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eternallyoptimistic
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:12 am Post subject: Caution about Leewen Foreign Language School, Qingdao |
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I'm writing this is the hope that any potential Leewen employees read this and so know genuinely what to expect.
Last edited by eternallyoptimistic on Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:31 am; edited 1 time in total |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 2056
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 5:21 am Post subject: Re: Caution about Leewen Foreign Language School, Qingdao |
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| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| The Dean of Foreign Affairs, being American, may set himself up to be on your side and there to help you and deal with your problems, this is a very distorted image. |
My comments in regard to this are general in nature but I would also like to impress upon people that just because someone is a fellow foreigners does not automatically mean that they have your best interests at heart. While a school with a foreigner in a position of authority is a real tick in the box for that school, it is wise to realize that this person still represents the school.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| A particular concern was the safety, if we went out after dark and were getting a bus back alone we would face a 25 minute walk through a deserted university campus. Of course this was seen as our fault for wanting to go out after dark (even though this means around 7pm and some classes don't finish until 8.30). |
Sounds like pretty standard stuff. I am curious however. If your accommodation is now on campus and you are concerned about your safety, is there some safer accommodation available in your instance at that school? Normally we hear complaints about accommodation safety concerns off campus, but this is the first I have heard of such concerns on campus.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| The three weeks holiday are the busiest and most expensive times to travel. There is no other leave and if you apply for it then it will be denied. Essentially it is school policy to have consistency of teachers, so there is no room for you to take time off. |
While this is pretty standard practice throughout China I think that it is a valid concern to bring to everyone attention. When negotiating a contract it is worth looking carefully at vacation time and any restrictions as to when these holidays can be taken.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| It is also not clear from the contract that your sicknesses won't be paid. They won't. Apart from the first incidence. Which means if you need to take two days off then the first day they won't dock your salary, but the second they will, and any subsequent days after this. |
This is a concern. Newbies to China tend to get sick more often than everyone else as they are still getting used to the food and environment. Having the right to take time off when you are sick is a basic right that should not be impinged upon in my opinion. I have no problem with the school requiring a doctors certificate should you take two or more consecutive days off due to illness, nor do I personally have any problem with a school that sets a limit on the number of pay sick days they are willing to cover. I do however have a problem with any school that penalizes teachers unreasonably for taking this time off, and this in itself is worth a warning about any school that does this.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| The language course they offer is a joke. They claim to have HSK chinese and told us we would have proper teachers. |
I assume that these are the free classes that many schools offer. If you are not happy with what is on offer then make your own arrangements and pay for a more professional teacher if your aim is to really learn the language. It seems to me that school offered classes are not meant to be any more than a novelty for newbies and a chance to learn some daily Chinese.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| "Optional" courses were turned down and the teachers who didn't want to work found their internet cut, we have been banned from the internet at school and our Christmas dinner was cancelled. Yes we had to work Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. As someone who worked these "optional" courses I also am banned from school internet and didn't get a Christmas dinner. |
I don�t understand this.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| And the overtime you are offered at 80 yuan an hour doesn't meet local standards. The going rate is 100 yuan, minimum. And on top of that if you work out your hourly salary when all benefits in kind are taken into account then it comes out to around 70 yuan - which again is well below the 100 per hour that is the local going rate. |
I am not familiar with your city but your figures seem to be quite high from where I stand. Can anyone in Qingdao confirm these figures?
Private institutes that employ you on an hourly rate tend to offer higher wages than salaried positions that guarantee you a fixed salary. I assume from the post that you are in the former and this may help to explain why your figures are somewhat high, but they are certainly not representative of government schools and university positions.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| There are cameras in most of the classrooms, and although told that these are turned off except for when new classes start and the parents want to see how they go, this is a lie and they monitor every single class from a computer at the front desk. This is to stop you from sitting down for too long, eating in class, or talking too much with your teaching assistant. |
I don�t get this one either.
Did they install the cameras after you started working there? If not then you accepted a position at a school that already had cameras installed and therefore it seems to me that you must have taken the job aware that cameras were in the classroom. Why did you take the job if you have a �no camera� policy?
Yes some teacher claim that these cameras are used for spying on teachers, and I have no doubt that if you were seen doing something inappropriate on the video then it would be raised with you. But if you are just doing your job and teaching then what does it matter who is watching and where? There is also a positive to this in that should you be accused of dealing with a student inappropriately such as a kid claiming that you struck him or her, then you could refer to video ref for conformation.
