Job Discussion Forums

[featherp]

hi, have been looking at teaching positions at both schools, any updated feedback on either appreciated. i know WEB is considered a mill, I'm not afraid of hard work, just not sure i want 'brutal' working conditions. reviews are so mixed just seems getting work in china is a bit of a lottery.

[flyingscotsman]

[featherp]

thanks flying scotsman, is that your experience of WEB international or was that ageneral observation about 'mills'?

[chryanvii]

I don't know anything about that Web, as each one is liable to be run a bit differently.

But I worked at Web in Nanchang for one year and I liked it. Yes, they do "fine" you for being late [they started doing that near the end].

But the preparation time is already built into the job, and it is NOT with a university job. The students in general are very good, are not lazy, and don't say things like "let's just watch a movie" or "when can we go outside and sings songs"? They expect good serious teachers because they pay a lot of money, and they complain when the teachers are not serious.

It is the opposite at University! If you are a serious teacher there they will eat you alive!

In addition, if you don't like big classes, Web has a cap of 10 people for its regular salon classes. So 98% of the time, you have absolutely NO discipline problems. You don't have to keep telling them to be quiet, and they don't keep talking over you. In addition, they don't do other stuff in your classes, because they are at WEB specifically to learn English.

Sometimes Web recruits children as students, but for the most part, it's college students who are serious about learning, and adults. Hell, I never thought about this before, but the college students who come to WEB are probably there because they are getting NOTHING out of their 4th grade level, game-playing/song-singing foreign teachers at their university! These exercises are useless ways to become fluent in English, and are nothing but pure entertainment devices!

In college, you have to teach very large classes. At WEB, you get a mix of several private classes with salons - many times I got classes with just 1 person! These were my favorite kind, as I hate noise...

You DO have to prepare social clubs...in general 3 a week. And this does require preparation time of your own. But overall, WEB pays a whole lot more money than a college does. It IS like a regular job in that they expect you to be there during the day, and show up 1-2 hours before class for your preparation. But if a student doesn't show up for class or during your 2 hours of off time [dinner + 1 extra hour], you can sneak out and go do other things [this might depend on the WEB center - I would check with the other teachers first!] Also, why not just screw around on the web at your desk after going across the street to pick up a soda? This is all I ever did at home anyway, and I'm not paying for the air conditioning at the WEB center...

After my experience of teaching university for one semester, I would say that overall WEB is a better deal. You don't have to set your alarm in the morning! If you are a late-night person it is a great job. The salons and private classes already have lesson plans prepared for you [you might have to tweak them a bit to make them more interesting].

The other thing I liked about WEB is that you will get to teach the same class multiple times during the year, particularly directions. You will get to know the private classes like the back of your hand, and so you can get better and better at your teaching. At university, one you finish teaching a class, you have to wait for the next year or term to teach it over again.

This is just my 2 cents. Many people like University. From my personal experience, I think it pays a lot less, and its a heck of a harder job as a result of discipline and pressure to be an "entertainer" instead of a real teacher. Much more paperwork/grading too.

One more thing: if you are forgetful like me, you have an office right down the hall and can just leave your class to go back and get something. At university, you can't do that! I have to take a bus from my living place to my school! It SUCKS!!! Also they lock you in at 10:30pm and I have had to shake the gates over and over again multiple times for the security guy to let me in if I come after that time. Then he goes to the FAO and complains about me. They keep a CLOSE tab on us for our "protection", and I don't like this at all. At WEB you choose your own place in the city, and you are your own person. A much better deal. But I guess this depends on the university.

As you said, with a university it's really "hit or miss".

One more thing: this is real "nitpicky", but at university jobs they use old chalkboards and chalk, whereas at WEB they use whiteboards and markers. I hate using chalk, as its very messy. Whiteboards all the way...

[chinanoodles]

I don't know about other WEB schools but the one in QD will expect you to work all day regardless of your class schedule.

Lessons are prepared for you and students listen to a lot of things on the computer. Wish I could clarify that more but once I understood they wanted me to stay in the office all day and not compensate me adequately for that time, I walked out the door.

I prefer jobs where I am not told what to do, I do not need my hand held. I also prefer jobs that pay money.

WEB is considered a pretty damn good school though from the perspective of many locals I have spoken with. My perspective as a person who does not like to work for peanuts or waste time in the office is different.

[featherp]

thanks for these replies. Is 7000rmb - 8000rmb peanuts? +1000rmb for accom it seems quite reasonable in comparison to uni's. i need to clarify when the school opens and closes. i am concerned if it opens at 8am and shuts at 9pm (for example) I could have a lesson at 8.00am and a last one finishing at 9pm and then end up spending 13 hours a day in the office if they dont let me out of the office.

[chinanoodles]

[chryanvii]

They will not do that to you. Monday through Friday you will always start your work day at 1pm, then work until 9pm. Saturday and Sunday it will start earlier at 10am and end at 7pm.

Be sure to negotiate 2 days together before signing the contract. You don't want to have one day off early in the week and then one day off later in the week.

If you decide to work for this Web, make sure to not take the first place they show you! Remember that you DO have options. They should put you up in a hotel for awhile. If you don't like the first series of places they show you, you have a right to say no.

I don't know what the cost of living in Qingdao is. But You shouldn't have to pay more than 1300 a month for a place. Also it is true that you have to put down some money at the beginning - deposit + 2 months rent. But if you can't pay for it yourself at the begininng, you can negotiate with the school to take it out of your paycheck. You will be responsible for some agency fee as well - something like 400 yuen.

It sounds like a bad deal at first - but over time, it pays off. If you like working there and you sign on for another year, they will increase your salary! They do this every year! So if you are here in China long term...you can end up making some good money over time. They don't typically do this at university! You'll be making peas and carrots there!

Another secret is that they will usually let you take vacations when business is a little slow and they have enough teachers...you just don't get paid for it. You can also ask for an extra day off here and there to take little three-day trips places. I always thought that a whole summer off was way too much time. These people just end up working other jobs in the summer anyway.

[petebeatstreet]

I should preface my post by saying I teach at uni, but started out in China at a language mill.