ONTESOL



I'll start off with a recent experience.

I needed a basic TESOL course and picked ONTESOL because it looked good online. I have had some experience in teaching but needed the accreditation. I figured a few weeks while things were slow in the winter and I could pick up that - no problem.

Sadly this was the wrong School to choose.

My first clue was the importance they put on grammar. Any teacher knows that most students have had years of grammar and its the last thing they need. The local teachers have it covered.

I started wondering if they knew what they were talking about when they told me I should be having class discussions with students who knew 2 words of English. Teaching plans that had no basis in reality seemed a bit  off but I went along with it.

They pushed me to use online resources. That was fine even tho I preferred to make up my own material but I found I could;t get a passing grade unless I went along with 'em on this... when I did so, however, they tossed out my lesson plan claiming it was plagiarism.

Instead of contacting me to revise my lesson plan they just expelled me. Now I'm not sure but that seems to violate every concept of teaching that exists. I am there to learn... not to be a copyright lawyer.

There was no real teaching. A lot of criticism but no teaching. The tutor assigned to me had her own ideas about teaching that had nothing to do with the School's course. She seemed eager to fail students.

How about you? Please share your experiences with TESOL SCHOOLS.