Job Discussion Forums

[Non Sequitur]

[fpshangzhou]

I will never understand why the locals always or often require FTs to perform office hours. I have no problems with the teachers providing office hours for students who need extra help or questions. But, to sit at a desk like back home is just off-putting. We don't travel across the world to sit at an office position, much less deal with the inner-office politics. I've noticed the longer you are sitting at the office, the more likely you will be dragged or involved in such crap. I work in a private training center where we provide 1-on-1 teaching/tutoring. I've taken extreme measures and don't even have class in the office any longer. I take the student(s) down to the outside coffee, which reduces my time in the office environment.


Cheers,

Aaron

[Babala]

I'm at a public university. There are three of us who share an office where we all have our own computers. I never lesson plan at work. My computer is in Chinese which makes using it a nightmare. All my students have my email address and they are free to make an appointment with me. I am always in the office 30 minutes before each class and usually if a student wants to see me, does it directly after class finishes.

[getbehindthemule]

Fair points.
But I think most university positions do not have long office hours (part of the reason why the wages are so low)?
Also, private training centers surely don't expect you to sit behind a desk clocking up office hours or do they (I have no experience of working there)?
It all depends on the school I guess and what you can negotiate at contract renewal stage.
If, like me, you have signed a full time contract with a public (elementary/middle/high) school, then your hands are tied to whatever the school's administration tells you your hours are!
Anway, it is definitely something for newbies to consider if they move to China hoping to have loads of free time off during the week

[hdeth]

Some public school ads I've seen specifically say no office hours.

I sit for a large part of the week in an office and...post on dave's...or do whatever...I took up writing but it's hard to concentrate or work around writer's block in the office. The Chinese teacher who sits next to me regularly rails her students (she has the lowest level, least motivated classes) which is quite uncomfortable. Then if I want to walk around a bit to help my brain get around writer's block (habit of mine) it looks like I'm skimping on office hours. The students can come in and see us but only one ever has and he's not even my student. He's just a really smart kid who wants help with complicated literature now and then and takes advantage of us all being bored. All the Chinese teachers will be shopping on Taobao but if you want to entertain yourself with a video or game they get all over you.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

At U.S. universities, instructors have required office hours, though not the twenty hours that Chinese public schools require. Full-time lecturers (MA level) usually teach 20- 25 hours with a minimum of three to five hours of office time. Most put in more office time to grade papers in order to keep home and work lives separate.

Only graduate faculty slough off the required office hours.

I'd welcome having a campus office, but not one school where I have taught has had either heating or cooling in the class rooms or offices. All of the universities where I have taught have supplied a computer and a printer in the apartment. The computer is a virus dump, but the printers have been very good.

[Markness]

Maybe I am a bit of a rebel but I never do mine. I give my students my contact information if they need to get a hold of me but I never stay an extra 1.5 hours a day to twiddle my thumbs. I usually teach 5 classes in a row in the morning (4 times a week, mondays always off), and then I go home. If anyone ever asked about my office hours I would say I stay a little longer over the lunch hour/walk around asking if students need help or whatever other excuse I could come up with (never been questioned on it yet). I think its pile of horse dung. I prepare all my classes sunday nights. The purpose of this is so I don't have to sit at school. If my classes were spread out I'd consider it, but for now I'll stay with my hours. People always mention they never see me, but that is probably because I am always in different classrooms all morning and then I eff-off back home right at lunchtime. There is nothing I can do at work that I can't do 2-3 times faster at home (in a quieter environment too).

[getbehindthemule]

It's that time of the year again, end of semester

So, I had my final class yesterday. But there are three full days left of this week and four half days next week before we are officially free.

This is where the whole having to be at school thing becomes pretty silly to me!
What would you do in my shoes, rebel or suck it up

[Non Sequitur]

Are you owed any money?

[getbehindthemule]

[Non Sequitur]

I'm not in your situation but have you mentioned anywhere that this a high/middle school or a tertiary outfit?
I've always worked tertiary and my liability was one English Corner very two months i.e 2x per semester.
I occasionally agreed to do an activity at student English Club.

[getbehindthemule]

[Non Sequitur]

That's always been the 'max 40' SAFEA contract in my exp.
If it's now '40 hours' period, that's alarming.
Do you live on campus at your primary?
NS

[getbehindthemule]

[Non Sequitur]

OK so if you did have your non-contact time to yourself you could go home and chill/sleep/eat etc?