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What are normal university teaching hours?
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rioux



Joined: 26 Apr 2012
Posts: 880

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:56 am    Post subject: What are normal university teaching hours? Reply with quote

I'm at 18 teaching hours a week. If you add in the extra things (English Corner, etc) I am supposed to do 20 hours a week. There are about 30 students per class and each class is 50 minutes.
I taught at universities in other countries and my work hours were less (usually about 15). At one university I had 18 hours a week (with no extra duties) but the class were 45 minutes long consisting of only 15 students.

Is 18 considered the "norm" in terms of the number of teaching hours in China or are there many places that offer less teaching hours?

Thanks
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rawera



Joined: 21 Aug 2012
Posts: 38

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do 18 hours a week of lessons with no obligation for english corner type stuff.
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Shroob



Joined: 02 Aug 2010
Posts: 1339

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It goes without saying that every university is different, that said, I would say normal hours are between 12-18 academic hours a week.

I personally do 12 x 45 minute periods a week (1 lesson is 2 x 45 minute periods) with no English corner obligations (though I go to them anyway, my view is that if they're kind enough to invite me and want me there, the least I can do is show up if I'm free).
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chinatimes



Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 478

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd say 14-16 is the average. The English corner stuff is negotiable. I wonder how you guys are able to do this. I have tried to schedule one day a week for students to meet in a computer room and another day for a room they call the English corner room. However, they are all busy in other classrooms.

If I they actually came when I was available I would be putting in 25 hours, not that I would do that. I am just saying, does your school schedule these English corner sessions and make it mandatory for students to attend?

I only have one class regularly coming, 2 will ask for files on USB, and the rest pretty much laugh when I say it is optional to them. They would rather stay in their dorm rooms.
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Shroob



Joined: 02 Aug 2010
Posts: 1339

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

chinatimes wrote:
I'd say 14-16 is the average. The English corner stuff is negotiable. I wonder how you guys are able to do this. I have tried to schedule one day a week for students to meet in a computer room and another day for a room they call the English corner room. However, they are all busy in other classrooms.

If I they actually came when I was available I would be putting in 25 hours, not that I would do that. I am just saying, does your school schedule these English corner sessions and make it mandatory for students to attend?

I only have one class regularly coming, 2 will ask for files on USB, and the rest pretty much laugh when I say it is optional to them. They would rather stay in their dorm rooms.


English corners, at least where I am, are always arranged by the students. I normally get invited a week or so before the actual event. All I do is turn up, give a little speech on the topic if they ask, answer a few questions and generally sit back and watch the dancing/singing/activities.
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xiguagua



Joined: 09 Oct 2011
Posts: 768

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My living/teaching situation kinda sucks, but in terms of working hours it works out well. I live at one campus, teach at another 20 minutes away. The commute sucks since I only have morning classes but it makes it so i'm not obligated to go to English Corners (saturday nights). Since my students are on the other side of town I do set up office hours for them which isn't required, but I don't mind doing it. I have an office and anyone can come in and talk and luckily, people do go in to talk.

So classroom hours for me is only 12 + my office hours kinda makes it 13-15. Lately I've been staying in the office from 2 until after 5. I don't really mind to be honest, I like talking to them and it gives me something to do rather than sit at home all day getting fatter.
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LarssonCrew



Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have 1 90 minute class and two 45 minute classes a week.

Currently Monday 4:20-5:50 and 6:30 to 7:30 and then Wednesday 2:50 - 4:20.

Not bad.

No office hours, no English corners.

That's about it. But I'm lucky.
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it'snotmyfault



Joined: 14 May 2012
Posts: 527

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LarssonCrew wrote:
I have 1 90 minute class and two 45 minute classes a week.

Currently Monday 4:20-5:50 and 6:30 to 7:30 and then Wednesday 2:50 - 4:20.

Not bad.

No office hours, no English corners.

That's about it. But I'm lucky.


What do you do with the other 165 hours of the week Smile
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LarssonCrew



Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Because I work so infrequently for the uni I can fill my days with other paying delights and still retain alot of free time.

I despise having an alarm, so this year I made sure all my classes and privates are afternoon [except weekends], so I can work[I find I do this best at night] until 1-2am and sleep until 10 and I feel great.

Waking up at 7 last year to get to work at 8 sucked, and I still found myself staying up til 12 or 1 from habit, so I'd be exhausted by the time I was finished with work around midday.
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Denim-Maniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I always say I would absolutely, never, under no circumstances, take a Chinese university job .... but I would be sorely tempted for the LarssonCrew position!

3 hours a week is nice drills buddy!
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johntpartee



Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
What are normal university teaching hours?


Depends on what they're paying.
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Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your contract will likely say 'max 20 teaching hours pw'. A 'teaching hour' typically being 50 mins and a 'class' is often 2xteaching hours.
But, watch for the situation of getting 12 or 14 hours in semester one and then have it ramped up to 20+ in semester 2.
Your employer will see the 'max 20 hours' as averaging out over the year contract.
If you're teaching oral, then 20 hours is doable because of almost no marking. For written, 20 hours would be a nightmare IMO.
English Corners should be shared out around the FTs and in this system you will get only 1 or 2 per semester.
Note English Corner attendances are high in the first weeks, especially for freshmen, but tail off rapidly - especially as winter approaches.
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johntpartee



Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Note English Corner attendances are high in the first weeks, especially for freshmen, but tail off rapidly


Dead on. The first couple of weeks everybody is all excited about seeing the cartoons, but once the novelty wears off (and the cold weather hits)....
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rioux



Joined: 26 Apr 2012
Posts: 880

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How can you prevent your outings to English Corner from becoming more like teaching a class?
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LarssonCrew



Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308

PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The reason I have so few classes is, firstly, my college is very small, secondly, they only allow first and second year English majors to learn spoken English from a foreigner.

Thirdly, they actually have a very good range of English teachers[the guy who communicates with me] has amazing spoken English. I can't help thinking that they have more classes themselves so they can influence the student's decisions between which 'additional[note paying]' classes they take.

Anyways, they don't even ask us to teach any non English majors, and so before I would teach 1st and 2nd years a large 90 minute class with activities, then broken down into speaking [just running through books] classes.

However, they asked if any of my friends needed a job, I found someone, and so now I have just first year.

It's not bad!!! T be honest just for the visa and the accommodation I would do it, so adding in 5000 a month makes it seem a joke, plus airfare :D

The very few hours means when they ask me to go to an English speaking competition as a judge next Monday [I just got a call now], I don't mind. They told me 6 days before [a record for China!] and they will prepare coffee and cake for me because I'm a judge.

Yep, I got extremely lucky. Shame I had to dig through 6 months of Kid Castle Xi'an before I got this gig.
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