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Forbes
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 8
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Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:59 am Post subject: Realities of the NET scheme |
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I have read about the NET scheme requirements of teachers and it is a little vague. For example it states the working hours and then states that teachers may be required to stay after school, work Saturdays, holidays etc... Are there any NET's who can give us an example of what they are required to do in their school (hours, extra-curricula act. etc...)?
Thanks. |
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briandwest
Joined: 10 Feb 2006 Posts: 98 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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The requirements are vague for a reason: it allows the school to use the NET as they see fit.
An average example would be 28 35 minute lessons a week, 1 hour of playground duty, a morning assembly, 1 hour of planning meetings, a daily English Corner and adhoc Professional Development. Mon-Fri hours = 7:30 - 16:15.
Some NETs must attend ALL staff meetings even though they are in Cantonese, work Saturday mornings, do after-school extra-curricular activities and heaps of marking and examinations.
There are NETs out there who do much less than this and equally those that do much more than this.
This vagueness of job description is one of the core difficulties that NETs face. |
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arju
Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Posts: 58 Location: h.k
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Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:54 am Post subject: |
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previous poster paints a picture that is the worst case possible....having been here 5 years in the net scheme I have had good conditions . it boils down to how your school / principal wants to use your services and understands what the NET can bring to the school. I teach each week 18 40 min lessons plus take 2.. 40 min drama activities as part of extra curric.
I do no yard duty and never have agreed to do this nor run an english room.If you have a reasonable principal who is open to discusssion then you can work out a suitable deployment. Ps long teaching experince is a bonus as the principals generally will respect your experinece and treat you better than a younger teacher who they will view like one of their own younger members of staff.
its a lottery........................... |
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lambada
Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Posts: 50
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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The key is that it is a lottery and you have to be thick skinned to survive the culture here. How you are treated has very little to do with how good you are as a teacher. I was a good teacher when I got here and I still am! I definitely think that you are in for a hard time if you don't have a minimum of a Dip Ed as the local teachers will resent your presence as an 'advisor', being paid well and doing less work when you are not a qualified teacher (and who can blame them!). I think that was part of why I got such a hard time initially. Not having enough to do is almost worse than having too much to do. You will put the hours in at school either way. The loneliness and isolation will get to you eventually. I've had a rotten school and a couple of great schools. I now have a Masters in TESOL, a CELTA and a Dip Ed so I'm ok on the qualifications side of things.
You have to be able to handle a Principal who has god like powers and will use them. Local teachers can be made to work 7 days a week for weeks on end, have holidays cancelled and will never put up a fight except occasionally through suicide. Teachers will go behind your back and report you for the strangest things but will also protect you from the worse excesses of a Principal on an ego trip. Stress levels among local teachers are sky high and teaching methodologies are exam focussed and years out of date. Boring, non-communicative rote learning, grammar translation is the preferred methodology on the whole. This is changing but not in our working lives.
The kids are great, the teachers can be lovely, and the schools are dilapidated. I've never seen any toilet paper, soap or towels for the kids to use in any of my schools. And yes, we're the folks that brought you SARs and Chicken Flu! I could write for hours about Hong Kong schools but you probably wouldn't believe me anyway. You either accept it and laugh it off or stay away.
How do you feel if people tell you you're fat or won't sit next to you on public transport? Would this be an amusing anecdote or something that would ruin your day? I love it here and I will do everything in my power to continue and in a small way change the system because I love the kids and the dedicated people that this system crushes at every opportunity, but watch out because you'll see cute little kids being ridiculed, sidelined and thrown on the scrap heap as an on going systemic process.
In some ways it's almost worse for professionally trained Primary teachers from the West, as they already know how to teach properly and about such things as gender equity, anti-racism and diversity. Don't expect any of that here. The failing child is either stupid, poor, single parented, from the mainland or naughty. End of story.
This is just one net's opinion but it gives you a flavour of life here, and if you still think you want to be here, then I'm sure you'll be a valuable asset to the schools and Hong Kong. |
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erike
Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 8
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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I'll second what Lambada said. ALL true. It's been my experience too. |
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Lao Wai
Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 20
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Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 2:59 am Post subject: |
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Hey,
I agree with what previous posters have said. Although I really like Hong Kong, I don't like being a PNET. I'm a trained primary teacher from Canada and feel like my abilities are being wasted here. The local teachers have tried to turn me into one of them (they've had a little success, but I continue to try to do things my way).
