It is a Monday morning and the working stiffs are headed back to their underpaying, over-timing jobs. Taiwan students will be returning to their overworking, and in the case of EFL, quite useless classes. This past weekend was the last weekend of summer vacation, but summer weather, and the vacation, continues for me, a retiree. This week, I will even start riding my bike again after a three-week wait to recuperate from hernia surgery I had August 4th so I wouldn't upset the American Eagle bushiban schedule in the fall.
I will start my last American Eagle class tomorrow. I will not tell, until management asks, that I am ending my four-year stint at their bushiban in January 2017.
8-31-16
American Eagle classes began yesterday. Ignoring my request that one or the other unruly students would not be in my class together, Celine (the franchise owner-manager) put both Jasper and Cody in my new class. I was so upset at prospect of another bad class that I told Kammy (the teachers' director) I wasn't coming in the next day until the problem was rectified; I then went up to teach the class. There were eight students from last term, minus Ula, Kimi, I-Shin, Ray and Linda (who I later learned were grouped in an evening class). After class I told Kammy I would teach the class but not one student more could be added. I think she agreed. I reminded her that, in June, I was told Cody would not be in my class again. In any event, I am happy to be back in class; I feel complete, and my day has more structure and division.
While in the convenience store having coffee, I met Max, a young bike-riding teacher new at American Eagle. He suggested we go out that evening after class to chat a bit and I took him up on it. He summarized his life and I summarized mine. I told him of my issues with the management of American Eagle; how they tried to renege on a contractual agreement to pay an additional 25 NT per hour for each student over twelve in a class; my way of insuring the best teaching environment. I told him how when I reminded management about the agreement, instead of complying, I was accused of a misunderstanding, blamed on the last teacher's director, and that I should be satisfied since the second class I was teaching was losing money for them because of my salary.
I basically quit American Eagle last evening in a Line IM conversation with Kammy. I told her I wasn't happy teaching there anymore. I laid out the reasons; not being given a second class in the evening, no opportunity for professional growth, being excluded from school functions like Halloween Haunted House and the field trip, and being told last year I was making the school lose money; but there were a lot of other little things I didn't mention, like not being welcomed back by management, and my bike spot being given to another teacher (I don't believe Max, who I went out with after class, took it on his own) and last but not least, Cody and Jasper in one class despite my concerns.
When I saw the two boys' names on my class list the first day, Tuesday, I complained immediately and told Kammy I wasn't coming in the next day unless at least one of them was removed from the class. However, in deference to the students, whom I love, I softened my tone after class and requested that no more students be added if they both stayed; Kammy said okay, but not in writing. I would rather have twelve nice students than eight with Cody and Jasper. Cody does no class work (not even copying answers after I go over them) and Jasper does the minimum exercises required after wasting as much time playing and disrupting the class; the request that he wait to chat until after he finishes his exercises goes unheeded, and he never does the enrichment exercises I provide for early finishers.
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| Rude Jasper (front) in a great class |
Cody is somewhat fluent verbally, but has a foul mouth and inappropriate thoughts. Yesterday he said he wanted to kill someone. When I said killing is wrong he pointed out that chickens are killed, too. I pointed out the difference between “kill” and “slaughter” for food. Later, when I explained a new book word, "tan", I gave examples from classroom objects, but then said some people have tans from the sun. Cody said, "I hate black people." Later, when I reminded the children not to speak Chinese in class, but that speaking English was okay, he asked if he could then say "fuck", because it was English, too. This behavior is not going to stop. Perhaps the children who left class tried to avoid being with Jasper and Cody; I learned from Max that the five children were in his evening class, a class that, I believe, should have been offered to me.
I ended the IM with Kammy at midnight when I turned the phone off. When I turned it on an hour later, I saw she had added that they agreed to let me go but asked me to wait until they found a new teacher. I replied that if Cody was removed, I would stay until the end of the term; it would be my last there.
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| One of the friendliest crews that came and went. |
It is amazing I was able to stay at American Eagle almost four years. By far, I was the employee with the longest tenure. It is a testament to my resiliency and professionalism, but even that cannot undo poor management. Poor management does not recognize talent; it only sees the bottom line; profit. How many good Taiwanese teacher liaisons they lost every six months is amazing; I can count five from last year alone. Only their own family member, Kammy, who sacrificed a private career a year ago when the last teacher' director resigned, is still there; there are three new assistants in addition to the inexperienced English-speaking window-dressing, one exploited full-time employee there two years, and one other part-time bloke who started there last term. Now I am gone, too.
I suggested to the teachers' director that I would stay until the end of the term if Cody was removed from my class, but it was not acceptable to management; perhaps his mom paid extra tuition to have me, as Jasper's parent had, and management dreaded giving tuition back. Same is true for Jasper. Now management has an excuse to keep their tuition since I resigned.
Something didn't feel right about my resignation from American Eagle. I sent a Line message to Kammy asking if they had found a replacement for me, yet. When she said they hadn't I said that I would go in that day to get my final pay, but not teach if Cody or Jasper were in the room; I would not teach Cody because that was the way it was supposed to be when I left in June, and not Jasper because Celine told him I was leaving, a notion that would make him even less cooperative than usual. I then told her I would finish the term if they were gone. She was surprised and wanted to confirm that I was resigning. I reiterated that I would finish the term if Cody was gone and told her to scroll back and see what I said at 1:00 am Friday morning at the tail end of our IM. She admitted she had a miss sight and thought I wanted to resign immediately.
