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thunderpaws
Joined: 27 Sep 2011
Posts: 8
Location: Philadelphia
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 Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| LarssonCrew wrote: |
Maybe I've been in China too long and become cynical...
BUT, even with volunteer positions, 'helping the needy' positions, as this is in China and there MUST be a Chinese person linked in somewhere, I cannot imagine that someone who is Chinese hasn't got their hand in the till somewhere.
Even positions in Tibet to 'help the people of Tibet' I always imagined was linked to a government official 'Let's help boost locals by giving them a foreign teacher for a month!.'
I would suspect this organisation of being similar. I just cannot fathom that any organisation within China is not making money from somewhere. |
The truth is, nowhere does this organization pretend to be "helping the needy". They make money from students paying to do exchange programs in the US. |
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thunderpaws
Joined: 27 Sep 2011
Posts: 8
Location: Philadelphia
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| Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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| The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: |
| Update? |
I was offered a job. I have, for the time being, accepted. I'm still a bit skeptical of these people, but if March 14th shows up and I go to the airport and the ticket they give me takes me to China I'm game. Just as long as they don't ask me for any money.
I'm posting the contract they sent me here so if anyone could let me know what they think about it i'd be grateful!
One thing that's funny: they told me to get a tourist visa. If that's the case I would be working illegally unless the money is being paid by their American operation. But if the American operation is paying me, does SBFE or SAFEA even have any jurisdiction concerning how CPH carries out the contract?
China ESL Teacher's Contract
I.Parties to Contract:
Party A _China Project Hope, Inc._ wishes to engage the service of Party B__________________as ESL teacher.
The two parties, in a spirit of friendly cooperation, agree to sign this contract and pledge to fulfill conscientiously all the obligations stipulated in it.
II. Period of service: From _March 15, 2012__to _ May 31, 2012____.
III. The duties of Party B
1. Teaching students in Chinese middle- or high schools, as assigned by Party A:
(a) 8-12 lessons/week, 45 minute/lesson
(b) Prepare lesson plans under supervision of CPH curriculum director
(c) Develop student confidence and improve oral English proficiency
(d) Introduce and demonstrate a variety of American pedagogical styles
2. Providing assistance to CPH marketing and recruitment activities in China (days, evenings and/or weekends, 10-12 hours/week):
(a) Conducting marketing presentations to prospective students and parents at area high schools
(b) Supervising SLEP examinations and conducting oral English proficiency interviews
(c) Mentoring and supervising students enrolled in online E-Pals conversational enrichment program
(d) Conducting pre-departure seminars/workshops for CPH � enrolled students and their parents
(e) Assisting with CPH admissions selection interviews
IV. Salary, Benefits, Expenses and Fees
1. Party A will pay a monthly salary to Party B in the amount of � 4,000 Yuan (RMB), payable every two weeks from the start date.
2. Party A shall purchase round trip international airfare for Party B.
3. Party A shall provide modern furnished accommodations convenient to assigned high school, free of charge.
4. Party A shall purchase health insurance and provide health insurance card to Party B.
5. Party A shall cover all expenses related to teacher orientation activities and work-related activities, including in-country travel expenses and accommodations.
6. Party B is responsible for meals, personal expenses, incidentals, or personal travel.
7. Party B is responsible for cost of China immigration visa application
V. Party A's Obligations
1. Party A shall provide an Orientation Handbook and Orientation Session to Party B, in order to introduce:
(a) the laws, decrees and relevant regulations enacted by the Chinese government;
(b) Party A's work system and regulations concerning administration of their duties;
(c) Other pertinent information that assists adjustment to working and living conditions of China
2. Party A shall conduct direction, supervision and evaluation of Party B's work.
3. Party A shall ensure Party B�s necessary working and living conditions.
4. Party A shall provide Chinese co-workers and translators for work-related tasks, as necessary.
5. In case of emergency, Party A provides 24/7 assistance to Party B
VI. Party B's Obligations
1. Party B shall abide by the laws, decrees and relevant regulations enacted by the Chinese government and shall not interfere in China's internal affairs.
2. Party B shall abide by Party A's work system and regulations concerning administration of foreign experts and shall accept Party A's arrangement, direction, supervision and evaluation in regard to his/her work.
3. Without Party A's consent, Party B shall not render service elsewhere or hold concurrently any post unrelated to the work agreed on with Party A.
4. Party B shall complete the tasks agreed on schedule and guarantee the quality of work.
5. Party B shall respect China's religious policy, and shall not conduct religious activities incompatible with the status of an expert.
5. Party B shall respect the Chinese people's moral standards and customs.
VII. Revision, Cancellation and Termination of the Contract
1. Both parties should abide by the contract and should refrain from revising, canceling, or terminating the contract without mutual consent.
2. The contract can only be revised, canceled, or terminated with mutual consent. Before both parties have reached an agreement, the contact should be strictly observed.
3. Party A has the right to cancel the contract with a written notice to Party B under the following conditions:
(a) Party B does not fulfill its obligations contained in the contact according to the terms stipulated, and has failed to amend after Party A has pointed it out.
(b) Party B has been excessively tardy and/or absent from his duties for any reason without prior notification to Party B.
4. Party B has the right to cancel the contract with a written notice to Party A under the following conditions:
(1) Party A has not provided Party B with necessary working and living conditions as stipulated in the contract.
(2) Party A has not paid Party B as scheduled.
