Job Discussion Forums

anninhk · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284

I must admit when I was a good deal younger than I am now I couldn't believe anyone would want to work after 55 especially in teaching. Now as I approach 60 I realise that 60 is just a number and age is a very individual thing.
When I return to England most of my teaching friends have now retired and the ones that remain seem burdened under a mass of paperwork and disillusionment. This job, despite a lot of drawbacks, does have a lot of positives in that, in Primary schools anyway, there isn't a lot of marking and teachers are not under pressure from parents. Also there isn't usually the need to take work home.
Yes, it is physically tiring as you have to put on a show in each class you teach, especially the lower levels, but I still enjoy that and playing silly games on the mat in the English corner, but that's what keeps me young!

hkteach · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 202 Location: Hong Kong

Yes I agree with what you say - there ARE positives to this job, like the lack of marking, report writing and parent contact and the copious paperwork that plagues teachers back wherever we come from.
The other positive (well for PNETs anyway) is the exam period - a week of revision and exam prep. (few or no lessons for the NET ) 3-5 days of exams (half days and no lessons for the NET .... and no correction either as my teachers won't let me help with correction when I offer - perhaps I wouldn't do it properly!!) and then a week of exam post-mortem ( early finish AND few/no lessons for the NET )
These exam periods usually occur either just before or just after Christmas so, counting the holiday break, that's 4-5 weeks of little or no teaching for many of us.

Smoog · Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 137 Location: Hong Kong

While I agree with you re: exam week, it's rather telling that one of the positives PNETs frequently mention is having no lessons during that time.

atatat · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 24

I've just had 3 weeks of no-teaching-period and I felt a bit like a useless person while having no lessons to teach! Can I know what have you all been doing at work during the exam weeks?

hkteach · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 202 Location: Hong Kong

For NETs who normally have a heavy-duty load, exam time presents an opportunity to get up to date with their paperwork or preparation and planning or perhaps to take time to catch their breath.
If it's just prior to Christmas, probably the latter (as we know, it's a LONG time from when we started the school year till that first break so a week or two of no teaching is welcome).

Some take the opportunity to do some professional development - with the half day PD sessions offered by EMB. Some re-organise their English room if they have one,make more teaching resources and/or put up displays on the boards around the school. There's always something that can be done. Some do less profitable things no doubt.

As for me, I've done a bit of most of the above + some forward planning and writing of lessonplans + working sneakily on writing an outline of a school-based English curriculum - three weeks is a long time to have no commitments but it's a great opportunity to do some of the 'big picture' things.

11:59 · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:44 am Post subject:

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

11:59 · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 3:11 am Post subject:

The chap I know who works there with just a degree and TEFL certificate is on $26,000, plus housing allowance as he is on an overseas ex-pat contract.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Horizontal Hero · Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:38 am Post subject:

lyndon98 · Joined: 09 May 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Australia/Hong Kong

That's certainly not the role of the Snet at our school.

Think you got a raw deal there HH.

hkteach · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 202 Location: Hong Kong

Yes, a raw deal that's for sure - like soooo many SNETs.

But the meetings in Canto apply to many PNETs too. These meetings are a complete waste of time as the NET can't understand what's going on and even if someone is translating, so much is irrelevant to the NET's role in the school anyway. It's just another way for principals to exert their power (even if it IS dressed up as a way of the NET being 'included')

Thank heaven I have an enlightened principal who doesn't expect me to go to staff meetings or anything else that's irrelevant to my work - as long as I put in an appearance at the Parent Evenings and other special events where parents are invited, she's happy.