So this is how it stood; there were two scenarios:
1. Cody or Jasper are not removed from my class; I will teach it and leave, not to return Tuesday. I cannot stand both of them in one class for five months.
2. Cody is removed from my class; I will complete the term and leave at the end of my contract in January '17. I can isolate Jasper and tolerate him; at least he does work.
I hoped, before I rode off to class at 4:00 pm, I would have an answer. If Kammy told me they had another teacher to replace me, I wouldn't go in. Management at American Eagle had no bearing on the decision I made in June to resign from the five-day responsibility; I wanted more flexibility in my schedule. It may come sooner than planned; I can go either way.
With a whole new staff every term, foreign fly-by-nighters and qualified Taiwanese teaching assistants the same, hemorrhaging students, American Eagle’s Chong-De franchise, is going down fast. Now they don’t have me to lend them pedagogical legitimacy.
I had a Line IM with Kammy last evening. I didn’t get a response to my status at the school by 2:50 pm, so I contacted Kammy again. They hadn't contacted me to tell me their decision; they were waiting for me to go in and teach until they found a replacement for me. That wasn’t going to happen. Then I got a response:
Kammy wrote that Cody passed the class and that they needed three reasons to change his class; that his four cousins would leave the bushiban if he left, a moot point since I didn’t suggest and didn’t expect him to be told to leave the bushiban; only have his class changed.
I told her I wasn’t feeling well; she said she was trying; trying to do what? Get me to go in until they found a replacement for me. I told her I was on my way to see the doctor for a little headache I was having and that I would see her tomorrow.
Kammy wouldn’t give up trying to get me to go teach temporarily and begged me to give them some time, not to honor me, but so they could find a replacement since I balked at their intention; they know I am the only teacher that could handle Cody or Jasper. I messaged that the solution was simple; to give me a different class and switch teachers. Kammy panicked and brought out her best defense; the other classes have problem children, too, she said. I threw back in her face what she said earlier about not changing Cody’s class because he passed the mid-term and final tests in my class.
“I am a good teacher,” I replied. “I can handle any problem child; I taught two difficult children last term and they both passed their tests.” She then said switching a teacher from another class would be a problem because they needed to talk with the parents and give them a reason (not that they needed to talk with the other teacher.) Any parent or child at American Eagle would be delighted to have me as their teacher, more than the unqualified English-speakers they drag in off the street to stand in front of their rooms.
Since it was obvious Kammy was stalling for management, I told her I must leave because they were not fair to the teachers or the children. Again, she accused me of suggesting they get Cody out of their bushiban saying that solution was best for me and not the school?!?
In the end, I wrote as I wrote last week; management can keep the six hours pay they owe me (4325NT-$135) or mail it to me, as they wish. I have no plan to go back or chat with anyone at American Eagle again. My only regret is I didn’t leave after the first day this term. I just deleted Kammy and American Eagle from Line. She can still call my home phone line.
Look what I just found; posted 9 pm yesterday in Taiwan English Teaching Jobs:
Need a part time teacher in Taichung Beitun.
Monday to Friday 4:30-6:00 p.m
650NT/HR
Please pm me or call 0977295061.
I was getting 750 NT-$23.43 an hour; Teddy is offering 650 NT-$20.31, $3 less! Plus the poor working stiff who takes the job, in addition to teaching two out-of-control boys, will have half the salary taken away for taxes and Universal health care, not that Teddy will really pay the government; I’m sure management there will find a way to pocket anything they can get away with.
I thought I had deleted Kammy but I realized I only deleted the dialogue when Leona said I had an IM from her on Line. In it she said she taught the class I abandoned, the two boys behaved and passed their quiz, implying that it was my problem. I wrote back that their management not only had to deal with losing face but also losing teachers, students, and teaching assistants. She thanked me for teaching at their bushiban and they would mail me my final pay; I thanked her. Management will be thrilled to save at least 750 NT-$23.43 a week, or more if they pocket the withholding tax and Universal health care contribution, too. Hah!
9-7-16
I savor every moment for what it is, and recognize that growth comes out of nothing. I also recognize there are phases in my life that I leave and enter, people who I meet and stay with long, those I part with, and every kind of mildly positive relationship in between; there has to be some positivism or potential of it.
The same is true with the places I frequent, with one exception: a workplace. I had to stay at FDR until my 25th year in the system so I could get my full pension. I stayed at American Eagle as long as I saw any good coming from it. I have the luxury of retirement and pension to not stay at a workplace any longer than I wish. Here I am in the study room, typing into my journal, and not in a room with young students, because I choose not to be there putting up with bad textbooks, and two unruly youngsters that distract me from teaching and the class from learning. It didn’t have to be this way, but management wouldn’t budge and make adjustments as they should, for the betterment of the six lovely youngsters in the class, and a teacher who has been friendly, caring, on time every day, and following the syllabus for four years. It was my pleasure to leave their bushiban after my pleasure, and professionalism in being there, was eroded beyond repair.
the American Eagle has landed,
this spacey traveler disembarking,
a testament to resiliency and professionalism,
but even that cannot undo poor management,
their only prophet, the bottom line
that does not recognize alien talent
over the hill and through the woods,
new vistas on his palette
Part-time teacher needed.
Monday to Friday 4:30-6:00 p.m $650/hr
It's a small class and all teaching materials provided.
If you are available please pm me.
0977295061
Taichung City
Part-time teachers needed!
Monday to Friday 4:30-6:00 p.m
Pay: $650/hr
