Job Discussion Forums

[jeffinflorida]

Ok so we had a week off for National Week right?

Well not really. On Friday night I was chatting with a fellow FT at this university and it was about 7pm. He said his teaching assistant just called him to say he has to teach classes on Saturday and Sunday to make up for days missed on the holiday. After I stopped laughing he said this applies to me too.

My response was a simple NO. I said if the school would not have the decency to notify me in advance that they were changing my schedule then I would treat the weekend like any other weekend - not teaching.

So Saturday the FAO girl informed me I had to teach last night. I said "Whoa Baby" and deferred to my teaching assistant. My TA glued a nice note to my door saying I had to teach Saturday night for 4 periods and do 8 periods on Sunday.

Needless to say, it is Sunday morning as I type and period 1 started 30 minutes ago. I am sitting here in my underwear (boxers if anyone cares...), have unplugged my landline and ignored the mobile ringing and the occasional knock at the door.

Am I hard-headed to think that the school should inform me in advance of schedule changes? I am not as accepting as I was before when it comes to "Accept It As It Is, This Is The Way The Chinese Do Business..."

I have no plans to teach Sunday and plan to enjoy my day off...

Your input please.

[sojourner]

Jeff,

I believe that the requirement to work on weekends, in order to have a full week off for the National and May Day holidays, is common practice throughout China - and it applies to all sectors within the community, not just colleges and universities.

At my first college job, in Jiangxi province, I was shocked when I was told that I had to work during the weekend so as to "make up" for the May Day week - after all, there was nothing in the contract indicating such a requirement. But what the FTs did was not to teach any of their planned regular lessons, but rather to show DVDs to the students. If queried by the "leaders", the FTs would say, something to the effect, that the movies being shown would help the students to understand Western culture and, thus, improve their command of English !

At my current uni , in Zhejiang, we are not required to "make up time". Also, if we sign a 1 year contract, we now receive 12 monthly payments - not 10, as is the case with a steadily growing number of places.

Peter

[mmm... pancakes]

Jeff, my school did a similar thing. But I USUALLY teach on the weekends, since my school is extra-curricular. Now the kids have to go to regular school to 'make up' their holidays on Sat and Sun, so my weekend classes were switched to Thurs and Fri. So I have five days holiday, two days working, four days holiday.

This would've been a problem if I was travelling, since I wasn't planning to, that's no biggy. Except that it's a contract violation, since it specficially says seven continuous days. I WAS notified - just - by my boss. I simply said 'No,' even though I knew that the kids and parents had all been informed, 'I want what's in my contract'. Long story short: I'm being paid overtime rates to teach these classes.

As a matter of principal, I couldn't go through with it without making a fuss - they MUST tell their teachers what's going on, ESPECIALLY if it messes with things stipulated in the contract.

I applaud your principals, though I'm not sure your method is the best. Perhaps not telling them something (ie that you won't teach) is just as bad as them not telling you something (ie that you must teach)? You want to lead by example, rather than a tit-for-tat game. IMHO.

[jeffinflorida]

Pancakes you are correct. I have lowered myself to their nonexistant standards.

FAO girl just came to my door and informed me I have to teach 8 periods today. It is now 10:22 almost period 3. She said the Dean wants to see me. I said Ok I'll stroll over at 10:45 and speak with her. ( I didn't even know the Dean even spoke English...)

But I will stand firm and say NO to teaching today. And the weather is lovely, I may just fix the flat on my mountain bike and go for a ride...

[chengdude]

The National Day holiday is technically, I believe, only 3 days. Same for the May Day holiday. The government has, however, massaged the calendar by adding a couple of days to create 2 "Golden Weeks" during the year...stimulate the economy, promote domestic tourism and all that. For all the rancor between the two countries, this is another idea (and name for it) borrowed from Japan. However, in China's case, the two added days aren't technically free; they do have to be made up in most cases. Almost all universities in China follow this schedule, although Beijing U., from what I understand, does give a full 9 days off (two weekends + the National Day week). At my university, yesterday (Saturday) was a make-up for Thursday classes and today, Sunday, is for Tuesday classes. To arrive at this admittedly odd arrangement, I assume they are looking at the calendar and trying to balance the number of classes given over the entire semester. So yes, it blows that no one bothered to tell you in advance of this arrangement (although it would appear you've been here long enough to know that foreign teachers are generally a scheduling afterthought and that the Chinese can't plan their way out of a paper bag) but no, sitting around in your boxers and refusing to teach isn't the best way to handle it.

[Songbird]

Grrr, this is WRONG. Then there is no week off between summer & spring festival! One of the FT's told me about it yesterday at lunch too, it's now 12.40pm and I wouldn't be surprised if someone comes banging on my door at 3pm telling me to get to class! Phft, noone told me technically, I'm just playing dumb. I never planned any classes, none of the department officials advised ANY of the FT's (only reason that 1 knew was because of a position a couple of years ago)!

[Starry Night]

[erinyes]

My BF rode to work on Friday afternoon, only to find that no one was there. So, it's one thing to not be told when you have classes, how about not being told you even have a holiday!

He called his liaison at the school and abused his lack of respect and organization. I�m lucky at my school all of the teachers tell me what is going on. I get told about 5 times a day.

If they don�t inform you of changes in good time it's just bloody disrespectful. It's not that they don't know in good time themselves. They all sit around in their meeting and have their lines of communication, but so often it's the last thing on anybodies mind to tell the non-Chinese speaker what the hell is going on!

I applaud your actions! I hope you enjoy your day off, and perhaps when you do speak to the Dean you can explain how to run a business. I mean, China wants to be a part of the work market, a powerful country. Teaching a few principals some tips for the smooth running of a business would be a good place to start.

[jeffinflorida]

I met with the dean, FAO girl and teaching assistant at 10:45. The meeting did not go well and I still will not teach today.

They had 2 items on their agenda. A class I canceled about 2 weeks ago and not teaching Saturday and Sunday.

Without going into too much drama the school said these 2 things: I could return the money they gave me for airfare and go work somewhere else and they would fine me 2000 rmb for missing these classes.

My response was simple. I said that if they do not pay me my salary I will not teach again.

Then I got up and walked out of this tribunal.

FAO girls eyes got wide and followed me out saying the meeting was not over. I said "Oh yes it was..." and she started to negotiate my fine to a lower amount - in front of many students walking by.

I split and she called me on the phone 10 minutes later saying they would like a 2nd meeting later in the afternoon. I replied there was nothing else to discuss.

So, what next?

I start packing my suitcases I guess...

[YearOfTheDog]

The above posters are right, it is your students that miss out. I feel sorry for them since you have made this decision.

Sounds like to me you have just lost your job....

[tw]

[nolefan]

The first year, i was told about the make-up classes the day before the break and i had already planned my trip so i just gave them a big phat NO. This year, i was aware of the make-up thing without them telling me so i actually made up the classes ahead of time and took my nice weekend off.

It's true that the kids end up missing out but there needs to be some form of accountability on both ends. I had the university put a clause in my contract that requires them to notify me of any schedule changes 1 week ahead of time otherwise it is up to my discretion to make them up or not.

[Spiderman Too]

[jeffinflorida]

[YearOfTheDog]