Job Discussion Forums

[ChrisRose]

Dear HK forum,

A funny little incident over on the ICeRed chat forum.

I posted an offer of private English tuition. The article id is: http://www3.icered.com/icered/home/forum/threadList.jspa?locationID=2&whereAmI=36&threadID=35612&tstart=0

Suddenly lots of negative post attempting to compare me to some renowned local Chinese teacher whom I had never heard of, a �James Yiu Po-Kwong�.

An initial web search brought up only 3 hits, two of which were for advertisements!

Next I noticed all the nicks, which were different were almost identical but with slight variations on the wordings!

Well I find it amusing but intend to get to the bottom of this.

Well if anyone is a member of IceRed and has too much time on their hands feel free to post their.

Also has anyone ever heard of �James Yiu Po-Kwong�? I would be grateful to hear more about him.

Many thanks in advance.

Chris

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

Chris,

What you are doing is ILLEGAL. You do not need to tuitor. Why did you leave the NET scheme!

You should climb up the ladder not down. Find a new site to advertise in because they are on to you.

This is my humble opinion. I hope you do not censor me.

[ChrisRose]

Well it certainly is not illegal.

I was on a parallel NET scheme funded by the Po Leung Kok group of schools.

Based upon my experience of teaching in lieu of a completed degree they gave me terms compatible to Graduate Master and an offer of equivalent to MPS 29 to 34.

My reasons for leaving, well I shan�t write here, it would make Joanne Miller look sane. Let�s just say problems of a personal nature with my direct senior.

I thought it would have been easy to find an alternative position on similar terms. I was offered a full time position with a local college on a slightly lower MPS, unfortunately my wife didn�t like the idea of the reduced pay.

Furthermore, I find the amount of paperwork and admin at college and post college levels extremely unpleasant. I would rather mark exam papers at primary or secondary level, better yet no exams to mark!

My sole priority is to be able to commence my masters this year. I have had to defer for 3 years in a row now, lack of funds.

Well maybe private tutoring is an answer. I will happily accept a full time offer from any primary or secondary school on reasonable terms, but alas, without that completed degree, those offers are few and far between.

The private sector? Hmm same job but making some idiot rich of my labour and the students whom pay for extra curricular classes? I am sure you know or have heard about all the fly by night agencies offering schools extra curricular lessons.

I shall try private tutoring and see how it goes. As long as I can enrol in my Masters, all will be well.


Regards
Chris

P.S. I actually don�t know how to censor threads

[AndyinHK]

Hi Chris,

I saw from another posting somewhere that you had a cert in Ed from HK IED. I was wondering if the course you took was taught partially in Chinese? I tried to get into a PG course there, but was told that all the Ed courses were taught in Chinese, although a lot of the materials were produced in English. What did you think of your course in terms of classroom relevancy? Did you study a part-time course and work full-time? If so, how many classes did you take each week and what was the workload like outside of class?

Where are you applying for your masters? Are you doing it locally or through distance learning?

Thanks for your insight.

[ChrisRose]

That paticular course was a part time course. Which has since been discontiuned. I think it was 120 hours of onsite lectures? I will have to look at ther cert.

The quality of the lecturers was superb.

The workoad was ok, like many courses you get out hat you put in. I was the only westener on the coursem howver the medium of the course was English.

Since then they have changed to Cantonese for the majority of thier courses.

Not compatable to some of the full time courses they have at thier Tai Po Campus.

HKU are offering a Dip. ELT, there are several PGCE and PGDE courses available in HK too, and of course the HKU (SPACE) Dip.Ed. Another excellent course but not ELT specific. Hence thier recent commencment of the Dip.ELT.

The HKU (SPACE) Cert. Secondary ELT, offers a wide range of modules, however I foundd it more useful for self / professional development than any recognition of the certification.

The bottom line is, you get out of any course as much as you put in. e.g. Reccommend readings are there, should you wish to undertake the time and effort to improve yourself.

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

Chris,

Your motto seems a little too apologist. It's this kind of attitude that makes us feel were inferior to the locals.

"Don't say or do anything until you have time to settle in. In this culture, local teachers have thier own methods and aims. They are here for the durationt. Be quiet, polite, and supportive without causing loss of face to local teachers."

Now, is it my business to comment on such a thing? I think yes.

Four reasons:

1) You have so many cert. diplomas but fail to get the golden PGCE.

2) You want to teach but prefer to study.

3) You should proof read your postings!

4) Don't date the boss

You can strike out four. I'm just kidding Chris!

