WHY do we become teachers? I mean REALLY? Lately, I've pondering over this more and more. Perhaps this is because I'm 68 and, in the eyes of many, I'm "all taught out" or I'm bitter in the face of my current relative inactivity. No, dear friends, I assure you it's neither of these. It's just that I have taken the time to evaluate the current ESL situation here in Los Angeles and, in many cases, have noted the lack of productivity on the part of far too many enrollees. For the most part, what I have seen (and heard!) is more than somewhat discouraging--especially from students coming from some of the higher-reputed schools. Is this the problem of the schools, the students, or the teachers? To be fair, let us say it's a combination of the three. But, on the other side of the coin, WE ASSUME a school to be in the know about teaching ESL, and will therefore train its teaching staff in the presentation of the coursework. Regrettably, this where the process invariably fails. I hate to admit that, in all the schools where I have ever taught EFL--save one in Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s--very little time was ever spent assisting teaching staff on HOW to present coursework...especially in the highly-detailed areas of grammar, sentence structure, and pronunciation. WHY SO? I guess that's simple: the school management is there to make a buck, and to require their paying customers to deport themselves as REAL students, would surely run the risk of their losing interest! THIS is definitely not a part of "The Wise Merchant's Guidebook" this year! Don't get me wrong, folks ... I have no qualms against anyone's trying to hack a living in the ESL biz. But, like any other enterprise, there must be a fair amount of giving to balance the taking. This is where honesty comes well into focus...a substance which, of late, we've seen less and less of in the international ESL marketplace. All the ESL Board bitching gives credence to this claim. What's more, I have long been appalled at the employers' flagrant disregard for students, as well as us "chalk-twirlers." Must it take revolution, strike, or violence to change such a shameful scourge? I, for one, pray not.

THE ARROGANT ONE