I also think it's a bad idea for anyone just starting out as a teacher to be a PNET. All of the knowledge and best practices I learned in my teaching practicum and Ed. degree are not used here. For example, running records, guided reading, and all of the other components of a balanced literacy program, literature circles, etc. And, maybe these types of things have no place in HK public schools. Fair enough, but they do have a place back in Canada and the fact that I'm not getting any experience implementing these strategies, is not good.
So, in my opinion....being a PNET is fine for either A) unqualified teachers, or B) retired teachers. Both groups will like the money. The first group will probably not mind being told what to do by the local teachers and maybe not know any better that there are other ways of teaching besides using the textbook. The second group will have already had their careers and will also probably go with the flow.
As I see it right now, I won't be staying for a second contract. Teaching here was a step backward professionally for me. BUT, I have met other PNETs who enjoy their jobs...so there you go. |
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hkteach
Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 202 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:48 am Post subject: |
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I think it all depends on whether you're primary (PNET) or secondary (SNET).
SNETS seem to have it harder than PNETS- more teaching periods, more exam practice etc. and usually just an extra English teacher for the school, paid for by the EMB. They usually teach on their own and have responsibility for a class,/several classes (including correction, exams etc.) as well work with other classes for oral English or other areas of the curriculum. This partly explains why they are paid more.
PNETS co-teach with local teachers and there is more shared responsibility. If your school runs Saturday classes, you may be expected to work. Some NETs are asked to work on Sundays on 'special occasions'.
In either case, your workload depends on your particular school and the attitudes of your principal, panel chair and SET (Head of English).
Your happiness in your job also depends on these people and how progressive and enlightened they are, as well as how committed they are to bringing about change.
It's a lottery. As I've advised colleagues back home thinking of being a NET - focus on getting a good school (hard to know from afar but do the best you can) If you get that right, then where you live and what you do out of hours will fall into place. If you don't get it right, it won't matter where you live - you won't enjoy your time here. You'll be too tired and worn out by your job to be able to socialise and enjoy all that Hong Kong offers.
I have been here as a PNET for several years and have experienced both good and bad situations (Saturday work, extra curricular and a timetable that exceeds the EMB 'recommendations for deployment', unfirendly teachers, bitchy SET and Panel Chair and unapproachable principal) That was a hard time for me and I wanted to pack up and leave but stuck it out.
I've also experienced the exact opposite.
Right now I'm pretty happy with a light teaching load, lots of prep time, no extra curricular, no Saturday work, nice teachers and an approachable, flexible principal. But still, every day I face the reality that real teaching and learning as we know it in the west, is a long way off for Hong Kong.
All the things said by lambada are correct, except I'll add one more thing - laziness. It's a big word here. Any child who doesn't learn according to the drill and rote system that prevails here is certainly lazy. If I hear that word one more time, I think I'll scream. It's sad to see little kids in P1 grappling with all the set homework and exercises and stuggling with their bags full of taxtbooks that they lug between school and home.
One other thing.......... if you have a problem, don't expect any support from the EMB. "We are not your employer" is their standard 'get out clause' when asked for assistance by NETs who have problems. It's a nice little side-step to avoid responsibility.
We send our applications to the EMB, get interviewed by EMB, approved (or otherwise) by EMB and our CVs sent to schools by EMB and paid by EMB. But at any sign of trouble, they wash their hands of you. This attitude applies to both the local public servants as well as the expats who have been brought here to administer the scheme, including the top dog. You're left out in the cold to deal with your issues by yourself.
And they wonder why they have such a high rate of attrition and the corresponding recruitment difficulties. |
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Horizontal Hero

Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 2492 Location: The civilised little bit of China.
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:39 am Post subject: |
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Take note: Arju's conditions are unheard of in my experience. If I was him/her, I'd get down on my knees and praise Allah. I assume he/she is a PNET. I have what I consider a favourable load for a SNET.
25 X 40-min lessons a week
English Corner three lunchtimes a week.
Two yard duties totalling less than an hour per week.
English society duties: organising special activities such as Halloween, Christmas stuff, singing competitions, posters, English environment etc.
Saturday work about ten times a year
Meetings about once a week in Cantonese - sometimes till 9.00pm (often on a Friday!).
Training for speech festivals and other special English events e.g. school play.
Catering to other staff members who throw stuff on my desk at random times - to be proof-read for them.
This is actually much better than my previous school. I can leave at 4.15p.m. if I want.
Generally, most NET teachers don't get a lot of work satisfaction here. I don't (but some like it). I've been building my parachute for some time, and just plucking up the courage to strap it on. |
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