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sonya
Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 51
Location: california
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 Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:52 am Post subject: couple questions |
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Sorry if this has been asked before; I've been browsing through the topics on the first page, and I didn't really see what I was looking for.
I'm American with Taiwanese parents, and Mandarin is one of my mother tongues. I graduate this fall from Berkeley with a BA in Linguistics with an emphasis on French. I want to live in China for a year to improve my Chinese, and I think teaching would be a good way to finance this.
I don't plan on getting TEFL certification, but I have taken a course in English didactics before, done an internship monitoring last year level English classes at a French high school, and I've tutored immigrant Chinese-speaking children in Oakland's Chinatown. And I will have a B.A. So would I be qualified enough to find a job in a public school? I've heard terrible stories about buxibans, and I want to avoid them. Should I apply for a work visa on my own? How does one find posts teaching French, as well as English?
I've also heard that they hold having an Asian face against you, but wouldn't I make an even better teacher for beginners since I speak the language? Or does that not occur to them, and should I avoid mentioning Chinese on my CV? (Also, would they care if it's a resume instead? A list of my job experience would look lacking..)
thanks in advance |
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7969
Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Posts: 5782
Location: Coastal Guangdong
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:14 am Post subject: |
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| this topic has been discussed a few times. go further in than the first page. |
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tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
Posts: 3898
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:23 am Post subject: Re: couple questions |
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| sonya wrote: |
I'm American with Taiwanese parents, and Mandarin is one of my mother tongues. I graduate this fall from Berkeley with a BA in Linguistics with an emphasis on French. I want to live in China for a year to improve my Chinese, and I think teaching would be a good way to finance this.
I don't plan on getting TEFL certification, but I have taken a course in English didactics before, done an internship monitoring last year level English classes at a French high school, and I've tutored immigrant Chinese-speaking children in Oakland's Chinatown. And I will have a B.A. So would I be qualified enough to find a job in a public school? I've heard terrible stories about buxibans, and I want to avoid them. Should I apply for a work visa on my own? How does one find posts teaching French, as well as English?
I've also heard that they hold having an Asian face against you, but wouldn't I make an even better teacher for beginners since I speak the language? Or does that not occur to them, and should I avoid mentioning Chinese on my CV? (Also, would they care if it's a resume instead? A list of my job experience would look lacking..) |
You have a LOT against you. First, your Chinese face will be a huge turn-off to most employers and recruiters. Second, it is now mid-July, so a lot of public schools are either busy with final exams or have already closed for summer break. Third, even if these public schools are still open, chances are quite good the most ideal jobs in the most ideal locations are already filled. Fourth, and I don't mean to pry, but since you have Taiwanese parents, were you born in USA or in Taiwan? If you were born in Taiwan and without getting into a huge discussion whether Taiwan is part of China or not, employers and/or local government officials may not consider you a "true" foreigner. Also, do you have a Chinese middle name? That can really hurt your chances at landing a job if you have a Chinese middle name on your passport. With a BA degree, you don't need TEFL certification because you are more than qualified. However, since you don't have any classroom teaching experience, the Chinese employers and/or recruiters can use that against you -- even though the reason is your Chinese face.
The bottom line is: whereas candidates with a white face can land a job in a relatively short period of time, you will have a much, MUCH harder time. You will have to apply to 10x as many schools, as I did. If a school hires you right away, it could only mean the job is possibly a scam or that the school and/or location sucks and they have a very difficult time getting FT's.
By the way, you can not apply for a work visa without the proper paperwork from China: invitation letter, work permit, visa notice. Finally, letting employers or recruiters know you can speak Chinese would be even worse. If they want someone who can speak Chinese to teach English, they can just get a Chinese teachers for much lower salary. |
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HunanForeignGuy
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 989
Location: Shanghai, PRC
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:50 am Post subject: |
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Sonya,
First, as one previous poster wrote, this topic has been and is discussed quite frequently on this Board. In fact, IMHO, it is probably one of the top five most discussed topics around here.
Please use the search forum to see what you can find. I am sure that you will find at least 20-30 threads that discuss this issue.
Additionally, TW has provided you with some extremely accurate information which you may wish to seriously consider.
Let us know how you do on the search and I for one will be pleased to help you with additional information.
All the best,
HFG |
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Anda
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 2199
Location: Jiangsu Province
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:20 am Post subject: Um |
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A local Chinese English teacher in a private elementary / high school earns about 1,500 RMB to 2,000 RMB a month and the paper work for hiring is easy. We cost 3,000 to 5,000 plus better accommodation and heaps of paperwork and expense. So you can see the problem you are up against.