Finally, I would hope that you would not be sitting, eating, nor talking with your teaching aide during the class time particularly if you are teaching young children. So if cameras make you think twice about doing these things then they have no doubt served their purpose.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| And yes, the wonderful teaching assistants, who are apparently people you can practice your Chines with. They are told that they aren't meant to socialise or talk to us because they don't want us becoming friendly. Maybe it's because they don't want us chatting to the TAs during class, or maybe it's because they don't want us to pass on news about how people aren't being paid for whatever reason the school can find. |
Yes you hear this one a bit too but I have never once experienced such a situation even though I have worked at some places that have been accused of this by other teachers. I don�t doubt that a school would warn its staff about inter-office relationships. Wise and practical advice if you ask me.
As for passing on complaints to the TA�s, well don�t you have better things to be doing. I suggest that you concentrate on yourself rather than worrying about others.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| And about having a contract that just states the number of hours you have to work - this means you are effectively on call all month until you have maxed out your hours. If you refuse to work then your pay will be docked. And if they told you to expect to work 15 hours a week then forget it. They will get you as close as possible to the 80 hours you have to do every month. And there won't be time to travel during the week because it's quite possible that you will be expected to work 6 or even 7 days. |
I think that this is a good warning. In such cases teachers would be well advised to ensure that there were limitations placed upon the minimum and maximum number of hours as well as limits on the times and days of the week that these hours could be offered. I don�t think that any teacher should be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so why not have your limits written into the contract. In most cases the school will reassure you that you won�t get teaching hours at off hours of the day so why not have them put this in writing to avoid misunderstandings.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| Once here then it isn't so easy to get out - changing visas is costly and complicated and if you live, work and study solely for the school then it massively takes over on your life. |
Agreed. Leaving a position for another can be a complicated and costly process.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| One teacher who left had his remaining post confiscated and they are trying to persue legal action - although the contract is apparently not legally binding. There is a bounty on his head and the school have been quizzing the TAs to try and find out where he's now living and working. |
So you are talking about a teacher who did a runner! Well I don�t sympathize with him at all. Your description of the school is not that bad and it would seem to have been in everyones best interests for him to have either stuck it out or resigned. Running away like a little kid does not suggest that he is worth our concern.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| He needs his job - he gets paid pretty well from what I've heard, he has a car to drive and lives in a really good neighbourhood. |
So what! What is the relevance of this to your relationship with the school? Sounds like sour grapes to me.
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| And on the topic of men with Chinese women at home, you might be led to believe that you will be with a responsible and like-minded staff. Not at all. Some of the male teachers often frequent the girlie bars, one of them is married, probably around 60 and has a 25 year old girlfriend (but they have a connection). |
Again, so what? This is none of your business and does not prevent you from doing your job. I am sure that you would prefer that others at the school stayed out of your private lives so I suggest that you stay out of theirs. |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 2056
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 5:23 am Post subject: Re: Caution about Leewen Foreign Language School, Qingdao |
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Double post - sorry!
Last edited by clark.w.griswald on Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:09 am; edited 1 time in total |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 2056
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 5:24 am Post subject: |
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Triple post - damn!!!
Last edited by clark.w.griswald on Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 5:44 am Post subject: |
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I am truly shocked.  Everybody knows that teaching in China is the best possible situation that a human being can attain on this planet.
I'm simply cannot believe that you had difficulties with a school in China.  |
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Louras
Joined: 24 Nov 2004
Posts: 288
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am Post subject: Yep |
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| clarckie, There is a "delete" box that can be checked when you edit a posting. Don't bore us three times in a row, pleeeeeaaaaase. |
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ytange
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 105
Location: Bondi -maybe gotta move soon(ex NZ)
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:30 am Post subject: Re: Caution about Leewen Foreign Language School, Qingdao |
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| clark.w.griswald wrote: |
| eternallyoptimistic wrote: |
| There are cameras in most of the classrooms.. |
Did they install the cameras after you started working there? If not then you accepted a position at a school that already had cameras installed and therefore it seems to me that you must have taken the job aware that cameras were in the classroom. Why did you take the job if you have a �no camera� policy? [ - -  ]
Yes some teacher claim that these cameras are used for spying on teachers, and I have no doubt that if you were seen doing something inappropriate on the video then it would be raised with you. But if you are just doing your job and teaching then what does it matter who is watching and where?
