Centuries ago, when I was a budding symphony orchestra minstrel, I awoke each AM actually looking forward to going on the job (rehearsals/concerts), even though there were often drawbacks present, i.e., nasty conductors, scores next to impossible to perform, lots of gossiping, etc. It goes without saying, any job has its negative factors, especially within a community (in this case, artistic) of varied thoughts and opinions.

I began as a full-time ESL instructor about 15 years ago. After five fabulous years in Tokyo, I returned to the USA and began to take notice of certain "impediments" in the ESL teaching business which gradually increased to the point of creating some mighty adverse feelings in my tummy. As I have previously stated, no profession is perfect, yet, each seems to have an established "limit" of even its negative aspects. In the case of ESL, on the other hand, I have witnessed no basic action having been taken to check its tribulation ... only the best of intentions, and only on a school-to-school basis at that. One could easily attribute this to the established transitory nature of this branch of teaching, not to mention the subsequently deciduous behavior of schools, students, and teachers alike. Yet, this seems too convenient an explanation. I have recently been engaged in some serious thinking about the issue and have reached a tentative conclusion ... that, perhaps, there exists what could be described as The ESL Mentality, a phenomenon which, like any other, possesses its own standard of emotions, reasoning (or lack of same), and applications thereof, and, therefore, can be regarded as good, bad, or indifferent according to who is acting and who is observing. Nonetheless, I am certain we all suspect the lack of permanency in ESL, though grossly undesirable, as being little more than an ide fixe-- a preconceived attitude -- on the parts of all concerned: school owners who never consider that anyone would ever want to stay past a few years ... teachers who generally use such experience to feather their professional nests as they mature and eventually fly off to greater glory in the field of Education. B-U-T, my dear friends, what about those of us who, for one reason or another, have opted ESL to satisfy our long-term professional goals? Now, I can just see some of you out there laughing your glutei maximi off at that statement ... but, it's entirely true! When you get to be my age, you begin to automatically attract personae who are, likewise, long-term veterans of the industry, yet still quite active. Looking at it from an international point of view, there's a veritable army of us ESL veterans out there still earnestly attempting to bring both Western tongue and culture to those denizens of the Orient who have a sincere desire to learn. When in China last year, I actually met an 85-year-old English female instructor who, in my opinion, was still as sharp as nails! I, then 66, derived overwhelming inspiration from this unusual lady, especially when I viewed her in action -- in this case, at an advanced grammar session attended by what appeared to be some pretty well-honed scholars of English. Ah, yes, dear colleagues, granted ESL has its fair share of unpleasantness, it also possesses its illustrious wonders. To feel confident while teaching is gratification, indeed, but the guiding of minds not yet familiar with your native language or culture (other than through the medium of film) and obtaining definitive results in that effort... My God! There's the REAL satisfaction!

Perhaps, after all said and done, the above-described degree of dedication is much too much to expect the majority of strictly-business-type private ESL school owners to conceptualize, much less appreciate past their profit and loss statements. Of course, I realize that I'm probably attempting to apply my overblown principles where reality is demanded -- for, in a capitalistic system, mere love of one's work does not pay the rent ... or the staff, if you happen to be an ESL school owner. Therefore, dear employers, my sole complaint -- if you insist on viewing it as such -- concerns the maintenance of a balance between your burning desires as business folk and a frank reevaluation of the expertise you've actually got at hand to work with. Don't be so quick to dismiss the efforts of those who have already proven to meet the demands of numerous ESL organizations over the years, for the mere sake of your ambition. By doing so, you are rendering added support to the discreditable here-today-and-gone-tomorrow reputation which, unfortunately, has been too long symbolic of ESL worldwide. Moreover, it should be a foregone conclusion that the ultimate success of any educational learning organization is not based on the longevity of its student body, but the day-to-day, month-to-month, year-to-year consistency of its instructional staff. Amen.

Thank you for your attention.

Love to all,

The Arrogant One