Advice on where to start!!

Thames Pirate
Posts: 1150
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am

Re: Advice on where to start!!

Post by Thames Pirate »

No, it isn't a Disney movie, but you are a bit it isn't a horror movie, either. Yes, a dose of realism is fine, and you are good at providing that. However, you are so negative that you are discouraging, and there is no need for that. You make everybody feel that they can only qualify for the crummy schools, and that just isn't so. Reality is not as negative as you paint it. Telling someone they are less competitive because they lack IB experience is reality. Telling someone they "might" end up at a lower Tier 3 and that because they want a good school for their kids they are tourist teachers is harsh. Telling someone that they are probably less competitive and to be realistic, but aim high because you never know and it sometimes happens is not pixie dust--it's encouragement.

What you say is true for any job--candidates are often indistinct, so they need to make their resumes jump off the page in other ways. I have never denied that, all things being equal, the kids are a factor, but I have also pointed out that if a school wants you, they don't care, so you have to make a school want you.

Do you know anyone at Bangladesh? I do. Their pay is great, the school is great, but the country is currently basically on lockdown. So if someone says they don't care about location but want a good school, why not suggest it? It offers a good work environment, staff LIKE working there, great education for kids, save some money . . . . No, it isn't Japan, but a newbie is not likely to get Japan. So if someone is looking for a foot in the door that still allows their kids to attend a good school, that is a pleasant work environment, and that will allow them to get IT experience, what's so bad about suggesting it? It IS a good school--there are good schools in hardship locations all over the world. As a woman I would never work in Saudi Arabia because to me, that's hardship. There are tons of women who don't mind or even enjoy being driven around. Bangladesh may not suit YOU, but it does suit a lot of people, and my friends like the school enough that they opted to stay (and they are very experienced ITs with top resumes).

Elitism is not a straw man argument simply because you DO display elitism. You may not do it consciously, but you tell every teacher on here that they are not going to get what they are seeking or that they don't stack up. Many posters need a reality check, sure, and I have no problems saying that they are not as competitive or that they could improve X on their resume. But many already know those things, and instead of saying realistic things like "you are competitive in X market), you tell everyone to shoot for the bottom. You create a scoring system, then proceed to trash it for each individual to make sure they score lower, and you tell people who are pre-recruited at fairs (something you claim is mostly reserved for "rockstar" ITs) that they must have been recruited by lesser schools. Yes, you are an elitist. The air must be awfully thin up there. As for schools, yes, there are rockstar teachers everywhere. They just might not be rockstars on paper yet because they are new or don't have a certain checkmark on their application (yet is generally the key word here). There are tons of rockstars on paper who haven't updated their practice in years and phone it in every day simply because they ARE busy being the tourist teachers. And here is the reality of elite unis: They will recognize the elite prep schools of their host nations, sure, but a school like Harvard isn't going to differentiate between Bavarian International School and Munich International School, while teachers most certainly would! You are an elitist for TEACHING. You also fail to recognize that a good school like Bangladesh can allow a capable kid to get a 45 on his IB diploma just as easily as IS Bangkok can. It's just not as much fun to live in Dhaka. So when someone says they want a good school for their kids, you can't compare across regions. Isn't that what you always say anyway?

In spite of your elitism, you do provide a lot of valuable insights for this board, and a reality check is sometimes needed. I have said as much. You are well informed on how to navigate certifications, for example. And you do provide entertainment, so it's nice to have you as a regular poster. Just remember that you are not alone in your insights, knowledge, etc. and that the experiences of others may rival or even trump yours sometimes. It's okay to ignore certain topics or to admit ignorance or even--gasp--to admit you are wrong from time to time.

And the larger database matters because it isn't all just the bottom that fills it. There is trash on both databases, and it is often easy to identify. The bigger database casts a wider net, though, so newer, smaller schools that might be fantastic places to work might not appear on the smaller database. Just because a school doesn't have a top reputation (again, yet is a key word here) doesn't mean it's trash. It may not be elite, but it can still be a great place! So if you are wanting to cast a wider net, why not go with the database that casts a wider net?
Walter
Posts: 325
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:39 am
Location: UK
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Re: Advice on where to start!!

Post by Walter »

And meanwhile the one great, glowing, golden irony in all this is Dave's own career. If there were such a term as "rock star teacher" (and I have never heard of this in more than 30 years of recruiting), then Dave would be the 6pm performer for 30 minutes at the Golden Lion pub in Leeds.
Thames Pirate
Posts: 1150
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am

Re: Advice on where to start!!

Post by Thames Pirate »

Knowing nothing about PsyGuy's career, I will not bash him or it. As I said, he does have a lot of knowledge and provides a valuable perspective. It's just a bit disparaging of others at times.
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