You folks have to remember something very important. You are not at home in North America or Europe. There is a completely different outlook on education -- and you are not going to change that fact!

Too many newbies show up in countries around the world with an, Im going to make a difference and save this poor country from poverty attitude. STOP! You are going to crash and burn so hard! ESL is a business. The school owners are out to make money. The parents have paid for their little angles to have English classes -- and expect a good grade (regardless if the punk deserves it). The school owner will always side with the paying parent -- ALWAYS. You, as a teacher, are a completely replaceable middle man. And recruiters do the words human trafficking come to mind? They should -- especially since you are the product.

Ladies and gentlemen, teaching ESL can be a good and fulfilling job, whether its done for a few months or as a career. But there are rules to the game and regardless of how you feel, you need to realize this and make some adjustments. Be the best teacher that you can be. You will realize very soon that some of your students actually want to learn. Concentrate on them! Teach them! Screw the slackers! They will end-up with low paying menial jobs anyway, and that will happen even if you bust-your-butt trying to teach them. The slackers are trying to get you to waste your time on them and take time away from your serious students. DONT PLAY THEIR GAME! You are the teacher. Its your class -- teach it! If that means letting the slackers fall between the cracks -- so be it. And what ever you do -- dont take it personally. This crap goes on in every class, not just yours.

If you cant make adjustments -- dont teach! Anywhere.