Job Discussion Forums

[kev7161]

Most of you know I work for a private school. The students live, eat, sleep and study (?) here. Today, in my last period, 9 of the about 25 students showed up for class. When I inquired of the attending students where the others might be, they told me three were in the nearby town to buy glasses (actually, only one was buying the glasses; the others were there for moral support, I guess), some were sleeping in their dorm rooms, and others were practicing their basketball - - gearing up for tonight's "big" game.

As it happened, their head teacher walked by and poked his head in. "Where are my students?" I asked. He professed ignorance and seemed like he was off to investigate the matter. But, he never returned. So, I told my students we were going on an expedition. We went downstairs to their homeroom and found three playing on the computer. We went to the department head's office to see what insights he could give us, but he was out. We went to the assistant department head's office and she was out. We found this classes Chinese English teacher and he had no idea what was going on. We went to the headteacher's office and he was nowhere to be found (it seems to me he supports the students skipping class to practice their b-ball in hopes that "his" class wins - - merit points to him!).

So, we went back to my classroom and talked about what we should do. Should I ban these students from coming to class and just be happy with a small class? Most seemed to agree with that. However, they said, there were three or four boys that were truly sick and should be allowed back into class. Later, I went to the basketball game and there were all my missing students - - even the "sick" ones.

Tonight I received a call telling me my classes are being rearranged tomorrow, as there is some sort of lecture or presentation the students must attend. So I have to teach a class tomorrow evening. I asked if the students will attend the class (it's actually a different group of kids). I then told him about today's missing students. He told me it happens to all of the teachers! I can only assume it is not that big of a deal. So, I'll continue to take role, make the students present a note before they come back to class (should they so desire to return), and pretend I'm still a teacher. I'm becoming a little jaded these days - - gosh, I had a similar post roughly six months ago about this very thing.

[Ludwig]

To answer your question: No, they (quite clearly) do not.

Many FTs on the Mainland do not seem able (let alone willing) to catch on to these (wholly destructive yet endlessly fascinating) aspects of Mainland 'culture'. They do not have timetabled English lessons to learn English. Rather, they have timetabled English lessons in order to have timetabled English lessons.

[Guest]

Kev7161

I think the secret to being happy living and working in China, is not to let things like this get to you! If you do, they add up and you find yourself being very unhappy here.

If you learn to "go with the flow" and not let these things get to you, you will be much happier - I can guarantee that.

Don't take it so much to heart - just try and accept the way things are done here and laugh it off as I do.

I do the very best job I can when I can, and I do not worry about changes in schedules, times, etc. etc. I often turn up for class and find that it has been cancelled due to the children having to practice for something or other, but it does not bother me.

I must admit that it took a few months to get used to, but now it is fine.

[anthyp]

Well, I think this illustrates one of the problems of working for private schools in China.

What I mean is that the schools will take the students over you any day. Laowai are a dime a dozen, there's always another scrub willing to take your place. All that matters is that the students keep paying.

Last term, I became rather annoyed when only 13 or so kids showed up for class out of around 35. I told the Monitor not to let it happen again, remarked on my displeasure to the head of my dept., and was not surprised to see the class more or less filled for the remainder of the term.

Private schools are like that anywhere, they will always take the students over you. Chinese universities certainly have terrible reputations, but at least public schools seem more inclined to keep you happy.

So, kev, I think it is fair to say that, no, your school doesn't really care all that much. Do you?

When you are getting to the point where you feel like you aren't really a teacher, it's time to ask yourself why you are where you are.

[kev7161]

I agree with Anthyp. I find myself caring less and less with each passing day (and we are only at the very beginning of the term!). I'm not frustrated enough to just up and quit my job. Besides, I'm too lazy to move. But I had already determined to move back to the US next summer. I'll probably find a summer job (away from Hangzhou!) next year in order to earn a chunk of cash before I head on home. I'm so used to the structure of public education back home that this "loosey-goosey" way of doing things is just wearing me down.

But, that's still 10 months away - - things could brighten before then. We'll see . . .

[amberrollins]

I wouldn't stress about it so much. The students know very well where they are and what they should be doing. I don't know how old your students are, but I don't think it's your responsibility to force them to go to class. If they are older than, say, eight years old, they are responsible enough to get to class themselves. If they don't go, hit them with the gradebook (metaphorically).

When I see that many of my students have chosen other options during my class, I announce that during this class they will be giving oral presentations - graded oral presentations. The students who are there get on their mobile phones and the class fills up within about 10 minutes.

[kev7161]

The biggest problem with missing students is this:

We take about 3 or 4 weeks to go through a unit. A unit consists of new vocabulary words, grammar lessons, oral conversations, performing scripted dialogues, pronunciation, reading aloud and reading comprehension, workbook exercises, and a couple other activities. A student missing one or even two classes is not going to be hurt too much when it comes to test time. The student who misses every other class will fail the test. Usually after a test, we will take a break for a couple of classes and play games or listen to music or watch a DVD before moving on to the next unit. I don't want those frequently absent students to be able to stroll in for the "fun" classes and be able to miss the "work" classes with no consequences. Also, they will receive a failing grade. IF my grade even means that much in the big picture, who will be blamed for that low grade? The absentee student or the foreign teacher who, it seems, can't control his students and can't teach his way out of a paper bag?

