Job Discussion Forums

[Sechelt]

If you're looking at the High School or Elementary program, they're so-so. Yes, the salary is high. However, it comes at a high cost. Teachers are not well-treated at Maple Leaf. Most of the administrators are only interetested in $$$ and power. They frequently offer 'suggestions' to individual teachers- even not relating to teaching itself. Take the example of the teacher, who was told his clothing was not appropriate for the school- he was wearing a traditional Chinese shirt at the time. Imagine that: a teacher wearing a traditional Chinese shirt, in a predominately Chinese populated school, in China, being told it was not appropriate!!! Makes you wonder about the real reason he was targeted.
Or, how about the teacher who was told he wasn't a "team player," so he would not be invited back next year (his second of a two-year contract). He had lost both parents this school year. So, you can imagine how he felt at this slight. To add salt to the wound, he was told a few days later, he was only being tested and could stay! Oh, by the way: his classes are the top-performers in the department. I guess maybe he isn't such a bad teacher, afterall.
The High School ESL Program is much worse. Just about EVERYONE thinks of the director as a tyrant. You see, he knows absolutely nothing about education. So, in order to make himself look better, he attacks others. In the process, of course, he loses even more 'face,' instead of saving it. The foreign teachers are never directly confronted, he's too much of a coward for that. However, if you get into his bad books (which is apparently easy to do), he'll use whatever means available to isolate you and eventually fire you. Take the example of the teacher who was accused of mis-treating his students and not being culturally-sensitive. Well, after he was fired in January, his students couldn't figure it out- they really liked him. Since he apparenly doesn't respect Chinese culture, I wonder why he has a Chinese girlfreind (actually, they just got engaged).
Oh, but it doesn't stop there. The Chinese teachers are treated like dirt (especially in the ESL department). The director likes to keep constant tabs on his staff, wanting to know what they are doing and when. Heaven forbid if they happen to be in the washroom, when he sticks his head in the teachers' office. The worst example of this heathen's offensive behaviour happened last week, when he summoned one of his subjects to his office and actually told her to get an abortion!!! It seems he's leaving the department and wants her to take over. So, what's more important: being a leader or being a mother???
I realise this may sound like a rant. And, I suppose it is. But, I want to warn any and all who are thinking about applying to Maple Leaf, to re-consider. The salary may be good, but it just isn't worth it. That's why I'm moving on (as most teachers do, as soon as they can- Canadian and Chinese).
As I mentioned, the ESL head is leaving the department and going to the Middle School. If his replacement is the current #2 guy, he won't be much better.
Sechelt

[cj750]

Not long ago I went to Ka Fa Qu (sp) and met some of the teachers from both the high school and the grammer school who told me the same thing. Their complants was that some teachers are paid much more than other teachers with the majority of difficult teaching being paid the least. What they said was there were two types of teachers there. The ones who can afford to play golf and the ones who have to make do on lesser pay. They also told me that the schools leaders often make them invent grades so that the students can pass and that the school is only interested in money. What I found undesirable is the location with the foundry smack dab in the middle of the city and with Dalian moving all activity to this area it will not be a good place to live. Also crime is high in this area because of all the factories and workers from other areas being brought in to work. When I was there the local workers were very rude. A lot of the teachers I know from this school have told me they will move on.

[Sechelt]

I get the feeling you talked with Chinese teachers, not Canadian. There is, as you can imagine, a discepency between the salaries of Chinese and Canadian (foreign) teachers- as there is at all schools. However, there is very little discrepency in salary within each group. In fact, the differences are accounted for by years of service, not course load. As for having time for golf and other activities- the teachers have almost identical working hours (within each group). Again, no discrepency. However, as with salary, yes there is a difference in hours which must be spent at the school. As with many schools, the Chinese teachers work very long hours: roughly 7:15 am to 5:00 pm every day (often, they can leave at 4:00 on Fridays).
As I said in my initial posting, the Chinese teachers are treated like dirt- slaves, in fact. In addition to the above, they are expected to teach 2 to 3 evening study periods per week; frequently on weekends and complete enough paperwork to wallpaper the entire Great Wall (something certain school administrators might actually want teachers to do. Afterall, they have nothing better to do with their time.). There are many more things the Chinese teachers are subjected to by the Chinese administrators. However, there is neither enough time, nor space to list them all. I will say this: most of what the Chinese teachers must endure, is virtually unheard of in other schools in China. Another reflection of Maple Leaf not really being a school.
Sechelt

[cj750]

No, it was a teacher from Canada and he did admit that they had not invited him. But your right I do know some Chinese teachers who have complaned about treatment.