How the HELL to teach with no curriculum..

OK, beer poured. I just looked in my files, and this is part of my suggested responsibilites of foreign teachers draft:

Teachers are expected to prepare a course outline at the beginning of each semester, based on the materials provided by <employer> and the partner school. This syllabus should include timelines, topic outlines, a brief summary of target content, learning outcomes expected and grading criteria. Teachers should submit electronic editions to the local <employer> office and to the <employer> academic manager at the <employer> office within two weeks of the start of classes.
Any significant change to or departure from the syllabus should be communicated clearly and in writing to the local <employer> manager and to the <employer> academic manager in <city>.

I hope that sounds reasonable. We're supplying texts, we're working with partner schools that have their own texts, it shouldn't be that hard to do an initial needs assessment, confer with Ch colleagues and draft a half-workable plan, should it? Yet perhaps this goes too far, perhaps it puts too great an onus on the FT to help decide what students' weaknesses are, how to address those needs, how to assess students' progress, and on that teacher's ability to communicate with and cooperate with his Ch colleagues. Do FTs need to desgn a curriculum if we're already giving them the text and the syllabus on a plate?Do we want to give the FTs that much freedom, or should we do without that requirement and chain them to the text? I raised this with my boss and was told, "Don't worry about it. Thanks for your ideas, they are most welcome. We'll take care of it from here"
I'm locked out of the process now, if anyone here works for us, please PM me and let me know what they've decided on. And of course, if we actually are requiring this, I'd like to know how anyone assesses it other than to say, "Yes, he sent me an email titled "curriculum". I guess that qualifies"

Sounds like she has one of those "stand there, be white and be funny" jobs to me.

OK, beer poured. I just looked in my files, and this is part of my suggested responsibilites of foreign teachers draft:

Quote

Teachers are expected to prepare a course outline at the beginning of each semester, based on the materials provided by <employer> and the partner school. This syllabus should include timelines, topic outlines, a brief summary of target content, learning outcomes expected and grading criteria. Teachers should submit electronic editions to the local <employer> office and to the <employer> academic manager at the <employer> office within two weeks of the start of classes.
Any significant change to or departure from the syllabus should be communicated clearly and in writing to the local <employer> manager and to the <employer> academic manager in <city>.

I hope that sounds reasonable. We're supplying texts, we're working with partner schools that have their own texts, it shouldn't be that hard to do an initial needs assessment, confer with Ch colleagues and draft a half-workable plan, should it? Yet perhaps this goes too far, perhaps it puts too great an onus on the FT to help decide what students' weaknesses are, how to address those needs, how to assess students' progress, and on that teacher's ability to communicate with and cooperate with his Ch colleagues. Do FTs need to desgn a curriculum if we're already giving them the text and the syllabus on a plate?Do we want to give the FTs that much freedom, or should we do without that requirement and chain them to the text? I raised this with my boss and was told, "Don't worry about it. Thanks for your ideas, they are most welcome. We'll take care of it from here"
I'm locked out of the process now, if anyone here works for us, please PM me and let me know what they've decided on. And of course, if we actually are requiring this, I'd like to know how anyone assesses it other than to say, "Yes, he sent me an email titled "curriculum". I guess that qualifies"

See Emily? In the long-run you'll appreciate your uni job so much more.

Can't speak for RE, Brandex, but I've graduated to "stand there, be white and be credible"

I have a stand there and be white job too.

It's really difficult for me.

I have a stand there and be white job too.

It's really difficult for me.

  I doubt that. Most of my Phillipino, African and ABC colleagues manage just fine. 

I have a stand there and be white job too.

It's really difficult for me.

Don't drink so much then standing won't be so tough, sheesh   

Sounds like she has one of those "stand there, be white and be funny" jobs to me.

Which is pretty much 90% of the EFL jobs in China.

Skipping over all the useful advice, here's the Lunatic method for this:

Day 1.  Introduce yourself and tell them they can ask you anything.  If they just stare at you, tell them you'll start asking them questions.  Be ready for some wild questions.

HW - Tell them they've got to give a short intro of themselves (2-4 minutes) AND turn in a page with at least 2 topics they want to see covered.

Day 2.  They turn in their topics and you use their intros for the class.  If the class is large, drag this out to Day 3 or even 4.

Use what they provide as ideas for planning further classes.  If you give them what they ask for, it makes it a little harder for them to complain later.

Meanwhile, in the universe with only 3 dimensions of space...

Buy yourself a reasonably decent textbook at roughly the right level, and follow that. You really should keep a small library of texts, anyway...

Also...if you really listen to your students, they will tell you what they need to work on.

It does take some work, but it can be done...