 distinct levels among these kids.  After doing the initial testing I told the director and he seemed very surprised.  I've been bugging him for the past two weeks to divide up the class - either get 2 more teachers, or spread them out between 3 hours and I'll take the extra hours.  He continually stalls, using his poor English as a crutch to put me off.  Meanwhile I have to some how figure out how to teach 3 levels at once.  Which is chaotic and impossible!  The upper and middle level students have complained to me about this the past three classes.  I'm sure the beginners would too, if they knew how.  The director keeps telling me they are going to \"figure out the level this week.\"  But I've already told him and shown him the tests that prove how diverse these kids are!
I am so frustrated!  And all this for 13 Euros an hour (really more like 13 euros for 3 hours of teaching, travel and preparation!).  The last thing he told me today is that they will call the parents of some of the most beginner level students and tell them their kids can't come to class.  What B.S.!  They are too cheap to have any less than eight students per class.  Never mind quality - money is always the bottom line, isn't it?
I would quit, but my work ethic and my word mean too much to me.  Also, I work for him at a different school 3 hours a week, and I like those kids . . .

Long story, sorry, but what can I do?
-Robyn  

• Tweet

[silo]

Although I don´t teach English, logically it will probably take 2/3 of the class quitting and the revenue loss to change the director´s mind. I think you are right that money is the bottom line, but they pay the director more money than they pay you to make these decisions even if you don´t agree with them. Although you might be able to offer the kids extra classes outside of the school to bring them up to speed and pad your pockets in the meantime.

• Tweet

[joelga]

Hey Robyn,
My best advice would be to do the best you can with the class and just start a business of your own B)  

• Tweet

[mlwalton]

Hey Robyn,

You've definitely got one hell of a frustrating situation to deal with....one thing you might try is to employ the intermediate and more advanced students within the class to tutor the beginners.  

For example, you have them working on an activity and maybe give a challenge to your more advanced students to explain the new grammar (or whatever your lesson was for that class) in sort of a peer-teaching kind of way to the begginers in your class...that way you keep the lesson at the forefront of everybodues mind, the advanced students are immediately challenged by having to answer (obviously in English) and explain to the beginners and it keeps the class interactive....

that's my best suggestion

good luck

Salud!  

Michelle  

• Tweet