tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541500.post2461235539569453492..comments2024-03-29T11:29:58.276+09:00Comments on BigHominid's Hairy Chasms: my teaching philosophyKevin Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328790917314282058noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541500.post-54881534980011361102014-07-03T00:12:00.395+09:002014-07-03T00:12:00.395+09:00Thanks for the advice, Addofio. Good points, alth...Thanks for the advice, Addofio. Good points, although instead of saying "snide," I'd say "unvarnished [opinion]." I wasn't about to hide the fact that I take a dim view of certain pedagogical approaches. That said, I'd agree there might be a more neutral way of phrasing my thoughts, although personally I'd find that boring and milquetoasty. <br /><br />Or am I being snide again? Heh.<br /><br />Alas, at this point, it's too late: the statement was sent in days and days ago. Would have been nice had they given a word limit or something instead of merely saying "detailed." Saying "detailed" is just <i>encouragement</i> to write at length—it's waving a red cape in front of the bull.Kevin Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01328790917314282058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541500.post-41634548004898555552014-07-03T00:01:27.808+09:002014-07-03T00:01:27.808+09:00(Addofio here.) Overall, I think this is an excel...(Addofio here.) Overall, I think this is an excellent statement, clearly explaining why you advocate and aspire to your teaching approach. However, having been a college professor who read a number of job applicants' materials over the years, I have two suggestions: one, avoid snarkiness at all costs, and see if you can trim it a bit. When discussing methods you find inadequate, you have used adjectives that are snide, even pejorative (e.g., "airy-fairy"). You can make your point without that--just neutrally state it and let it go. You are speaking to people whom you wish to join as a colleague--you want to make a purely positive impression. Including any degree of snideness, regardless of what to to whom it is directed, gives the reader the impression that you may be a snide and critical colleague. Somehow, I doubt that you are so at all in person, so you don't want to leave any taint of that impression. You can direct your more critical comments towards the methods themselves, rather than those using the methods.<br /><br />Second, if you can trim the length, that may help as well. The committee reading your papers are also reading a number of others'. Their time is limited, and they are trying to form a quick impression, to sort all those applications into two piles--"maybe" and "no". Five pages is a lot to read--some won't read to the end (where you final paragraph does an excellent job of summarizing your points). As a wordy, even prolix, writer myself ("no shit" I can picture you thinking), I know how annoying this advice is, and how difficult the task. But I also know it can be done.<br /><br />Regardless, good luck in your job search. <br /><br />(BTW, the one point I did not see you make in your statement is the challenge of weaving together all the desiderata of good teaching in the limits of time in the classroom. I think this is where your growth potential as a teacher lies. I don't know if that is as important in Korea as it is in America, or was at my university anyway, but it would indicate that while you are already quite expert as an EFL teacher, you will not just rest on your laurels and drift in your new position, but will continue to grow and develop as an asset to your university. And yes, I know that I did just advise you to shorten the essay. You may throw your rotten tomato now.)<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541500.post-73931118776585523232014-07-02T02:33:55.259+09:002014-07-02T02:33:55.259+09:00John Mac,
Thanks.
John from Daejeon
You crack...John Mac, <br /><br />Thanks. <br /><br />John from Daejeon<br /><br />You crack me up. Kevin Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01328790917314282058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541500.post-72103938265180004322014-07-02T02:25:03.342+09:002014-07-02T02:25:03.342+09:00That's just about all a student who wants to l...That's just about all a student who wants to learn can ask for; however, that's probably the last thing those running South Korean university English departments want to read/hear. Have you considered sending out an application that falls in with the current South Korean lecturing and subservient party line to see if that gets you to Seoul any quicker?<br />John from Daejeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08431973044799010218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541500.post-1208347638637622482014-07-01T18:06:37.717+09:002014-07-01T18:06:37.717+09:00As someone admittedly without a clue on the subjec...As someone admittedly without a clue on the subject I can attest that it does sound like you know what you are talking about.Johnhttp://www.mccrarey.comnoreply@blogger.com