teaching english

canadiangirl

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Feb 21, 2002
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i know, i know, i have been a veiwer for a long time, would have asked many questions but have been scared shitlless of the feedback(brutal responses)have many friends who live in DR, going to teach english to a private school in oct. for a couple of months, have an appt, have a lot in punta rusia, but you guys are unbeveilable with all the comments of the locals, what's up??? DR is a great place to live, work, party, and be happy, wondering if anyone is capable of enjoying life as it comes, and by some unforseen incident maybe have a relationsip with someone of a different color, really, i wonder of those who have the all mighty power of knowledge, are you l00% of your answers or are you speaking from a broken heart, please inlighten me, one of your first timers...........
 

La Profesora

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Jun 23, 2002
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Not to be unkind, but.....

I have been teaching English in the Dominican Republic for a while. It can be difficult, and requires a great deal of lesson planning and background information. I most certainly don't have time for doing more than preparing my classes, teaching and performing the daily tasks of life. And.....I am a professional teacher.

I truly don't want to be unkind. However, unless you are a terrible typist your own grasp of English grammar and orthography leaves a great deal to be desired. How can you teach what you yourself do not know?

I cannot address the rest of your post. I am not here to party or find a relationship; I simply want to help where I am able to be of assistance.

La Profesora
 
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Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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canadiangirl, I'm not sure what you are asking. The posters like myself who live in the DR as well as those who visit frequently agree that it is a great place to live. The negative posts are primarily with respect to a romantic relationship between a Dominican young man and a young extranjera. If the girl goes into the relationship expecting nothing but a good time and casual sex, and does it as a lark which she expects to terminate in a short time, fine. But if she is so enamored with young Dominican men that she yearns for a more permanent relationship, then our response has been and will continue to be, "forget it, look closer to home."

Re posting, don't hesitate to post questions. As long as they aren't about dating Dominican males you aren't likely to get any negative responses.
 

paul

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Jan 1, 2002
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www.angelfire.com
just do it

as for the negative comments about your being a "veiwer" for a longtime
just tell them you are teaching "American" and they have fewer rules to grammar; and anything "American" is more highly prized anyway.

Don't spend your whole life following the rules if you are not a machine and if you don't make at least one mistake a day - you aren't trying hard to do anything new.

"God loves a (hard)working man" [from "the Jerk" with Steve Martin- but it is still true - a lesson is a lesson whether it is brightly covered or not
enjoy your stay
 

AmbiorixPaulino

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Apr 24, 2002
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It has a nice climate....tasty food....a lot of people who are lower in the food chain than you are, and a lot more people who despite bad grammar and your being unprepared will look up to you because you come from foreign land. And, regardless of how you teach, they will learn....what else are they going to do?
 

roger

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Jun 23, 2002
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be positive

done't weriie abot thee replys! beleaf id ur knot i use to be ok bit ten fui a ruplublic dominicana and cot rilly bent bye too much sex. Ohwel u now whit day say ounce you haf blac u ain't nefer goeing back.
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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It Is Good To See Once Again That

canadiangirl said:
i <--- know, i <--- know, i have been a veiwer <--- for a long time, would have asked many questions but have been scared shitlless <--- of the feedback(brutal responses)have many friends who live in DR, going to teach english <--- to a private school in oct. <--- for a couple of months, have an appt <---, have a lot in punta rusia, but you guys are unbeveilable <--- with all the comments of the locals, what's up??? DR is a great place to live, work, party, and be happy, wondering <---- if anyone is capable of enjoying life as it comes, and by some unforseen incident maybe have a relationsip <--- with someone of a different color, really, i <---- wonder of those who have the all mighty <---- power of knowledge, are you l00% <---- of your answers or are you speaking from a broken heart, please inlighten <----- me, one of your first timers...........

That someone ostensibly coming to teach English or otherwise import their font of North American learnin' into the DR can't spell, use paragraphs, or form a question that doesn't lead the other board members to ask "what is it you want, exactly?"

I must say the number L 00% represents amazing aim at the keyboard since the numeral one is in a completely different location than the letters.

If you want pre-clearance to bonk penniless Dominican guys for a month, then go ahead. Give them lots of money and they will be faithful to you forever. Also they won't like to wear condoms so you may have something permanent to remember them by when you go.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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RickToronto, I can't understand why people like you and La Profesora feel the need to tear up another poster, especially a first timer who indicated she would have participated in the board sooner if she hadn't been afraid of a brutal response.

