Job Discussion Forums

[mr_cshaw]

I am waiting to hear details about a position in a Chinese private college (part of a univ). Met this professor while I was hitching in NZ. (Drove his car for 3 hours because he was a little new to driving!) Anyway, he is setting up a job for me. The details are a bit thin so far, but I think it could work out once I get more onfo from him. Been researching here to better prepare and it has been useful.

But how about some good stories? Successes in teaching? New unexpected friends? Personal growth from the challenges?

I have a long and varied work experience, but teaching english will be new. I doubt I will have much guidance from the sound of things. I'm expecting to be thrown on my tukis at first but then... hope to enjoy myself. Is this possible?

I challenge you guys a little GOOD STORY INDULGENCE.

Come on now...

[Shan-Shan]

It's only English teaching. Some people have written that " teaching ESL in China is the toughest job you're ever gonna love" and other such hoopla and ballyhoo. In the end, it's work, and will have moments of satisfaction mixed in with long stretches of numbness, fatigue and disillusionment, symptoms that accompany any job.

Perhaps because of the location (the orient), and the lack of a need to be qualified or aware of what one is doing in the classroom contributes to the strange mystique that surrounds teaching ESL in China. In reality, if one has interest in the work, learns about and implements research, has imagination, and students not too tainted by the state (of things), the job can burgeon into an array of variegated blooms. Otherwise, ESL in China quickly deteriorates into a mess of garble gurgling at the top of its organs before a room of semi-conscious life forms.

Though it wasn't here in China, the best group I've ever taught in my four years of teaching was a kindergarden class of three students in Seoul. These three six year olds not only understood more English than my current undergrads, but could also use much more advanced and eloquent English to express an array of ideas and emotions. I still remember one class where we listened to some Tangerine Dream ("Nebulous Dawn" was the song) for five minutes as a warm-up. I asked the students to draw their impressions of the song, and then explain what they drew. All three took turns speaking for around three minutes each, giving some very intricate impressions of the song, and their responses to it. After the explainations, they wanted to keep listening to the atmospheric music while having a game of team chess.

Later on in the course, I wrote a short play for them based on three Blake poems (The Tyger, The Lamb and The Fly). In two weeks they had memorized each others poems and lines.

An absolute dream class in what was an otherwise very run of the mill language mill in South Korea.


But here I've yet to encounter such a group, nor do I expect to find a similar experience. The imaginations of the university aged Chinese (the younger I cannot comment on) are sparse. They speak, and are often just automatic mouthes yammering on about the Olympics, Celin Dion and "China is a developing country... In following the the development of China...If China could develop more quickly...China's development is too slow..."

Sometimes the pablum stinks more than the sewage spilling out of the drains and onto the roads.


I really do miss my babies of 2002. Making interactive puppet shows, eating chocolate and listening to Ummugumma. I do miss them.

[Gorak]

[Roger]

A good story essentially is one the FT can tell all by himself (or herself); usually, however, the first part is told by his recruiter: "An absolutely stunning cityscape, the nation's most IQ-endowed students, the hihgest salaries the province can pay, and all our FTs renew their contracts every single month of their ten-month stint!"

[woza17]

Shan Shan an amazing story about the 3 kids. Truly gifted. Why were they so good? I get goosebumps when a student can pronounce a sentence correctly.
Look if you come here, give all your love and energy to the kids, you will probably only see them once a week but make it a fun class, get them interested, talk and cajole them but don't get angry. The poor little baastards have enough of a hard time. If you can come away teaching one phrase in English, more power to you.

[kev7161]

[clark.w.griswald]

[vikdk]

Clark it's great you tell us about other peoples experiences in China - maybe you've done some kind of survey to be able to come up with your detailed results?
On the background of this could we find out a little more about your work history here - and how you have enjoyed wor