Job Discussion Forums

[Gawain]

Read forum but got million questions! Any inspire your response?

Got dozens of FUN TEFL GAMES in my portfolio. Happy to use materials/books provided by school. But will most schools, colleges allow my own lesson plans?

SPLIT SHIFTS, two hours in morning then two hours at night each day, and weekends, standard in most buxibans? But better hours in colleges?

HEALTH INSURANCE GOOD? Claims rejected? Any horror stories? Hospitals/clinics cheap enough in China that you pay cash anyway?

BANK ACCOUNT / ATM CARD set up by school? Any horror stories?

During job interview is it standard to be asked for 5-10 minute DEMONSTRATION LESSON of my own lesson plan?

AT UNIVERSITY in China a BACHELOR'S AND TEFL is enough? Master's not needed?

May, June best times to apply online COLLEGE JOBS IN FALL?

FREE HOUSING standard: Teacher dorms, shared kitchen? Shared bathroom? Nice one bedroom apartment alone? SHARED BEDROOM?!? YUCK!!! Dorm housing suffer loud stereos, drunk teachers, drunk backpackers? YUCK!!! Any horror stories?

TRAFFIC COMMUTE TIME: FREE HOUSING MEANS YOU CAN WALK FROM APARTMENT TO SCHOOL? Trains, subways widely available in Chinese cities? I refuse to live far from school. Will some FREE HOUSING be faraway from school? Any horror stories?

[grwit]

Some answers from ly experiences.

My college didnt even provide me with text books until I asked for them. Now that I have them i never use them, unless it is to point out all the mistakes and the overall poor quality of the books. Your own lesson plans should be fine.

Work in college and do get some splitshifts 8-10am then 3-5pm. No night classes!!!

College/School should provide free medical - this means you pay when you need it and take the receipt to the college to get the money back. My best advice from the experiences I have had in chinese hospitals is DON"T GET SICK!!! hehehe

Job interview? I had none... signed the contract sent via email then signed the real contract on arrival. They may send a teacher to one of your lessons for assessment after you have been teaching for a week or 2.

Chinese teachers need a masters to teach and uni but for Foreign teachers a Bachelor is enough. TEFL or TESOL just a bonus but not necessary.

Free housing should be standard either on or off campus at your request.

Shared living olny if they have your permission otherwise NO WAY.

Trains and busses are fairly good as far as there are plenty of them so you never have to wait at the station for too long. However you may understand what a can of sardines feel like after using chinese public transport.