Job Discussion Forums

[therock]

Run Forest Run!!!!!

[Leprecoon]

Ha ha

No- no clear get out clause, however I could probably negotiate my way out of it sans the round trip expenses (I plan to stay on in China anyway).

Still thinking...

[prof]

There's a Chinese saying:

TIME IS THE ENEMY.

If the place bites I'd get out. You're not a serf. Slave trade ended a century ago.

Sit in front of the bus and take charge of the situation.

[Long ai gu]

The real issue here is not to be honest with a system and a people that are basically corrupt liars(FAO in Weifang informed me that lying is part of the Chinese way), with minimal human rights granted to their own people, or other people's opinions about whether it is moral to stay or leave. If the place sucks get on the next train. The point that needs to be addressed is what's gonna happen when you leave. The biggest problem is not finding other work, it is your work papers. Another school will accept you with a different school's work papers but when they expire you will have to produce a letter of recommendation and a letter of termination from the school in which your papers have the name of. This has been my experience when leaving schools before the contract expires. Let's talk about this issue. Maybe you could go to Hong Kong and get work papers without a letter I don't know, does anyone know this?

[cj750]

The new RP may be nationwide and would prevent anyone from working after "boltin" but I have yet to see that happen..so at this time it is just speculation..but I have heard it will be the case in the future..if not then all you wold need would be a invitation from a new province and a trip to HK...

[asianbizarre]

I have to agree with the posters who are encouraging you to feel free to go. Even though you may benefit someway internally by sticking it out--by 'keeping your word'--as some suggest. The only real question in my mind is who is REALLY inconvenienced if you do leave? Are there other FTs on campus you could check out on this issue?
Otherwise:
1) You ARE easily replaced. I started at a uni this September with seven other FTs--four were gone after the first week. They were eventually replaced and everyone got by. In my view, student welfare (as in quality of education) is not a top priority for the admin people in China.
2) The school doesn't have to pay you the back-loaded contract bonuses (I presume) would be due you, and which are structured that way just because so many FTs DO do a runner.
3) The breach clause is really the key. If you could give a month's notice, you would, but the damned breach clause penelties are really not a fair part of the contract. I think many of us signed that with our fingers crossed.
3) No one benefits by you being unhappy.

[tofuman]

Sorry, but I suggest that you persevere. It will be good for you. I tried to negotiate my way out of a contract with a school that was unhappy with me and I with them, but the admin wanted me to complete the contract.

They were a bit surprised when I reported them to the provincial FAO over contract violations. I'm not sure if anybody knows how close we were to fisticuffs, but I still have fantasies of running the FAO through with a sword.

I failed students, told the school if they didn't like it, they could change the grade, but I wouldn't become like them and make a mockery out of the educational system.

I got my airfare by threatening to destroy all the final exams if it wasn't paid. For some strange reason, amidst all the fraud and corruption, it never occurred to them to just make up the grades, which they might as well do anyway, due to the high rate of cheating and fraud that goes on.

But when I left, I had the FAO sign a letter that said I completed my contract, which I did. He wouldn't red chop it, which, some say, makes it meaningless.

My next gig was great! And I took a lot of time off to decompress after the first nightmare.

Just because some of these people are lying, conniving, scheming ____ is no reason that you should become like them.

Try to negotiate your way out in a way that is acceptable to them and you. If it doesn't work, get yourself a hobby. Tall with dark hair is good. Or you might try taiji.

[Woolly]

I recommend you stay.

Keep in mind there are some students who want to study, so your teaching efforts are wothwhile. The ones who don't listen, well they're just kids really, they don't have any concept of how they are wasting their educational opportunities and being rude to their teacher and fellow students.

Spend your spare time studying Chinese, it make life easier while you are here and will look great on your resume when you return to your country. Or do an online degree or something. And while your job may suck, remember what does not kill you will make you stronger.

Save some money, have fun in the holidays. Doing a runner will just make things complicated for you and future FTs at your school will suffer for it.

W

[TravellingAround]

I think you should stay solely because it would probably be more hassle than it is worth to leave. As you mentioned that you teach at a public uni then I presume you will have two or so months worth of paid holiday to come. Is that true for your place? So you really would only have to stick out the second term. Is it really worth all the hassle to run? I'm guessing that you don't think so otherwise you wouldn't be asking others for their opinion. If you really wanted to run then I think you wouldn't need to ask for advice as if it was that bad you'd know there would be no other option.

So...I'd suggest sticking it out and concentrate on applying for somewhere better for next year. Going for the easy option doesn't sound like good advice when I think about it but sometimes it is easiest to stick with it.

Ultimately though it's your choice but it seems that you don't really want to leave THAT much. So...concentrate on leaving next year. Maybe when you have a definite job to go to in the future you will be able to know that your days there are numbered and find it easier.

[diana83709]

The second semester flies by. Last year, I taught primary students and they were so naughty. I had a CT collegue that drove me crazy. The same collegue took credit for a student's achievement - 2nd place Oral English Competition in Sichuan. She did not even teach or privately tutor this student. I did. In the end, I got the teacher certificate for the competition after confronting my CT collegue.The knife wound in my back took time to heal, but I got over it.

At the esl cafe, you are able to hear other FT's experiences- good and bad. You have a lot of shoulders to "lean on", but, you will have to make your own decision.

I believe Jeremy Bentham had the philosophy of weighing out the pros and cons of an issue before making a decision. In this case, it is both the greater good for you and also your students.

You will make the right decision. There is a lot of good advice on this thread. All of the FT's on this site obviously want you to do what is right for you. Best of luck in what ever you do!

[mizrhino]

If you wanted to leave China your decision would be easier. Since you want to stay, though, honoring your contract is probably the way to go to avoid more bureaucratic nightmare bullshit.

But if it sucks that bad, get the hell out! Don't waste your time torturing yourself. I worked in Poland a few years back for this racist British guy Andrej Wout, the most despicable human I've ever met. I stayed to honor my commitment and regret not being in a better place. (But Poland's awesome, I highly recommend it!)

It's better for your resume, of course, if you stay if that matters to you.

Make your class as fun for you as possible. Play games, music, watch movies, whatever.

Wuhan's not that bad, or so I try to convince myself. Hike around Mo Shan. I bet the many co-eds of Wuhan would dig on that brogue of yours(if not the stache) -- work it! Or better yet, get drunk at the Vox more often!

[Leprecoon]

Hey, don't knock the comedy 'tache! All I need now is a Chang Jiang and a leather jacket with 'if you can read this my bitch fell off' on the back...

[michael9]

Hello "Earth is One Country"
I've been following your thread and I'm wondering what you have decided to do about staying. I, too, wanted to quit after one term of a two-term contract because of office hours but I was able to negotiate a better arrangement and stayed on. I must say, it does feel good to have finished the whole contract. I'm pulling 50 and when I came here, I was an overweight Canuck. I think many people thought I'd never make it.

I wouldn't worry about what those posters who got all snotty about making your classroom more interesting etc, etc etc. Even in the regular education system in Canada, there are those who are constantly preening themselves about their teaching prowess. These are usually younger folks who don't understand that teachers have to live their lives as well and life can have very difficult patches for everyone. I never thought that isolation would be a problem when I was considering teaching in China, but I can see that now. Teaching is for the long haul and sounding good is no substitute for professionalism.

I have 2 groups of students now. I teach regular university English majors and they nearly all, always come to classes. Then I have some TAFE students who have been recruited by an Australian company and they don't come regularly. It sometimes irks me when they don't show up.... but that's life. Their choice, not mine.

Well anyway, when you decide what to do about staying in Wuhan, let me know. Good luck in whatever you decide.