Dear Reader,

  One of my teachers showed me a business card one day. He said that
  someone handed it to him at McDonald's while he waited in line and
  asked him to teach English at his school. He was amazed that this
  person didn't even care if he was an English teacher.

  This is a very common phenomenon in Asia. Many schools don't care
  who they hire as long as they look like a foreigner. You can go to
  many popular websites where language schools post their hiring ads
  and you will see lots like these, "Wanted: native speaker,
  university degree preferred (will also accept high school degree)."

  An obvious question comes to mind, "Would you ask any Chinese
  person off the street to teach your child Chinese?" Of course you
  wouldn't, yet this is what some language schools are asking their
  students/parents to accept. There is something wrong when English
  schools can be so careless about choosing teachers. What is more
  amazing, why are parents letting them get away with it?

  It is common that "foreigners" with no teaching credentials or
  experience ask for interviews at my school. Most of the time they
  don't even come with a resume and yet they expect to be received
  with open arms. Would they dare be so "unprofessional" at a school
  in Canada or the US? Of course not! Yet, why are they so confident
  about themselves here in Taiwan? It is because Taiwan is full of
  "easy" schools (gold mines) and they have gotten spoiled by them.
  "Any foreigner can teach in Taiwan (even without degree and
  experience)," is what the recruiters would say. Amazing, isn't it?

  How to pick a good foreign teacher? Well, I can't speak for other
  schools, but these are the criteria's that work for me. Hopefully,
  they are helpful to you as well when you are looking for the right
  foreign teacher.
  1. Do they have a degree in education (Bachelors or Masters in
    Education)? Don't be fooled when schools tell you their teachers
    have teaching certificates. While certificates are OK, many of
    these certificates only take 2-6 weeks to get and they are being
    trained to teach adults, not children. There is a big difference
    between one of these teachers and someone who has spent 4-6 years
    solid in university studying education plus 1 year teaching at an
    elementary school (required to receive B.Ed or M.Ed in Canada).
    With one of these teachers, you are guaranteed a teaching
    professional who looks at teaching as a long-term career and not
    a short-term gig.
  2. A good teacher for me must have extensive teaching experience
    with elementary age children. After teaching for many years
    myself, I believe there is something to be said for experience.
    Because an experienced teacher has taught many students, they
    have seen different kinds of learning difficulties in children
    and know the right way to help each child. In other words, don't
    get fixated on young teachers. Most young teachers can't do much
    more than PLAY with your child in English.
  3. However much credential or experience they have, I will not hire
    them if they don't sincerely like children and enjoy Taiwan. If
    foreign teachers don't like Taiwanese children, they won't have
    "teaching passion". This is the difference between an average
    teacher and a great teacher. Teaching passion will motivate
    teachers to give students 110% of themselves.

  Sometimes parents at my school are amazed by the quality of
  professional teachers at my school. I tell them, "Professional
  teachers are looking for professional schools as well." Because they
  are career teachers, they want a school that will value what they
  have to offer and supports REAL language education. They tell me
  that they hate schools where they are just beautiful vases to be
  displayed in front of the parents while Chinese teachers do the
  actual teaching.

  I hope my three selection criteria's can offer you some insight.
  Criteria 1 and 2 can be easily uncovered even before committing to a
  school, while gathering information on criteria 3 might take more
  time. However, as some parents here say, "Education only comes once
  for my child and I can't afford to be wrong." Don't sell your
  children's education short. Your child deserves a professional
  foreign teacher.

  Trust me, good schools and good teachers does make a big difference.
  For example, what language does your child dream in? Some parents at
  my school tell me their children are speaking English in their
  sleep. Wow! What a great compliment and result!

LATEST CHLOE NEWS:

  Chloe is one month old this Thursday and by Chinese years, I'm told,
  two years old. Wow! How time flies ^_^

  A reader asked why I named my baby Chloe. The name Chloe isn't too
  common in the West. This is how it happened. I was teaching English
  one day, and there was a true story with a very memorable heroine.
  She was very little, but she saved her mother's life through her wit
  and courage. When Angel told me that she was pregnant, the name of
  the heroine was still fresh in my head and I knew if Chloe was a
  girl I had to give her this name.

  I also went to a baby website to check the origin of Chloe,
  http://www.babycenter.com/babyname/ I found that it meant "blooming"
  and had a Greek origin (one of my favorite historic times). You can
  use this site to find good English names for yourself or your
  children or to find information for your English name.

  If you are interested in Chloe's story, you can go to this new
  section I created ("True Stories"). It features the story behind
  "Chloe" and many other astonishing, but true stories.
  http://www.path2english.com/Astonishing/Stories.htm

  I have also put more pictures on Chloe's picture page,
  http://www.path2english.com/Chloe/Pictures.htm She is already 4.65kg
  and all of it cuteness. I really like playing with her and watching
  her sleep on my chest. I am enjoying fatherhood very much.

                                            Happy Chinese New Year,
                                            JacksonFive

NEXT ISSUE's FEATURED TOPIC:

    "Misconception #3: A North American curriculum is right
     for my child."