Random Quote
Drink coffee! Do stupid things faster!
---- unknown
If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur.
---- Doug Larson
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
---- Albert Einstein
The voodoo priest and all his powders were as nothing compared to espresso, cappuccino, and mocha, which are stronger than all the religions of the world combined, and perhaps stronger than the human soul itself.
---- Mark Helprin, Memoir from Antproof Case, 1995
I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.
---- Isaac Asimov
We don't know a millionth of one percent about anything.
---- Thomas A. Edison
This may be the most interesting blog theme I've ever seen. http://eflgeek.com/index.php Definitely in my top 5 at least.
---- Steve Dembo
Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
---- Abigail Adams (1744 - 1818)
Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.
---- Leonardo DaVinci (1452-1519)
Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
---- Malcom Forbes
Always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual.
---- Terry Pratchett
No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness.
---- Sheik Abd-al-Kadir
As soon as I buy the moose head, I have to go pick up some KY jelly.
---- Mary Roninette Kowal
Don't knock the weather. If it didn't change once in a while, nine out of ten people couldn't start a conversation.
---- Kin Hubbard
Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain.
---- Lily Tomlin
Technology will not replace teachers...teachers who use technology will
probably replace teachers who do not.
---- Ray Clifford
The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink.
---- George Orwell
"It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.'"
---- Sam Levenson
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
---- Thomas A. Edison
Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy.
---- Isaac Newton
Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater.
---- Gail Godwin
Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.
---- Arnold Lobel
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.
---- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Any man whose errors take ten years to correct is quite a man.
---- J. Robert Oppenheimer
Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.
---- Robert Frost
Language teachers as a commodity
Language teachers as a commodity is an interesting post by Dana over at Linguistic life. I haven’t visited nor read her blog in ages, but it looks like I’ve been missing out on good stuff.
Clearly from the examples listed there the general mistreatment of ESL professionals spans the globe. Comments or stories to share?





Katie wrote 159 words on Saturday Feb 24, 2007 at 07:47 PM
This is a tough subject - I don’t have any experience with JET but I’ve heard only good things about it, so it’s sad to see it is dying out. I’m a bit torn on the topic in general; lying to people before they move abroad to take a job is certainly despicable. At the same time it seems like the nature of tefl - as it exists now - kind of pre-empts a solution. Many people want to teach for just a year or two and arent’ inclined to or in a position to demand better treatment/conditions - they just put up with it for a year and leave - not everyone, but a lot of people. I think if teachers as a group demanded better conditions, lots of jobs would go unfulfilled and lots of teachers would accordingly be without work. I don’t think it’s a great situation, but I think this is why it is perpetuated.
Katie wrote 18 words on Saturday Feb 24, 2007 at 07:50 PM
Whoa-the Slovak flag has changed! I’m close to Austria but...it was a while ago that that was German…
Sean. wrote 51 words on Saturday Feb 24, 2007 at 08:07 PM
Katie,
The problem is that long-term EFL professionals are not the target for JET or other similar programs. They want FOB, will take any job in order to travel abroad kind of people. Until ESL/EFL schools are willing to pay for the professionals I can’t see this changing any time soon.