Job Discussion Forums

rubyred72 · Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Melbourne, Australia

Hi all

I'm in the middle of a CELTA course in Melbourne, Australia at the moment and am loving it. So now I'm trying to decide where to go first! A big help would be to know the school term dates in China.

I'd also like to hear how far in advance people had to organise their positions. I should be financially ready to travel by about September/October and wanted to know if this matched up to school term dates.

Any other tips or advice on securing a position would also be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Amanda

gerard49 · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 44 Location: Zhaoqing

If you're after the experience rather than the money try China but do your homework. The term starts Feb 9 til end of June. There are a lot of dodgy agents out there after their commission. Make sure you know exactly where you are going before you set foot on a plane. Also demand to speak with a foreign teacher at the school where you're going. We had a great experience and will be returning to Jiangsu but I have friends you have done it tough. Please see our photo suite at HTTP://community.webshots.com/user/gerardd49
zhu nin hao yun (good luck)

Kitegirl · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Posts: 101 Location: Lugdunum Batavorum

Here's the sixty-four million dollar tip that I'm kicking myself for not having thought of it earlier.

Create a special email account just for jobhunting. I used my personal one and am now snowed under with offers that will prob keep coming in long after I've left for the Happy ESL Hunting Ground.

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

If this term is too early for you, then be advised that the fall term starts the beginning of September, and schools will probably begin looking for people by early summer or so (varies with how organized the shcool is.)

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

If you complete your pogramme by September/October, you might be just a wee bit late; the term at public schools commences on 1st of September, and most teachers have to report to school by end of August.
New positions are usually filled at the end of August, or at the end of the last term, which falls on end of June or middle of July.
Some schools have classes and exams well into the first half of July - that's a good time to get fixed up with them.

Arriving at the end of September or middle of October, you will have to accept what's left over, or what proved to be unacceptable to someone else.
Of course, you might be hired by a training centre almost at any time throughout the year.