Job Discussion Forums

[cdchristy]

I have some extra time today, so I thought I would recount some of my experiences here in China. Before I begin, I want to inform that I have 3 years of experience teaching English at Chinese Universities. I have taught off campus and even been a headmaster at a training center. Now I am a Director of Studies of a privately-run English program for Chinese students going abroad.
From my experience and from many discussion with Chinese friends, Chinese almost always use a top-down management style. Orders go down and brown-nosing goes up. In this environment, the FAO departments which interface directly with the foreign teachers are caught in the middle. Basically, most of them will simply to choose to push whatever comes from above them upon the FT irrespective of how ridiculous and stupid it may be. The FT then must choose---Do I give in or do I stand up for myself? This is a real struggle for most teachers because many (I think) want to be accommodating and flexible especially given cultural differences. As teachers start going down this road, the Chinese FAO departments often simply think they can just continue pushing things on the FT even when those things are too much. HERE IS WHAT I DONE>>>>>>>>>>>

At one university, my wife and I were both teachers and highly respected for our work. One day, a little starving puppy came into our university housing to the second floor. We chose to take him in for our children's sake. At this university, dogs were everywhere including the cafeteria and the classrooms. One day, we get an email saying we had to get rid of the dog by the end of the month (no reason given). Well, I tried the nice way first. I asked if we could just keep the dog until the contract ended 2 months later. No matter what, they would not budge. Then, I took out 20,000 RMB (the amount we agreed to pay to break contract if we were not satisfied). I told them they now have option A and option B. A, we keep the dog. B, we pay 20K and say bye. They let us keep the dog.

Keep in the mind, I still enjoyed working at this school and still have Chinese friends working there. I just had to let them know I would not be controlled. At other times, they would try to make us follow campus housing rules like curfew that are appropriate for college students, but not a father of 4 children with a PhD. I just told them I did not come to China to live in a prison. I asked what were they going to do, send me home to the US. They simply let me alone on such matters, and I did what I pleased. None of my behaviors would have caused any problems in China or an American campus.

NEXT EXPERIENCE:
I was the headmaster of the training center where my wife taught. One day, the Chinese manager tells me the boss ran out of money and that he was afraid the Chinese staff would not be paid. Now, I knew the rich owner had money, but he only wanted to use the student's tuition to pay all costs of his new school. Here is what I did----My wife and I refused to finish the last 10 hours of class until all Chinese staff were paid and until we were paid in full for the remaining classes. It worked because Chinese school owners fear angering the Chinese parents and losing face above all else. Note to the reader: It is hard to do this if you work for the private training center as your first job.

NEXT EXPERIECNE:
Finishing the 3rd year in China at my 2nd University, I came to get the last paycheck and was surprised when there was no flight bonus. The contract clearly states that the last salary is to be paid together with the flight bonus. The FAO only had one person on duty and he simply told me they didn't have it yet. When pressed, he said I was technically on contract until the end of July. I simply showed him the contract and dumbed it down for him. I said, Just as the Chinese University want the FT to fulfill contractual obligations, the FT wants the same from the university. It is not rocket science. Chinese schools are first to push the contract, but often the last to comply with their end in times like these. I told him the school was breaking the contract and now they have a choice between option A and B. A, I call the PSB and I will certainly get my way. Even more so, because this is obvious non-compliance. B, the give a signed letter agreeing to pay me on a specified date. They chose B. Believe or not, the FAO called me the next day and chose to pay out her private funds as she felt bad. I was very grateful. Moreover, I still have a good relationship with this school despite having to get tough.

As a 42 year old, I learned how to be like this in America long before coming to China. In other words, standing up for yourself is required irrespective of your being a FT.

[Jmbf]

Thanks for recounting your experiences for us. I think in general you made some good points about standing up for yourself and not being a doormat in general.

However, this struck me as very strange:

[cdchristy]

I appreciate your response. I guess everyone has their situation. I have four children who were attached to the dog. In addition, I don't need the money bad enough to back down. In other words, I was not bluffing. I was willing to return and pursue other options.

[Jmbf]

Thanks for the clarification. I think the takeaway point is to know your rights especially when it comes to contract related issues. Being firm and sticking to your guns is also good advice in situations where it looks as though you are being taken advantage of.

However I think it's important to note that it's easier to take a strong position when you are financially secure and successful in your career (as you appear to be). Unfortunately this doesn't describe a lot of teachers currently living and working in China.

[JeremyDay]

By the way OP, would you mind giving your opinion concerning my post about bringing over the wife since you have dependents with you?

I know that your wife is also a professor, so the situation is a little different, but I'm curious as to how smooth it was bringing your children over.

Thanks.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

The dog: Does your contract allow for pets in the apartment? If it isn't mentioned, it's negotiable, but try to see it from the school's point of view. Stray dogs have fleas. Dogs aren't always easily housebroken. You may leave behind a difficult situation for the landlord/school to fix when you leave.

You've been in China three years. You say that you "don't want to be controlled." I assume that your philosophy applies to every other situation. You want to be autonomous. How did you relate to employers in your home country? China isn't the wild west. If you want to get along, you must be willing to go along to a large degree.

Boss ran out of money. This is inexcusable. Go to the City FAO and state your case. Even though it is a private school, the city FAO can get involved to a degree because it was probably involved in the authorization of FTs for that school and can pull authorization from that school.

