Comments on: The Churn http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/ Chinese, Linguistics, Science, Cultural Observations and whatever else I feel like writing about Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:47:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: v http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-36575 v Sat, 17 Mar 2007 16:43:10 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-36575 mixing classes doesn't have to lead to hurting a kid's education, you just have to know how to do it. i have to teach to mixed ability classes out of necessity in the us. it is possible if you are creative. eventually when all your classes shrink, you will learn, my young jedi. mixing classes doesn’t have to lead to hurting a kid’s education, you just have to know how to do it. i have to teach to mixed ability classes out of necessity in the us. it is possible if you are creative. eventually when all your classes shrink, you will learn, my young jedi.

]]> By: Daniel http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-35565 Daniel Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:39:20 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-35565 Good for you, keep going. I think the churn never ends, in life, especially if you are challenging yourself. I also think it's right not to compromise on standards, when you're starting out. PS If you feel neglected by the underworld, I can always hit you up for protection money. I've always wanted a sideline business... Good for you, keep going. I think the churn never ends, in life, especially if you are challenging yourself. I also think it’s right not to compromise on standards, when you’re starting out.

PS If you feel neglected by the underworld, I can always hit you up for protection money. I’ve always wanted a sideline business…

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-35205 Mark Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:26:15 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-35205 The class with five students is a first and second grader class. They're working through the Up & Away series, my phonics system (heavily based upon my former boss's), Dr. Seuss books, and a cultural studies program. I will take this class through the rest of their program regardless of how many drop out. It's extremely unlikely that any of them will drop out before it's over, but even if four did and I were just teaching one student for the remainder, I would. It's possible that I'll have to compromise at some point, but I'm really, really adverse to negatively affecting a kid's education just to earn a bit more money. The class with five students is a first and second grader class. They’re working through the Up & Away series, my phonics system (heavily based upon my former boss’s), Dr. Seuss books, and a cultural studies program. I will take this class through the rest of their program regardless of how many drop out. It’s extremely unlikely that any of them will drop out before it’s over, but even if four did and I were just teaching one student for the remainder, I would.

It’s possible that I’ll have to compromise at some point, but I’m really, really adverse to negatively affecting a kid’s education just to earn a bit more money.

]]> By: v http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-35195 v Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:20:57 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-35195 PS back in the days before foreigners were hired to teach English in the public schools, i got my most students ever by teaching a couple free lessons to a classroom full of kids at a public elementary school nearby. i guess that wouldn't work now. PS back in the days before foreigners were hired to teach English in the public schools, i got my most students ever by teaching a couple free lessons to a classroom full of kids at a public elementary school nearby. i guess that wouldn’t work now.

]]> By: v http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-35193 v Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:12:57 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-35193 but hopefully you'll be open for years, so that 5 will eventually shrink, don't you think? then you'll have to mix them into another class. i dare you to say i'm wrong!!! : ) but hopefully you’ll be open for years, so that 5 will eventually shrink, don’t you think? then you’ll have to mix them into another class. i dare you to say i’m wrong!!! : )

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34634 Mark Sat, 10 Mar 2007 02:30:51 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34634 Woah, there v! I'm not trying to ignore your questions. I've never been hit up for protection money. I don't think that's a big problem, at least in the city. I get students mostly through word of mouth, and people just wandering in off the street. We did send out a guy to distribute fliers, too. It really isn't rocket science. I get students pretty much the same way as anyone else does... just with more elbow grease and less marketing. I don't give any free lessons, but, as I mentioned in the post, I do offer a generous refund policy for any parent who isn't satisfied with the classes. <blockquote>what if you have to combine 2 or more different level classes because of low class numbers? do you ever have that problem?</blockquote> I'm pretty opposed to doing that. In fact, I've been teaching a class of 5 for several months now, despite the fact that it isn't really profitable. Woah, there v! I’m not trying to ignore your questions. I’ve never been hit up for protection money. I don’t think that’s a big problem, at least in the city. I get students mostly through word of mouth, and people just wandering in off the street. We did send out a guy to distribute fliers, too. It really isn’t rocket science. I get students pretty much the same way as anyone else does… just with more elbow grease and less marketing. I don’t give any free lessons, but, as I mentioned in the post, I do offer a generous refund policy for any parent who isn’t satisfied with the classes.

what if you have to combine 2 or more different level classes because of low class numbers? do you ever have that problem?

I’m pretty opposed to doing that. In fact, I’ve been teaching a class of 5 for several months now, despite the fact that it isn’t really profitable.

]]> By: v http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34620 v Sat, 10 Mar 2007 00:37:54 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34620 ps, i thing the keyboard sad face emoticon is much more evocative than the graphic one don't u agree? : ( ps, i thing the keyboard sad face emoticon is much more evocative than the graphic one don’t u agree? : (

]]> By: v http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34619 v Sat, 10 Mar 2007 00:35:58 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34619 do you get hit up for protection money? also, how do you try to get new students? do you have promotions like the first lesson is free or something like that?- from a previous post posted again hoping you will have the time/interest to answer. or else i will lose interest without a response for my efforts :( do you get hit up for protection money? also, how do you try to get new students? do you have promotions like the first lesson is free or something like that?- from a previous post posted again hoping you will have the time/interest to answer. or else i will lose interest without a response for my efforts :(

]]> By: v http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34618 v Sat, 10 Mar 2007 00:32:54 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34618 what if you have to combine 2 or more different level classes because of low class numbers? do you ever have that problem? if i were doing my buxiban again, i would probably get everyone to one certain level where the basics were already learned and the newness of the class would mostly be about vocabulary and conversation practice. individual writing assignments also work well for a mixed, intermediate/high level class. unless you have big numbers you will probably face the problem of having to collapse classes together and do some mixed level teaching. i think the above idea might work. what if you have to combine 2 or more different level classes because of low class numbers? do you ever have that problem? if i were doing my buxiban again, i would probably get everyone to one certain level where the basics were already learned and the newness of the class would mostly be about vocabulary and conversation practice. individual writing assignments also work well for a mixed, intermediate/high level class. unless you have big numbers you will probably face the problem of having to collapse classes together and do some mixed level teaching. i think the above idea might work.

]]> By: range http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34582 range Fri, 09 Mar 2007 17:22:46 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/the-churn/#comment-34582 Things are always up and down. I just moved to Taipei, and thought that I would loose all of my private teaching kids, but one family comes to Taipei every week and wanted to pursue their French lessons. I am somewhat concerned about our new situation, because our main employment will only account for a portion of our past salaries. However, our new jobs have a lot more stress and we teach a lot less. And we have a lot more time to take on new students or search for other hourly paid positions. I calculated that I was making 86% of my previous school's salary, excluding my tutoring gigs, with 34% of the hours that I worked before. Things are always up and down.

I just moved to Taipei, and thought that I would loose all of my private teaching kids, but one family comes to Taipei every week and wanted to pursue their French lessons.

I am somewhat concerned about our new situation, because our main employment will only account for a portion of our past salaries. However, our new jobs have a lot more stress and we teach a lot less. And we have a lot more time to take on new students or search for other hourly paid positions.

I calculated that I was making 86% of my previous school’s salary, excluding my tutoring gigs, with 34% of the hours that I worked before.

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