Job Discussion Forums

[pec]

"Mao?"

NO, he's just a politician!

[pec]

[oprah]

There are fewer jobs in Canada and US these days. The reason?? China and India workers can do the work cheaper. No work in Canada, but there is work here in China as a teacher.

[Dragon Lover]

Before coming here, I used to say, "...to make a difference" in a question like this. But China has chaged that. Now, I would say, "I'm on a long holiday."

[Dalian Veteran]

Why did I go to China to teach? Here were my reasons:

1.) Because I was interested in everything about China, its history, culture, etc.

2.) With a B.A. in East Asian Studies, there were no other jobs I could do in China besides teaching. So teaching in China seemed like a good first-step resume-builder fresh out of college.

3.) I wanted to improve my Chinese language proficiency. It is more cost-efficient to do it this way than to do it at a university. Plus, teaching at a private English school and living in Chinese apartments, you are more exposed to society and often are a part of it, in constrast to being confined to college dormitories or guest houses.

4.) I wanted to do something somewhat related to my major in East Asian Studies. Besides teaching in China, the only other option was to work for Uncle Sam in the national security arena, but I wasn't nationalistic enough to go that route. I'm more of a pro-peace and pro-U.N. kind of a guy.

5.) Teaching in China seemed like a noble thing to do, building bridges between cultures and all.

But to be honest, teaching for teaching's sake was not really why I went there, even though that's what the students, parents, and Chinese government would like you to be there for. Teaching was a necessary means to an ends. Of course, that doesn't mean that one in this category is necessarily a bad teacher. If you work hard, plan your lessons, and seek advice, a non-professional teacher can still teach pretty good.

However, when dealing with inconsiderate restless "little emperors and little empresses", snotty yet exhausted teenagers, irate parents, and sloppy management, that can be a true test of whether one really is up for teaching or not. And after three and a half years, I decided it was time to return to the States and upgrade my skills package for a better, yet hopefully still China-bound, career field. But the Chinese job market for non-technical foreigners like myself seem to pretty much be TESL, MBA, or the highway. No in-betweens.

[Cowboy Pete]

Didn't you already post the same information in another post?

This thread is right up your alley

[batman]

i came for the cheap beer, the adventure, and the clean fresh air. i also wanted to experience the utopian perfection that is chinese socialism. everything here is perfect.

[johnslat]

Dear batman,

"everything here is perfect."

Well, maybe once upon a time - but now you're there.

Regards,
John

[struelle]

Dalian Vet, yes, being in the Chinese system is a real test. I haven't folded yet, although there've been a few close calls Often I ask myself why I still do this, especially the way this profession is set up.

In other words, I agree with a lot of Roger's views about the 'oral English' situation in China. And I also wonder why *he* still does this, given his 10-year background and the points he brings up! Seriously, I've asked this question to him before, but haven't got an answer yet.

I think that we FTs, in the oral sense, are not here as genuine educators. I don't deserve the title of 'foreign expert', as I assume a more superficial role as a 'Mr fix-it' teacher. As such, we mainly deal with the symptoms of language problems that have deep-rooted structural causes.

On the other hand, if these deep-rooted problems weren't here, we wouldn't have a job. The Chinese education system may churn out millions of students with crippled langauge ability, but that generates a fast-growing market for FTs who can get paid to fix the problem. If and when the government straightens out their education, and I think it will, there won't be much need for us. You can always look to countries like India and the Philippines for proof that locals can teach English just as well as natives.

So it's a bit of a Catch-22. We're here because of a structural problem, but if we help China solve this problem from the roots, we work ourselves out of job! For those who are passionate about education, this can be frustrating.

There must be a niche in this somewhere. What keeps me going is the success I had teaching adults when I first got here, using ground-breaking teaching methods that empowered students. I felt I was making a genuine difference there.

If Chinese education doesn't quite work out, I've got another plan to get a Masters and teach in universities or the international schools. There are plenty of opportunities for educators there, athough the trick is to keep moving.

Steve

[Roger]

Ah, so you are puzzled, Steve, why am still here?

In truth, I hardly ever accept a job that so many others do, that is the oral English thing. If I do it, I do it my way, and that means my learners must listen and listen very well to what someone else is saying; I won't be their only listening device.
Actually, I prefer to teach Chinese English teachers and preschoolers - these two markets I perceive as being legitimate foreigner jobs. Truth is, however, that I teach at a normal school maybe once in three years, in a kindergarten once in 4 years. Now it is university students - fine, but I am one of around ten foreign techers who all feel we are largely a tolerated breed, not a respected one. I take my duties rather seriously, but I feel my students do not always see eye to eye with me over why they should be punctual or have a valid excuse for their absences. Why is it so hard to maintain order and discipline? Because the university administration does not care whether our charges care...

Still, I must say I rather love some of my students. One guy today aroused my curiosity: I had seen him in a class yesterday. He told me he likes to come to the same lesson held in two separate classes... What would you make out of this? I take it for a compliment. Then, there is a guy that's absent-minded, dozing on the desk... what would you think this means? Yes, he thinks the lesson is boring... Well, he will have a little more tension in two weeks as I have scheduled an intermediate test. I found out that these guys hardly ever browse in their textbooks...

What I really dislike is corporate classes paid by employers. I have had many of those, but few gave me satisfactory experiences. In most classes, you are dealing with all manner of human shortcomings, and teaching English is as much about teaching them self-responsability as it is new vocables.

Lastly, a special reason why I am still here is I own a home that I bought 5 years into my presence here. Folly? I have never had a reason to regret it though it somehow ties me down to a particular place.

[Burl Ives]

Since I teach college students, and Teachers College students where possible, I take "Oral" English to mean communication, which has at least as much to do with the structure of thought as with opening one's speaking tube. So, I teach Critical Thinking and call it Spoken English. There's a certain amount of theory of pronunciation that goes into the classes too but the backbone, the assessable, teachable backbone, is Thinking and Communication Skills.

Games? My donkey. Sing songs? Can my donkey do it? Role play? Why? Like anyone in the room has imagination enough to pull it off.

[Guest]

Simple - I just followed my heart.

Roger, how does one go about buying Real Estate in China?

I may never be able to afford to of course, but my plan is to work for another three years here at the School (health permitting) and then to take my Australian OLD AGE PENSION at 60 and retire here.

There are quite a few of the children at the Orphanage whom I wish to see grow up and get the hell out of there so I cannot leave.

I could of course rent an apartment when I have retired, but that would not be ideal as I may be moved on at someone's whim. I have noticed that the older apartments here are not all that expensive, but I did not think a foreigner would be allowed to purchase one.

Can you please give me some information on this? Thank

[pec]

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