And now for a twist in the plotline...
Well, last week, on my birthday ironically, I received a phone call from the company I work for in Madrid. They are the people that give me my teaching assignments and all that jazz through-out the year. I had previously gotten an email from them saying they needed to talk to me. I was curious, but not completely concerned. I began to get nervous when they told me that my student feedback reports hadn’t come been as positive as they might have hoped. I was later told, I got a 4.9 out of 6, and the minimum requirement was a 5.2.
This surprised me. At first I assumed that my morning students had given me more negative scores, lowering the average. Cause, really, I am half asleep in those morning classes. But the scores were about the same across the board. In retrospect, I should have mentioned to my students how important the feedback reports were. I should have differentiated between the reports I made of them and the ones they made of me. I tended to be quite direct and harsh in doing their grades, pointing out where they needed improvement, not in a mean way but for their own good. They were quite harsh with me as well in some areas, which I wouldn’t mind if my company then didn’t use the reports to base my job on.
So yeah, basically I was let go. Talk about a punch in the groin of my ego.
Now I am left to find a new job for the fall, throwing my plans into disarray and uncertainty. Will I go to the states? Will I stay and look for employment in September? I dunno.
But going back to what I said before, I was surprised at my feedback (which really isn’t too bad if you think of it (4.9 out of 6...)). I say this because most of my students and companies that I taught at really seemed to like me and said that I had helped them out a bunch with their English. I was convinced enough of this fact to write the insurance company where I had been teaching to ask them if I could use them as a reference on my resume (or CV for our European readers). This was the response I got from the head of Human Resources:
Hola Ryan.
Por supuesto que no nos importa que utilices ACC como referencia, incluso, si quieres te preparo una carta poniéndote por las nubes, porque aquí están todos encantados con tus clases y de verdad, que han aprendido muchísimo.
For those who don’t speak Spanish, it basically says that not only does the company not mind me using them as a reference, but that they would be happy to write me a glowing recommendation as well, because they have been very happy with my services this year.
Now that is great, but it makes me kick myself for not having just asked my students to evaluate me with the company in mind and not for my own personal growth benefit. Alas, the head company that gives me my teaching contracts will not accept any changes and remains intransigent in its decision to let me go. Now, on to find new stuff. Keep your fingers crossed, whip through your prayer beads, or say a prayer for me if you remember me during the next couple of weeks.
This surprised me. At first I assumed that my morning students had given me more negative scores, lowering the average. Cause, really, I am half asleep in those morning classes. But the scores were about the same across the board. In retrospect, I should have mentioned to my students how important the feedback reports were. I should have differentiated between the reports I made of them and the ones they made of me. I tended to be quite direct and harsh in doing their grades, pointing out where they needed improvement, not in a mean way but for their own good. They were quite harsh with me as well in some areas, which I wouldn’t mind if my company then didn’t use the reports to base my job on.
So yeah, basically I was let go. Talk about a punch in the groin of my ego.
Now I am left to find a new job for the fall, throwing my plans into disarray and uncertainty. Will I go to the states? Will I stay and look for employment in September? I dunno.
But going back to what I said before, I was surprised at my feedback (which really isn’t too bad if you think of it (4.9 out of 6...)). I say this because most of my students and companies that I taught at really seemed to like me and said that I had helped them out a bunch with their English. I was convinced enough of this fact to write the insurance company where I had been teaching to ask them if I could use them as a reference on my resume (or CV for our European readers). This was the response I got from the head of Human Resources:
Hola Ryan.
Por supuesto que no nos importa que utilices ACC como referencia, incluso, si quieres te preparo una carta poniéndote por las nubes, porque aquí están todos encantados con tus clases y de verdad, que han aprendido muchísimo.
For those who don’t speak Spanish, it basically says that not only does the company not mind me using them as a reference, but that they would be happy to write me a glowing recommendation as well, because they have been very happy with my services this year.
Now that is great, but it makes me kick myself for not having just asked my students to evaluate me with the company in mind and not for my own personal growth benefit. Alas, the head company that gives me my teaching contracts will not accept any changes and remains intransigent in its decision to let me go. Now, on to find new stuff. Keep your fingers crossed, whip through your prayer beads, or say a prayer for me if you remember me during the next couple of weeks.
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