Job Discussion Forums

christine m · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5

Is there any way at all of teaching for just a few weeks in China legally? I have a lot to offer a prospective employer - Diploma in ELT, BA in Modern Chinese Studies, 20 years teaching experience .... but can not commit to more than a few weeks. I am currently in the UK and would travel to China specially for the work. Any suggestions/advice please?

lostinasia · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 466

Nobody will go through any of the process to give you credentials for such a plan

Simple as that

If you have so much to offer then why not make a professional commitment?

You'll not get legal employment with such wants.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

Are you serious? Shocked

If you can only commit for a few weeks look into voluntary work. However a lot of FT's would despise this idea because it encourages employers to take the cheaper option. Believe me the employers will take the cheaper route. Wink

Katja84 · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 165

What about all the summer courses going on in China? Is that not a legal way of teaching for only a few weeks? Just asking...

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

You can do summer and winter camps -- they are often about 6-8 weeks long.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Legal... is an unbending word. How about the proper way?

The proper way is to come over un a non-work visa, and teach for a while. Someone mentioned summer-winter camps. The problem with these is that they can be intense and tiring to the untrained, especially if you wind up in the wrong one.

Coming over short-term, you will get non of the benefits or protections of being a full-time teacher, but forget about getting the z-visa, no school would go to the trouble, if they even have the right, to get you a visa for a month of teaching. and don't worry about it. Just have an open ticket, or be ready to leave at any time.

I would also advise come here full-time, or just come to visit, and maybe teach a class or two. But you won't really now what it is like unless you do it. Teaching at a camp is not the same as teaching at university which is not the same as teaching at a language mill.

Just Do It!

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

"BA in Modern Chinese Studies" ? Two questions: Isn't this program fairly new ? Meaning much more recent than "20 years teaching experience". How does "Modern Chinese Studies" help to teach English ?

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

TW put down,"understanding of China" In what way/s ? Economic ? Cultural ? Linguistic ? Historical ? Then again, understanding of China ties into teaching of an alien/foreign language how ?

I contend that few foreign/domestic China experts can grasp what has and is happening with, and to this country.

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

Katja84 · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 165

lostinasia · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 466

Why doesn't everyone STICK to the topic ?!

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

I concede... as Lostinchina stated, back to the OP. I think you'll be hard pressed to find something like that, especially if you truly want to be legit. But I guess, not knowing your purpose is an important determinant. In Beijing you could come during September and get a P/T job on That's Beijing, but do you need to earn enough to offset your costs ?

SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

Yes you can but not legally.

The shortest contracts I've seen were the 6 month ones years back. Most universities will not grant short term contracts anymore.

You can work illegally and take your chances.

However, I have a better idea.

Find an institution that will allow you to volunteer. If I was in China right now (I'm still on vacation) I would allow you to come into the classroom as a guest.

You can do this, but often 99% of the time no housing or monetary benefits will be rewarded.

If you are looking at getting some teaching practice and possibly practicing Chinese, you can do this method.

If you're looking for free housing, free airline ticket, a salary, your contract time is too short and I'm 100% sure no school will hassle with the costs involved and paperwork.

Often in the past, certain schools would rotate people thru a short term Summer or Winter camp program. In many cases the FT would decide the long hours at the camp did not allow them to travel or goof around. (Their primary agenda) Certain teachers would "do runners" or just not show up.

Now most Summer Camp programs will only hire "in-Country" teachers or those with some reliable references.
Therefore, for Summer/Winter camps they will not hire those from abroad with airline ticket and housing stipends.

The ones that still hire directly from abroad to fill vacancies, will often have strict regulations and total control over the teachers (You stay at their compound, and pay is withheld until you actually complete the teaching period.

This has lowered their expense margins to weed out backpackers and runner types.

Your degree really will not help you, your 20 years teaching experience will help you in the basic classroom management and activity planning, so that is a plus.

The reason why a western degree in any Asian studies is not helpful is due to the fact YOUR version of history is very different from what the Chinese are taught ( ex. Tianamen square 1989 didn't happen)

Western Asian studies degrees often discuss various aspects of the culture from a Western view that some students might not want to discuss for a topic.

Also most Chinese students want to learn WESTERN culture , not their culture from a western perspective.

I've tried to run lesson-plans on Chinese culture from the western view and most do not find them interesting as much as trying to understand YOUR culture.

So you must be prepared to discuss topics not in your degree field.

If too much discussion on Asian studies topics you might possibly get complaints.

Better topics depend on your students level, but you can discuss Asian cultural points outside the classroom with those that want to argue with you that what you learned in the west is not really Chinese culture.

(I've been there and done that already!)

Ping Jing · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:45 pm Post subject:

Typing about Summer & Winter Camps - I have yet to discover any that were 6 to 8 weeks long. Generally, they are 3 weeks, perhaps 2 or 4.

More misinformation from his Truly Wrong.

Granted, though, some camps may have different schedules. This would enable someone to "possibly" do 2 different camps in 1 vacation period.

Would you like to break down the holiday vacation time??