Job Discussion Forums

[NathanRahl]

I think that is a semantical viewpoint, unles the person looking at things has no ability at abstract thought. Them "requireing" you to be there is not what makes them ofice hours. It is having to "wait" in the "office" until your next class. Lot's of schools have office hours but don't make them a requirement, it is al that time you have to ai that qualifies them as just that. Oh yes, I will spend my whole day at work to work 2 hours, thats absurd. It's not my problem that they wish to schedule their classes so far apart, they might as well require me to be there. Yes, I wan to go to work, then leave, then have to come back, leave again, come back again, leave again, come back again, every two or three hours. Hmm, I think your just somone who likes to argue semantical differences. I find it od I am the only one who finds this arrangement to not be a good one. I'm aware that many of you have been screwed in the ESL world, so have a hard time garnering sympathy or caring, however I ned advice, not "suck it up" or semantical arguements that these are not office hours because they are not "requireing" me to be there, as if that changes what they are, pfft.
Anyhow, the woman who recruited me just email me, an told me she felt very blue that I was angry with her, and that she had no idea, and that she's upset that I talked to her in an angry way, lol. These folks sure are manipulative, and they were so nice, I guess the nicer they are the more wary on should be here, that really sucks, makes it hard to know who to trust. Well, I have to go, I have 2 hours and 15 minutes of teaching to do that will take over 7 hours. Later.

[freeda]

LOL - he did not just say "semantical".

[Steppenwolf]

[andrew_gz]

stepphenwolf wrote, "A moot point!"

And then precedes to truly deliver a moot point.

FT's are apples and CT's are oranges.
A discussion of our situation is not advanced by comparison to the locals.

[NathanRahl]

I agree, comparing ourselves to the locals is foolish, and certainly is comparing apples to oranges. Ours is a totally different situation. I have to look out for me, number one. Last I looked it was a dog eat dog world. And, while your high sounding ideals might do really well in the New York Times Or Washington Post, such Liberal Idealist nonsense will leave you broke, and piss poor. It make's little sense to hold yourself back, for fear of doing better then someone who just happened to be born in the wrong place and wrong time. If everyone had your Liberal philosophy, to not strive to do better because, to feel bad to do so, because someone else is not doing so well, then whole world would be piss poor, broke, and quite miserable. Nope, I'm afraid I don't agree, I am not concerned about the chinese teacher who makes less, because I am an american teacher who can fortunantly make more. If I held myself back for fear of insulting every Tom Dick and Harry who isn't doing so well, well, I'd be just as poor and unhappy. Your words are foolish, and, while they may sound good, very high and mighty, they are really just a reflection of a weak mind that doe's not look deeper then what is on the surface. I'll try and make more money and do better then others if you don't mind.

[Outsida]

[Outsida]

[NathanRahl]

I'm in a small town close to yeuncheng. You can buy a dozen eggs for 4 yuan, and a kilo of peanuts for 3.5. Yuo can also get 6 very large ripe apples for 2 yuan. The fruit is cheap, the meat is of course pricy, milk costs 1 yuan for an 8 oz serving, a loaf of bread of good size costs around 4 yuan. Overall the cost of living ain't bad. I am not concerned about making a living, not while I am here. no, I would just like to be able to save at least a little cash while I am here, and from the raves my teaching has gotten from both the school, an other teachers there, I know and some thingas I found out afterwards, I know I could be making more. Let me explain. I hooked up with this joint Venture school outfit. They said they were not agents, but part of a joint venture of schools. Turns out that's just a more fancy word for agents. Before I realized this I had signed a contract. I found out later that they often pay more for the amount of hours I am teaching, so simply wondered if I could do better. I am sorry to hear you were only making three wehn you first started out. I did a lot more research I think, and even then I got screwed sevral times, both online, and lured here by a phoney outfit parading as a school. Truth be told, while 5,000 may sound good, I know this outfit is gettnig a nice chunk of change every month, likely the school is paying 7 or 8 thousand yuan for me, and I get 5,000, ah well. Thats about it, was just wondering, wanted to get some feedback, opinions. I made a few simple mistakes, like not negotiating when I got here and was presented with the contract. Not signing a six month, which allows you to get salary upped very often after 6 months if they liked your work. Anyhow, take care.

