Job Discussion Forums

[conoresl1984]

Hi there

I'm working in public school system in Vietnam where the difference in salary between native speaker teachers vs Vietnamese teachers is huge. At least double per hourly rate.
Wondering if the pay difference is similar in China or are the Chinese teachers paid similar wage to the foreign teachers at the public schools?
I ask because it can sometimes create problematic working conditions here.
Thanks guys

[Non Sequitur]

I understand that Chinese teachers make lots on the side i.e after hours, weekend and holiday coaching.

[The bear]

[ChrisHenry15]

[conoresl1984]

how much more do foreigners make? would it be double as much?

[getbehindthemule]

[The bear]

[rogerwilco]

Chinese teachers also receive bribes (gifts) from students and parents.

Chinese high school teachers can probably make the most from classes at their home that are "required". Attendance is not required, but the 50rmb per week per student is required. The Gao Kao creates many opportunities for bribes.

I knew one math teacher that would brag about his 20.000RMB a month that he could make from his students taking classes at his house for 2 hours every Saturday.

The teacher tells the students that not everything can be covered in class.
Therefore, if they want all the necessary info to pass his tests, then they need to attend the extra classes at his/her home.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

Good question. At one time I believed that Chinese teachers were being starved to death at 2,000rmb per month. I was acquainted with three university administrators who also cried poverty and expressed indignation that my salary was so high.

A little investigation revealed that these administrators held only BS degrees, and that the teachers to whom I spoke taught only part-time.

My eyes opened a bit and I realized that the school parking lot behind my apartment was filled with Audis, Mercedes Benz's, and other automobiles of varying value. That was interesting. I couldn't afford an automobile of any sort, even if my salary were doubled.

At one school, I was invited by the dean of the FL department to teach at her school. I sensed a trap and declined. (It turned out that she indeed ran a school of her own).

I became friends with a longtime teacher in a different department who told me that that (like in the U.S.) part-time teachers and new hires are not paid well. She confirmed that many teachers DO have something going on the side that brings in a fair amount of income. She told me that although her husband had a very good job, she could live on her salary if she had to.

So I don't buy the Chinese teacher poverty stories. I can't work outside of my contract, yet the Chinese teachers seem to be unfettered by non-competition clauses in their contracts. They drive automobiles. I can't afford one. Some own condominiums. I can't afford one. Those who want it can get bus pick-up in the morning, dropoff and pick up at lunch time and drop off at 5:00. They get private transportation to secondary campuses while I must take a bus or a taxi to get to the same campus.

Sorry, but I believe that in the schools where I have taught, those crying poormouth are not to be believed.

I do believe that many live very austere lifestyles for when the time comes and they must retire, but that is their choice.

I can't even retire in China.

[Non Sequitur]

At my last school (a pretty ho hum vocational), the only infrastructure work that was done in the whole year was additional car parking for the staff.
Filled pretty quickly with better Japanese and Euro cars. No Jeelys)
Classrooms hadn't seen a paintbrush in years.

[plumpy nut]

In Thailand: starting Thai teachers salary is maybe 260 US a month, whereas as the median native English teacher salary is 1000 US. Like they are saying about here in China, Thai teachers add significantly to the salary by coaching followed by grade changing or just outright grade changing. After 20 years a Thai teacher will make around 1000 US monthly. The starting 260 US salary is the same for police officers, who get money by other methods to supplement their salary. You often see police by coffee at Starbucks. If that's one of the reasons they are supplementing their salary, you can hardly blame them for looking for extra money.

[The bear]