Job Discussion Forums

[Madame J]

How huge are they *really*? I am strongly considering China for next year, but the stories I've heard about classes of sixty are more than a little offputting. If any of you have had to handle such classes, is discipline particularly problematic?

[DistantRelative]

I'm currently teaching primary school. My classes average 52 students per class, and in all honesty I've never had any serious issues with behavior.

Not sure why I'm throwing this out, if nothing else might start some interesting debate.

I don't know about other cities, or schools, but here in Xi'an as far as I know we don't have anything available for "special needs" children, so you get em sprinkled in amongst your other students. At times it can be problematic, but as I said thus far nothing real serious.

Hope this helps.


Zhuhao,


Shawn

[Anda]

Depends where you are teaching a fair bit. I teach elementary kids on the weekend at an institute. Some classes go good while others are real problems. Next week I start teaching at a Middle school where classes go up to 70 students. The last college classes were 55.

Two things to worry about with small kids are how long your classes run for as there concentration span is short and the second is what equipment you have to work with. It is common to just have a blackboard. I like to interact with young kids using DVDs in class. My part time job I own all the equipment including the whiteboard.

If you want to teach small kids then look for an up market institute in a rich city that is set up properly. If they are offering you under 6,000 RMB per month for a 16 hour working weeks then it�s a cheap setup. A year back wages were higher with some offering 8 to 12 thousand but wages seem to have been dropping off during the last year.

[North China Laowei]

Dear Madame J.,

My classes with the little ones average about 25-30 students per class, almost the same as in the United States. You will need to find yourself a "key" primary school (that is the clue) that receives more money from Beijing and from the respective provincial government. Additionally, a "key" primary school will usually grant you a teaching assistant if you want one and that also lessens the stress, particularly because in my experience they are co-teachers in the same grade and in the same class.

All the best,

NCL

[DistantRelative]

I have no doubt schools with 25-30 students per class exist, but they are in the overwhelming minority. I have no doubt mine is what NCL refers to as a "key" school, and as I previously stated averages 52 students per class. I do have assistants in each class. They are the students Chinese English teachers, and for the most part are awesome.


Zhuhao,


Shawn

[Madame J]

Hmm. Are teaching assistants fairly common, then? I wouldn't have half as much of an issue with class sizes if so! Really though, I think I might just go and give it a try-plenty of unqualified (even less so than me!) teachers seem to do a decent job in China, and have an absolute ball on top.

[teacherbel]

When I first taught in China from 1998-2000, I was given a young male Chinese assistant teacher who thought he knew better than I did. And for a while, I thought he did. Eventually, I learned that he was only a high school graduate, while I had an MA to back me up.

During that short period of time, I didn't mind him playing "teacher" while I worked with other children, until I realized that he needed my help with "content" and other teaching strategies, besides showing picture cards and having children identify the English word for the picture..

But that was way back when. How is it now?? I was told that the Chinese teachers are teachers too and "I have to learn how to work with them."..

Can anyone put more information into this sentence, if any? Thanks.

[North China Laowei]