Job Discussion Forums

MES · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 24

In over 4yrs here I've never had what I would call a dud job. Here's a few of 'em:

ALTEC (GZ): Business English, 4-5000/mth for about 60hrs, the usual benefits, was a good wet-your-feet job, no major probs, some traveling req. though.

Hong Xin (GZ): Adult general & business Eng, 250/90min class, decent English-speaking boss, no major probs, some classrooms like shoe boxes though.

Zhong Kai College (GZ): IELTS prep, 450/3hr class, one or two shifty staff members & 40-80 Ss/class though.

New Oriental (GZ): IELTS prep, 180/hr, no major problems.

EF (GZ): Business Eng, 180/hr, great facilities, no major probs.

Huang Jin (GZ): Kindies, 250/hr, bilingual assistants, early starts though.

I'm currently working at a training centre in Dongguan, Guangdong, and have a pretty good deal: 30% kids & 70% adult classes, around 20hrs/wk in arvos & evenings, modern 3 bed apartment 3 mins walk away, 10k/mth, the usual frustrations though, e.g. different level Ss in same class, some facilities in poor condition, profit over quality motto at ALL times.

Anyway, I decided enough lurking on this forum...time for some input. There ARE decent places to work in China. One tip:

If you're the best teacher they've ever had, you'll have FAR greater bargaining power when it's needed. And it WILL be needed!

Cheers.

laodeng · Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 481

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

MES · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 24

Well, there're some "universally-accepted" teaching manuals out there if you need a definition Roger. Of course, "good" teachers know how to, among many other things, adapt themselves to each new job and situation. I do what I'm asked within reason. I have no qualms about refusing to do anything I think is unreasonable or ridiculous, such as:

A 2.5hr round trip in an unairconditioned sardine can for a 90 min class

Teaching 50 hyperactive kids in a room so small the only free space is a 1m strip in front of the w/board

Using materials that are riddled with typos and uncommon English

Working with a "bilingual" TA who can't even respond to "Hi, how are you?", and my list could go on.

Yes, I often have a vastly different opinion on how things should be done. Sometimes I get my way, sometimes I don't, sometimes we compromise. Surely you'd agree, though, that the better you are (at anything) the more chance you have of getting what you want.

Cheers

Ludwig · Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:10 am Post subject:

Thank you for listing the (6) good places to work as a FT in China.

MES · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 24

No worries. Of course, I can't say if all these places are STILL good though.

Ludwig · Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:13 am Post subject:

I should perhaps point out that I was being sarcastic.

Never mind.

2 over lee · Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 9:44 pm Post subject: good schools

ACE Education, www.ace-edu.com. 19,000 RMB a month, free accom.

Also Metro and LCCI, �training�, centres in Shanghai pay 200 RMB an hour.

All the above are good as in I saved money and now am in Buenos Aires!

cmoseley · Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 299 Location: Touring

2 over lee · Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:18 am Post subject: to mosley

No Mr Mosley I think that was just you. I put the website here incase someone wanted to check it out, to my knowledge the ACE job is the highest paying�gig�on the mainland.
They may not hire much staff until July/ August.

�?�?��-that means I�m really in Buenos Aires, but in no way is meant as a beep you.

cimarch · Joined: 12 Jun 2003 Posts: 358 Location: Dalian

Actually it does, looks like someone's hacked it or else they were reeeeaaaalllyyy bored. the index links are "rubbish", "beep you" and "change the password".

peggiescott · Joined: 20 Mar 2004 Posts: 162

I agree with MES. I'm happy with my school. They have never tried to cheat me, I'm paid early, I like my fellow teachers (Chinese and foreign) and I like the students. I teach at a public college and have regular vacations, was paid for the summer and have my own apartment, which is larger, btw, than the last apartment I lived in in the states. Are there some problems? Of course there are some problems, this is still planet Earth, for G*d's sake!!

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

It still looks supsiciously like this MES person is trying to recruit teachers for some outfits, most of which I know, and in my view, none of them deserves a glowing review. Not that I would burn them down either.
But they certainly don't need, nor even deserve, to be ennobled by having someone put laurel wreaths on their heads. They are doing business, and they don't want you to teach but to be their white face.
And, lest anyone be fooled, there aren't that many vacancies at the moment. The general feedback from various similar recruiters and agents is that there are no jobs right now; this type of feedback came to others as well as to me.
this also means that those training centres that farm you out (illegally, as we know), have the upper hand in dedciding how much they pay you!

2 over lee · Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2004 2:18 pm Post subject: yea

Ok, they seem to have changed websites, you know that always happens in China. look for ACE through this link, www.northern-consortium.ac.uk.

They do an Internaional Foundation Year in China, its disorganised on the British and Chinese sides, but well paid, so f.u.c.k you guys.

The original post was supposed to be of some help!!

wowzers · Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 45 Location: Guangzhou

Gee Roger are we in the same city?

Jobs are still being offered. You can call the agencies by any name you like "illegal" or otherwise.
The fact is they pay on time and they pay relatively well.
If these agencies are able to sign contracts with Chinese public schools then I question how "illegal" they are.
The government is paying them to provide teachers, like many things here, there is the official line and the reality.

Then there are the tutoring jobs going unfilled. Good families, good pay!

It seems to me you just want to keep others away from your marketplace.