Job Discussion Forums

InTime · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 1676 Location: CHINA-at-large

Welcome back EXT!
Long time no smash!

A Token of My Extreme

Replies: 3
Views: 112
Forum: China (Off-Topic) Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 4:39 am Subject: Congratulations fellow Canucks...
"It was the extreme best of times, it was the extreme worst of times. "
Topic: Ethno-narcissism and China vs the USA
A Token of My Extreme

Replies: 40
Views: 682
Forum: China (Off-Topic) Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:33 am Subject: Re: Ethno-narcissism and China vs the USA
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China and the US. The clash is already here. Where will it lead?

Spiderman Too · Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:30 am Post subject:

KTG wrote:-

A Token of My Extreme · Joined: 14 May 2004 Posts: 76

My Extreme has to quit posting here for a year or so, he's staring in a new Hannibal Lecter sequel movie that he also co-wrote called 'The Silence of My Extreme' Watch out for its movie majic!

Until then, Cheers! Its been an Extreme!

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I am glad, WW brought this up; I have been saying this for years and have often only reaped derision and ridicule. Fact is, however, that FTs are here on sufferance, not because we enjoy respect.

We bring in a fresh breeze that's not really welcome; the so-called "communicative approaches" that we are desperately trying to introduce to Chinese classrooms are not really appreciated; Chinese are inured to the top-down, spoon-feeding redistributing of knowledge from the teacher to the learners.
We often bewail our situation that is characterised by a dysfunctionality in our classrooms while our Chinese colleagues seemingly pull off their lessons with no discernible effort.
Part of the problem probably is that we are not expected to actually "teach" but to "practise"; it would be different if we too had to teach real stuff.

The tale told by WW filled me with mirth! I remember I was once asked to come for an interview together with a dozen fellow job applicants.
We all had to give an impromptu class to our peers; we were then judged by our opposite numbers... I remember a Chinese guy struggling through his part: he had, among other things, to explain why he as a Chinese was interested in teaching the English language (FTs didn't, of course, have to explain their reasons!).
The poor man, utterly unprepared for this inane question, opined "I wanna teach English because English is the BEST language of the world..."

I felt utterly embarrassed and pitied that man!

sheeba · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1123

I can see where William is coming from . The problem I see from teaching at a University is just the general 'well we don't give a monkey's about what and how you teach - just do it '

I came here because I wanted to teach English and develop my teaching . That I can see was a big mistake - at least the development part anyway . I know some very conscientious teachers and I hold my head up high to them but how many out there really care about teaching English . I would say that there are too many that don't really care and don't deserve the jobs that they attempt to do .

I'm currently reading an interesting book regarding teacher changes in China . The book talks mainly about Chinese teachers and their problems with changing toward the 'communicative approach' to teaching . It makes me laugh though when I read about the government and their concerns about using this approach when I see the uncaring attitude from many of the Chinese towards English language teaching .

I wonder also if this attitude is generally toward any language teaching . My girlfriend has turned down offers to teach Italian in China . My only Chinese mate who I have gradually become to dislike because of his attitude was arranging the job for her . He then has us both gasping for breath when he told us that because my girlfriend could not do the job the boss asked if he would do it . He knows absolutely no Italian! We were like ' are you mad? Is she mad? You can't do it ' He then proceeded to get out his telephone and start playing recordings of 'mi chiamo ' and chanting 'ti amo ' That's what you are going to teach them I asked him?
He got out a basic Italian book and said to my girlfriend 'I can teach them grammar ' I'll learn it before each lesson . Can you help me? He insulted my girlfriend and the Italian language and the ability that somebody needs to teach foreign language (so me as well) I don't want to step near him now but it just summed up for me the attitude towards teaching foreign language in China- a big fggin joke - and I'm sorry Roger or whoever I offend with that comment but sometimes it is really how I feel.

cheeba · Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 180

myesl · Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:31 am Post subject:

Did the Chinese ever respect foreign teachers? Did they??? We are toys and zoo animals. I have a particularly nice group of students currently, but even the other students at my uni don't give me 10% of the respect they give Chinese teachers, and the Chinese teachers here only have a bachelor's like me. They have achieved nothing special.

The reason the Chinese are so concerned about foreigners supposedly looking down on them is that they look down on us so intently. Is it not as simple as that?

I do sympathize with Mr. Wallace, especially since he says he has chosen TEFL as a career. I am trying desperately to get out of it.

Best of luck.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

chinaboytian · Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 132 Location: Tianjin

william wallace @@ What kind of dream world are you living in? No one has ever made 20-30 thousand yuan a month. Are you talking about per year? Even at my very best pay for this one school the most I ever got was 6,000 yuan. Not including my part-time private lessons. Where do you come off with this number?

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between