Job Discussion Forums

dreaming_saturn · Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 37 Location: Netherlands

Hi All,

I have currently been offered a position with EF (English First) summer camp. After reading some of the posts in this forum I understand that they will, quite literally, work me to the bone( 36 ach hours per week min.), but I am still convinced to go to China or another country this summer. From the searching I have done, EF seems to be my only option. Are there any other alternatives?

What I am ideally looking for is a position that will cover my airfare to and from China, and provide me with accommodation (salary isn't really the issue, because this is just a 7 week experience - on the other hand, flights from Amsterdam are not cheap, and I don't want to loose money). Is this impossible to find elsewhere?

I do have experience. I worked for a Franchise business English school as a freelance teacher, pretty much full time for 2 years, and part time for 2. I have currently completed my second year in Education Studies and English - r next year I will be fully qualified to teach in Dutch secondary schools.

That said, I do have to come back for school next year, and am just looking for a short experience in China to see if I should possibly I commit myself to a year contract after my graduation. if anyone has any other options, let me know.

cheers Smile

Louis · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Posts: 275 Location: Beautiful Taiyuan

Is this camp actually offering you FULL AIRFARE for a 7-week stint? This seems pretty unusual. Teaching 36 hours a week is *not* enjoyable. I would have to recommend against your idea. Finish your degree and find a real China job during the school year, maybe for just 6 months if you're not too sure. You'll teach less, and you'll have a better selection of jobs (and locations) to choose from.

Teacher Lindsay · Joined: 31 Mar 2004 Posts: 393 Location: Luxian, Sichuan

I checked EF's ad and they are, indeed, offering a return airfare for their summer courses (check the following link).

http://teachers.englishclub.com/jobs/index.pl?noframes;read=1775

This is highly unusual for summer courses.

EF will require teachers to work long hours and 6 days per week, which in the long term (i.e. 6 or 12 months) would wear anyone down BUT for 6 or 7 weeks I could probably cope.

If I were in your shoes I would go for it simply because it's a no-cost-to-you way of experiencing China.

Cheers

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Actually, my summer job is for 36 hours a week. I work from 8am to 11:30am, then back at 2pm to 5:30pm (with breaks in between classes). Six hours, six days a week. It's only for 4 weeks and the pay is quite healthy (plus they give me a lot of money for food and a lot of money to pay for living/transportation expenses - - I'll be staying in my current apartment). I think it is pretty common to work a lot more hours in a summer camp than it is for a regular school year. Return airfare is a great bonus.

windsea · Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 1 Location: USA

Hello,

This is my first post to this site! Wink

I wanted to join this discussion on summer teaching stints in China. Laughing

I am also in a situation where I get airfare, train, tour, food, and hotel accomodations to teach a 23 hour work week, 5 days in a row with only 1 day off in between (ie, this is a six day week). 21 days of total teaching. It is an American state university sponsored trip, with participants paying about $700 toward the cost of the entire trip, and also teaching. we are traveling as tourists in a "non-paid" capacity. They will have some curriculum to work with when we get there. I wanted to compare my situation with those of yours out there... does anyone know of a better offer out there before I commit to this one? My pals and I (a group of teachers) are interested in doing some sight seeing and get some compensation or money off of our trip! I've never planned any such trip in the past, and I this one came up quite suddenly. Also, I don't know how good/normal (or not so good/normal) this situation is. By the way, if this is a great situation, they are interested in taking more participants! If you are a native English speaker and have some teaching experience, there's a pretty good chance for you. Smile

The trip is between early July and early August 2004.

Thanks! Wink

Guest · Posted: Wed May 26, 2004 7:58 am Post subject:

Kev 7161

Are you getting paid by your School for July and August AS WELL AS getting paid for the Summer camp of 4 weeks?

I am going to Australia this year, but next year I will be in the position of being available and as I have to sign my new contract at the end of this week, I do not know whether to sign a 12 month or 10 month contract.

If I sign a 12 month one, it means they will pay me for next July and August HOWEVER I think they will also expect me to be available to take summer classes here at School. If I only sign a 10 month one, I will not be paid for July and August (the same as this year) and I will be free to go to another School or Province for the summer. What would you do?

Louis · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Posts: 275 Location: Beautiful Taiyuan

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

No, my current contract expires on June 30th and then starts again on September 1st. But, since I already signed a new contract, they will let me stay in my apartment at no charge for July and August (plus my internet, phone, water, electric, etc. all taken care of). It's not too big a deal for them as I'll be going home to the US for 3 weeks in August and I'll be gone most days for most of the day with my job.

I didn't realize my school would let me stay for FREE in my apartment when I negotiated with my summer job an extra 1000rmb for living expenses. Bonus money for me. My favorite.

If I was offered a 12-month contract at the same rate every month, then I probably would have signed it (while making sure I knew exactly WHEN I'd be needed in the summertime). I know my school will also have a summer camp (but it pays a LOT less, so I'm doing the other gig). But mine is only for 10 months at a time.

David Bowles · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 249

Another option is AES- they do summer positions, and though they say you need to pay for airfare you should make enough with them to cover it. Like EF they get a fair bit of bad press here, but when I did their summer thang in Dalian it worked fine- 7 weeks, around 30 hours/week teaching, and free appartment and 12000 yuan.
Also, teachers here post stuff about summer positions at their schools- one in south China recently. Air fare is unlikely to be paid for for short-term work, but you might get enough money anyways...

dreaming_saturn · Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 37 Location: Netherlands

Thanks for all the replies. I have obligations at home (husband, basically - and he'll love being called an obligation!) that realistically make it very difficult and unlikely that I would sign a year contract. He isn't a teacher, and the money offered in China makes him reluctant to tag along with me for a year and do nothing while I teach Smile

I am currently looking into a few other summer school options that were suggested.
cheers.

Guest · Posted: Wed May 26, 2004 9:09 pm Post subject:

Thanks Kev7161

Funny - I had not even given my apartment a second thought until you mentioned it! I just presumed that I could leave all my stuff in it for the holidays as I am sure I can as it is on the School grounds. If it were outside the School, there may have been a problem with that.

I think I will opt for 10 months again, as it give us some options when it comes to July and August and it is nice to have options.