Job Discussion Forums

[deezy]

Lee, I'm beginning to get quite fond of you

I can't remember ever comparing myself to Talkdoc...I've asked for his advice and when reading his posts I am awed. And he's not a lowly 'counsellor' he's a psychologist/professor, the sort of person counsellors refer clients to when they get out of their depth. A great mentor.

And didn't I say I got my degrees in the sixties...that's one of the reasons I'm re-educating myself and getting a more up-to-date qualification. (Even though I've been to so many 'updates' I still and always will be learning). If I didn't, I apologise. I got my degrees in the sixties!!! nearly 40 years ago!

As for 'professional' I stand corrected. I agree, someone who is professional is educated, trained, etc etc. They are also (hopefully) paid. In Australia you don't, unfortunately, currently need to be registered if you want to say you are a therapist, or a counsellor, or a healer, Reiki, or Pranic or whatever. (Very newage in places there). Something that the APA and AIPC are lobbying to change. If you've studied etc. for a long time it does rather wrankle when someone can put a plaque outside their house as soon as they've done a weekend's course. But that's how it is at the moment. And unless the clients are clued up enough to check with the ACA or APA how are they going to know?

Reckon if the girls just have to talk for their money they're pretty professional at talking!! Might even have PhD's for all you know. What a waste though. (Of money I mean - or maybe I mean talk - or something else).

Maybe we should start a deezy and leezy thread. Or dizzy lizzy. LOL. (Please...just joking...no no no).

[tazzers]

Ok, I am getting a bit dizzy now,

I have decided of not going to Shenyang, no way, too cold!. Please tell me if I am wrong or right in the following statements when looking for my first job. Please look at it from the novice point of view....

This is my first proper experience as an English teacher. I think that what would benefit me more is to be in a centre where I can get some support. I think that in schools and universities you are left more on your tod. There is about 50 students per class.

I think that in private academies there is more support. They are more fleaxible about the materials that you use or introduce. Universities follow a textbook all the time and maybe it is more difficult to do some interaction with the students or between student and student. Classes are smaller so you can concentrate on students.... I loved the teaching method for TESOL certificate so I would like to follow this line.

My aim for this year is to learn as much as possible so I become a good teacher and make of this my future career.

What do people prefer to teach? children or adults?. I personally prefer adults but I havent had any experience with children so I cannot really say.

These are some of the cities where I have been offered a job or have the possility of applying
Most of this jobs are for 18 to 20 hours. University jobs are more difficult to find at this time of the year.

Wenzhou, Ruian (spanish and english teacher)(I am very tempted, but I dont know anything about the school yet)
Sichuan Province - Ruide Economic & Cultural Development
Zibo (Shangdon)- boarding school
Weihai - EF

What about EF but working between 16 to 20 hours a week? That sound a lot better, no?

[2 over lee]

You sound like a sensible person. You�ll learn from experience and be at an advantantage from having started �smart�. The goals you have listed above are admirable, stick by them.

[amberrollins]

Your questions and concerns are quite valid. It's difficult to know what to to do and where to start.

You're right that universities have classes with a high number of students (most of mine have over 60). But I have a great deal of flexibility in what and how I teach. In my experience, it's the private language schools that tend to demand that you use only their approved textbooks. But someone else's experience could be the opposite.

I like teaching university students best, but there are things to be said either way. Younger students can be lots of fun, but they do have short attention spans, and you have to be really high energy to hold their interests. University students can have higher-level conversations (usually) and can be treated with more maturity, but some try to do things like chat on their cell phones and nap while you're giving class.

I am a qualified, trained, experienced, academically-published educator and I don't find 18-20 hours a week particularly stressful - but I think this does depend on how the hours are scheduled. Universities will, in general, spread teaching hours over Monday through Friday. Private language schools are more likely to pack all 16-20 hours into two or three days, which is a lot of work in a short a span of time and is very tiring.

Learn everything you can and do your best. It's all anyone can ask of you.

[deezy]

Quite right amberollins, the private schools teach outside of public school and business hours, so the time is intensive on two days, and most evenings. Also, most private schools do have course books, and the teachere is expected to get 'through' the book but also add their own supplementary activities (all well and good if the resources are there). And generally they teach more kids than adults, but the numbers in the classes are usually way below 20. Swings and roundabouts, swings and roundabouts.

[ContemporaryDog]

Tazzers, if you have a PGCE, why not go for an International School job?

You can earn substantially more than you can with your average tefl job.

[Roger]

I deem it a wise decision not to accept a SHENYANG posting; the remaining options, however, don't seem to be the most attractive ones either:
ZIBO: Is an ugly town half-way between Qingdao and Ji'nan, wityh no fame to being a hot tourist spot. SHandong is nice from a climate point of view, and in general, I found natives more welcoming of foreigners than elsehwere.
but Zibo has in the past made bad press in these fora due to one unscrupulous monopolist employer there. If you do accept, I hope it has improved over the last couple of years!

SICHUAN: i don't know that particular place you mentioned; Sichuan is fairly rural and scenic, but also relatively backward and thus poor. If you have a lot of spare time, you might rue it - not enough money to enjoy yourself, and nothing to enjoy!

WENZHOU: This is a relatively big town on the East China sea, with railway and bus connections to Shanghai and elsewhere (Hangzhou is pretty close by). The city is nothing to be intrerested in unless you are an overseas-based shoe marketeer. i guess your remunerations here will be relatively generous.

As for which LEVEL I prefer: Honestly, I like PRESCHOOLERS best. They are the least intellectually deformed, the most adaptable, and the easiest to handle. The older your students are, the more their "education" is a problem!
At universities, you can have classes of less than 30 students; however, I find myself this semester with classes numbering up to 90 in WRITING classes!