Job Discussion Forums

[calgrl471]

Hello... I am currently at a school that i am not being respected by the students. Things that was told prior to coming here is not what is really done at the school. How long would you stay if you were not happy?

[chinatwin88]

If being unhappy were the criteria for my decision as to whether I would honor a contract or not, I would try hard to honor my contract.

[Hansen]

Calgrl,

Classroom management is a very important dimension of teaching. It takes a while to get the hang of it. In my case, six years and still learning. It's important to discern the difference between disrespect and nonsense.

Disrespect of the entire class by those who are disruptive, for instance, should not be tolerated. Some schools have a disciplinary system in place consisting of monitors and a disciplinary office. Find out how it works and use it. I've had disruptive students taken out of my class by security officers.

Being happy is not a criteria for completing your contract.

[happigur1]

Going along with that, most of my friends returned to the public schools to teach today. Last year, two of them quit the teaching profession (or at least in CA). Most of them are exhausted, overwhelmed and two of them went home and cried. Just hang in there... change a couple of your style/teaching techniques. Maybe get some advice from other teachers. You'll get the hang of it and it'll get better. Hopefully you'll find some joy in teaching...

If it has to do with the administration, that's another issue...

[malu]

If you can, it is always best to complete a year's contract as the resume starts looking very messy otherwise. Start looking around for a 2nd semester start elsewhere and if things don't improve then jump ship at the end of this semester. If you jump now the only jobs available are the ones that other people have fled or that nobody wanted first time around.

[Lobster]

If you are not strict with your classes from the very beginning, you run the risk of having an unmanageable class very quickly. After you have them in hand, you can relax. Trying to be too friendly and then geting strict later simply will not work. If you are not strict in a fair and reasonable way, you will lose the respect of all your students. Also, you need to have a better grasp of English gamar than your typical Chinese teacher and some knowledge of the public school testing system; even if you are an "oral English" teacher. If you have not met these criteria, you are now in serious trouble at this school.

RED

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

[kev7161]

Amen, brother! I taught the same group of kids for three years, then inherited them again for the 2nd half of last school year. The first year (when they were little children) was rough on them and me. Now these kids are pretty much well-behaved and we have a really good student/teacher relationship. Their parents seem to enjoy my teaching of them (and some were disappointed that I wouldn't be teaching them this year) and the kids have grown by leaps and bounds in their academics. Although teaching the same group became somewhat boring (perhaps for them as well), the whole classroom discipline thing became a breeze.

My previous school I fulfilled my entire contract although I had a few classes that were an unholy nightmare!

[alter ego]

[calgrl471]

Thank you everyone for your advise. I am teaching Middle School... which I actually thought I would be teaching primary. So from the beginning it was tough. I am having a hard time coming up with lesson plans and ideas.
I have talked to the head of the school and actually they lost all there ESL teachers last year at the beginning of the school year. Replaced them during the year and only 2 resigned for this year. So a lot has to do with the school.

What I think is disrespectful? Students talking when I am talking. Not just one student all students. If we open our english books to read the story they students will start talking when I am reading or fellow students are reading.

Now I understand that I need to be tough on them. Where would you go know if you have already lost the respect of the class. I know everyone is saying go tough and gradually relax. But if you are at the relax state now they will not take you seriously if you walk in tomorrow and start sending people out... will they?
thanks for all the help so far.

[theincredibleegg]

Classroom management has very little about being tough. You should be serious when they misbehave, but still very little has to do with what kind of personality that you put out. It's more about what you do, how well you level your classes, materials, how well you can model activitives etc.

Public schools in China are a bit of a dead end for a foreign teacher.

Remember that all students can fail the FT-class and still get a mark in English, so there isn't much of an incentive for them to really do anything.

Second is that you're not considered a "real" teacher, this meaning that you're a foreigner and don't really know what Chinese education is. Staff as well as students will view you accordingly.

Third is that your classes are most probably ill-leveled. That is, the level gap between your students are so high that it's nearly impossible to challenge weak students and not bore the strong ones.

I suggest you quit the job and find something else to do, preferably an international school or a good language center.

Public schools need to take responsibility for their FT-positions. This is not your fault.
-

[Mister Al]

I'd stay until I found another job. Soon as that happened I'd be off.

[Teatime of Soul]

Did the school breach the contract

or simply fail to meet your expectations?

I'd have to know that before offering an opinion.

[theincredibleegg]

[alter ego]