Job Discussion Forums

[jeffinflorida]

My last school provided asstitants. These people came to their desk every day at 7 am and stayed till 9pm. They offered me no help at all as did the "fao".

I got all my true answers from the students...

The first day they were a little friendly and typically asked me for help more than I ever asked them.

But my schedule was 10 45 minute classes a week... Then became 6 45 classes a week for 3 months. They had to spend 12 plus hours a day - everyday including weekends -at their desk. So they were hostile at my cushy lifestyle...

Assistants are usually more harmful then helpful. They make decisions based on what they want and what they think you should want rather than what you want or what's best...

[shuize]

[Radhagrrl]

I have to chime in that my teaching assistants in China were always helpful and tried really hard - too hard, sometimes. I had to get pushy about them not translating everything I said.

My co-teachers in Korea, on the other hand, seem to regard any time I spend teaching as their break time...

[eddy-cool]

The teacher's job is unglamorous in China and many young teachers stay on at their schools because they can hardloy see any alternative. BItterness is the inevitable companion to these people; when they see an insouciant laowai, making more than they on the job and still complaining about 'low pay' they turn jealous. CLearly they have good reasons for that.

There is also a widespread prejudice against laowai teachers: It is said that only Chinese teachers have an adequate academic background, so why should laowais be treated so much better? We command very little respect from our Chinese peers who are themselves on a low peg in their own society.

The occasional TA I work with is usually of the cooperative and friendly type when they have a solid command of English, and they are usually grumpy and given to backstabbing if they are incompetent.

[jeffinflorida]