Job Discussion Forums

[laodeng]

Enough already! I love China, but after five years I've had it with brain-damaged wai4 ban4 and sleezoid private schools.

So on the expiration of my current university contract at the end of June, I plan to teach only private students--all this with the blessing of my Shanghaiese wife and extended family--in a new residential development populated mostly by young business types. No kiddies--I only want to work with adults and, possibly, university-age students.

Because of the vagaries of doing privates, one of my in-laws (a lawyer, incidentally) has made a case for collecting tuition in advance, perhaps a month in advance. Keep 'em serious, smooth the cash flow, reduce the no-shows, etc.

Has anyone out there ever tried this? If you haven't done this, do you think the Chinese psyche would find this acceptable?

(For what it's worth, I have an independent source of income from the States of approximately RMB 8,000/month so we can eat during startup.)

All input gratefully accepted.

[eion_padraig]

Laodeng,

I find that a number of my private jobs want to pay in advance. I haven't been too serious with these jobs as they are a pretty small amount of what I make overall. If it was my major source of income, I'ld change some of the things I do like you are talking about.

I definitely think two to four classes in advance is reasonable. I would have them sign something (your own receipt), preferably written in Chinese and English, and give them a copy. People forget and if there was a serious dispute a receipt with their signature couldn't hurt. I'm sure your wife could make use of it. I would also let them know if they cancelled at the last minute (less than a day's warning), I would keep their fee for that class.

I'm sure you would get less jobs this way, but in the end you would be better off I'm sure. Good luck with it.

Eion

[laodeng]

Dear Eion,

Thanx for the rapid turnaround. The info is most helpful . . . and makes me feel better about this career change (not that I ever saw what I've been doing in China as much of a career).

Cheers . . .

[kev7161]

I'm thinking the same thing (although I'm thinking of teaching adults as EXTRA income, not instead of my regular job) - - I want to charge them for one month in advance. My thought is, I'm going to arrange my schedule to correspond with my student's life. I will not plan anything during the times we are scheduled to meet. If he/she does not show (or calls at the last moment), then they are charged anyway.

Or is that too harsh? Will I lose students that way? Should I instead say, pay for 4 lessons ahead of time and if they miss a scheduled lesson, then we extend by another week (if it was one lesson a week)?

[Roger]

I taught privates in Shenzhen for a couple of years, and it was my iron principle that students had to pay for one month in advance, and book their time.
It worked wonderfully, and it kept me busy; I also knew when I had slack periods that I could devote to other interests.
If you don't do it this way your students will take liberties.
COming one hour late? The stupid teacher has got to wait - and lose other potential income.
Or cancel a lesson 5 minutes before it's due to begin? Not acceptable to me! That's why I want them to pay ahead!

Remember how disorganised schools are? How can you expect individuals to be any more clear-thinking?

[laodeng]

Thank you, Roger, and good luck, Kev.

[Just a guy]

do a search of the China forums, plenty threads with Great opinions on private classes. Some posters that don't post anymore here gave good input.

this thread is one I saved the last time I did the search;

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=8696&highlight=

[laodeng]

Just-a-guy: Thanks for a most useful thread.

Rickster: Sound advice!!

Incidentally, my Chinese better half advises that the xiao3 huang2 di4 (or, rather, their doting parents) are too good a source of revenue to ignore. Says she will handle the discipline!

[dezza]

I teach only kids when I teach privates. I've taught adults before but as you said they have lives: work, commitments, kids, etc and so they are more prone to cancel on you.

Whereas kids and their parents set aside your day and time for English lesson, as they do with other lessons: piano, dance, maths, etc. This results in very few cancellations.

As for taking money in advance I see the merits of it, but I don't do it as all of my private students are friends of my students so I tend to trust them more.

Good luck

[Ludwig]

[laodeng]

What's your point?

[davis]

I was teaching a private class of 4 until the SARS debacle last year when the power's that be decided to ban visitors to our aprtment complex. I was able to finish the last class (which they'd paid for in advance) but decided not to resume classes later. One problem I had was some students would arrive early and want to stay late. Thus they were able to stretch a 90 minute lesson into 2 hours or more.

[laodeng]

Thanks for the tip---something else to watch out for!