Job Discussion Forums

[nomad soul]

The topic of professional development has been discussed on other forums. For China, what opportunities do you have in terms of building your knowledge, skills, and abilities through your place of employment? If not, what type of professional development/training would you like to receive -- that you feel is lacking?

[The bear]

[Elicit]

Some of the sino-western operations offer Delta, PGCE (higher education or international), MAs and Ph.D.s, but there is always a price to pay in that you have to commit longer term with the employer.

In my experience, thus far, a Delta module 1 will cost you a year post completion while a Ph.D. will mean 3 years post completion commitment That could be a 9 year term if it takes 6 yrs part-time to finish the doctorate. Leaving the fee paying employer before the end of the agreed term normally involves paying back the full cost of the programme undertaken.

Personally, I'd prefer to be self-funding and be able to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. You can always attend conferences and workshops etc., as previously mentioned, for no commitment whatsoever. Best to take advantage of these types of PD instead, in my opinion.

Some say, you'd have to be mad to self-fund a Ph.D. but rather this than commit to one employer and China for the best part of a decade.

[LarssonCrew]

Can you explain, if I went and got a PHD paid for, how they could force me to stay in China or pay back?

Leave in the summer of your 3rd year, say, and then just do not come back. How will they get the full program fee back?

[Volver]

This is a big deal for me and I took advantage of any and all PD when I taught in the States. China? What a joke. I cannot even find any PD opportunities in the country. Imagine the biggest ESL market in the world and no way for teachers to continue their education. I pick up various books when I am in the States and there seem to be more and more opportunities online in the form of MOOCs.

Speaking of MOOCs, can anyone recommend any that they particularly liked?

Thanks.

V

[nomad soul]

[Elicit]

[LarssonCrew]

But if I went from China to somewhere like Vietnam or Thailand or Malaysia say, then that wouldn't be an option I guess

[nimadecaomei]

Well, most jobs that are actually going to pay you what you are worth as holding better qualifications will also be interested in your work history. You would have to explain away the job that paid for your quals somehow. Not impossible.

[nomad soul]

The other part of my initial post...

If you don't receive professional development via your employer, what type of training or learning experience would you like to receive? For example, on another thread, a teacher in China stated he'd be interested in peer observations (i.e., teachers observe each other's classes and give constructive feedback and exchange ideas).

[LarssonCrew]

I found the whole observing thing in China fairly pointless to be honest.

I've been observed by someone with six months experience when I have 6+ years. I'm licensed and it is ridiculous to have a teacher not understanding working in pairs or threes or some practical work to explain the point.

Also being observed by Chinese is absolutely pointless because they have no idea on the concepts of a western learning experience. Chinese learning consists of the teacher speaking and then randomly throwing questions out and saying 'bu cuo' a lot. They don't understand letting the students work in groups and exploring their own answers etc.

As for PD, I'd love to be paid to continuing further studies or something like that but PD is almost non existent in mainland China it seems. Maybe large language chains would allow people who are new to the game to learn some basic tips but for people with more than 2 or 3 years experience that is almost pointless.

[nimadecaomei]

Observing more experienced teachers is part of staff development, no?

[LarssonCrew]

But if you're the most experienced teacher where do you get feedback from? Someone who has been working for six months in education?

Also, a Chinese teacher who has been teaching for fifteen years probably still runs things the same way they did straight after college. Way too much teaching by them, almost no group work etc.

[ChrisHenry15]

[thechangling]