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The voice of the boss is freaky thing isn't it?
How people can be so off the edge to think that is reasonAble and try to explain why.
Shame Shame Shame |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 2056
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:16 am Post subject: Re: Caution about Leewen Foreign Language School, Qingdao |
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| ytange wrote: |
| How people can be so off the edge to think that is reasonAble and try to explain why. |
Maybe you can explain it to me then.
Ytange - How is it unreasonable for a private company that runs a school to choose to have cameras in the classroom?
I believe that you are from Australia. Is the above anymore unreasonable than legal requirements in Australia for more than one adult to be present at all times when dealing with small children within private education centers?
At the end of the day neither situation would really bother any person who was wise enough to realize that both could be turned around and used for the teachers own protection!
This particular teachers objection seems to stem not from concerns about how a camera may affect the class dynamics, but instead about how the camera may prevent the teacher from sitting down while teaching kids, eating in class, or chatting with the co-teacher! Seems to me that the sorts of teachers who object to cameras in the classroom are exactly the sorts of teachers whose actions in the classroom have encouraged schools to install them.
So why is it unreasonable? I am afraid that I don't see it. |
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ytange
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 105
Location: Bondi -maybe gotta move soon(ex NZ)
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:23 am Post subject: |
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if you think it's OK to spy on people, you are on your own.
And a no-camera contract - wots that
No you are right - they shoulda laid down like wet bags and got totally squashed |
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sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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| instead about how the camera may prevent the teacher from sitting down while teaching kids, eating in class, or chatting with the co-teacher! |
Don't see a problem with a teacher doing any of those things. If I feel like sitting down I will. If I am hungry, I may pull out a snack. If I have something to say to someone, I will. Simple as that. End of story. |
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eternallyoptimistic
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:46 am Post subject: |
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Amazed that chris had the time and energy to do such a detailed critical analysis. cheers for the comments, good to hear other people's opinions.
not out to defend myself and teaching style though, I don't need to get into the hours we do or the lack of breaks we have some days - post's there so people thinking of coming to the school know what to expect so have mentioned things that aren't explicitly in the contract or are things that the school won't be open about. It's up to them to think it's suitable/acceptable or not.
one point, yes cameras can be there to protect teachers but when there are two adults in the classroom at all times (you and the TA) then there is not much chance of a student making a false claim against you. Not only would it be witnessed by another 20 students but also by another responsible adult.
*Optional courses = hours we were told we could do if we wanted the extra work (would be paid extra as well), but we aren't contracted to do them.
*We didn't live on the campus, had to walk through it to get home, not a uni that we're at, is a private language school
*sour grapes about the high salary, no?  |
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mondrian
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 658
Location: "was that beautiful coastal city in the NE of China"
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:26 am Post subject: |
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The "prestigious" high school that I was teaching at moved to new premises. Nothing was too good for it as the Principal was determined to make it the "demonstration" school for the province.
One of his ideas was the install cameras in EVERY room.
When we teachers filed into our rooms on that first day, without exception one of the first things the Chinese teachers did was to cover the camera lenses!
In my first lessons that day, many of the students, some of whom had good enough English to appreciate humour, asked me the purose of the cameras, which were mounted so they could move around. I told them that their chairs were now wired. If BIG BROTHER (and how I loved giving the explanation of that term!), found them asleep or otherwise distracted from the lesson - then "ZAP" 1,000V! Some of the students actually believed me and carefully examined ther seats. |
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Sgt Killjoy
Joined: 26 Jun 2004
Posts: 438
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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| You might want to spread this information around to the TeflWatch board so that it increases the exposure to potential Leewen employees. |
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Brian Caulfield
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 1247
Location: China
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| Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:23 am Post subject: |
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Having just come from Qingdao I found this post interesting . The bushibon business in Qingdao is tough . The reason being that parents who can afford extra classes for their children prefer that the teachers come to their homes . So the bushiban owners must compete with parents who are looking to save money . I saw the same thing in other private schools in China . Sometimes parents try to pinch pennies on their children's education even though they are rich.
People in Qingdao are rich and the cost of living is high and you still get paid the same as if you were working out in the west . Everyone wants to be in Qingdao but it is only heaven for the well heeled . |
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