Job Discussion Forums

[treehouse]

Hello I am completely new to teaching I have no experience at all. I am currently in London. I have been offered a job in Panyu District. Guangzhou, teaching Primary School children aged 6-12. The company is called CANPAC English Language Institute.

I am a 27 year old English guy. I have a BA in Illustration. I have done a 2 day teaching course with UK-TEFL. (I know this means nothing but I just wanted a taster.)

They have offered me.

9500 RMB before tax.
A room in a shared apartment.
(An accidental medical plan.)?
7000 RMB for the flight only after I have completed a year.
20 hours teaching. Up to 20 hours doing other stuff.
2 days off a week.
2 weeks holiday after a year.
I am not allowed to do any part-time teaching.

It seemed too easy to get the job. I didn�t even get a telephone interview. All I did was email scans of my certificates.

They have sent me a contract that they want me to print, sign, scan and email back. (Apparently this is the new regulation.) Then they will apply for a visa and send me the letters/documents that I need to take to the embassy in London for a working visa.

I have been reading as much as I can about teaching in China and I�m trying not to be na�ve. As far as I can tell if the school is bad they won�t stick to the contract, they won�t pay me properly and they will find any reason to fire me before the year is over so that they won�t have to pay for my flight or the 2 weeks holiday. There is nothing much I can do about this because China is corrupt and I have no rights.

I have absolutely know idea if I will be good at teaching. If I�m not I guess they will just fire me.

I would like to know what people think of this offer in general. Is there anything major that I am missing?

[kev7161]

You are going to hate the job and won't last two weeks. No, really. I'm not being flippant. Your best bet is to start off with something a little less frenetic.

[treehouse]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping for something more positive but really I need honest answers. I think I can deal with kids. I have two little cousins that I have looked after and my Mum runs a kindergarden. It's just how many kids? Plus kids that speak little English. If there is anyone else out there I would REALLY appreciate other opinions.

[North China Laowei]

Treehouse,

Check your pm for answers to some of your questions.

NCL

[stillnosheep]

9800 is not bad for China. Teaching Primary all day can be (very) tiring. I've taught primary age and pre-school before but to very small groups in a private school - lots of songs, games, rhymes and flashcards etc. You need to ask about average class sizes. On a positive note if they'll get you a Z visa before you arrive that is a good sign. Also teacher quality in China is notoriously variable and they are unlikely to fire you unles you are exceptionally inable.

2 main problems:

1. Why 20 'office' hrs on top of yr 20 classroom hrs? You shouldn't need that long to prepare lessons. Ask what yuo are expected to be doing.

2. Only 2 weeks holiday per annum. Harsh. What about Chinese New Year etc. Are holidays then as well as, or part of, the two weeks?

Ask your prospective employers for the email of current or recent past employees and check with them about the company and the reality of the teaching. If they won't give you those, or at least pass your details on to teachers who get back to you I'd be tempted to leave well alone.

[Laurence]

There are about a million different variables, and it's pretty much impossible to know how you'll react to them before taking the plunge. To give you some perspective - in terms of hours and salary and holiday, that package is fairly similar to my first year-long contract in China,

that was in 2004.

I had a lot of fun and learnt a lot about teaching, I worked a lot.

I was in the middle of Hangzhou though, which is a bit nicer than GZ, and Panyu is way out of town (I'm sure NCL has informed you about the location etc.). I assume that you're looking at a language school, rather than a state or private primary school. Significant things about this type of job are:

-not much holiday
-evening and weekend work
-the primary goal of the school is to make money. don't be surprised if your employers don't seem to endorse standards of academic integrity (unless it is seen to increase business). Really, you'd be an 'instructor', rather than a teacher, in the sense of the word which you might be most used to.

Some people seem to get particularly frustrated by this last point ("they only care about money!"), so it might be wise to adjust your expectations beforehand.

One other thing which I would recommend to someone in your position is not to come out here without relocation funds, i.e. money to a plane ticket back home or for wherever you might want to go and money to set yourself up when you get there. Maybe 2000 pounds or so?

Otherwise you'll leave yourself under the thumb of your employers or/and depending on people to bail you out if you want to leave before you have saved enough money. I've seen this happen and it wasn't pleasant in the best of instances.

Good luck, China can be a blast (even if you don't have the best job in the world).

tell us what happens

[Hansen]

I wouldn't even consider the contract.

Limit should be 16 hours of teaching a week on base salary. Over 16 hours paid hourly rate.

2 months summer, 1 month winter, plus other national holiday periods.
Holiday after one year? LOL. Forget about it

Private flat, utilities paid, including drinking water.

Airline ticket arrangement is a scam.

Get a job with a legitimate school, not a language mill. That contract is abusive at best, heading toward sadistic. You want a Z visa. In theory, only legitimate schools approved by the government are authorized to offer such visas. There is a reason for that--to protect you.

[eddy-cool]

I don't think I envy you for your working conditions.

Primary school kids - brace yourself for noisy welcomes and noisier farewells every day! Plus the job of practising spoken ENglish with kids this age is a tad challenging. Your classes will have at least 50 kids, if they go by standards.

You will probably rotate around Panyu from one school to another - add time to your 20 weekly teaching hours. Panyu is a town with a one-million population, nice, quaint - but fairly spread out. Distances can deceive!

You only get 2 weeks of paid holiday a year? I get 2 months!

[treehouse]

Thanks for the replies people. Does anyone have any suggestions for me. Good schools for someone who has no experience. I don't want to be in the middle of nowhere. I think in the south east where it is warmer.