[ChrisRose]

Four reasons:

>1) You have so many cert. diplomas but fail to get the golden PGCE.

No money, erm Catch 22 really.

>2) You want to teach but prefer to study.
I shall study whenever I have the finacle opportunity to do so.

>3) You should proof read your postings!
I am lazy.

>4) Don't date the boss
Well where were you with this advice 3 years ago when I needed it?

You can strike out four. I'm just

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

Chris!,

You took that criticism rather well. I'm quite impressed.

It just bothers me when I see great people like yourself collecting chicken feed at tuitoring when you should be in a full time position for about 10 years (as a NET) and then you can retire and study and tuitor to your hearts content.

Good luck in your MA.

[ChrisRose]

Thanks Freddy,

The truth is a first degree holds a lot of sway in th educational field.

Recently, with the success of the NET scheme (e.g. the increasing number of applicants) the EMB keeps shrinking the goal post.

So I realise my future must have at least a Masters, before I can gain job security and respect in the ELT / ESL field.

Anyway thanks again for the kind words.

So no proof reading lol.

Just answering some questions on my hobby via Yahoo.
My hobby is gerimicidal irradiation of pathogoens lol.

I think there may be more interest from my college this year with the fresh H5N1 and SARS outbreaks.

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

I think you would be a great researcher. But, the fact that the EMB might/might not do this or that shows your deflectional technique at it's finest! If you want to be a NET...You Can. Do not speak in such generalities.

Would you agree that it is better to be fully qualified as a teacher and work full time than to get by as a language hack living day to day from suitcase to shower?

In a way, i'm envious. You live quite free now. Call your own shots. But, when your 50 where or where will you pension be. I guess it depends on what you consider something.

"lol" is outdated. Stop it. Stop it now!

Find a cure for SARS and I will be impressed. BTW, I had to teach "sars English" for the first month back after the outbreak.

Unbelievable Freddie

[combchick]

hi chris
Just reading through the thread. Wondering why you want to get a masters and what will you do with it?
I've got one but it's not much use. The EMB don't want it. Any skills I do have here are useless with the sort of students I've got anyway. I don't do any actual teaching.

[ChrisRose]

To Combchick.

You said the EMB aren't interested in your masters.

Well a first degree is highly regarded in the ELT field.

However, may I enquire about yuor Masters?
Is it ELT, ESL, English, TESOL, TEFL, linquistics, or other?
Is it from an insitution recognised by the EMB?

I realise that I will need to complete my B.Ed. as well in order to secure a good career. But, the Masters is quicker and cheaper to complete. So, fo now I will undertake the Masters then the reverse process of gettting the B.Ed.

Regards
Chris

[Scott in HK]

I don't think the EMB cares what your masters is in...unless it qualifies you to teach in public schools back in your home country...the NET scheme prefers to hired certified teachers...without the ability to teach back home (certification) then although you might be hired...you will find your salary capped at a low wage....i think around 22 or 23K a month...

there have been some masters holders who have found this out after they have been hired....years of experience not counted because of the salary cap...some refused the job...

[combchick]

hi Chris

As far as I'm aware, the EMB advertise for English teachers who have a first degree in English and also have a PGCE. I've got both of these. This means you're a qualified teacher back in your own country.

This is what they base your salary on, plus your years experience.

I've also got Cert TESOL plus MA Applied Linguistics. These two don't count salary wise and the EMB are not really interested in these extra qualifications. Plus I teach morons.

Yes I agree that an MA is regarded highly elsewhere and in other kinds of jobs - but not with the EMB. I know lots of NETS who have this qualification and they don't need it here. I know many NETS who also got this qualification at Sydney - like myself - and yes this institution is recognized by the EMB - but it doesn't count.

I could be wrong but I always thought you needed a B.Ed or a PGCE to go with your first degree to get employed as a NET. I'm not sure you can just do an MA and have it count as a teaching qualification with the EMB. This is why I'm not sure why you want to do an MA when it doesn't pay any more money nor get you into a better school here. You just need the basic qualifications.
And quite honestly, any moron could "teach" the kind of students I've got here. They make little effort and are not interested in English. You don't need any fancy degree to teach these kind of students.
CC.

[AndyinHK]

Chris,

I know you already have a diploma in Education plus a certificate in Education already. Aren't those enough to be qualified to teach? If I remember right you don't have a first degree, but if you can get an MA and use that in conjunction with certs you already have (assuming they are teacher certification courses), you should be ok.

BTW, what school are you planning to do your MA with?