Job Discussion Forums

[jenny74]

Hello, I'm interested in teaching in Taiwan. I've read both negative and positive posts about the the teaching conditions but what I want to know is...do the schools function? What I'm looking for is structure and consistency within the school. I just spent a year teaching in Eritrea in a dysfunctional school (huge classes (70 kids per class), unmotivated teachers and students - when they even showed up, no structure - everyone was on their own time clock, major discipline problems, etc....) and I'm looking for a bit of calm. Can I find this in a Taiwanese school?

[taiwan_andy]

I understand how you feel, I once taught in Kenya. Unless you're unlucky you wont find discipline problems anything like what you have been experiencing, although there are lots of schools with badly behaved and poorly disciplined students.
It would appear to me that there are no hard and fast rules here, some schools are good, some are bad. Even within the same franchise, different schools can be completely different.
I have no idea if the situation is any better in other countries though.

[jenny74]

Thanks for the reply. I'm having a hard time trying to decide where in the world to go next. Have you been doing this for a while, teaching TEFL overseas that is. If so where have you been? What about Latin America? Have you been there? I'm also considering Korea and Japan. I just want to work at a school that is serious and respects teachers

[taiwan_andy]

A year in Kenya, then nearly five here, so I can't tell you anything about other countries.
Without actually visiting the school, which you obviously can't do, it's hard to say what to look for, but independent schools with all-day programmes seem fairly reliable.

[jenny74]

nearly five years in Taiwan? Then you must like it. What about the poliltical situation with China? Is that something to be concerned about? I've heard the money is pretty good in Taiwan, that a teacher can make enough to save. How's the weather there?

[LKJ]

Political Situation
Well, it's just that. Politics. Nothing more and nothing less. You have to realize that people in mainland China and Taiwan have much in common. The struggle is being fought by taxi drivers and on the economic front. This has been going on for 50+ years. Don't worry.

Weather
May to October = hot and humid. November to March = cooler (sometimes cold). The North (sub tropical monsoon climate) gets more of a winter type monsoon and the South (tropical monsoon climate) gets more of a summer one. Temperatures are slightly hotter in the south, but only very marginally. Check out this website for specific details: http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V5e/index.htm

Money
Not bad at all. Cost of living is low. If you want to have a major party life then your savings will suffer. Live a balanced life and you can save, save, save. It's up to you.

Hope this helps
LKJ

[SanChong]

Hi Jenny, welcome to the board.

I love posts like this because they are so useful in showing that everything is a matter of perspective. 70 students in a class!!! Some teachers in Taiwan complain bitterly about having a class of 20 students.
Taiwan isn't perfect, but from what I've seen teachers coming from more extreme conditions tend to appreciate even more how good things here can be. They aren't perfect, but as jobs and life go, they are pretty damn good.

A teacher coming from a job in a public school in a Western country may find teaching in Taiwan to be frustrating on a some levels (organizationally, professional development). Those coming from pretty much anywhere else (China, Africa, Latin America, etc.) tend to really enjoy living and working in Taiwan.

Everything is a matter of perspective though... I suppose that applies lot's of things in life though! There are a lot of positives to focus on in Taiwan.

If you are generally a positive, easygoing person, who does well with challenges, then you will likely love Taiwan. Then there is the flip side: some of the bitter posters who complain constantly and stay for years!! (a contradiction in and of itself, in my opinion).

Good luck Jenny, hope to see you around Taiwan!

[StayingPower]

Hi Jenny,

The best place-for 'structure'-to work at here is probably HESS.

On the other hand, if you're looking for creativity, or freedom to implement and try your own ideas within guidelines of a textbook, try Gram.

Gram outweighs a lot of schools that I've taught at since they give you the freedom to teach your own classes without CT's, have a specific goal, and not just a dream; use a pretty concise methodology, which is repetition, spelling and grammar; and aren't overly formal.

Too much structure can stifle a teacher's creativity and deaden inspiration, ie., coming up with new ideas. This much I know from my past experience.

[BigWally]

and Gram has those really hilarious TV commercials too, the kids and the teachers singing along to some bastardized version of a nursery rhyme...they clearly have something good going for them if they can blow money on TV commercials...

you can also look into Kojen, Schoolhouse or Fairy Tale although I hear they are a bit more formal than most schools

[LKJ]

This whole debate about structure and creativity interests me.

It seems that some people assume that if you work in a school that has structure there is little or no room for a teacher to be creative. I find this logic strange.

Structure refers to the school and courses they offer. Things I expect to find in a well structured school are (for example):

Course guides, course materials, academic support, syllabus guides, reading and writing tests, oral & listening tests, vocabulary lists, pre-written worksheets and supplementary remedial exercises, ideas for lesson plans, established systems of communication (students, parents, teachers, managers), progress reports, teaching materials, teachers books����.etc, etc. It doesn�t take a genius to realize that these all favor the teacher.

Creativity refers to the teacher. Things I expect a creative teacher to be able to do (for example):

The ability to make lessons fun, varied, interesting, ordered, balanced, interactive, encourage whole class participation, focus on the target language or skills, make learning rewarding, enjoyable and worthwhile�..etc, etc.

If you work in a structured school you have everything at your disposal. That helps you to make your lessons very creative. To give some perspective, most teachers that have a formal and respected teaching qualification would tell you that it is much easier to work somewhere that gives you the direction of a course on a plate � meaning you can actually focus on getting on with your job as a teacher.

To give an example, teachers that work in government schools or universities (clear examples of a structured system) work in very heavily regulated environments. To say that they cannot be creative (or are not encouraged to be creative) is completely absurd.

If you work in an unstructured school you will probably be asked to do lots of extra planning and unpaid course creation work and worse still you will likely be held responsible for the learning outcomes of your students. Now, if you truly feel you have enough knowledge to create such courses (and by that I mean you know which tenses, structures and essential vocabulary sets to teach, and in which order) then go for it � if not, then steer well clear. It is hard and dull work and it is normally very far from the type of creativity you long for (there are only so many ways to build a basic course). In reality, unstructured schools will often inadvertently stifle a teacher�s creativity because the teacher has to spend so much time researching and thinking about what to do, rather than how best to do it.

In my opinion, if you are new to teaching, or even an old hand � I suggest you seek a more structured environment over a less structured one. You will develop your own teaching skills and abilities much faster and you will be thankful because you will learn a lot about course methodology.

Kojen, Shane, Gram and other well established schools offer structure and ENCOURAGE creativity.


Hope this helps.
LKJ

[StayingPower]

[Toe Save]