Job Discussion Forums

[Super Mario]

[lalalateda]

I have a BA in foreign languages (French and Spanish) and an MA in TEFL. I'm working in Japan now and thinking of heading to China in another year or so. So far when looking for jobs and working in Japan, it seems that the MA did get me interviews but not necessarily jobs (not enough teaching experience). The job I did get in the end doesn't give extra cash for the masters, as I've heard many jobs do. Besides that it seems that people tend to have negative attitudes towards my degree and expect me to be arrogant about it. It's a bit strange since I don't exactly bring it up in conversation or talk down to anyone. Personally, I think that experience is usually a much more useful qualification than a certain degree.

I hope that by the time I apply for jobs in China my experience and degree will help to get a good job there.

[Roger]

[tofuman]

Roger,

Perhaps you are right. Why start a quarrel?

My insight however, has helped me to understand some of your posts from way back. I visit from time to time and the timing of this post is certainly anachronistic.

I apologize for my usual lack of courtesy and tact, but what can I do?

If I have failed to be transformed by the gospel, what other options are there?

[jammish]

10,000 RMB a month sounds like quite low pay for fully qualified teachers. They could earn considerably more than that elsewhere, particularly in GZ, without even having QTS.

Sounds a raw deal to me.

[millie]

[Roger]

[chinamike]

Ok a little biography for myself, I've skipped the first four pages since hell all you guys seem to do is flame

Name: Michael Smith
Age: 20
Native Country: UK - England - Staffordshire
Highest Qualifications: A2 Levels in Chemistry/Biology/English Lit - C-A Grades (A2 - 16-18 years old) No Degree.
TESOL Certification: None

I originally came out to China 19 months ago with a charity organisation which sends 17-19 year old UK/Ireland School Leavers to about 43 different countries around the world, with the main focus on character building etc. They do provide a service to many third world countries by providing volunteers to work at low rates of pay, I however somehow ended up in Shandong which doesn't actually need volunteer teachers.

I originally worked on a 1 year contract 12 hours a week (standard, not teaching) for 1500RMB a month, teaching at college level, once my charitable contract was up I decided to stay on and do a Summer Camp at UESTC Univeristy in Chengdu, then I moved back to Shandong to my current job which is 3 1/2 days a week, 12 teaching hours (45mins) for 5000RMB a month, teaching grades Junior 2 and 3 at a middle school in my original city. The only training I receieved was a 3 day course which did nothing to prepare me, just give me a bit of confidence.

Before anyone states the obvious, no I probably shouldn't have been teaching at 18 with no qualifications and no training, but I was providing a charitable service, and I'll admit the first 6-8 months of teaching were a struggle since I had to muddle my way through it but now I'd say I'm a competent teacher compared to a large proportion of the FT's I've met in my travels, obviously not the best by any means but still I'd say I do a fair job of it.

My current contract is up in three weeks, and then I'm back to the UK to prepare for a Masters Degree in Chemistry, will take up the next four years of my life, then who knows back to China, so as far as qualifications go, I'm about as unqualified as they come, but I do now have a fair amount of experience.

Mike

[Super Mario]

[clark.w.griswald]

I must admit that I am not a big fan of foreign teachers without degrees. It is not that I believe that teachers with degrees make better teachers, it is just that I feel that we owe it to our students to be 'more highly educated' than a high school senior.

Having said that I feel that Mike's post was well written, and puts to shame some of the posts by people with higher academic qualifications. It seems that he is an example of the fact that the degree does not maketh the man (or wowan).

[7969]

[chinamike]

Well technically that's true I will be doing my bachelors degree first, but I specified when I applied to Newcastle University that I wanted to also complete my Masters Degree, they offer options where you can apply for a three year course to get your Bachelors or a four year course to get your Masters, they're entirely identical for the first two years, the third year they differ very slightly depending on whether you're taking the Masters Degree in the next year or not.

Mike

[chinamike]

Spirited debate it is, I withdraw my flame comment!

[darkhorse]

[millie]