Job Discussion Forums

[Roger]

I have been saying for years that the job market is not as great as some of us would wish it was.
It's changing - and there will be fewer native speakers in the future!

[kimo]

I agree with Roger above. And I feel just as there is a real Indian English there will be a Chinglish that is highly developed and the norm here.

Hey, BATty MANia, you doing all right now?

[struelle]

[Kapt. Krunch]

Depending on your campus staff...but sometimes they don't like that you may have a night life(even if your classes are in late afternoons or at night), female friends, are seen talking to a lot of girls, or even going to movies. I started to think that they'd prefer if I were anything except young, tall, interesting, or *GASP* Black!

Joke 'em if they can't take a %^&*!!

[scoobydo]

"previously i had been teaching ielts"

I've noticed a strange thing the longer I teach Ielts (I've been doing it for 2 1/2 years): the more I know my stuff and actually teach them how to pass the exam the more glazed over my students get.

Perhaps you, like me, are being too serious and actually teaching them something useful without sugar wrapping it in fun and exciting activities.

To be fair to Chinese students, learning is quite boring. Chinese students will readily accept a boring but useful lesson from a Chinese teacher. From a foreign teacher however they tend to expect our lessons to be fun or at least not boring. Perhaps you should consider pulling back on the serious teaching a little and put more effort into more interesting activities. I realise that is a "mistake" I have been making.

Incidentally, I agree with Roger. The teaching market is changing in China.

Certainly part time rates are in a downward spiral in Guangzhou. SARS hit the retail sector very hard in Guangzhou and it has never recovered. People just aren't spending money as they were before. In addition every year sees more and more teachers coming over to China. A greater supply interacting with a falling demand = lower wage rates. Simple economics I suppose. Inflation is a real factor in China as well so we are getting hit from 2 directions at once.

New teachers to China are also less likely to know the going rates and accept low paying positions for the "cultural experience"...Yawn.

I just wish I was living in the make believe world of Chinese economics where China, according to Chinese government figures complied bizarrely before the year was even finished, achieved a growth rate of 9.1% last year in spite of SARS.

While I'm having a quick rant and rave about Chinese growth rates, apparently China does not subtract depreciation from its growth figures and adds spending on the military. Creative accounting at its best.

[batman]

im am doing better, thanks kimo. had a short vacation to hong kong, and start a new gig mon morning.

scooby, you make some very good observations. i feel what you say may be true. the management puts pressure on me to get results, and when i try to really teach them something, really improve their level, its not fun anymore, and results in complaints. i just cant do it both ways. i guess i dont have to anymore anyway. my new job is adult privates, and corporate groups. might be some kids, but ill try and avoid that as much as possible. i love kids, but dont make a good teacher for lower age groups. im also working for foreigners now too, hope that works out ok.

thanks for all the support guys!

batman

[arioch36]