The troubling parts

I guess what gets me is that after the lengthy explanation of the hiring process and keeping teachers once they're over here, I had an even more lengthy explanation that I'd done everything recommended after my first review, that I'm a capable and able teacher and really intent on doing a great job, but I'm out of the English Program. In the English Program, you're just expected to be great and fantastic. But in the Regular Program, if you can get in and motivate kids who spend most of their days with teachers sitting in the shade eating chips and fried chicken all day, sometimes whack at the students with a ruler but otherwise just tell them to open books,it really gets noticed.

I guess the good thing is that all bets are off and my only job is to make them regret losing me. Unfortunately, I have a hunch that the "real" music teacher, the Thai lady in the classroom who is married to the director of the school, is beyond recovery, and she's the one who matters. Something about calling out the musical shortcomings doesn't sit well, I'm guessing: in the class before I was dismissed, I noticed her cringing every time I said, "What's the name of this note? .... Anyone? .... .... No, not G, how about ssssssssss.... .... ssss ssss .... YES! C!" or just gave up on, "How many beats does it get?" Whether such concepts as pitch, rhythm, or counting are simply Western affectations or gross lacunae, I would probably be somewhere between embarrassed and uncomfortable if my sixth-year students couldn't identify middle C or a quarter note.

What's more, I'll be expected to train up the person they hire based on ads for a "music teacher." Maybe that's why I haven't seen old lesson plans or spoken with former music teachers....