This post concerns language school management and management-learner-teacher relationship.
Inspired by the recent TE poll about teacher problems http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/talk/polls/teacher-problems, I'd like to share something that's been on my mind for longer, which I'd really welcome your opinion on.
If you're a manager of a private (or state) language institution, the main task is to balance profit, student satisfaction and staff (teacher) satisfaction.I'd like to share with you an experience from a private language institution, in which teacher satisfaction comes at the very very last (if at all).
In this institution, a good teacher is determined by the percentage of returning students, i.e. the same students enrolling to her/his courses in the new trimester. The idea is that the higher the percentage, the better the teacher, as the students wished to return to her/his class, and vice versa.
While this scheme seems simple and logical, it doesn't consider any objective circumstances that may lead to an unforeseen and unavoidable decrease in the number of returning students to a teacher's course.
The main problem, in my view, is that the management uses the returning learners criterion not only as the sole merit of success, but also as a kind of psychological tool that makes their teachers serve as "free" marketers, advertisers and persuaders, as they have to try and "make" their students want to enrol for another trimester, and another, and another, which, in an ideal situation, would continue ad infinitum.
What's more, the management posts the most recent "chart" with all the teachers' percentages in the staff room for anyone to see, the negative connotations of which need no further comment.
While the system's crude logic and effectiveness may be admirable from the point of view of ensuring long-term stable profits, in my view, and from the point of view of modern ELT methodology, it seems plain wrong for ignoring the basic ELT learning principles.
The teachers are forced to forget theories about learner autonomy, etc. and, instead, have to work out ways to make their learners totally dependent on the school and themselves, ensuring the school's profits and their own salaries.
As no one really seems to mind, apart from occasional grumbles in the staff room, I would really welcome your opinions on whether you think such a reward and language school management scheme is acceptable and whether you can imagine to work in such working environment.
Am I too extreme in thinking this is a blow to modern ELT principles? Or do you think it is a good idea?
I'm really looking forward to hearing your comments, thoughts and feedback on this.
Cheers,
Marián
- Marian Steiner's blog
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Comments
How ridiculous! There are hundreds of reasons why a student sometimes can't continue in the next semester, even when they believe that they have had the best teacher they have ever known.
Student satisfaction surveys (in their L1) are much more accurate and effective assessment tools for teacher performance.
I would suggest that you look to change schools (if at all possible), as that particular school's owner/DOS doesn't approach teacher-management relations in the right way, in my opinion.
Good to hear from you on this. Of course, I can only agree with you. From the point of view of ELT, this school should be "blacklisted" and closed down, but, ironically, as a business plan it has proved to be cold-heartedly effective and successful. That's what is worrying about it.
I wanted to hear more objective points of view on this before I do anything, so thanks a lot for your thoughts!