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[shelleyan]

Hello everyone,

I have some questions about an online teaching contract which I have been offered and would be really grateful for any advice or experience anyone would like to share.

I have just got through the training and assessment process for the first teaching contract but am a little doubtful as to provisions in the agreement I have been asked to sign. One of these is that in case I was asked to stop teaching because it was thought it wasn't upto what was required, I might be expected to cover the costs of hiring a replacement teacher? Is such a provision common? I have never come across it before and can't really feel comfortable signing the document as it is.

Also teachers won't be paid until a month after they finish teaching the whole module, and for those who didn't get through the training I believe there won't be any compensation for their time at all. I have never previously been to any kind of extended training where there wasn't some basic compensation for the time and energy invested, and can't help feeling a little uncomfortable about what seem to be rather unusual policies.

Does anyone know if these sorts of policies are common?

Thank you very much,

best wishes,

Shelleyan.

[_touchedbyanoodle_]

The whole bit about having to pay for a replacement teacher strikes me as very, very odd and worrisome, though it is quite unlikely that a school of this type--one of the big for-profits, I presume--is going to fire an instructor for anything but ignoring the course entirely.

The second bit, though, about no pay for training and no pay until well after you've done your duty is not so odd.

[onion]

I've taught online for two of the big for-profit, online outfits.  I've never seen the "paying for a replacement" clause, and it would concern me, but I agree with TBAN that it would be unlikely that you'd be fired unless you did literally nothing.

The two places I worked for paid a percentage of your pay about 2 weeks into the semester, and the remainder after you turned in grades.  Neither paid for training, and if you didn't pass training, you were just SOL and couldn't re-take the training for a certain amount of time (in one case) or at all (in the other).

[shelleyan]

Thank you very much to both of you for your advice.I appreciate it.

I have written back to explain my worries about the possible liability for a replacment tutor but unfortunately they are taking some time to respond. As the assignmnet in question starts quite soon and if I'm going to do it I would need to receive teaching material very soon, I was wondering if I should sign and return the contract with the relevant clause deleted and explain the deletion in my coverletter.

Would that be considered presumptuous and would it hold water legally? I think you're right that it's a clause unlikely to be used unless the tutor really did nothing at all but I still don't feel comfortable about putting my name to the document as it stands.

I'm so sorry but I don't know what SOL is (!), sorry.

Thank you so much for your help.

best wishes,

Shelleyan


 

[spyzowin]

Hello everyone,

I have some questions about an online teaching contract which I have been offered and would be really grateful for any advice or experience anyone would like to share.

I have just got through the training and assessment process for the first teaching contract but am a little doubtful as to provisions in the agreement I have been asked to sign. One of these is that in case I was asked to stop teaching because it was thought it wasn't upto what was required, I might be expected to cover the costs of hiring a replacement teacher? Is such a provision common? I have never come across it before and can't really feel comfortable signing the document as it is.

Also teachers won't be paid until a month after they finish teaching the whole module, and for those who didn't get through the training I believe there won't be any compensation for their time at all. I have never previously been to any kind of extended training where there wasn't some basic compensation for the time and energy invested, and can't help feeling a little uncomfortable about what seem to be rather unusual policies.

Does anyone know if these sorts of policies are common?

Run. Do not walk. Run.  Actually, swear at them, then run.

[onion]

Thank you very much to both of you for your advice.I appreciate it.

I have written back to explain my worries about the possible liability for a replacment tutor but unfortunately they are taking some time to respond. As the assignmnet in question starts quite soon and if I'm going to do it I would need to receive teaching material very soon, I was wondering if I should sign and return the contract with the relevant clause deleted and explain the deletion in my coverletter.

Would that be considered presumptuous and would it hold water legally? I think you're right that it's a clause unlikely to be used unless the tutor really did nothing at all but I still don't feel comfortable about putting my name to the document as it stands.

I'm so sorry but I don't know what SOL is (!), sorry.

Thank you so much for your help.

best wishes,

Shelleyan


 

In my experience with very, very large for-profit outfits, they're not hurting for teachers, and if you balked at any of the contract language or rules, they'd not hire you in a heartbeat.  I don't know who you're dealing with, so I can't speak to whether or not you should try to amend the contract; I imagine they won't go for it (as they'd probably say that such an amendment would require a negotiation, which they probably won't engage in with an adjunct).  In any event, I'll just reflect back to you that you seem very, very concerned with taking this job on these terms. 

"SOL" means "sh!t out of luck."

[wsr88d]

I agree - do not even consider it. In fact, if they follow up with you regarding your denial - let them know they are crazier than a sh*t house rat!

I have never heard of any institution indicating that YOU would have to pay for a replacement teacher if you bail or get fired from the job. They must be a looney institution or something.

Do even think about!