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[stillnosheep]

"Tax dollars are the crack cocaine of governments everywhere."

So let's cut off the supply!

[tw]

I just got a call from the Foreign Languages School and was told that the three-year majors will have their final examinations in two weeks -- three weeks ahead of what my schedule says. Apparently, someone in the office goofed.

The good: only one lesson plan for a month and no more writing assignments to read.

The bad: completely messed up my teaching schedule (especially my Survey of America class). Now I have to drop three weeks' worth of materials I consider unimportant, or rush through a lot of them. The word from the office: just examine them whatever I've taught.

Chinese public school system, gotta love it...NOT!

[kev7161]

Thought I'd bump this thread up due to something that happened just today.

After this week is over, we have roughly 2 and a half school weeks left (13 days). I'm frantically trying to finish my texts so I can give some final end-of-unit tests that last 1/2 week. Today I'm informed that our school had the honor of being picked by the education bureau to be a testing site for junior and senior kids from all over the area. Wheee! The principal is so happy. So, classes are canceled 18, 19, and 20th. But wait - - that's not all folks! We get a 6 and 1/2 workweek next week to cover those canceled classes. Now, I did a little digging and found out that the school has known about this for weeks? months? but is only just now telling us because, according to what I was told, they didn't know we'd have to make up lost time on the weekend. WTF??? Regardless, letting us know that there would be 3 days taken out of our schedule should've been important as well. But I know why they didn't tell us, because us uppity FTs would all go and make 5 day holiday plans. Can't have that now, can we?

Now, there wasn't any sort of, "I hope you don't have any plans" or anything, just this is the way it is. I managed to finagle some extra travel money from the school so I'm not going to moan too much (just a little), but they're effectively taking away two whole days of lesson time (that 1/2 day is only 3 periods of which I teach only 1) for this testing honor. So I know what's more important to them. I told those that don't really care that I'll just teach and teach until the last day of school. If I happen to finish the last unit and I can provide a test, then I will. If not, then so be it, class is over, have a nice summer kids! Grrrrr!

[Mydnight]

The Chinese like to wait to the last minute as a tactical thing, I think. One of my more annoying ex's would always wait to "invite me" to go somewhere with her the day before she was leaving to MAKE SURE I couldn't go because I would usually have made other plans or have classes. Similarily, schools don't like to give out information until the very last second in hopes that they can squash any other plans you may have made.

That, and, if they had to plan ahead, that would mean the person in charge of scheduling, who is usually a higher-up, would have to do more work than he needs to and use his brain. There are also the breaks in the chain of command to contend with. Something can sit on a higher-up's desk for weeks on end and if you don't constantly prod him about it, like asking your kid to finish his homework before going outside to play, it will NEVER get done.

You forget. THEY GET PAID TO DO A JOB; not a good job.

[Brian Caulfield]

There is much planning going on in Chinese schools . Should we buy a mercedes or a Buick to go with our fleet of 5 limosines? The reason I always get for having my time wasted is that the Dean is away on business so noone knows what is going on till he comes back .