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private lessons
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LongShiKong



Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 1082
Location: China

PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 5:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shroob wrote:
relaxtischina wrote:
LongShiKong wrote:
Here's what I'm planning on charging 4-5yr olds in Beijing for 1 hr sessions. I'll encourage parents to invite their friends kids or classmates and offer the following discounts:

200/hr for 1 child (=800/mo income for me or 1600 mo if they'll go for 2 sessions a wk)
175/hr each for 2 (=1400 or 2800/mo)
150/hr each for 3 (=1800 or 3600/mo)
125/hr each for 4+ (=2000+ or 4000+/mo)


Yes I have done something similar in the past. The problem I found is: What happens if a few kids suddenly cancel a class? The others will still expect to pay the lower fee . Be careful and think it through a little more.


I had this problem last year. I learnt my lesson, money first classes later.


Yes, cancellations/dropouts could pose a problem for me financially. They won't pay a stranger up front like they would an established school so I'm hoping that selling them a quality coursebook (at cost) and emphasizing the importance of attending every session, we can come to some agreement before we begin as to how to deal with cancellations.
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relaxtischina



Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Posts: 113

PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LarssonCrew wrote:
I find it hilarious that the parents refuse to pay top dollar for a [let's be honest] white, American/British teacher who dresses well and speaks well, who will plan classes, but are willing to pay through the roof to have 'summer university classes' with a Chinese teacher with average English, who teaches all of the class in English.

After living here for several years I have observed that locals find it difficult to accept a foreigner having the status of a Laoban (Boss). They can "accept" or in some cases tolerate "foreigners" as being an employee to a Chinese boss but could never accept , at least in education, the concept of a foreigner making serious money as a boss. This attitude is also reenforced by laws that forbid foreigners from legally starting/owning their own schools. When it comes to private classes pragmatism takes over to some extent but often, I suspect, the reluctance to accept a foreigner as a boss is the main reason that may restrict potential profit.
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LarssonCrew



Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308

PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I meant a Chinese teaching entirely in Chinese.

I just get a feeling there's many double edged swords.

This guy, I also learnt today, teaches in the week, and he converts an apartment, knocks down a wall and crams in 70 seats, and charges 100 for 2 hours of preparing for a middle school English test.

One of my older students paid 330 an hour to a school, who in turn gave me 150, we met in a Starbucks close to both of us. The school did absolutely zero, except got her to fork out for 100 classes up top, 33,000 RMB. Once the 100 classes were over, she refused to deal directly with me OR my Chinese wife, and only wanted to work with the school. It baffles me why she'd give 330 to a school to give me 150 instead of giving me 200/220 per hour and saving herself money.

As people have said earlier, cash up front is essential, especially with things like so many holidays / excuses to miss classes. If you teach on the weekends the pupils will go to their regular schools if they have make up days, and then you're down potentially 1000-1500 a day or more.

And relaxtischina, you got it spot on. I looked through the list of the richest people in China, do you know how many non Chinese people are on that list? Zero. I guess it's HARD to be more than a tin pot, smallish operating school or boss here without the government stepping on you.

Of course, once you've reached a certain level the govt may take it over and claim it for themselves!
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LongShiKong



Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 1082
Location: China

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:32 am    Post subject: Re: VIP students Reply with quote

Brian Hugh wrote:
For the last year I have been teaching VIP students. I am also writing this letter as an answer to the previous person who was accused of ripping off his students by charging two students 150 rmb an hour in Hongzhou. My answer is that you must deal through a Chinese agent in China. Chinese have a problem dealing directly with a lao wai.


Can you blame them!?!? Wearing hoodies and torn jeans, your average FT doesn't even look like a teacher. That's the casual 'loser' image the rest of us have to counter. And how many parents have had personal experience with such a 'teacher' at uni? In addition, I can appreciate parents' reluctance given this culture's reticence about criticizing a foreign teacher directly (let alone, their ability to do so in English). Furthermore, most FTs are newbies and even TEFL cert'd ones aren't very good teachers. I wasn't when i started.

I'm at the intermediate level in my Chinese and figure that if I clearly indicate my method of instruction and expectations and maintain effective communication with parents, I can minimize such complaints. The trick is to look and sound professional and have a firm policy about cancellations.

Most schools I've worked at have very limited expectations. As a matter of fact, I got strange looks when I asked staff what the VIP student I was to teach actually wanted from me. "Just talk to them." I was told.
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kungfuman



Joined: 31 May 2012
Posts: 1749
Location: In My Own Private Idaho

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:16 am    Post subject: Re: VIP students Reply with quote

LongShiKong wrote:
"Just talk to them." I was told.


One of my first side gigs in China:

Me: "What exactly am I supposed to be teaching to these students?'

Them: " You are the expert. Just teach them something."

Me to the students: " Hello what am I supposed to be teaching you today?"

Them- blank looks...

I found stashing several different genres of dvds in my backpack was starting to come in handy.

a class of 10 yr olds in a 4 hour class is very happy to watch Hanna Montana
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LarssonCrew



Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes LongShiKong, far better for a Chinese to believe his fellow countrymen, who he or she KNOWS loves to cheat and lie.

One of my friends ran a school, he was Chinese, and promised the parents ANYTHING to get them to sign, then expected them to put up with it. He promised one mother a native English, white, North American or British teacher between the ages of 25-30, she ended up having her daughter taught by a 59 year old Saudi Arabian creepy man, then switched to a Sudanese 62 year old who could barely speak English.

As for dress, I've never seen a Chinese wear a full on suit and tie, most who have some 'power' prefer the usual garish purple polo tucked into a slightly too short pair of chino's with a pair of fake plastic leather lookalike shoes, complete with man purse.

So much better than a pair of smart jeans and a [washed!!!] t shirt. Heck, I even see student's wearing their school uniform with all sorts of dirty marks on them, and they don't care.
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LongShiKong



Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 1082
Location: China

PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LarssonCrew wrote:
Yes LongShiKong, far better for a Chinese to believe his fellow countrymen, who he or she KNOWS loves to cheat and lie.


To an extent but that wasn't my point. I guess the same could be said about anyone--I'm thinking of Bush's WMD pretense to invade Iraq. Such intellect-numbing narcissism isn't limited to any particular nation or class. If you understand what causes perfectly rational people to make such irrational decisions, you may be able to persuade some of them, not all of them, to choose another course of action. Not everyone in China who can afford one buys an iPhone.
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