Job Discussion Forums

[mcloo7]

xiguagua- I meant my first ESL job.

Larsson-- Why would I want to take a vacation in Korea? Where can you make 12,000 plus a free apartment? Like I said, I'm forgoing the university option until I have more experience.

[roadwalker]

OP, for your first job in China, I would take this one or similar, IF they are reasonably forthcoming with answers to your questions; you are fairly clear about how many hours the job entails (teaching, "office" and "occasional special promotions, etc."); your housing situation is at least ok and you know what bills you are responsible for as opposed to the employer. One example about hours, be sure the contract somewhere states that a "teaching hour" is equal to 45 or 50 minutes. That's a red flag if they are sneaky about the teaching hours so that 8 teaching hours is expressed as only 6 hours in the contract, or it isn't otherwise clear how long you are actually expected to teach.

If you are busy teaching and taking in the China that is all around you, net 7000 is plenty, especially if you don't drink excessively, don't NEED some western things that are expensive here, or have other vices. Work a one year contract with the school and meet people and ask more questions. If you can find a better deal elsewhere, do so after your obligations have ended with the first. If the first school likes your work, they may be willing to offer a better contract if you re-sign for the next year.

Consider the first year a learning experience. Just try to avoid places with red flags, especially regarding visa issues and hours contracted. Good luck.

[mcloo7]

Thanks for the advice, Roadwalker. I agree that the offer seems pretty good for a first job. Now, it's just that I've become really interested in Shenzhen and am going to try to follow through with some similar offers there. So it will be a matter of choosing between the two places.

[teachingld2004]

Mc, ask the school if they can give you the email address of some one who works there. True, they may not tell u the truth, but if the school does give their email to you, good chances are that the school is a good one.

I am in a University. I send resumes to 3 schools, and all 3 wanted to hire me. 2 schools sent me teachers emails. This school gave me 2 peoples emails and I was told that the teachers here all stay for 3 years or more. Now I just signed my second contract.

Check out the training school. You may be lucky. Some schools are good and some are far from it.

Good luck.

[teachingld2004]

Mc, ask the school if they can give you the email address of some one who works there. True, they may not tell u the truth, but if the school does give their email to you, good chances are that the school is a good one.

I am in a University. I send resumes to 3 schools, and all 3 wanted to hire me. 2 schools sent me teachers emails. This school gave me 2 peoples emails and I was told that the teachers here all stay for 3 years or more. Now I just signed my second contract.

Check out the training school. You may be lucky. Some schools are good and some are far from it.

Good luck.

[mcloo7]

Thanks teachingID

There are a few things in the contract that I should probably ask about. There is a 3 month probation period. But that seems to have more to do with pay than anything else. You get 1,000rmb per month more after 3 months. The school gets the Z visa for you so Im not sure if theyd want to fire you. But the contract does have a stipulation that if any party ends the contract for any reason the teacher has to pay for the visa expenses. Theres also something in there that says if 3 students complain about the teacher they can be fired. I'm guessing people are going to say this is not a good contract. What do you say?

I turned this job down but may ask them if its too late to accept the offer because Im not finding anything in Shenzhen.

[mcloo7]

I'm waiting to get some feedback on this before I possibly try to get the job back. Please see above post.

[choudoufu]

feedback: get a uni job in a smaller city, or preferably a vocational school.

z-visa and accommodations provided. no probation, no silly clauses (that
can't be negotiated out), no 3-kids-complained rule.

find yourself a light workload, 12 hours per week, which would be 6
classes, each consisting of two 45-minute blocks. if lucky, you can
repeat some (or all) of the classes each week, cutting down on lesson
plans.

you'll have abundancies of time to research lesson plans, lots of opportunity
to refine your technique. the interwebs has a gazillion ready-made lesson
plans available for download. find 'em, use 'em.

you don't need to physically reside in shenzhen. you'll get plenty of
vacation time to visit. better to find a more relaxed area, with less
pollution and traffic, to live in.

[teachingld2004]

My advice is start looking for university jobs. Most of the people on this forum are helpful, and we will help you. University jobs should be out now.

The 3 kid complain rule is insane. Kids parents always complain.

"Teacher gives too much home work"

Teacher does not give enough home work"

"My darling is not learning". (Sure your darling does not pay attention, or your darling is in a class well above his level".

My child is not speaking in English. (Hello mom, do you review lessons? Do YOU speak English? And beside, your kid has only been in this class 4 time, how can he learn English so fast.)

Look for a university job. Pay is lower then trainig schools, but the vacation time can't be beat. And I assume you can pick up privates.

[mcloo7]

I forgot to mention, this job is mainly teaching adults. There is some teenagers there apparently, but its mostly adults. Is the three complaints thing a common policy for most training schools? I'm interested in a university job at some point but I really don't want to start out in one for my first job in China with no experience. I'd rather teach those ready-made lessons.

[teachingld2004]

In some training shools you have to make up your own lessons.

I have never heard of the " three strikes and you are out" rule.

I have worked in training schools and parents/kids complain all the time.
People always complain, this is life.

I wish you the best, as I am sure the rest of the people here do. Remember, if you think you can, then you can.

There are zillions of jobs here. Don't rush. And please ask for the email address of a teacher.

[amemorylost]

Probation and 3-complaint rule indicate the kind of establishment that your prospective employer runs. Accept this job at your peril.

[mcloo7]

[doogsville]

[teachingld2004]

Keep looking. There are PLENTY of jobs. Do not take that one. SOunds like they are just trying out teachers and only taking the word of the students.

Again, you sound aftraid, but go for a university or high school. You really can do it.

UNLESS you get real good feedback from a language school. Again, get an email address of some one who works there. Granted you may not be told the truth, but maybe...

I do not like the sound of that job. You can have 3 students who never study complain.

I have a part time job where one student just quit because her dad said she is not learning.

1) the kid is 6
2) she has only been in school 3 times
3) she never listens and acts out
4) parents NEVER review
5) again, she is 6 and never heard English before.

Here goes one drop out.

2 months ago another 6 yr od dropped out because he was always punching the other kids Again, he is 6. And I was told, "Oh, his mother does not have any time for him because she works so hard".

Do not take that job. There are dozens of others.