Job Discussion Forums

[tom selleck]

Just got out of our twice weekly meeting. Now, all teachers whether full time or part time must attend. Perfectly logical. Added to this: If you're not present at a meeting, it's an automatic y50 fine. If you're not present for 2 meetings, Y150 fine.

If you miss 3 meetings, you get your walking papers.

The individual assigned to procure housing simply can't do her job (and can't speak English) Not only that, a new, recently arrived teacher, who has been staying in a hostel at his own expense for 5 days has been told by the same individual that she really doesn't know whose responsibility it is. That's right. She doesn't even know her job is her job.

In a city the size of Urumqi - not all that big compared to other cities - I have a one hour commute to work. The individual whose responsibilty it is to procure housing, well, this was her best job.

Some are quite keen to come to Xinjiang because of the unique things this part of the world has to offer. Problem is, there's only a typical EF and this Web that seems to be getting worse, not better by the day.

Thoughts?

[The Voice Of Reason]

[7969]

[kev7161]

PM me, I'll hook you up with a "REAL" job here in lovely Suzhou, the Venice of the East.

[7969]

[eslstudies]

University plus some side work not an option there?
As for meetings, while I appreciated having to attend very few in China, they are a fact of life in most teaching jobs. Covering for absent colleagues, written and oral reporting on students, committee membership, rigorous documentation of courses taught..............the list goes on.

[tom selleck]

I didn't really have enough time to flesh out all of the details in my last post. Some good and bad:

Good: The students. About 70% make the job a pleasure, and 70% motivated ones are probably better than you'll ever get at any University from what I've read about teaching at Universities.

And the rest: It's just this fine and punish mentality that management espouses for every detail. If you're 7 minutes late: Y20 fine right off your paycheque. Later? Bigger fine. There's often mistakes and deductions that are levied and have to be argued. It's probably a moot point as I'm a non-drinker, never show up late or hung over for work. In fact I'm usually half an hour or an hour early for work. Extra time is spent reviewing Chinese. So, I've never been late, but it's something the Chinese will never understand: it's the PRINCIPLE. All those times I've come early, hours in total, purely my choice, but if the bus breaks down one day on the way to work - Y20 fine. No holistic view of how things ought to be.

If we forget to turn off the computers at the end of the day, they're really MAGNANIMOUS about this one. They won't fine the waijiao, but members of the Chinese staff shall be fined under such circumstances. Acceptable for for all those with no conscious.

The centre is co-owned by 3 individuals, none of whom speak a shred of English. The duty of direct management for day to day operations rests on another individual whose English is just beginner level. A tutor is called to provide translation if needed. But we all know, especially in Xinjiang, backwards even by the locals' admissions, how much tutor you get for Y1000/month.

In the meeting I alluded to, the beginner English level Mcmanager, Vincent, proffered that he actually had 3 teachers they were currently e-mailing. That's when I walked out of the meeting. When you look at me straight in the face and boldly, stupidly lie, that's when I become disappointed and angry.

There are no really big problems to speak of at the school; it's just their management technique or lack thereof. What would such an untalented management base do with a real situation? I'm not complaining about office hours, 'cause I relish using the time to advance my Chinese. I'm not even complaining about having to swipe my card in and out of the premises because I always arrive early anyway.

It's just their stone age view of how things ought to be handled when there is no problem to speak of.

And be warned: If you've gotta do the Xinjiang thing, and arrive at this fine establishment, be prepared to get your new living accommadations on your own or shell out for at least 10 days of hostel expenses while they sort out whose responsibility that is. They've been open 3 years and they're still utterly unprepared to handle accommodations for foreign teachers. After 3 years, they've yet to get a plan or housing policy together.

This is the next superpower of the 21st century.

But hey, they've got 3 potential teachers on the go...

[7969]

sounds like their business plan needs a bit of fine tuning

looks like you're going between stage 3 and stage 2 yourself..... come on over to stage 4!

[tom selleck]

Cutting edge Chinese mangement techniques in action: At the once weekly "How to improve your English" English corners, the marketing department rustles a group of prospects for attendance. This is the school's big chance to expand enrollment, following that, profit - that which keeps us all employed.

English corner concluded. Strike while the iron is hot! Close the prospects on a long term. Keep filling the till. Course consultants? Nowhere to be found. At this precise moment, when the prospective students are the keenest and the most psychologically willing and ready to buy, money just flies out the door, week after week, after week. I brought this point up more than once. It was like seeing a lightbulb suddenly glow.

Follow through on the revelation: a big, fat zilch.

One of these days, the Middle Kingdom will experience an economic slowdown. At that point, they'll no longer be able to rely on the population bonus to substitute for an actual business plan.

[kev7161]

Last school term, my contracted stated "25 WORK hours per week" (not lessons, not contact, not lesson prep - - a total of 25). However, I was routinely putting in 35 hours and sometimes more a week. I didn't complain (much) because I needed to put in those hours if my lessons were going to be somewhat good and organized.

The time for Spring Festival break is coming. Time and again I'd ask the holiday dates so I could start making plane and hotel reservations, etc. The school dragged their feet endlessly so I finally made an estimate (based on what my Chinese head teacher told me) and made the bookings. Turned out I was going to miss the last two days of the term and the school was going to fine me for it. I pointed out all the overtime hours (with no extra pay) I had been working and wondered if the two days I'd be missing couldn't balance out with the MUCH more than two days worth of OT? Oh no, that sort of reasoning is not allowed! This year, my contract is much more specific and I don't work beyond my contracted hours - - ever - - oh, and started demanding OT pay in the Spring semester.

[englishgibson]

OP, with all due respect, it looks like you've been commuting not only in between your lovely Urumqi home and its school, but also in between Urumqi and Xiamen.

[kev7161]

POST 3500!!! (it had to go somewhere!)

[colonel]

O P I presume you mean you spend 30 minutes each way to work.

[propertee]

[kev7161]

Sounds like a certain LOST person IN ASIA found his way back! (or some other former riff raff)