I would imagine it is safe to assume that being called a lackey, weasel or an unqualified fast food service worker could be considered insulting to those working in a training school. Even suggesting that they are not really teaching but generating income seems to be insulting when there are plenty of people who genuinely want to make a difference in their students lives.

There are problems working at training schools as there are problems working at public schools. Many people have worked in both types of institutions and find training schools to be better. I have worked at both university and high school level. At both of these there was much more of a focus on cash and not quality. Students can hand in every test blank and still pass AND get teacher recommendations. Why? Because the students are paying customers. Teachers will fail students just to have the school administration change the grades. I know I am not the only one to have this experience. Have you had anything similar happen?

Also to focus solely on the problems of training schools and in turn call them crap because of these problems might also be construed as insulting. Many people working in these training centres try their best to do a good job and it is hurtful and insulting when people who have obvious grudges against training schools tell them they working at a crap school. Each place must stand on its own merits and to lump them all together is misguided.

Instead of telling people that a place is crap maybe it would be better to warn them of the less desirable aspects of a training school and what they can do to ensure they are not put in that position. I have never done an unpaid demo class and if the school tells me it is dependent on my employment I merely tell them I will go to another school. If all foreign teachers did the same then unpaid demos would become a thing of the past. Having experienced people working at these schools would also offset the problems if they are willing to disagree with things that do not make sense. I once had a school tell me I would pay a fine if I was late to class, when I asked them if they would pay a fine if they ever cancelled a class without giving me a timely warning they told me no. Needless to say I did not go to work there, others have and continue to do so, which allows that school to keep their rules.

Exchange of information, anecdotal experiences, and suggestions are what is needed on these posts not derision and name calling.