Wind, Sails, etc.

After the response to my last blog entry about that grammar thing, I was pretty excited to write other similar public service announcements.

And now, I'm just not.

Either this is a measure of how fragile I am, or...whatever. Sheesh.

So here's what happened: last week, I was contacted by a company I've worked with once before; they wanted me to tutor a foreign national here in Lexington. They'd "lost" my resume, so I had to send it again.

My resume hasn't changed much since my last stint with this company. But they needed it, in order to show it to the prospective student and his boss.

Yesterday I got an e-mail from the tutoring company, with the student's contact information. I was asked to notify the company as soon as I'd worked out a schedule with the student. A couple of hours later, I called the student.

He was surprised to hear from me, because his boss had not "approved" me to be his tutor. There was some question of my credentials. Also, he wanted to see a curriculum before he started lessons. (The very concept of tutoring molds to the student's needs on an ongoing basis, so it is virtually impossible to create a curriculum beforehand.)

Mmm, yeah, I only have ten years of teaching experience in France, including five at a business school and four at a university.

I e-mailed my contact at the tutoring company, who then called me to reassure me that the student's boss had "approved" me that morning, and that everything was okay. My contact was sorry for the miscommunication, and I told him I was pretty put off.

I'm still put off; I'm insulted, to be honest. And I am going to refuse this tutoring job. This student has a preconceived notion of me, that I do not have enough experience to teach him, and that is enough to make it difficult. He also wants something very structured from the get-go, and that goes against the idea that I have of tutoring. And this may make me sound spoiled, but this job is not worth the trouble.

Anyway, the whole thing has me and my knickers in a twist, so I'm just not in the mood to blog about more important matters, like grammar, or my toenails, or whatever.

Comments

[sizzle]

that would piss me off too!

[bhd]

Good call.

You need a duck fart. Let's talk about our retreat.

[samantha]

I'd be slightly insulted too. And I say trust your gut on this one.

[token]

Not even a word about a "French" pedicure?

[kathie]

Hang in there. I know how hard it can be to teach people who think they're too smart for you or that they simply don't need you--they're just jumping through hoops for a job, credentials, whatever. Teaching can be great, but I'd take kids over adults just about any day. There are exceptions, but I know what you mean.

[Mist 1]

I just had to get a new pedi because my shoes messed my other one all up. I was devastated because I had even splurged for a glittery design on my big toes. So, this time I went with a more conservative color and not the bright red that I had before. It's kind of like a glass of Pinot Noir. I really like it. I think I'll admire my toes when I stop typing this comment.

How can you not have anything to say about toenails? You must be in a really foul mood.

[Catheroo]

Good for you for not taking the job. The foreign national sounds a bit "stuck-up" if you ask me. You can help me with my French anytime.

And I personally love your grammar posts. And the ones about your toes. Or whatever.

[ally bean]

Smart thinking to avoid this guy. He sounds like trouble to me. Go paint your toenails instead.

[ALY]

I cannot believe that anyone would question your credentials! This actually got my blood pressure up, all the way where I am! Of course, I have had a LOT of coffee this morning!
Anyway, I cannot imagine WHO would be more qualified than you to be a language tutor. Your background and experience put you in a category that not many people achieve--Good luck to them in trying to replace you! That outta show 'em!

[The CEO]

Hello. I think it is obvious you correctly turned down the contract for a whole host of reasons. I am sorry that you feel so badly about it. I'd prefer that you were happier having sidestepped a possible disaster. You could not have gotten paid enough to justify the anxiety and grief that the contract would have brought.

I prescribe a fast, very fast photo essay on Mr. Jones and/or the springtime in Kentucky. Both would be good. A third might be Mist's toe nails.

[Karan]

You made a wise decision. There is no reason that we have to subject ourselves to insulting behaviors.

I just quit a webmastering gig I've held for 2 years....about 1 year 11 months too long. There was not one single decision I made as their in-house expert that was not questioned or challenged...I never liked it and after a final back-breaking straw, I called and told them to find someone else. I send them passwords and access information and then basked in the relief. Assholes.

[Elisabeth]

I would have done the very same thing. The guy sounds like he was a total asshole anyway. My own experience with private tutoring is that I hate it. People always expect to reach an advanced high proficiency level in the language tutored within a couple of weeks. It's irrational at best.

Hope you can calm down pretty soon about this, it's not worth the aggravation.

[Katherine]

I think you did the right thing, no point working with someone like that.

[DebR]

Oh, HELL yeah. Life's too short to put up with that crap if you don't have to. There will be other opportunities.

[AlisonM]

Life's too short to put up with idjits like that. Be glad you're not the person who eventually ends up trying to tutor this know-it-all.

[Margaret]

I am feeling like my own district is questioning or not supporting me on my credentials. After 26 years of loyal service, they are NO help to me at all--but a guy from the state office has been wonderful. I KNOW how you feel. I feel angry, frustrated, betrayed, and just plain pissed off!

[rebecca]

yep, i'd be insulted too. i agree - you stick with your instincts here.

if it is any help, you taught me a lot this week after your public service announcement.

*hug*

[Jessica]

That's good that you take care of yourself, Alison... people will walk all over you if you let them

[WanderingGirl]

Plus 10 for the tutoring decision, plus 100 for the toenails.

[bothenook]

having your knickers in a knot can be pretty uncomfortable whilst walking to the local caffine dispensary. unless the knotted portion of the knickers is in the right sp... oh, never mind.

[Susan]

I agree wholeheartedly!
I would love to see the student's face when he finds out you refused to take the job!

[kristy]

You're making the right decision, not to accept that job. Who needs that kind of aggravation?

Oh and from the last post? The grammar thing that drives me crazy is when people say, "I feel badly about that," because they think it makes them sound more educated than to say (correctly), "I feel bad about that."

More grammar--always a winner as far as I'm concerned!

[Emil]

Don't you mean "my knickers and myself"?
;-)
Wouldn't it be great to run into this knucklehead after he's had a less than stellar tutor experience? You could be like "Pretty Woman" telling off those Beverly Hills boutique bitches--"Big mistake. Huge."