[MITCH]

Good Salary or Bad Salary?

1. If you think 5000 is OK, then it's OK.

2. Go to a major city to get a higher salary.

3. If you want to make a lot of money in China as a teacher, then come here first and look around. You can get hired here. Work 2 or 3 jobs and the income will multiply. Find a day job, a weekend job, and an evening job. It's possible to make up to 18,000 doing that. My July salary was 26,000 with 2 jobs. (I�m not blowing my own horn, just an example of what someone can achieve.)

4. Link up with some agents and tell them you are looking. You can find them from this website.

5. Tell them you are an excellent teacher and you will teach for 200 per hour. You will be surprised. You will get some interviews. Build yourself up in their eyes. I worked here before..., I can do this ..., I�m very good at � Write a resume that reflects your strengths in teaching. It�s even possible to get 250 per hour teaching kindy. In many cases teaching children pays better than corporate training. The good jobs for me have usually come from agent referrals.

6. If you have specialized skills you can work in an international school (the salaries can be higher there).

7. Be creative ??? There�s modeling work around, consulting jobs, self-employment, etc.

8. I wanted to give 8 tips, because #8 means money in China. So surround yourself with people who make good money. I am a product of the books I have read and the people I have associated with. Mix with wealthy successful people and read positive thinking books, and you will become a positive, successful and wealthy person.

Good Luck.

[NathanRahl]

Hmm, what if you also teach things other then English? How doe's one even go about getting private teaching gigs, or teahcing in other schools? First off, what is an international school, I have heard this phrase a couple time's, and have had one person say there is no such thing. Second, it sounds like you would have to be in a big city to do this. I am in a rural area. Also, yes, you can make more in a big city, but the cost of living is double or even triple then a rural area. Modeling, I'm a good looking guy, but I don't know about model material. As for consulting, what type of consulting? I am afraid you paint a too broad stroke, and you really do not get into the specifics enough, certainly not enough for your words to have credence. Not only that, but you are so general that I nor anyone else would know where to begin. Give me some specifics, and I will not only be impressed, but grateful, for that would be somewhere to start, otherwise, your words don't mean much. Take care.

[Steppenwolf]

Maybe it is foolish to insist on being an "American" teacher because if you pay for your own education you will want to get a maximum result for an optimum outlay; surely a Chinese teacher can potentially deliver more than a conceited waiguoren who is ill-adapted to this country?

In most training centres and even in public schools, an FT gets higher pay not because of his or her perceived superior skills but because of his or her face. You are a marketing gadget, not a human resource.

And if you can make so much more back home, why work here?

Those who think oranges are better than apples might be deceiving themselves; Chinese often have more trust in Chinese' (apples) than in foreigners' (oranges) credentials. There is a growing impatience in the community fed by the fact that so many foreign faces have only one "advantage" - they have the correct nationality.

If you don't feel comfortable comparing your situation to that of a local wage earner then you shouldn't complain about the unfairness of the system to you - it's far more unfair to their own teachers. You have a choice - they hardly have one.

[MITCH]

I can see you need extra help.

If you just take one tip.

* Find an agent:

This website has posts from many education agents all over China who find work for foreign teachers. Get in touch with a few of them (in the city you'd like to teach). Send them your resume, and see what they can come up with.

This tip alone will bring you many opportunities.

As for the other tips, forget them.

The art of good communication is being able to read between the lines.

To teach something specialized, teach "reading between the lines" to the Chinese people. It will make you a fortune.

I love your questions. Keep them coming.

Best regards,

MITCH

[NathanRahl]

[MITCH]

Let's keep the comments clean. Follow the rules. Keep positive.

[Meiguoren]

Mitch, will agents also help inexperienced teachers with job placement?