Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Prostitution

There are some teachers out there who tutor on the side for some spare change. There are tuition agents who try to act as the middle men, bringing together tutor and tutee. Most teachers I know who do that make it quite clear it's done on the side and do not allow school and tuition to meet. So, there was much suspicion among the teachers when messages started appearing on their desks today, stating that a particular consultant had rung to ask if they were interested in tuition jobs.

I happen to pick up one such phone call. And this consultant asked for me by name and sounded as if he knew me and I was his friend. He proceeded to ask if I was keen to tutor someone for $300 per hour. It was $300/hr to entice current teachers to tutor this guy who was a private candidate.

While listening to his entire spiel, there was a loud ringing in my head. Yes, they were alarm bells!

No one pays $300/hr for tuition and just expects some help to do well in some exam. Even special attention, in every sense of the word, doesn't cost $300/hr. So I declined.

It's like what we tell debaters sometimes. You can make up figures or examples, but make sure it's believable. There's a fine line.

LUKE: Jam.
LORELAI: Yes, fancy French jam.
LUKE: Fruits de la Terre. Very impressive.
LORELAI: It's handmade by this woman in Paris who has the most amazing story.
LUKE: Really?
LORELAI: Yeah. Orphaned.
LUKE: Uh huh.
LORELAI: And illiterate.
LUKE: Okay.
LORELAI: Just had nothing in her life, you know, except this burning desire to be the world's greatest jamstress. And she's famous now and, uh, you know, she only makes three bottles of that stuff a year and that's one of 'em, and I brought it all the way across the, uh. . .I got it from Sookie's house.
LUKE: No.
LORELAI: How did you know?
LUKE: Just a wild guess.

Episode 4.1
Ballroom and Biscotti
If he rings again, there will be much scolding. Perhaps in a different language just to add so "umph".

Ondine tossed this thought in at 00:34

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