Demo classes, observations - are there any standards?

[onlycw]

A school gave me a grammar topic and an unruly class. 

 

How was your demo class? Were you given a specific topic? (Once, I had to talk about "clothes" and that turned out to be quite boring (to 8 year olds).

 

At my schools, the dreaded observations have commenced. How are those handled at your school?

 

* Who will observe you?

* Will you be getting feedback? 

* Will they show you what they wrote? (collecting signatures on blank pages has been the M.O. at a school).

* I was left to  w a i t, unsure of whether to start without the Thai treacher beoing present. It rattled me, it ruined m y lesson plan and it was a diuretic experience for a noob. 

 

There is something funny going on. Where are the guidelines? Where are the documents of schools about what they actually want foreign teachers to do?!??

 

- Walk around or not?

Conversation - some schools focus on a TOEIC Test or something and want a laser-like focus on some book. (NO talking, no writing, just  "the book").

 

 

Write  o n l y  students' answers on the board, or write first, then try to make them understand? Get it wrong and your ass may be grass.

 

 

Closing, what kind of scores have you received over the years? I am seeing bizarre swings, depending on - hell knows what. Many Thais don't communicate with foreigners.

 

[puchooay]

I have only ever been observed once. That was by someone with about 16 years less experience in Teaching than I.

 

I got a 6 out of 10.

 

Took no notice of it, carried on doing things as I always had done, got results with improving the students abilities.

 

Nothing really happened. I got offered a new contract but declined.

[moontang]

If it is like 99% of the foreign teacher jobs here, just acknowledge it, but don't take it seriously.  The biggest factor will be if they have someone fully ready to replace you, which is unlikely.  If you are an ideal servant, you still won't get a great review, because they lack the incentives to back it up.  I changed teaching jobs in Phoenix for an extra five bucks per day and free lunch...22 years ago.  Would people change jobs here for 3000 THB per month?  All the time.