It is rather frustrating to spend two hours editing lesson notes then to sit in an empty classroom for one hour waiting for the only registered student to show up.

A note of explanation such as my alarm clock didn’t go off, I had to rush my Siamese cat to the vet, I had internet problems, I couldn’t find the Join Now button etc.would have been nice.

My pen rai (never mind); I hope you find the notes useful.

I do understand your frustration…. The only time I knew the two students who had registered in my class wouldn’t show up (call it good radar ), I cancelled that class…. wasting time on preparing a lesson and then waiting in the classroom isn’t something I want to do…. :)

Lyne, thank you for your kind words of solace. Both Antony and I respect you as a leader and an instrument of change for the betterment of the Edufire community.

Thank you Tapanee! ;)

I really think that this site has huge potential, but there are things that must be taken care of…. All we want, as teachers, is to give a service yet it’s imperative that an efficient system be put in place…. we really don’t need the aggravation of continuous no-shows and disrespect on some (too many indeed!) students’ part.

Of course, in my business, I am not dealing with hundreds of people but I have a great system and I have rules…. and everything goes just fine. :)

You and Antony keep smiling and…. pushing! I will!!!

its so sad; i had students show up 30 minutes to even 50 minute after the class started and ask me why there would be no class!!! I wait for 10 minutes; if you don’t turn up that’s your problem.

No shows take the pleasure out of teaching at edufire. I like it for the convenience-teaching from my room; but given the no shows/ late arrivals and some not-so pleasant students have my doubts at times.

@Kamal…. don’t let this get into you…. I’m teaching almost exclusively online now (with my own clients) and I really enjoy it! :D All of my trainees are super cool, motivated, serious and they really want to learn (well they need to be bilingual for work and they need their required level of fluency). For me it’s like it used to be in a face-to-face session in their offices, minus the aggravation of driving around in bad weather during our endless winters and wasting time in traffic.

Here I agree that it would be urgent to have kind of a big clean-up…. I still think this site has huge potential, yet it needs to set up some rules…. any learning environment has its rules, right? :)

Hang in there!

thanks for the words of encouragement Lyne…
I agree …. that;s why I am still here….
but as I guess you said in a post earlier this year; students now a days appear to have less regard of the basic etiquette.

Well I hate to say this but all my classes from now on are paid and prepay.

I am also getting frustrated by the no-shows. I had a class on Sunday that there were 6 people signed up and only one showed. I am still fairly new to edufire and I believe that they offer a great service. I know that I will have greater success the longer I am on edufire and can get the word out to everyone to come to my classes but it is frustrating when so many sign up and then they don’t bother to at least cancel.

We hear your frustrations Tapanee, Kamal, and Jan. Your frustrations, irritation, disappointment and anger are totally justified!!!! I’ve been burned way too many times to not set classes for prepay. There is room for consultation and discussion in many of the Teacher orientation classes, and the eduFire staff are very earnest, dependable and many times creative to how we can minimize our frustration as good-willed teachers. I know eduFire is working hard now to level the playing field of student-teacher rights and responsibilities. If I didn’t receive all the assistance up till now, and know that they were working hard to improve the present and future situation, I would have stopped teaching here long ago! I know, Off-line students wouldn’t dare pull off no-show and similar stunts on me in real life.

Hang in there fellow teachers! Don’t compromise your values and the quality of your lessons. I’m confident, things will start to turn around. I’ve been around for a while, and have faith in eduFire and all the eduFirians! And if you don’t want to, or can’t wait, you always have the option to wait for the tide to change or say goodbye. I’ve decided to be the tide. I hope you can/will join me.

I like your reply Wren. You know when I set my class, 10 students rigestered then I had a problem with electrisity and I didn’t show up. when I reset the class only 2 rigestered and I still have the hope!!!

I wish the students would pay at the time they book a class :(

Ximene, I would VERY much like that, too.

That makes at least THREE of us! :D

Wren, I agree with everything you said except that bit about saying goodbye.

I believe that ‘throwing down the glove’ rather than ‘throwing in the towel’ presents a better option.

Make that at least four Lyn!
I think students paying at time of booking is the way to go with all paying classes – that sets up a culture where it is normal to pay in advance and not an issue of trust for the tutor. It will also ensure that only comitted students sign up.

Students could get a voucher for another class with that tutor if they have a really good reason for not turning up – at tutor discretion.

I have posted the payment at time of booking idea here

I’m right with all of the tutors here. I am experiencing the same problem with some of the classes. I’m a student not a tutor but, I try to show for all of my classes or at least contact my tutor if I have to miss. Lately, I’ve registered for classes and sit and wait for a tutor who doesn’t show and doesn’t return emails. The class hasn’t been canceled so I attend and wait at least 30 minutes before leaving just in case there was a connection problem. In fact, I’m typing this as I wait for another no show tutor. It is very frustrating on both sides of the coin. In some of my classes, I am the only one to show and I very much appreciate that the tutor stays and teaches only me. I sympathize with all of the tutors who go through this and I want to thank all of my tutors who put as much effort into teaching one person as they would teaching an entire class.

You’ve got a point Kimberly…..TUTOR NO SHOW

Thank you, Enrique.

Kimberly, I’m really sorry to hear your teachers also engage in the NO SHOW issues

Thank you for your kindness, Enrique. I try not to dwell on those who don’t show although, it does frustrate me at times. The tutors who do show up for class more than make up for the ones who don’t. I know there are a lot of really dedicated tutors here and, I keep coming back for them.

Today was my first class and inspite of the disconnection the students were very patient and waited for me many times, so please give the excuses for both the student and the tutor. They both want the best. Thanks for the patient students and sorry for the bad connection

I guess there are bad apples everywhere…. unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world (wouldn’t it be fabulous though?)! :P

Some students are very understanding and patient. We must be grateful to them also