Job Discussion Forums

[askiptochina]

I have worked less than a month at a new training school which also has teachers going to public schools.

With our public school schedule, we do 4 classes in the morning and either 4 or 3 in the afternoon at another school. It's a normal schedule as far as I can see. I have no complaints other than the fact we all get moved around a lot instead of having one teacher at one school more often. This would cut down on transportation from school to school, and we could finish earlier with the same hours of work accomplished.

Then we have training school days which are either the same or completely messed up in my opinion.

For example, I have a Friday from 5:30-7:30, and that's it. So, I can't go anywhere in the afternoon because I have to be within distance from the school. I would rather have a 3 or 4 hour teaching blocks. If this were just a one time thing, I would suck it up and not complain.

However, on Sunday, they have me scheduled 8:30-9:30, 11:30-12:30, and 3:00-4:00

The morning I don't care about, but the afternoon has me screwed, the school I am scheduled to teach at is over 30 minutes away, and I have to take a bus from my apartment to meet them before we go to the school to teach at. All this could add up to an hour commute (one way). So, I won't get home until 5:00-6:00 for an 8:30am-5:30pm day with pay being for only 3 hours.

To me this is unacceptable, only doing 3 hours of work for pay and sitting around on a bus, in a taxi, and at an office for 4.5 hours without any compensation.

If they weren't making us ping pong from school to school to school, we could be working and putting in more hours. Their stance is that they only schedule when students "need" us. I don't buy it.

The owner then told me that all of China does this. I called her out on it and gave her details of other jobs, to which she threatened to tell the recruiter about me. I told her I would be leaving immediately that weekend. You don't threaten teachers like this.

Now, if I should put up with this "22 hour" work schedule, but be split up like on Sunday where it feels more like 26.5, then someone please chime in and correct me. As far as I can see, the school is taking complete advantage of teachers here, and some are blinded by the "variety" of classes they can teach that they don't see the lost hours they could be working.

[RonHex]

yeah thats a bit much... crappy thing is you prolly signed the contract thinking "wow only 20 hours that will leave me so much free time to enjoy life" the reality is ur working full time hours for part-time pay... an hour sitting in the office or walking around waiting to teach is the same as an hour teaching in my book.

Im willing to bet with a little thought ur boss could change the classes around between teachers... that of course would require her to a)listen to a laowai b) use a little logic c)loss a bit of face for screwing up in the first place d) take 5 minutes ... good luck with that!

any noobs out there take note ... dont accept a job that farms u out, dont accept a job with split shifts..

[RonHex]

couple other things... do you have a res permit? or are u on an F?
the threat about informing the recruiter is a bit weak... the recruiter has got his/her money and could careless... Im willing to bet ur not interested in another job through this recruiter anyway..
correct me if Im wrong but isnt ur school breaking the "law" by farming you out to other schools in the first place?

If your on an F I would be looking for another job.. If ur on a Z.. ur either gonna have to stick it out for the year or take ur chances pulling a runner..

[cormac]

Well, here's an example of a language mill breakdown where I worked previously.

Tuesday till Friday. Administrative duties: 4.30pm - 6.30pm. Actual class times: 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm. Every teacher had to be in the school at 4.30 regardless of whether you had already done the lesson plan or had everything prepared for class.

Saturday & Sunday. classes began at 10 am and the school closed at 6pm. Required to be in the school at least 30 minutes before classes began. often checked by management. On average, 4-6 classes a day. No definite lunch time. No guaranteed breaks. Worked where allotted classes.

Monday - Day off.

-- Now from the FTs I knew in other schools in the region the above was pretty much the norm with the exception of the lesson plan times. Some schools were more relaxed about the need for FTs to be seen even when they didn't have classes.

I and the other FTs signed contracts with a maximum of 38 hours a week teaching (or admin duties). Total. And for a long time the average weekly hours were about 25-26 hours a week. However with some teachers leaving, the rest picked up the slack, and we were all maxed out on the contract hours, and "encouraged" to do overtime... Never mind the teachers that were farmed out to other schools on their free time, but they made their own arrangements for payment for that time.

From a language mill perspective the above is pretty normal.. You're expected to make yourself available to the school, and even if the school says that they will never reach the maximum hours, in all likelihood you will at some stage.

If you don't want to work such hours get a job in a university. Simple.

Now personally, I'd take a look at your contract again. Are you being paid for a months work, or on an hourly/weekly basis...? Simply put, if you're being paid on a months basis, and the maximum hours does not breach your contract, they can do whatever they like with your schedule.... You would be better off talking to other teachers to see if you can organise things better, and then going to the school, to see if things can be changed. Point out how your changes would benefit the school... and improve parent/student satisfaction. Move the focus away from suiting just you, to how it would help the school.

[malu]

[quote="cormacFrom a language mill perspective the above is pretty normal.. [/quote]

I've never worked at a mill in China, only a high school, so I'll take your word for it. Those conditions really, really suck.

[El Macho]

To the OP: That certainly is frustrating. If you're paid by the hour, it's a legit complaint. If you're on a monthly salary, when counting the commute hours as teaching hours, are you still within your contracted hours per week? Even if you're five or six hours over, I don't think you should complain...every job requires some commuting.

[nickpellatt]

Not all language mills are the same...I think its unfair to keep tarring them with the same brush! If you choose a language mill with a crappy workload, then yeah it sucks...but not all are like that.

This week I have worked from 8.30 - 12.00 mon/tues/thursday....and tomorrow I will do the same. Yesterday (weds) I had one 90 min class before lunch, and one after. No office hours, no standby hours, no additional duties, no meeting.

Maybe one additional duty....attend an hours 'social night' tonight..drink free beer and eat peanuts with a bunch of adult students.

Thats four afternoons off, no work at weekends..and no extra duties.

[cormac]

[cormac]

[Calypso]

[askiptochina]

[Calypso]

[nickpellatt]

the key is in the contract really. If the contract says 'X number of hours, may include split shifts, which may include in-company and teaching on other premises' then no complaint IMO.

If this is in the contract, then the employee is at fault IMO. It doesnt matter what other schools do, as you didnt sign with them. If you werent prepared to do it, you should have found a job at the other schools mentioned.

Sure, split shifts arent convenient, but in some schools, some jobs ... they are part and parcel of it. Im actually looking at a job that has such terms in their contract...there are other reasons for me considering this job, and Ill have to suck it up if I take it.

[cormac]

[askiptochina]