Flight bonus: "...The FAO only had one person on duty and he simply told me they didn't have it yet." You were probably being told the truth. In my experience, payment comes from the Ministry of Education on a monthly basis. There have been times when my salary was late. I was told that it would not arrive on time about 2-3 days before pay day. Sometimes the assistant FAO had to drive to the capitol city to pick it up. If you demanded the flight bonus before the end of the contract, the FAO is under no obligation to give it to you until the end of the contract. My experience is that bonuses such as travel allowances (separate from paying for the flight) are doled out a week before the end of the term.

What;s worrisome is your expressed desire not to be controlled.

[cdchristy]

Thanks for the reply. I will give you more information about the dog. The school had no policy and changed it after we had lived there for 1.5 years. One of the young foreign had decided to get a dog, but he chose to let it do its business in the apartment. I think the school was reacting to that situation.

As far as being controlled, I guess I can elaborate. I learned a long time ago that bosses tend to allow workers to self-manage if they always find them working hard. I chose to be this kind of person. That school (and our second school) was immensely satisfied with us. We did our jobs in a timely and professional manner, and we never complained. We never caused any problems.

I guess you can say that I refuse to be controlled beyond my agreement (the contract), common courtesy, and basic reason. Those who know me know I am a team player.

Back to the dog... The apartment they provided me was not even registered as livable according to them, but it wasn't bad. We patiently worked with them through the various problems associated with the maintenance. For example, the upstairs' tenant's bathroom leaking on us when we were in ours. He ended up having to fix it himself because their guys seemed to be incapable. We didn't complain.

Please bear in mind that the contract mentioned nothing about a housing policy or any rules associated with the housing. One could potentially encounter many unusual or difficult requests in such a case.

As far as the dog, first remember that the flea-ridden dogs were everywhere including the cafeteria, the classrooms, etc. Also, I found the dog in my own building in front of my apartment door. Like most FT's who have been here awhile, I have Taobao account. On Taobao, you can buy Frontline, a product used by American vets. You can also buy heartworm meds, etc.

At my current place of work, I am one of the highest paid teachers in my city. The boss knows me and knows that I can not be controlled by money. She knows that I work according my desire to be the best educator that I can be.

Finally, I will speak to comments on dealing with the private school. First, I 100% support all teachers taking reasonable and appropriate action in such situations. For my part, I would rather handle things myself if possible before I escalate matters by calling the authorities. In this situation, I was successful.

[cormac]

This "advice/insight" definitely needs to be applied with care... my advice: learn both the chinese culture and the local culture. And remember that while you'll never be Chinese.. always playing the foreign card limits you greatly.

[RiverMystic]

[litterascriptor]

I've had to tell my boss once or twice that he can move forward without my services or with them. The choice was his on both occasions and I was able to comfortably wade those moments knowing I was financially secure. When one sticks his ass out at his boss, one should do so with a well padded bank account.

First occasion was when a student went absolutely berserk in my class. He went off his nut as soon as I walked through the door and was hurling his things and other people's things all over the place. I ejected him from the classroom and when the frontdesk tried to get me to let him back in, I pointedly said no. My boss got his back up over it and I told him the simple solution was the student could go or I could go. Either way, I wasn't going to ever stand in a classroom with that kid ever again.

They moved him to another class and I have never again stood in a classroom with that kid again.



Second occasion, he called me up 30 minutes before some sort of event. Told me I had to be there, I told him I was out in the sticks walking my dog and no I wasn't going to be there. He proceeded to have a mini-meltdown and I informed him I could come to work tomorrow and teach my classes or I could come to work tomorrow and we could discuss my leaving the school at the end of the week. He slammed down the phone like a properly civilized gent. I got a message a few hours later asking if I was going to be working the next day and I said it was entirely up to him and that could he make up his mind because I was examining a holiday package to Thailand and needed to confirm or give it a pass.

Well that didn't go over well, but I did go to work the next day and all was swept under the rug and not forgiven.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

[cdchristy]

[litterascriptor]

Bud isn't wrong that there are some seriously sketchy people that show up in China. It seems like less now, but maybe that is because I'm in a fairly provincial town that doesn't draw many young TEFLers. A few of the older ones I've met certainly made up for it in their.. charming ways.

I wouldn't throw down the gauntlet unless I thought it was important. In both cases I felt that the school was being absurd and that I had better things to do with my life than wade through the cesspit of Chinese office politics.

I just want to safely teach my classes and be left alone. Having a violent student in my class and calling me up 30 minutes before an event and getting stroppy with me doesn't really hit any of my points.

I'm willing to put up with quite a bit of what I consider nonsense under the idea that while I think its goofy and probably a waste of time, the Chinese seem to take it seriously. Obviously, rather than get their back up over it, I smile and get it done so to speak.

But.. don't call me 30 minutes before or let a violent kid into my classroom. Beyond that, I'm pretty good with most of the hully gully that goes on at work. And it is sooo pointless...

But.. whatever, so long as it doesn't impede my ability to enjoy my time off, teach my classes safely, get paid on time, and have a working toilet in my apartment.. I'm good.

btw, I got a dog as well, a street rescue. You did a good thing with taking that little fellow in. He or she is doing well?

[cdchristy]

[huoguojiggae2017]

I was wondering, why are dogs so well behaved in China? If I go for a walk or run at night in my hometown, there needs to be a fence. Otherwise, the dog would run, chase, or even bite me because it is protecting its space and master. Are they castrated or something?