The purpose of this board is to help people who have questions, etc., about the DR. Demolishing them for spelling/typing errors does nothing to achieve that end. I am the one who asked "what exactly", but that is a question often asked of new posters who are full of questions/concerns and mix them together in their first post. Compare my response with yours and that of La Profesora and ask yourself which is more likely to cause Canadian Girl to continue to look to this message board as a source of help and information.
 

sjh

aka - shadley
Jan 1, 2002
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canadiangirl,

Anyone who comes to the board saying "I want to teach English" and then demostrates that they can't spell, form a sentence, form a question, or form a paragraph should expect to get roasted...

I dont know what your deal is, maybe you are french canadian, why dont you try teaching French instead....

Stephen
 

Nelly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Why so hostile? I think Canadiangirl was just trying to ask if the negativity toward Dominicans, which runs rampant on this board, is based on fact or bitterness? Fair question, I'd say, and not so hard to figure out.
Cheers,
Nelly :)
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Nelly, I don't think there is hostility toward Dominicans running rampant on this board. There is a strong feeling about girls from Canada, Europe and US getting romantically involved with Dominican males, but that in no way means there is hostility toward Dominicans. A great many of the regular posters either live in the DR (I've lived here 16 years) or spend a great deal of time here. Believe me, if we were hostile toward Dominicans we would chose somewhere else to live.

With respect to the hostility toward canadiangirl, we are in agreement.
 

MommC

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Mar 2, 2002
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dr1.com
I think part of the problem is that we do seem to get

a lot of people asking about jobs teaching English as a second language in the DR. I and many others on the board get upset when the original post (first post) is rife with "errors" either in spelling,grammer,sentence structure or vocabulary. While it may be a noble intention of the poster to do some good in the DR, just how much benefit will a student get by learning what a person who cannot formulate a simple post teach?
So to Canadiangirl (if you really are Canadian -judging by your original post I have my doubts-even keeping in mind that our education system is definitely NOT what it used to be) if you are serious about coming to the DR to teach English please do us all a favour and make sure you have a teaching degree first with a major in English. You will have no problem finding employment with these qualifications.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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Dear Canadian Girl

You are going to have a really great time here.Teaching English is one of the best,and highest paying, jobs for a non-dominican.Many of the private schools are looking for English teachers.You can earn more $s by giving private lessons after work.Some of the schools give housing and transportation allotments,as well as airline tickets to your home twice a year.The best part is that you don,t even have to be a "certified" English teacher!As far as Santo Domingo goes,it is really fantastic!You won,t believe how clean everything is.The people are quiet and reserved,but friendly.I have lived here for almost 7 years,and don,t have a single negative comment to make.Who knows,if you are single ,and "looking",you could do alot worse than a hardworking young dominican man for a husband!Good Luck! Tom
 
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ricktoronto

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Jan 9, 2002
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I have to agree with you

MommC said:
a lot of people asking about jobs teaching English as a second language in the DR. I and many others on the board get upset when the original post (first post) is rife with "errors" either in spelling,grammer,sentence structure or vocabulary. While it may be a noble intention of the poster to do some good in the DR, just how much benefit will a student get by learning what a person who cannot formulate a simple post teach?

I think that it is hard enough to teach in this type of environment without challenges as to the teachers own understanding of the rules of the language being taught.

I'd be interested to know as well how CanadianGirl's Spanish is as well, while English immersion is maybe an OK method I cannot imagine starting out unless her Spanish was somewhat developed as well, if at least just to tell the class how things are going to be from now on, and to deal with questions and concerns. My bet, skill in Spanish is non-existent also.

I'd also like to know what her teaching credentials are, in terms of undergrad degree and teacher's certificate. Though I think if they existed there'd be better paying work in Canada. Though little opportunity to do the horizontal mambo with a lot of attractive Dominican guys. Which is cool, if that's the goal then that's the goal.

P.S. It's "grammar" , I couldn't resist given the substance of this thread.
 

ricktoronto

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Jan 9, 2002
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I don't know if she knows how far your tongue is in your cheek, Criss

Criss Colon said:
You are going to have a really great time here.Teaching English is one of the best,and highest paying, jobs for a non-dominican.Many of the private schools are looking for English teachers.You can earn more $s by giving private lessons after work.Some of the schools give housing and transportation allotments,as well as airline tickets to your home twice a year.The best part is that you don,t even have to be a "certified" English teacher!As far as Santo Domingo goes,it is really fantastic!You won,t believe how clean everything is.The people are quiet and reserved,but friendly.I have lived here for almost 7 years,and don,t have a single negative comment to make.Who knows,if you are single ,and "looking",you could do alot worse than a hardworking young dominican man for a husband!Good Luck! Tom

If she believes this you are cruelly clever.
 

