Job Discussion Forums

[Ellis]

I've been reading, with great interest, the numerous complaints printed in the teachers forum pages of the various online job services, and I am hardly amazed at the number of suckers there are among us. Even I -- certainly no spring chicken, and having been around the proverbial block more than a few times -- fell for that dream job defecation just last summer! Only, I'll make a small wager that MY loss went a bit further than that of the average dupe: (A) round-trip fares for two (USA-China), local taxi fares due to the remoteness of the school's locale, food, clothing, etc. ... all amounting to roughly $3,000;
(B) loss of a comfortable ESL position... loss of the apartment where we had resided for 9 years ... loss of my car, TV, and PC, etc., etc. And, what's more, we decided to abandon our new dream locale after only 9 DAYS following our arrival! Alas, all of that money and our prized possessions had gone to the bloody dogs ... all for that bloody dream job in faraway China!

Of course, since last summer, I've been kicking myself in my oversized derri�r ... so much so that my big toe is practically worn to the stump! But, when I'm more composed (which isn't all that often), I continue my ongoing investigation into WHY I, a seasoned veteran of the international ESL scene, could ever have been taken in by such promises of professional satisfaction. Is it my optimistic outlook on life? ... my high regard for and trust in my fellow man? ... my recognized penchant for adventure? ... or my ego which, unfortunately, we all have to support from time to time? Of course, such deeply objective inquiries, although very briefly considered, are hardly seriously entertained once the contract has been signed and the plane tickets are red hot and just begging to be used! No, at this time, negativism is hardly within the realm of reality. That dream job is awaiting us. We dream of it at night. We talk about it incessantly during the waking hours. We can even taste it! My God! How reason abandons us ... that is, until we are hit squarely in the head with a huge baseball bat! By then, it's usually too late to prevent at least a monetary loss, something which is especially tragic for ESL teachers, who are dangerously close to the bottom of the world's educational pay scales. Happily, not every ESL instructor working abroad will suffer the sorry circumstances I have described. Fortunately, the majority of us are fairing well, and enjoy acceptable relations with veracious and caring employers. It's just those nefarious hucksters who must gradually be weeded out of the system. Is it also that, in the face of today's circumstances, we cannot afford to place faith in ANYBODY's word -- that is, unless we have first conducted a thorough investigation of an employer's history, reputation, and objectives before ever signing away the next one or two years of our lives? In the final analysis, my thinking favors the creation of up-and-up, independent international investigatory committees, sponsored by both local governments and public and private ESL learning centers, to report and resolve any infractions of ethical business and/or educational practices. If, indeed, public and private ESL schools in the USA can be subjected to the constant upkeep of certain national standards of operation, why can't an INTERNATIONAL standard -- especially in developing countries -- be likewise established? I'm talking about a unified effort in each foreign country in which teachers from the west are regularly employed. After all, the students who come to the west to study are protected by numerous laws and professional codes of conduct. WHY can't this principal equally apply those of us who travel eastward to contribute to the betterment of English language learning?

Any ideas, folks? Thanks for your attention.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[kev7161]

I think it would be quite easy:

1) Each and every job around the world should have a written, government-approved contract - - - signed, sealed, stamped, and delivered. If a school and/or country doesn't offer contracts, then a reasonable sane person should never, ever accept a job there.

2) It is the burden of the foreign teacher to pore over their contract and ask questions before signing and accepting of the job. DON'T BE NAIVE and think that if someone says, "a computer and internet in your room? DON'T WORRY we'll take care of it!" - - - but if it is not in the contract in writing and you don't get that computer w/internet, then you shouldn't be allowed to complain about it (although I would and have). If you want certain considerations in your contract, then make sure they are there, written down. Contracts may not always be worth much, but ORAL contracts are even more worthless.

3) This so-called "international" watch dog committee should then be able to call foreign schools to the floor should they not honor all or portions of a contract. Also, schools should also have to have their websites looked over. When they say they are IN a certain town, then they should actually be IN that town, not 30 or 40 kms away! If they are that far away, it should be mandatory that they say so.

I remember last year before I came to China. I was trying to convince everyone who was tut-tutting over me on how this was going to be a wonderful, life-changing experience. I HAVE decided to stay for a second year for a variety of reasons, but I'm worried as to what I will say to my friends in August when I come home for a visit. Do I lie to them and tell them everything is peaches and cream? Or do I let them know the suck-y things about my new world (mixed with some of the good things, of course - - it's not ALL bad!)?

[Bindair Dundat]

Sorry about your loss, but it sounds as though you suckered yourself. You know there is no "dream job", and you know better than to bet all your chips on one number.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[kev7161]

Actually, I think it is naive to think that a school ANYWHERE in the world (even my good ol' USA) would completely honor oral agreements. I'm sure there are honest schools scattered across the globe but, quite frankly, I'd never take that risk. Maybe I'm naive, but I hope I'm not too gullible.

And, yes, I've been home since I came here (arrived in China last July, went home in January). Several people I know were vastly interested in my life (or at least pretended so): wanted to see pictures, some teacher friends insisted I come to their classrooms and regale their students with my escapades, oohed and ahhed over the gifts I brought. At that time, I was still pretty content here . . . what six months can do to a person!

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Bindair Dundat]