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sibertiger_76
Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 3
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:28 am Post subject: SNET in Hong Kong |
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I am about to undergo the interview for a SNET position. A couple of things I am curious about and I wonder if anyone out there can help me. Firstly, would anyone be so kind as to jot down a couple of lines about what they think of the job. What's good? What's not so good? What is downright ugly?
I am an easy-going Aussie who works hard but I am a little sick and tired of young Aussie kids who don't give a damn about their education. What are the kids like in Hong Kong? I know any replies will be specific to different schools, but I would appreciate any light that can be shed on the position for which I am applying.
One last thing, has anyone had trouble being appointed to the top of the salary tree? I have had over 20 years teaching experience and have the documentation to prove it, but am I in for an administrative battle, assuming of course that I am successful? Thanks in anticipation folks. |
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articulate_ink
Joined: 06 Mar 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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I can't answer your question but I have one of my own, if you don't mind: where is your interview taking place? It seems that applicants who have requested interviews outside of Hong Kong are getting interviews first and the rest of us are still in limbo. There may be other factors involved (such as qualifications) but this is a little puzzling. Thanks and good luck. |
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sibertiger_76
Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 3
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:03 pm Post subject: SNET in Hong Kong |
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Thanks for replying. I am being interviewed in Brisbane, Australia. I can understand your situation, but I was notified some time ago by the company which handles recruitment here on behalf of the EMB. Hope your notification comes soon. |
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anninhk
Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:28 am Post subject: |
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I'm a PNET and not an SNET, but I am sure if you do a search of this site you will find both negative and positive comments about being a NET teacher of any kind in Hong Kong.
About your salary expectations - if you have an English Degree and a teaching qualification and can document your years of full-time service you will qualify for the top scale. I know several teachers who are paid at the top of the scale so they do pay at that rate.
Good Luck! |
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11:59
Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 632 Location: Hong Kong: The 'Pearl of the Orient'
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:44 am Post subject: |
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Ann is quite right. As long as your experience is post-qualification, certifiable, and from accredited institutions then there will be no problem. I know of many EMB/EDB SNETs at the very top of the Master Scale and so who, with the housing allowance, easily earn as much as the principal (i.e., about $70,000 or $75,000 a month). |
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Horizontal Hero
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 2492 Location: The civilised little bit of China.
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:57 am Post subject: Re: SNET in Hong Kong |
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Quote: |
I am about to undergo the interview for a SNET position. A couple of things I am curious about and I wonder if anyone out there can help me. Firstly, would anyone be so kind as to jot down a couple of lines about what they think of the job. What's good? What's not so good? What is downright ugly? |
The good. The cash (esp. if you are at or near the top). Hard-working students. Nice colleagues. Friendly principlals. HK has plenty to do, if you are into material pursuits, shopping and having a few drinks/ coffees with friends.
The bad. Piles of marking. Lazy, sleepy, students. Students who tune out or complain as soon as you start any procedure not related to the exams. Shiddy colleages. Even shiddier principals.
The ugly. The curriculum. Staff too terrified to leave before 7.00p.m. The principal from hell (a few of them about). Grown women with multi-coloured skirts and yellow, knee-high boots. A great leader who wears a bow tie. |
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sibertiger_76
Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 3
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:17 am Post subject: SNET in Hong Kong |
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Thanks for your replies. It all helps. Yellow knee-high boots??? |
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Horizontal Hero
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 2492 Location: The civilised little bit of China.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:32 am Post subject: Re: SNET in Hong Kong |
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sibertiger_76 wrote: |
Thanks for your replies. It all helps. Yellow knee-high boots??? |
Hong Kongers are admired the world over for their "innovtive" fashion sense. |
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BCinHK
Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 35 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:02 am Post subject: |
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HOLIDAYS:
Good: lots of holidays: one-day public holidays like HKSAR Day, Chinese National Day, Buddha's Birthday, Ching Ming, Teun Ng, the day after Mid-Autumn Festival; school holidays like the day after Sports Day or Swimming Gala; long holidays at Christmas, Easter, Chinese New Year. Breaks from teaching like test weeks (2 per year?) and exam periods (2 weeks x 2?)
