Job Discussion Forums

[Lack]

You might think there are a ton of things you need to be successful in China, but not really. Learning Mandarin? No, not really? Being qualified for your job? Don't be silly! Here's all you really need:

1. Be handsome.

2. Don't be un-handsome.

That's it. There's nothing the Chinese won't overlook as long as you are attractive.

Are you a non-native speaker who can't even speak the language well? No problem!

No degree? Your face is your degree!

No experience? Attractive people are naturally better at your jobs, didn't you know that? It's a commonly known fact in China that being attractive is equivalent to 10 years of experience.

That teacher with a degree, teaching license, TEFL/CELTA etc., and experience? Well, he is not attractive, so he clearly can't do the job. Despite actually speaking the language and knowing how to, you know, teach, he is clearly a worse choice.

I mean, yeah, the ugly but qualified teacher has a U.S./Canadian/U.K./Oz/NZ passport, but Westerners are supposed to look like they do in the movies! So he must have a fake passport.

And I know the unqualified but attractive teacher doesn't know anything about being a teacher, but he looks like he is from a Hollywood movie! He must be the real Westerner!

In China, if you want to become a "successful" teacher, don't get degrees, TEFLs, and experience...get plastic surgery.

[Hatcher]

EXACTLY THE same in Korea... the highest paid teachers were the best looking teachers.... blond hair and blue eyes? you were rich.

Some Korean "star" teachers had surgery.

[happyinshangqiu]

You have to laugh at it all, it is all silly.

I remember one of my previous workplaces managed to bring in a rather attractive young lady (who was so dumb, she flew from her home country into China without getting a visa! Don't ask me how she did it but on my life that is what happened! She - or more accurately - the school, managed to get a visa in-country) who was feted and loved by all until they got bored of her and was relegated to being 'token foreign person' along with the rest of us.

Before then, she was feted and fussed over and when it came to inviting us all to a gala dinner with the mayor of the city, she was the one picked to speak about living and working in China, though she had been there for about a month and me and my mate (who is quite a good looking guy in all honesty) had been there more than a year, in my mates case, he had been there six years but no matter, bimbo got the speaking gig as well as a place at the top table, sat along with the exclusively male hierarchy. I looked at my mate and he looked at me and rolled his eyes as she rambled on about her experiences based on a month.

But once the excitement of her presence wore off, she was just a laowai hanging around the place like the rest of us once they had got used to her.

[roadwalker]

I knew I was handsome! This is just the proof I was looking for....

[The_Kong]

[RiverMystic]

Yes, it might help in a Micky Mouse school, but it won't serve you in the long run if you are an idiot.

[hdeth]

There's only one teacher at my school who isn't a qualified teacher and doesn't have an advanced degree. He has a lot of experience though.

[Non Sequitur]

At my last school we had a young American who apart from being only about 5'3" was matinee handsome.
Fake tan, designer stubble - the works.
The FAO doted on him. The fresher girls swooned.
Trouble was he could barely speak English let alone teach it.
Doggedly resistant to suggestions from DTA as to how he could up his classroom performance.

[3701 W.119th]

Top two tips for China:

1. Be handsome.

2. Be a good teacher.

[Non Sequitur]

[rogerwilco]

Almost anyone can keep most Chinese students entertained for the first few weeks.
After the first few weeks the novelty wears off, and that is when talent and experience is needed to be effective in the classroom.

I have watched about a dozen newbies walk off the job after about the first month because they have realized that "just ask them about their hobbies" is not something they can do for an entire semester.

[Non Sequitur]

So true.
This lends emphasis to the current thread on a decent resource for Oral English.

[The Voice Of Reason]

I thought I was just a bad teacher, but now I realise I'm fugly also. Time to dust off my toupe, start brushing my tooth, wax my nasal hair and comb my ear hair.

[Lack]

[Non Sequitur]

Not sure it is irrelevant. Unpleasant and unprofessional - yes - but irrelevant no.
Remember the golden rule:
'The guy with the gold, make the rule'
As mentioned earlier, even state colleges have this love affair with the 'good looking' Westerner.