Job Discussion Forums

[yamahuh]

[quote="bdawg
We, as foreigners recieve this pay because we are, in a manner of words...rare...and rarities are worth more.
Supply and Demand dudes.....[/quote]

Not trying to 'jack' this thread but I just pointed this fact out to my boss a couple of days ago. We are having a dispute over money I feel is owed to us and she sent me an e-mail telling us how well paid we were compared to local teachers.

Her words:
And I want you to know how much a Chinese-English teacher gets per month. Normally a teacher could only have 850 Yuan per month. And they had to do more than you to the students. I made this comparison only to let you know the living standard of this city.

And mine:
So hire a Chinese English teacher, save yourself a lot of money and see how much business you get for your language school.

[SimonM]

My school gave me one weeks notice that we would be teaching Sunday for makeup. I was happy because the makeup class (for a reason that escapes EVERYONE) was for Friday classes. I have my Gong Fu class on Monday and Friday so I got an extra Gong Fu class in exchange for teaching one extra period of spoken English. I think I got the better end of the deal.

[kev7161]

This thread took a turn somewhere, but not sure where. I don't think the OP's complaint is about salary and other "perks", rather the lack of professionalism when it comes to notifying about schedule changes in a timely manner. Are some saying that, because we get paid more, we shouldn't get the courtesy? Or, because we get paid more, we shouldn't be bothered about the lack of notifications and communications?

[SimonM]

Well I wasn't talking about salary. I was talking about the fact that the extra class came with an extra perk where I am.

[jeffinflorida]

[Starry Night]

Is that you, Mr Cage?

[zhamr]

Jeffinflorida,
You face a difficult set of circumstances and when viewed from a western perspective, your concern for professional respect and courtesy are fully justified. However, I do believe that this conflict highlights the deep cultural divide between western values and work practices and those in China that are still largely informed by Confucian values. Most importantly here the two principles of benevolence and obligation appear to be operating. Subordinates (teachers) within the societal structure (school) owe allegiance to those above (principals) who in turn owe benevolence to those in their care who demonstrate a filial attitude. In this case, the school authorities would claim that you have breached a commonly accepted norm by defying a directive that most Chinese would see as reasonable. These are the principles that are understood in China - I am not acting as an apologist for the system here, just trying to gain an understanding of how to negotiate through a difficulty!

In a similar situation, a Chinese teacher would probably bow to the inevitable on the rearranged teaching schedule, but would use the leverage to negotiate a better deal somewhere else: more time off, or some other concession in return for 'helping out'. I have faced many of these situations over the past decade (I have been coming to China for work purposes since 1983). Negotiation is the only way through. And yes, I have become angry and sat (metaphorically) in my boxers not wanting to follow what I believed to be an unreasonable directive. Ultimately, you either accept that you need to work within the system and achieve what you can, personally and professionally within those constraints, or you remove yourself to a different setting where the practices are more in tune with your own.

I truly hope that you find some personal peace on this issue.

[kev7161]

Today and tomorrow, our school is having a "sports meet". I teach in a special program within the school and "assumed" (I know, I know) that I would have to be there today and tomorrow. My co-teacher (the so-called head teacher of my class) didn't deny it when I asked. "You can go to the classroom from time to time and have a rest," is what I was told when we talked about it.

Today (first day of the sports meet), I bumped into another FT who said they DIDN'T have to be there and they had no classes to teach (she lives on-campus and I live off) and I probably don't have to be there as well. I talked with one of the ladies from the foreign affairs office and she confirmed this bit of info.

Yes, yes, it's my own stupid non-Chinese citizen's fault. I SHOULD HAVE asked around and really made sure. That way I wouldn't have had to get up at 6:30 this morning and get to school. But let's turn these lemons into lemonade, shall we? I did get all caught up on grading papers and preparing lessons for next week. I was able to leave by 11:00 and have tomorrow and, of course, the weekend off.

But it would have been nice to be informed . . .

[Starry Night]

Can you talk to your wai-ban about this? Its his responsibility after all and if they can't do their job, perhaps you could enlist the help of other English teachers?

This seems to be an ongoing problem and if the wai-ban is useless, you'll need to look elsewhere.

[7969]

regaring not being notified about events that are aoubt to happen at your school, i agree that it is very annoying and ce be disruptive to your own schedule. however, i finally, after a couple of years, gave up trying to effect any change in that area with chinese colleagues, and now just live with the fact. in my view, when you come to china, just expect the unexpected, be really flexible and things will be ok. thinking otherwise hurt me in the past a little bit, but now i just go with the flow. if the chinese cant adapt to a "more professional" way of doing things, i think its their loss..... disorganization and crisis planning at the last second isn't good for anyone.....

[benno]

when i worked for a private school...i got hit with this sh it...of course i didnt work as i was entitled to a weekend off...got a small fine about 20 yuan...laughed about it...never happened again as they knew i wouldnt work on the weekends no matter...no more fines....

second...college...same thing...never worked.....no fine....all foreign teachers banded together...made a stand..college couldnt do anything

third.....now work on weekends...so actually this time is was funny i had no classes...and a very long holiday...funny how it all works out in the end!!!


so i can understand where jeff is coming from

but tell us about that 18000,thats very interesting

[yamahuh]