You can live here in China in a country town for very little and study to your hearts content. You would have no shortage of friends. Two thousand RMB a month is enough. |
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therock
Joined: 31 Jul 2005
Posts: 1266
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:47 am Post subject: Re: couple questions |
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| sonya wrote: |
| I've also heard that they hold having an Asian face against you, but wouldn't I make an even better teacher for beginners since I speak the language? Or does that not occur to them, and should I avoid mentioning Chinese on my CV? (Also, would they care if it's a resume instead? A list of my job experience would look lacking..) |
It doesn't really matter if you avoid mentioning Chinese on your CV. Part of the recruitment process is asking the applicant to scan and send the first page of his/her passport. That said it's still possible for you to find employment, you just need to apply to as many schools as possible. |
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HunanForeignGuy
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 989
Location: Shanghai, PRC
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:14 am Post subject: |
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Dear Kind Sonya,
When are you thinking of coming to China? I looked for that information in your original post but I couldn't find a clear indication.
Next, if you are thinking of coming this autumn and if you will have your B.A. by then, please send me a PM. I am in contact with a reputable institution (and now I am not a recruiter at all) that has no Asian-American bias. They have employed Chinese-Americans in the past with great success.
All the best,
HFG |
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sonya
Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 51
Location: california
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:55 am Post subject: |
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I meant the language, rock..
Well, thanks for the warning on the race issue, everyone. My search didn't come up with anything on people speaking both languages, but all the people talking about how Asian faces are discriminated against is enough to make me wonder if I'm looking in the wrong field. I take it trilingualism and a relevant degree from a prestigious university couldn't really be worked to offset the slanty eyes.. Funny the threads on backpackers and sinophiles in Kunming.. I have some Israeli hippie-ish friends who study Chinese and are planning on going there to teach English.. hadn't realized they fit into a type..
How do I find small town schools? (I don't mean buxiban... and the search page keeps freezing on me).
TW, there aren't any programs for overseas huaren?
I'm thinking about going this winter, in January or so.. |
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Anda
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 2199
Location: Jiangsu Province
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tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
Posts: 3898
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:41 am Post subject: |
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| sonya wrote: |
| My search didn't come up with anything on people speaking both languages... |
Actually, I'd say 99% of posters who are of Chinese heritage, including those born in HK, Taiwan, etc or to paren(s) born in one of those places, are bilingual. I myself was born in southeast Asia but I am bilingual as well.
| Quote: |
| I take it trilingualism and a relevant degree from a prestigious university couldn't really be worked to offset the slanty eyes. |
Sadly, most Chinese employers wouldn't even take that into consideration. Remember, to most mainland Chinese, white face = knows everything about English and can teach English very well.
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| How do I find small town schools? (I don't mean buxiban... and the search page keeps freezing on me). |
Well, it really depends. Can you handle the cold? Do you need semi-Western or near-Western lifestyle and convenience, e.g. Western food, bars, etc?
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| I'm thinking about going this winter, in January or so.. |
If I were you, I'd aim for late February or early March when, hopefully, there will be some college/university job openings. January is a bad time because that's when public schools are getting ready ready to close for Spring Festival AKA Chinese New Year AKA winter break.
Last edited by tw on Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
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sonya
Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 51
Location: california
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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| thanks for the links :) |
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brsmith15
Joined: 12 May 2003
Posts: 1142
Location: New Hampshire USA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 4:26 am Post subject: |
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Sonya,
One suggestion: what you might look for is a position as a teacher of beginning English. If you're good in Mandarin, then teaching students new to English might be just the trick. As tw and others said, don't expect a high salary because you'll be classed as "zhong guo lao shi" and thus paid accordingly.
I applaud your choice, however, and wish you the best. I think it's important for the young folk of China to see people of the same basic ancestory that have come from other places. |
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sonya
Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 51
Location: california
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| Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:08 am Post subject: |
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Why specifically beginning English?
Thinking about it, I don't know why I was incredulous, this bias makes sense. Not in a logical way, but in an Asian way. Outside of the States I get into a lot of discussions over where I'm really from, and I feel like I have obligatory membership in a giant Chinese club sometimes.
Anyway I'm sure it'll work out ok. |
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james s
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 676
Location: Raincity
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| Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:12 am Post subject: |
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Go south China.
Your degree is enough. |
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Dan Eric
Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 81
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| Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:29 am Post subject: |
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Sonya,
I'm of Asian decent and speak Chinese, and I must say I'm a bit mystified when I hear all this talk about how hard it is for Asian-looking people to get a ESL job in China: I have never experienced such discrimination in my many years here. I have basically been able to get any job I apply for. For what it's worth, my employers and students tell me that my speaking Chinese is a big advantage, because I understand how my students are thinking.
In my experience, most Chinese employers and students are able to see the disconnect between race and language.
I would suggest you take what you read on this forum with a grain of salt.
Dan |
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