Branksome School Asia (Korea)

[PsyGuy]

@senator

First, Its not "all" schools, the issue is one of dilution. The number of upper tier schools is so small compared to the number of lower tier schools, that put the one against the other and you cant even see the top tier school anymore, they are no longer perceptible. In perspective, there are about 500 500 tier schools in the world, there are about 2500 IB schools alone outside the USA, thats just IB schools. Thats 20% 1/5th and that doesnt count the number of upper tier AP/American curriculum schools, IGCSE/British curriculum schools, Canadian curriculum schools, Australian curriculum schools, Euro schools, Gymnasiums, Lycess, and foreign national schools. That just covers the mid tier schools, now add the HUGE number of lower tier schools, and every local private/independent school, managed school program, and English/Bilingual schools marketing themselves as "international, and in that sea of schools those 500 top tier schools vanish. It is those schools though that govern and dictate the perceptions and which are reflected in the media of what "International Education" is. It is a negligible number of schools that paint the canvas for ITs. That is why for one of three reasons teachers want to work internationally. The young female teacher wants to ride her bike in a sundress and her hair in a braid up some cobble stone path to her elite French/Italian/Swiss International School while looking for her 'Mr. Grey". Its the fanboy who wants to life the high life in Tokyo, or the guy who cant get a date back home can be the king in a country that only cares that hes white and a westerner. Its the teacher that cant get a job back home but anyone can work in the ME. Its the couple that want to show their kids the world, and instill some "proper" culture into them, or the couple that have dreams of seeing the world but cant afford to travel during summer break. Its living vicariously through not the reflection in the mirror, but what you see in your minds eye. Like those who believe they were born in the wrong time period, entry ITs imagine something bigger and more prestigious then what they believe and were taught was a "noble" profession, and they are still seeking that nobility for one reason or another which leads them away from the mundane and towards the mysterious and exotic world across the puddle.

Second, some people like the mediocre, mediocre is easy, and for various reasons poor teachers can succeed and thrive in mediocre schools. They dont have to do much, and while they are easily replaceable, as long as a teacher is providing just slightly more value than grief, why go through the expense of replacing them for someone who is likely to be equally as poor. Lost and lots and lots of schools are average, average (and the first SD) covers a lot of area below the curve. Its a job; you go in do your song and dance, mark the work, collect your money, go "out", go home, repeat.

Third, Horrible schools are a jobs program, most teachers wash out, but even the worse teachers (and I use that term loosely) can teach English or work in someones pet project kindergarten/primary school. What would all those washed out elementary/primary school teachers do if it wasnt for overseas c-rap childrens English/bilingual schools and early childhood. Those secondary teachers who know their field but cant get a job in it need those local population prep schools or else they wouldnt be doing anything. If youve taught secondary chemistry for 20 years, Dow Chemical doesnt have you on speed dial. If youve taught high school maths for 10 years JPL isnt knocking on your door. If you teach secondary art/music Disney and Pixar and poking your linked in page. If your an English teacher for no matter how many number of years Hollywood isnt buying your script and your not getting a Pulitzer, or noble laureate. Someones got to give those people a pay packet for reading out of a book and marking papers.

@Sonnypest264

1) That would make you an admin cheerleader. The person admin lets you talk too when a recruit asks to talk to someone on the staff to get the "real" scoop. Also known as admins pet, toadie, or snuggle bunny. They just blast the company line.

2) This is a forum, if you want objective, balanced investigative journalism, there a re a number of periodicals published by various education organizations I can point you too. This is the back room, we check objective and balanced at the door.

3) You dont have to excuse my use of writing conventions, I dont make excuses for them, and im not asking you to excuse them.

4) Now you are sounding like an admin, our admin is "hands on" and hes a kind and compassionate leader who exemplifies the best that educators should aspire to be.

5) Of course they provide a barrier between the teaching staff and ownership, but its not for the teachers benefit its because ownership doesnt want to deal with mundane task of "labor" association, thats why they hire people to do it for them.

6) Ethos, this is just for play play now right. They are a FOR PROFIT organization, their ethos is to by definition of ALL economic principals to generate revenue and increase shareholder profits. Thats econ/business 101. They want to be "humanitarian", become a charity.

7) Of course they are professional, your supposed to be thats why its called a profession. Admins are always trying to get credit for what they are supposed to do. "I unlocked the building today, wheres my parade". Moral you mean the moral and ethos mask (also know as the teacher face/smile) that they put on everyday, because they want to keep getting paid. Thats not good will, thats job security. Ive talked to your teachers outside of school ,very few of them have anything good to say after a drink or two.

8) Yokohama IS, zero frustrations.

9) Again, admins think their job is done if they show up. "Well we addressed" something today, were done", and addressing doesnt mean resolving. Addressing can mean telling your teachers how its going to be and anyone with a problem can go down the hall turn left and find themselves the door, thats how BSA handles their frustrations, theres always the implied threat that permeates their environment that they are disposable.

10) Again there not major issues for you because youve resolved them by choosing to ignore them, thats the denial approach to cancer.

11) So its more positive then it was in the past, that means its not as bad as it was before, which is still BAD.

12) My understanding of average is the arithmetic mean, the machine computation mean, and the geometric euclidean mean. Admins at ISs always think they can buy their way into upper tiers.

13) Its not a bone of contention, not for ITs it isnt, admins and ISs hate the tier system, they all want to think that they are a special snowflake and you cant rank order and compare snowflakes.
There are tier one schools I wouldnt want to work at either, that doesnt mean they arent tier 1 schools. Tier status is subjective but its far from JUST being personal. The staff at tier 3 schools are happy because they dont know any better or because they cant do any better. Admin tend to confuse content with happy.

14) More admin nullification, tier status is very relevant ALWAYS, yes fit is very important, but that doesnt make tier status go away, just because you found a fit, why because fit changes over time. If everyone we hire is a good fit and they seem content we dont have to be concerned with tier status. If your wife loves you just the way you are it doesnt change your height, your weight, your personality, etc, and it doesnt mean those realities go away.

Just because you dont see it doesnt mean its not there.

[Sonnypest264]

@Psyguy

Oh dear you really are quite sad. I would lower myself to respond to your pathetic reply but given the multitude of drivel, inaccuracies and lack of anything meaningful I can't be bothered. Maybe that's a typical admin bunny response, I wouldn't know given that I'm not one, but you seem well versed in their facets.

One thing you have wonderfully demonstrated to all is that you can't enter into an adult discussion that dares to question your sanctimonious opinion. At least now I know to avoid reading any more of your posts, which is a very much appreciated saving of my time.