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Horselover Fat · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Posts: 1

Hello,

The school that I am working at is not telling us the dates for our February break. We have been asking them for more than a month now and they just say that our break will begin between the 3rd and the 10th and it will end sometime around the 24th.

This is frustrating because we have family visiting and they need to know when to book their plane tickets. Also, our school claims they do not know when the new semester will begin so we should be back from traveling no later than the 24th.

My major question is: is it normal for a school not to know the dates of a holiday that is only a couple of weeks away? We feel that the school is messing with us on purpose. We want to travel around as long as possible and we don't want to get back on the 24th like they say, and wait around for a week to start teaching.

Thanks!

eslstudies · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 1061 Location: East of Aden

jeffinflorida · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:05 pm Post subject:

It's poor communication which is a typical problem in most schools. Many times the general annoucement is not made until several days before the actual days off.

Sometimes you just have to ask your fao or dean many many times until you get an answer.

I would get pissed because one school i worked at would change the schedule - cancel classes for the whole school- and not tell me until the day before. This sucked much becasue i would like to travel on the weekends and if they gave a friday or monday off it would help for me to know in advance so i could do something.

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

This is indeed the "normal" modus operandi at Chinese schools - for FTs, not for Chinese employees. The school does have a school calendar.
It's just that the FTs fit in roughly and have to put up with such uncertainties tocover unplanned for emergencies as theyarise. In principle, your classes probably end earlier than those of your Chinese colleagues, so the schol wants to make sure that you are not enjoying a premature beginning of holidays.
Don't worrytoomuch - get your folks to come as early as possible because come February,there is bound tobe a huge crunch on China's transportation systems.

11:59 · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:04 am Post subject:

Bear in mind also that it is not really so much a break or holiday, as more a re-scheduling of your classes. Any time had 'off' in that period will usually have to be made up.

prof · Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 741 Location: Boston/China

While some might call this 'normal' I do not.

It's also unacceptable.

Your FAO needs to be re-educated on how to deal with foreign staff.

I would demand a meeting and some answers. If they say they must wait for the local government to make the call I suggest you ask what the holiday schedule was last year and EXACTLY when the you can expect a firm answer.

If they still refuse to give you specifics I suggest:

1. Ask a friendly Chinese teacher (they likely know).

2. Set your holiday NOW and then tell the school. They'll panic if you're timing is off by a week. Tell them you are booking a ticket for so and so on Monday. Watch them squirm.

3. Find another school next year. Life is tough enough. You don't need to deal with these kinds of idiots who can't understand your very reasonable request.

eslstudies · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 1061 Location: East of Aden

TravellingAround · Joined: 12 Nov 2006 Posts: 423

The school can at least give you a date when you definitely won't be working even if there is a time when they aren't sure which day the classes will end.

There must be a set number of days where they can say there definitely will be no school.

At the uni I worked at I was handed a yearly school calendar during the week before the academic year started. That was a public institution...if they can do that when why can't others? There may be a day a two out but no need for more than that. Also...why do the Chinese teachers always seem to know when it will be?

Demand some more accurate answers. What is this; amateur dramatics? The way I look at it is this...would they do this to a Chinese teacher?

The answer is...

stil · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 259 Location: Hunan

Aks your students when their exams begin and you will know when you are off. You may be free before that but you will at least know the latest date.

Yu · Joined: 06 Mar 2003 Posts: 1219 Location: Shanghai

Yeah,
This situation is completely normal.... your problem is that you are trying to make plans.... It is most likely that the school does not know their schedule yet. I know it may feel like they are messing with you, but they are really messing with everyone. The reality is that it hasnt been decided or the people who decided havent informed anyone. Good Luck. Feb 18 to 24 is the official holiday, so you should be able to count on those days off.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

double post - - - grrr, crappy internet slowness these days (is that shallow of me in light of the fact that people may have lost much more than internet in the earthquake last month?)

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Let's see: In December, I started inquiring about the holiday, already formulating my travel plans and itinerary in my mind. I asked the Chinese teacher next to me if she had any ideas. She whipped out a semester-long schedule and said testing would be 'around' Jan. 23rd or 24th, then the kids would go home, only to return several days later for one morning to pick up their grades - - I needn't be there for that, says she.

In early January, I confirmed with my FAO and told her I had bought plane tickets for Feb. 1st. She said that "shouldn't" be a problem (actually, I hadn't bought them yet). Last week, we were told the "government" suddenly changed things and, yes, tests will take place as usual but the kids will come back the following week for the entire week! January 29th - Feb. 2nd! Guess what? Some FTs (including myself) had already booked/paid for tickets, booked hotel rooms, etc. and won't be there for that entire week. Actually, I will come in on Monday, but that's it.

So, can anyone tell me the point of this? I mean, we wrap up units this week and give final tests and get our ducks in a row when it comes to final grades for the semester and so on. Then we are to, what, start new units and concepts for the kids to mull over for the next 3 weeks or so while they are out of school? Ridiculous! Someone told me that due to the lateness of the holiday, they have to do it this way. No, I responded, what they need to do is have set end dates for a semester every year, have the tests scheduled the same times, etc. and just work toward that goal. The following week, start the new round of lessons and just let the holiday fall where it will. It seems that, usually, the Spring Festival/New Year's holiday could be anywhere from mid-January to mid-February. Why not just set the semester end at the 1st week of January and the new semester begins the 2nd week of January? Then, when the holiday comes along, stop classes for "X" amount of time and resume when the holiday is over. The holiday shouldn't dictate the schedule, rather the schedule absorbs the holiday whenever it may occur.

Yu · Joined: 06 Mar 2003 Posts: 1219 Location: Shanghai

Kev,
The problem with that brilliant and sensible idea is that you are not the government leader who told them to do it that way.....

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

Most public schools have a fixed-length school term, e.g. 16 or 18 weeks, at the end of which the FT is required to give students their final examination and hand in the grades. Then the FT is free to go. That's at least how it's been with me the last two years -- I never had to wait until the school's vacation time had actually started before going home, etc.