first week Vaughan training

PART 3 - SORRY, WOULDNT ALL FIT IN ONE POST

Having said that, they ahve some exercises which are exellent, and I do use some of their ideas in classes now.  You can never stop learning as a teacher.  I think that in the right place in alesson the students can learn a lot of agility and accuracy from the routines.  Also, they pay well, really well.  My advice is, keep your head down and your nose clean... toe the line for 2 weeks of training.  Once you're through, you're in place for a good job.  But I must say that in all the other interviews I've had since, wellll... the rest of the teaching community in Madrid hasn't a good word to say for Micheal Vaughan. "Snake in the grass" was what one person said.  I know I sound like I'm bitter because I didn't get through.  That's not true! I now have a great job teaching Telefonica personel, I'm really enjoying myself and I couldn't care less about Vaughan.  I am happy to have learnt some of their tricks of the trade, I just limit their use to appropriate moments.  I respect them as a successful company.  Just be aware of the facts, go for it, don't make any fuss and you'll be ok.  You must be able to work legally in Europe without any hassle (basically, be European or have a permit already).  I dont think you need to worry about the NIE number if you want to stay in Spain long term you can apply for it as soon as you have work, it just takes a few months to arrive, until then I have to pay tax in the UK.  You do need a social security number which is free and takes about 10 minutes to get.

PART 2- START BELOW!

The students then give feedback and they go by that without observing your lessons themselves.  That was the bit I didnt get.... one student left saying "it's been a pleasure" and the other two, I felt I was pushing them as hard as I could, but they told me I didn't keep the pace up enough.  I don't think I ever would come round to their style because it doesn't leave room for individuality, not my thing at all.  They were right about that.  Almost everyone else reckoned they chucked me out cos I asked questions all the time.  If the question starts with "Can we just be sure about this because Marta wasn't quite clear.....", the answer is "Marta did make it clear!!".  Another lad was taken aside and told to ask less questions because "we don't like it".

I didn't finish the training in  the end.  They're pretty ruthless, and after 3 days and 3 students they told me that I hadn't adapted from my teaching style to "The Vaughan Way" (its a religion to them!)

I found an advert online, they are constantly recruiting, which tells you something.  I had a group interview which I passed and we all arrived in madrid about the same time.  We had to be there on the Friday for an appointment to hasten application for our NIE numbers which you need to pay tax in Spain.  You have to pay half the fee for this from your wages, and looking back I think it's unnecesary.  So we had to accomodate ourselves for the weekend and then they put us in a nice hostel for the duration of the training.  The only problem with the hostel is that there's no kitchen so you spend a fortune eating out. (Go to Museo de Jamon, its the cheapest)  The training is free and very intense.  You do training in the morning and then practice on students in the afternoon.  Only prob there is that its free for them and halkf of them dont show.  If you make it through the 1st week you should be ok.  We had 3 days and then a bank holiday so they gave us extra homework... it took me ages because I've taught before so I had to help almost everyone else witht the grammar.... it really is hard work. 

Im interested in Vaughan and was wondering if you could let me know how you got on with your first week of training and also did you have to pay for the training and accomodation costs yourself or what are the terms of the training? The very best of luck with it, hope it goes well for you!