Job Discussion Forums

[Insubordination]

I have to agree with the above poster. The more unreasonable responsibility you take on, the more they'll keep shovelling at you. You're making it easy for them. They get to shut you in the classroom with these 'students' and collect the money and forget about it. Yes you have a good nature, but it seems you are letting others take advantage of that.

I think you need a different 'teaching persona' for this class. This unfortunate situation is surely put before you to give you ideas for new teaching strategies and for dealing with administration.

[mat chen]

I did something that I learned from weiqi teachers. I do daily grading. Come late one point taken away. Play games on your cell phone, one point taken away. I also give points for participation. The problem is that the students are being ignored by their parents and the system. A good Chinese teacher only teaches the kids in the first row. Students have money but not their parents time.
Don't give up you will see a change. Show them you care

[wangdaning]

If students are messing about then just stop teaching. Remind them money is being paid for the class, but you will not teach if they don't want to learn. I guess you need older students for this. It is amazing how fast students shut up and cell phones go away. It is sad that many students need to be reminded.

I have ejected a whole class before, that also gets to them. I don't like singling out one student, as they usually have a group. Half way into a 90 minute class before I just told all the students to get out. I let them know if they thought I couldn't teach them then it was up to them to learn what they needed. They came to the next class as good students.

I teach university, so the students should be adults. Remind them that money is being paid and they seem to remember that. Academic culture here is very different. I refuse to treat my students as children (many Chinese teachers take this or a completely apathetic approach). I explain everything I am doing and why I am going to do it. It is then their responsibility to understand it. No more or less than I would expect from a teacher back home.

[jibbs]

[flyingscotsman]

[mat chen]

Lame excuse Scotty. I went to the Harvard of the north McGill University and Harvard has the same situation. Rich Alumni kids get the breaks. It is the world you live in. You have a job to do and you can't blaim your students. Bring the class down. Teach them like kindergarden students. TPR them. Show you care and they will change. Don't just say everyone else who taught them has left. Everyone else who taught them didn't care either.

[mrwslee003]

Hi Mr. Scott,

Here is what I would do and I did it when I taught in China:
The first few times I tried to reason with non-listeners and talker and disturbers who showed little respect or who got lost in the English instruction. I told them that their parents paid big money for them to attend the school, which was a Canadian school operating in China, and that their parents had worked hard to earn the money and that they should appreciate the opportunity and not waste their time here or disrupt others who want to learn. Then of course, reasoning only can go so far for some and reasoning was beyond certain individual students.

Some persistented disrupting and showed little respect, I then asked one or two (of the worst) to leave the class and ask them to stay near by but away from the doorway so they cannot be seen by classmates. I would return to giving my lesson as though nothing had happened. Now, I had senior high school students and most did want to learn. In your case, older students may just have a stronger personality. This method may or may not work. You have to guage them and act accordingly.

Don't be shy, be clear that you want their attention or else you will move them out of your class. Be firm and act upon your warnings to them.

Finally, if nothing seems to work and you feel the admin is taking advantage of you then you tell them that that is not acceptable to you and if they keep taking advantage of you, tell them you will not accept it and return to your office. It is advantageous for you to tell your boss, with other teachers within listening range your conditions, private conversation is not as effective. Public knowledge of your unacceptable conditions puts social pressure on your boss to act, otherwise he/she will appear "useless" and lose "face".

I hear you and understand your situation. Do what you can by letting your students know you won't accept disrespect and your boss know you won't accept being taken advantage of. You will gain self esteem and self confidence and student respect should you come through these problems.

China is going through fast economic and social changes and you just got caught up in the whirl wind of changes. I am certain none of these is personal. Your staying is a loud message that you care.

Good luck!

[flyingscotsman]

[Dr. Dow]

I feel you Scotty. While I wouldn't say the "students" at my current school are disrespectful or act badly, most don't seem to care.

It seems the school doesn't really care either. Offering an Oral English class that meets every other week with a foreigner for 1 semester is a good way to drum up business. Instead of building another large classroom building, they are building more dorms. I must admit, there is another building going up that looks like it will be a classroom building based on its location and size. I've been told the private college I toil away at now makes a 100 million rmb profit per year. That seems a bit high, but I'm not eactly sure how many students there are and what the tuition/dorm fees are.

Either way, the school doesn't seem to care about providing a book, not that I'd use it, or whiteboard markers. Since there isn't a book, I made my own and asked the kids to copy it and bring to class every time we meet. It is basically handouts that I use in class. I was told this morning that my handouts were too expensive all of the students didn't want to copy it for 2.2 rmb!!!

Out of 18 different groups of approximately 60 students, so far most have been pretty good about copying the handouts. But, 3 or 4 groups basically didn't copy it. Perhaps 10 in each group, so, I guess they understood me when I told them to copy it and bring it to the next class because we would use it in class.

When I've asked the classes that didn't copy the handouts what we were supposed to do in class, the few that understood what I said - watch movies, play games and sing songs!

Out of the 60 or so, generally 40 came to the 2nd class meeting. A few generally left during the break.

At this point, I really don't care and am just counting the days, grinning and bearing it. 100 to go!! What I do care about is the electric and internet going out regularly. Stay away. Granted, if I had English majors maybe things would be different.

A lot of the students are very nice and do try. But the majority are another story. I basically told them last week and the past 2 days, don't come to class. As long as you come for the Final chat, I will pass you.

I realize I'm not the best foreign "teacher" in China, but still, when a bunch of kids don't even come to the 1st class, let alone the 2nd, why should I care? As long as they pay me.

This school does have a few classrooms with new computers. I tend to walk around the room while in class and usually find at least 10 of the 40, out of 60, that came to class playing solitaire. I feel you Scotty. Count the days!

[Insubordination]

[Dr. Dow]

What I don't understand about the "non-interested" students is - why attend class in the 1st place?

I know that the kids/students generally do what they are told, which is different than where I'm from, but, if all you are going to do is sleep, play on your phone etc... why go?

That's is why I began each of my 2nd meetings with the "students" and told them, just don't come to class if all you are going to do is sleep etc... I'd rather have 20/30 people interested in what's going on than all of the others.

Stay home. Just come for the Final and you'll pass. I'll remember those who came every class and they will get a good score, 90 or above. The others, maybe 70. I guess I'm too nice.

Quite frankly, in a certain way, I have more respect for those who never go to class and show up for the final than those who just pass time away out of a sense of duty/fear.

Wait a second - I guess I'm doing that now because I need a Release Letter!!! The whole idea of needing permission to get another job is alien to me.

[mrwslee003]

I hear you Scott-if your adult students don't care about their learning, its their choice. If you can allow them to behave this way in your class, fine.

If you can live with the amount of pressure the admin put on you, fine.
If not, then let them know your feelings. Don't just take it until you get sick.

[killian]

do as i heard the profs sneer at my state U: pass em all, let the job market sort em out. it is college.

if you fail them the the institution is going to A) tell you to provide a retest or B) change their grades w/out telling you.

[Matson]

[flyingscotsman]