Escott

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Jan 14, 2002
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Bet she is sorry she didn't listen to her original feelings regarding her sense of brutality here:)

Let's see if she has the nerve to post again guys. You all did a good job in scaring the bejesus right out of her.
 

La Profesora

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Jun 23, 2002
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I cannot and would not presume to answer for Rick, but I shall reply on my own behalf. First of all, I was careful to be as "unbrutal" as possible while still making the point that one needs a certain level of competence before one is capable of instructing others. I do agree that some of the replies were far more unkind, but mine certainly was not.

Someone in the thread asked about credentials. I AM a teacher, with baccalaurate and master's degrees, and coursework beyond the master's as well. This is my profession, and I take exception to the idea that someone apparently unqualified would seek to enter it. The teaching profession is far beyond the idea that it is a refuge for those who can do nothing else.

The poster who mentioned the importance of being able to communicate in Spanish is right. When students speak no English, it is difficult if not impossible to instruct them in the language when one knows little or no Spanish. A minimum ability to communicate in Spanish is essential.
 

NoMoreSnow

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Apr 10, 2002
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Canadiangirl ... I have no doubt ..

in your ability and competence to teach English as a second language in the DR or any other non-English speaking country for that matter.

Yes, you did not use proper Paragraph structure and Yes your questions were not ended with the proper punctuation mark, "?". But, neither are mine --- when I write on message boards I often combine a string of phrases together, separated by spaces and three dots, " ...". It's just quicker and simpler that way.

Yes, you had some spelling mistakes, "inlighten" instead of "enlighten" for example, and Yes, like you I also have this problem. Ninety percent of my 100 plus posts have been edited to correct spelling errors.

Yes, you could have Capitalized, your "i" as in "I", but I think this is fast becoming the latest "stylistic font" for the chat room and message board where speed in information delivery takes precedence over formal writing style. Likewise words such as "english" and "oct" should have been capitalized.

I have no doubt that you are actually well educated and that you were educated in the English language. You most likely have grown up under the new "holistic approach" to language acquisition and development. Most likely you were not given formal lessons and classes in spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation, nor formal instruction in writing development.

You were most likely taught that if you just learned to "Read" and you "read often enough", then you would just naturally develop, through osmosis or some other like process, skills in written and oral communication.

When you asked questions of your Teacher he/she most likely didn't know the answers or was just not able to explain them to you. Being the industrious student that I am sure you were, you likely searched your local school or community library only to find that there were no English Grammar or English Writing books. When you asked the Librarian, she must have given you the "blank stare" Librarians are often known for.


Canadiangirl, your mistakes and errors are minor ones that the use of a spell checker or dictionary and the application of some proof reading skills can easily correct. You have mastered the more difficult elements of English grammar, such as the proper use of the verb "have" with the singular pronoun "I", the proper tenses for the verb "have" such as "have been" and "would have". Those new to the English language often have difficulty in the use of these verb forms.

You also used plurals correctly and consistently and you even got the contraction. Many students now cannot distinguish between "whats" and "what's", the latter being short for "what is".

You also got the following, and here I will confess that I do not know what the correct grammer terminology is, but it is the single use the word "to" before the first verbs and then the inclusion of the "be" before the word "happy", in order to complete the phrase. These are the subtleties that new writers of the English language find difficult.

"DR is a great place TO live, work, party, and BE happy, wondering if"

"to live, to work, to party, and to be happy" would only be done for emphasis.

All in all Canadiangirl, it ISN'T bad writing, SLOPPY yes, but bad, NO.


NMS
Official Commentator on Canadiangirl's English Competence


Edited numerous times, with the aid of "Outlook Express" email message program, to correct spelling mistakes.
 
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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Good post, NMS. Looking forward to more critiques from the new Official Comentator.
 

Nelly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Canadiangirl was not asking for advice regarding TESL or finding a job or living in the DR. She already has a job, and a place to live. She was interested in the basis of the many negative comments that are made on this board. Are they based on fact or emotion? That was her question.

Mine was, "Why so hostile?". I still don't get it.