Bad: every school has different days off, so if a partner/spouse also teaches or kids are in school, the holidays don't always match. Long holidays may be cut short as you might have one day of duty which you are not allowed to change.
COLLEAGUES:
Good: caring colleagues. If you are lucky, you will have 3 - 4 colleagues who look after you in the most amazing ways, but usually just during school hours.
Bad: if you are unlucky, your colleagues will ask you when they return from the staff lunch why you didn't attend (the notices were all in Chinese and no one bothered to tell you).
TEACHING:
Good: your school really wants kids to have a chance to use English and gives you small classes of high-achievers where you can do anything you want to promote English.
Bad: your school treats you like a local teacher, or even worse, like a TA. In the former capacity, you do tons of marking and test/exam setting, follow a narrow syllabus based totally on the locally-written, exam-oriented textbook. In the latter case, you are teaching 'oral' lessons to classes of 40 Form 1s (Grade 7s/ Year 1s) to provide 'benefits' (i.e. lessen the workload) for the regular local teacher. In this case, instead of splitting the large class between two teachers, you have the full class while the local teacher sleeps on their desk in the staff room.
To avoid some of the 'bad', interview the school as much as possible. Read all the NET info that's online (eg Letter of Appointment, Deployment Guidelines) and find out why they are looking for a new NET and what they want the NET to do. |
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Waverly
Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 31
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:04 am Post subject: |
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I want to know what happens once the panel decides to hire you. Do you just fly over there and find a school? Or do they slot you into a school? Who finds the housing for you? Does it come furnished. I want to know those basic things. Dealing with staff, students, etc. That always changes year to year. That to me is what keeps teaching interesting. |
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anninhk
Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:56 am Post subject: |
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Oh that it were that easy!
After the interview you will wait for a while and then you will hear you have passed the interview.
You will then have to get every scrap of paper that has ever been issued to you to prove you have the qualifications and experience you put on your application.
Then, you will wait and wait and hopefully around the beginning of July you will be contacted by a school who will then give you a couple of days to return the signed contract.
You may then have to wait for the employment visa so that you can arrive in Hong Kong for the start of the new school year on 1st September (they usually want you here for 16th August)
You will have to find your own accommodation and that could be furnished or unfurnished depending on your preference - a lot of people start in serviced apartments. |
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articulate_ink
Joined: 06 Mar 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:36 am Post subject: |
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Sorry if this seems to be a no-brainer, but some clarification would be helpful. The SNET email that acknowledged my application said that if I were going to be invited to interview, I would hear by March 2008. It wasn't more specific than that. I think this is the standard notification; others seem to have received the same e-mail. I had assumed this meant by the beginning of March but with the NET program's reputation for glacially slow progress, perhaps I've misinterpreted this? Is sometime in March, if we get around to it a more accurate time frame, or should I assume the sand is out of the hourglass? |
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sm
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 36 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:45 am Post subject: |
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I hate to be the one to say but "wait a while" is an understatement. I'm still waiting and I applied last year! I was offering a few contracts but didn't like the sound of them and therefore declined but I've now set a few things up and should to there this summer. Last year SNET's got contracts before PNET's but both were delayed.
As soon as you find out if you have passed the interview or not start searching to vacant positions.
Good Luck |
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Serious_Fun
Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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sm wrote: |
... "wait a while" is an understatement... |
right on.
Last edited by Serious_Fun on Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:31 am; edited 1 time in total |
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SydGirl2
Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 50
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:16 pm Post subject: SNET in HK |
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I have applied for a PNET position. I applied through a recruitment agency in Australia and so far so good. I guess that when EDB gets more involved things will slow down. I have in interview in HK next week(it just so happens I will be on holiday in HK then.) I have already supplied cerified copies of diplomas, degrees, marriage certificate, birth certificate, high school records transcripts etc, all in duplicate. If I pass the interview, do I have to submit them all again? |
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