VIII. Breach Penalty
When either of the two parties fails to fulfill the contract or fails to fulfill the contract obligations according to the terms stipulated, that is, breaks the contract, it must pay a breach penalty of one month salary in US $ (or the equivalent in RMB).
If Party B asks to cancel the contract due to events beyond control, it should produce certifications by the department concerned, obtain Party A's consent, and pay its own return expenses; if Party B cancels the contract without valid reason, it should pay its own return expenses and pay a breach penalty to Party A.
If Party A asks to cancel the contract due to events beyond control, with the consent of Party B, it should pay Party B's return expenses; if Party A cancel the contract without valid reason, it should pay Party B's return expenses and pay a breach penalty to Party B.
IX. The appendix of this contract is an inseparable part of the contract and has equal effect.
X. This contract takes effect on the date signed by both parties and will automatically expire when the contract ends. If either of the two parties asks for a new contract, it should forward its request to another party 90 days prior to the expiration of the contract, and sign the new contract with mutual consent. Party B shall bear all expenses incurred when staying on after the contract expires.
XI. Arbitration
The two parties shall consult with each other and mediate any disputes, which may arise about the contract. If all attempts fail, the two parties can appeal to the organization of arbitration for foreign experts affairs in the State Bureau of Foreign Experts and ask for a final arbitration.
This Contract is signed, in duplicate, this ______ day of _________, 2008, in English languages.
Party A
Signature __________________________________ , Catherine Chen, Executive Director, CPH
Party B
Signature __________________________________, China ESL Teacher
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Brian Hugh
Joined: 07 Jan 2012
Posts: 140
Location: China
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| Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 2:35 am Post subject: |
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| Sounds like a few places I know of. They send you to teach rich kids in Hangzhou and Shanghai. You have a contract that binds you to the job then when you complain they send you to another school (college) and tell you that you will be paid 7,000 rmb minus 2,500 housing and you will teach 700 students conversational Engish. |
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dean_a_jones
Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 1151
Location: Wuhan, China
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| Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:34 am Post subject: |
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It seems like a low paid temp teaching/recruitment job. Though for short term work like this it is not a complete surprise, getting you over on a tourist visa means you have little recourse if they treat you poorly; if you get stiffed on anything in the contract it will be harder to get things sorted.
I recognise it seems to be connected with a legitimate US based organisation, but I would still be a bit cautious.
| thunderpaws wrote: |
III. The duties of Party B
1. Teaching students in Chinese middle- or high schools, as assigned by Party A:
(a) 8-12 lessons/week, 45 minute/lesson
(b) Prepare lesson plans under supervision of CPH curriculum director
(c) Develop student confidence and improve oral English proficiency
(d) Introduce and demonstrate a variety of American pedagogical styles
2. Providing assistance to CPH marketing and recruitment activities in China (days, evenings and/or weekends, 10-12 hours/week):
(a) Conducting marketing presentations to prospective students and parents at area high schools
(b) Supervising SLEP examinations and conducting oral English proficiency interviews
(c) Mentoring and supervising students enrolled in online E-Pals conversational enrichment program
(d) Conducting pre-departure seminars/workshops for CPH � enrolled students and their parents
(e) Assisting with CPH admissions selection interviews |
I notice that they will potentially have you doing more recruitment and other administrative stuff than teaching.
If I was being cynical I would guess that they want a laowai on the cheap for a month or two who can visit schools, get people to sign up for US based summer school or whatever and then send you packing once you have interviewed students and they have paid their fees to participate in such a programme (this is all assuming they have to pay to enter this kind of programme).
If they wanted to do this legitimately, they should be paying someone a decent chunk of cash to assist with this kind of recruitment. As I said, that is being cynical, but once I read these extra non-teaching duties, that is what immediately jumped into my head.
| Quote: |
| 2. Party B shall abide by Party A's work system and regulations concerning administration of foreign experts and shall accept Party A's arrangement, direction, supervision and evaluation in regard to his/her work. |
Translation: do whatever we want and don't complain. Always an annoying clause but not an usual one.
While these kinds of things and the contract itself is pretty standard, the fact that they want you over on a tourist visa and will potentially fill your hours with promotional work suggests you should proceed with a bit of caution.
You seem generally aware of the US arm of this organisation, so I would be making sure you have some kind of contact there who you can go to if their 'partner' or whatever in China is not upholding their part of the deal. It may help you fight your corner if something does go wrong, as the China side won't want to lose face/connections in this way.
Anyway, those are a few extra thoughts after seeing the contract they offer. If you make it over, do update us in terms of the reality vs. all of our speculation. |
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thunderpaws
Joined: 27 Sep 2011
Posts: 8
Location: Philadelphia
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| Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:22 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the detailed reply.
I've talked with a few outside organizations who've contracted with them in the past and they confirmed for me that they are a legit agency. They also confirmed that they can be a bit disorganized, but I think I can manage that. At the end of the day, if I can teach 10 classes a week I'll be happy enough, even if I have to spend a few hours a day doing PR shit. They can't force me to be a GOOD salesperson! Though maybe I'll really believe in the work they're doing and want to be a good salesman. Who knows.
At this point my biggest concern is how to develop any sort of social life given I'll only be there 10 weeks. I've been told our agency will place one teacher in each of 8 cities (maybe 2 teachers in a city or 2)--and they haven't given us our placements yet. I'm not looking to go ape-shit partying while I'm there, but it would be nice to be able to speak English with some foreigners a couple times a week. Maybe even find a pick-up basketball game or something to stay lively. Hopefully that'll work itself out once I get my placement.
Thanks all for the input. I'll keep you posted! |
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