Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / October 2005

che vergogna.....
flo

Unfortunately, teachers who work in adult education in California
public schols are in the same boat.  You have described the life and
tribulations of an adult school teacher to a tee and that's not only
for ESL but for all subjects.   Come June, the work load diminishes or
I should say vanishes in many cases.  August and the first week of
September is vacation time (no pay), consequently because of how the
pay periods are arranged there is no check until November (the October
one usually has 4 or 5 days)  There is no holiday pay (that's two weeks
for winter break, one week spring break and all the other holidays and
related days off). Most instructors, unless they have a second income,
are forced to spread themselves over two or three school districts to
gather enough hours to make a living.  I don't know about other states,
but in CA teaching in an adult school is a real luxury.  By luxury I
mean that only a few can afford to take the job.  Many people are
forced to give it up and join the k-12 ranks.  The pay is probably a
little better than what you make in Italy, but the cost of living is
also higher.  In San Francisco where I am, a one bedroom apartment
starts at $1,200.  You can't buy a house for less than $675,000 and if
you find one at that price, it's probably a dump.
This is the situation in public schools.  Private language schools in
California are even worse.

bye
ari