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djp171
Joined: 07 Aug 2013
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:35 pm Post subject: 35 hrs a week teaching adults-- Too much? |
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Hi all,
I'm a new guy who's set on going to China to teach ESL. I've never taught before. I just got an offer to teach 35 hrs/wk adult business English. This seems a lot higher than other opportunities I've seen. Is it doable? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. |
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johntpartee
Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:26 am Post subject: |
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| Adults aren't as "draining" as the younger people (including college students), but still, 35 hours......... |
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kungfuman
Joined: 31 May 2012
Posts: 1749
Location: In My Own Private Idaho
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:28 am Post subject: |
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| You will be a mindless burnout after 2 weeks |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:50 am Post subject: |
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These will be clock hours not teaching hours I'm picking.
If the contact time don't kill you the prep time will.
Getting started here you need a 20-max hour uni gig with accom, airfare and plenty of holiday time.
After a year you can look at other opps. |
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beckyshaile
Joined: 29 Jul 2013
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:23 am Post subject: |
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| It's only too much if you think it's too much. Considering you probably work 40-50+ hours back home, why is this too much? Agree to what you want to agree to. |
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beckyshaile
Joined: 29 Jul 2013
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:23 am Post subject: |
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| It's only too much if you think it's too much. Considering you probably work 40-50+ hours back home, why is this too much? Agree to what you want to agree to. |
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Miajiayou
Joined: 30 Apr 2011
Posts: 283
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:14 am Post subject: |
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| I have been teaching in China for five years and I wouldn't be able to do it. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:18 am Post subject: |
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| beckyshaile wrote: |
| It's only too much if you think it's too much. Considering you probably work 40-50+ hours back home, why is this too much? Agree to what you want to agree to. |
The OP is asking for input as we have context - he/she doesn't.
I doubt whether the average high school teacher in the West has more than 20 contact hours pw - probably less. |
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choudoufu
Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:44 am Post subject: Re: 35 hrs a week teaching adults-- Too much? |
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| djp171 wrote: |
| ......I've never taught before....35 hrs/wk adult business English....... |
too much for a first job. adults will be expecting (and paying for) an
experienced teacher. complaints will quickly get you fired.
and consider 35 hours teaching, plus how many hours preparation?
not just basic speaking...........they want some content as well.
will that be one lesson plan you can repeat 35 times a week?
or will you need to prepare different lessons for each?
go with a university or college. standard is 16 hours/week or less. |
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Denim-Maniac
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 5:02 am Post subject: |
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^^^ agree with chou.
Adults are much more demanding than many other students and want / expect results. More so perhaps if they are doing a business English course. Even if you have business experience and / or MBA, that is very different to teaching business English. I cant imagine many people without extensive teaching experience would find that job easy.
I teach adults BTW ... for 15 hours a week. With around 6 years teaching experience and related qualifications I probably prepare for about 40 minutes for each 90 minute class. Depending upon how much support you are given, how much material and teaching guide is provided one could possibly expect to prepare for one hour, for every hour taught initially.
I wouldnt agree with the suggestion that starting in a university is the way to go, but starting with this job would be equally bad I think. Learning to be a language teacher is not an easy task ... much harder than many people think, and 35 contact hours teaching business English is too big an ask I think. |
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cormac
Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 768
Location: Xi'an (XTU)
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 5:57 am Post subject: |
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| beckyshaile wrote: |
| It's only too much if you think it's too much. Considering you probably work 40-50+ hours back home, why is this too much? Agree to what you want to agree to. |
Because teaching requires far more attention than other jobs. I've been a manager in companies before doing 40-50 hours, and thought little of it. I've also done it here in China as a teacher both with kids and adults.
As others have said, the OP will burn out after two weeks. Initially you'll have the stress of learning how to teach, the awareness that being a native speaker doesn't prepare you to teach grammar, and lastly the frustration of having a life that only involves teaching. A FT needs downtime. Both from the teaching itself and also from living in China.
I teach only adults now, I've been here almost 5 years and I would never agree to 35 hours of teaching. I know I would burn out and that my students would complain at my lack of energy and focus.
beckyshaile, I'm guessing you haven't tried 35 hours of teaching a week over a long period? |
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Javelin of Radiance
Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:04 am Post subject: |
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| cormac wrote: |
| beckyshaile wrote: |
| It's only too much if you think it's too much. Considering you probably work 40-50+ hours back home, why is this too much? Agree to what you want to agree to. |
Because teaching requires far more attention than other jobs. I've been a manager in companies before doing 40-50 hours, and thought little of it. I've also done it here in China as a teacher both with kids and adults.
As others have said, the OP will burn out after two weeks. Initially you'll have the stress of learning how to teach, the awareness that being a native speaker doesn't prepare you to teach grammar, and lastly the frustration of having a life that only involves teaching. A FT needs downtime. Both from the teaching itself and also from living in China.
I teach only adults now, I've been here almost 5 years and I would never agree to 35 hours of teaching. I know I would burn out and that my students would complain at my lack of energy and focus.
beckyshaile, I'm guessing you haven't tried 35 hours of teaching a week over a long period? |
Some losers spend more time registering over and over to keep themselves active on various fora than they ever do in classrooms. |
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cormac
Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 768
Location: Xi'an (XTU)
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:04 am Post subject: |
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Regarding best way to start teaching, I do think kinder is perfect. There are plenty of jobs, you learn how to teach, you learn patience (which is needed at all levels) and you learn to cope with parents/bosses. It's a great intro to teaching here... Often painful and energy draining but still quite good.
University positions are excellent but only once you've taught elsewhere and can appreciate the benefits of the university job. If you go straight in, you
L take it for granted and lose patience for a host of other reasons.
As for business English, it depends on the demand in your region. There aren't many good business English teachers here in Xian, so I've met plenty of teachers who have zero business experience and no business related degree. To be honest, it depends on the type of business English. If you're following the BEC or office English, you don't need anything. It's just memos, letters, and other crap. If its more aimed towards mainstream business English and business theory, then other resources are needed.
My own background is business and I have two degrees in the field. But I rarely need any of it for teaching. Prep time usually involves general esl training materials. |
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kungfuman
Joined: 31 May 2012
Posts: 1749
Location: In My Own Private Idaho
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:29 am Post subject: |
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| To clarify did the op really mean 35 hours of actual teaching time a week? |
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Harbin
Joined: 19 Feb 2013
Posts: 161
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| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:49 am Post subject: Re: 35 hrs a week teaching adults-- Too much? |
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| djp171 wrote: |
Hi all,
I'm a new guy who's set on going to China to teach ESL. I've never taught before. I just got an offer to teach 35 hrs/wk adult business English. This seems a lot higher than other opportunities I've seen. Is it doable? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. |
Can you name the chain which made you the offer? Most of the chains have pre-made lessons plans of horrible quality, but at least they let you walk into class and execute the lesson.
Thirty five hours is a lot, but making lesson plans won't your problem. Be warned that things like open classes, English Corners, marketing activities, etc can require a lot of preparation, so look at the contract and ask plenty of questions about whether or not these will be among your job duties. |
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