Job Discussion Forums

[tabrege]

How much should I ask for a salary if I have a M.ED in education for a primary or kindergarten teaching position at a bilingual or private school.

I have a child so a housing allowance is a plus.


35,000 HK with 14,000 housing allowance or

48,000 HK with 14,000 housing allowance

I could live off of this with a child.

[sistercream]

Forget about it. Unless you work at one of the big international schools, ESF (which don't normally employ TEFLers), or join the government NET scheme, it won't happen. Of course, if you have the classroom experience to back up the MEd, the NET scheme would definitely be an option for you - they have a set pay scale.

Outside of these, you could expect HKD25K, maybe 28K if you have something extraordinary to bring to the table. Don't expect a housing allowance in this sector.

(As in many such answers I've given, I would be delighted to be proved wrong!)

[Jospeh]

See if you're qualified for the NET scheme. If not, I reckon you'd get 30k at most (all in, not with a separate housing allowance on top of that).

I work in a private school; I was taken on with one year's experience and fewer qualifications than you have (BA unrelated to English/education + CELTA) at ~33k. However, I think my school a) had money to spare and b) was getting desperate when they hired me. From what I can tell their current offers are ~25k for a qualified teacher (bachelor's degree + PGDE), increasing by 1k for each year of experience.

[tabrege]

I do have experience in look forward to negotiating salaries with reputable international or private schools soon. Also what are some of the hourly rates I can charge or find with a weekend tutoring job 400 or 600 an hour?

[oxi]

[sistercream]

Sorry, reviewing my earlier reply, some of it wasn't very clear. Neither ESF nor reputable international schools here employ TEFLers per se. Unlike in some other jurisdictions, students in HK are admitted to international schools because they have native-standard English, not in order to learn it. The local Harrow franchise is a possible exception - it's the new kid on the block, so we'll have to wait and see whether parent funds or kid abilities talk louder there in the long run.

However, some of the dual stream international schools (German-Swiss, French, Japanese for instance) do look for qualified, registered and experienced classroom teachers (certainly at primary level) who are also TEFL qualified: they would normally have their own class in the in the English-speaking stream, and exchange classes with a foreign language stream teacher for daily language lessons.
These places, like the ESF and the NET scheme, have set remuneration packages, but they are are comfortable enough that you won't want to argue, and will almost certainly include a heavily subsidised place at the school for your own offspring

As for part-time jobs with language centres or teaching agencies - these create huge visa headaches if your full-time job is on an employment visa. The sort of places you'd want to work for won't be interested in you, and you have no legal redress when the other kinds of places shaft you.

Teaching privates while on an employment visa is also illegal, but I won't say it doesn't happen. Oxi's post about rates is pretty accurate, although there can be more variation depending on geographical location.

[tabrege]

This is good to know. I do have 4 years experience as well alongside my M.Ed so hopefully this should help. I am planning on next year in starting to look at Schools in a month or so. Will keep everyone updated.

[tabrege]

This is good to know. I do have 4 years experience as well alongside my M.Ed so hopefully this should help. I am planning on next year in starting to look at Schools in a month or so. Will keep everyone updated.