I'm 43 years old. I've been in the work force for over 25 years. I've always taken pride in my work, from bussing tables to managing a video store to teaching. I hate to go through my last year here in China just not caring (and, truth be told, I DO care about my students . . . mostly . . . there are just those few that I view as rich, spoiled losers). This may just be a slump I'm going through. The holiday is coming soon; I may recharge then.

[ilunga]

Kev, you should know by now what a joke private schools are in China.

I got told today that the dinner organised for this evening for the foreign teachers with the FAO, Principal and other school bigwigs was to be at 5pm (???).
I said to my boss 'that's nice but I've a class until 5:30'
"Yes, we're meeting at 5:00' she says
I finally get my message across and she says 'you can teach the class another time' Then she recommends sunday morning. Erm.....don't think so bonzo. So I agree to do it on monday morning.
5pm comes (25 mins ago) and I head down to meet everyone only to be told 'oh, we're leaving at 5:30'
So I could have taught the class rather than spending the last 45 mins bumming around in the office.
Couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery!

[Roger]

[quote="amberrollins"]I wouldn't stress about it so much. The students know very well where they are and what they should be doing. I don't know how old your students are, but I don't think it's your responsibility to force them to go to class. If they are older than, say, eight years old, they are responsible enough to get to class themselves. If they don't go, hit them with the gradebook (metaphorically).

When I see that many of my students have chosen other options during quote]


Maybe you will think me arrogant, but I have to say it in your face3: you are dead wrong, matey! Of course, the students DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY STAND on their academic ladder! They are totally clueless - and you are supposed to be guiding and leading them on!
And it's your bloody duty to check who is ABSENT, and those who are absent must hand in a valid excuse!
Maybe your employer never told you this, but all CHinese techers have to check on their students - so why not you???
Presence amounts to good behaviour, and that in itself warrants a reward - though not from me!

You can be forgiven for your naivete, but you should not dish out such nonsensical advice. I for example found out in my very first week at a normal school ten years ago that the teacher alone is RESPONSIBLE for students' absences or presence. If a student can flunk classes, he or she won't be punished - the teacher might!

I asked then my expat colleagues how they handled this, and they said they did roll-calls every time!
And yes, every time, EVERY TIME, someone is missing, seldom for an acceptable reason!
"I had to go to the doctor!" - "Ah, so then, can you bring me your doctor's prescription or his name card?" - "Sorry, I lost them..."

As a matter of fact, our students here have to write an excuse that will be verified by the university administration; if accepted, they will stamp it. The stamped excuse only is acceptable to me!
Still, lots of students fail to come, and when I call up their names it's deadly silent; later someone comes to tell me "Sir, student No. 432 is absent today... she had some urgent business to do." Sorry, she has no excuse.

Then again, today this girl came up to me to inform me she was going to be absent during two lessons in October! Marvelous! She knew she was going to be absent in 2 to 3 weeks' time...
Why?
Because she is going to do a practical job as a guide-interpreter at the Canton Trade Fair.
She chatted with me for a while, and I decided to accept her excuse: she is not doing this for the money but "to gain insight in how foreigners do business with CHinese".

[struelle]

Hey Kev,

Not sure if you began the term or class with a hard set of rules, but if you get a new class in future, I strongly suggest this.

Make it clear to the students from Day 1 that this is my class, these are my rules, and you're going to do what I ask you. Include absenteeism and lateness within the set of rules, and crack down at the beginning.

This may be tough, but then just take a look at the utterly ridiculous and vague excuses that students make for not showing up to class. "It's raining", or "I have something urgent to do", or "I need to buy glasses" to name a few.

In my classes, I do this at the beginning, but if it still fails to work, then I tell them this (true) story:

"I have taught here for 3 years and have never been late for a class. <gasp> Awhile back, I used to live in Jiading <big gasp>, a suburb of Shanghai, and it can take up to 2 hours to get here One Saturday morning the traffic was really bad. I left at 6:30am, thinking there would be plenty of time. Well, at 8:45am, we were still stuck in a massive traffic jam, at least 1km away from the school. The taxi driver kept saying, "Oh, just relax", but I jumped out of the cab and ran the rest of the way. I arrived at 8:58am, just 2 minutes before class. So if I can make these effort to be here, I expect no less from you.

Everytime I tell this story, it solves the tardiness problem. But I try and do it sparingly!

Steve

[laodeng]

Roger, I go one step further. First of all, I remind them I have not been given the authority to grant leaves. Second, I require that any request for an excused absence be written in English on school letterhead, with the usual chop and the signature of someone nominally in authority. This latter requirement of mine came about after I realized that the students could get any old non-English-speaking person in the Foreign Languages Department to put a chop on one of their flimsy excuses.

This is not winning me personality contests, but at least I have a clear-cut policy to fall back on. And this is saving me a lot of grief.

[Ludwig]

[Ace]

I've only called the roll occasionally, in case the school thought I was a slacker...but I've never had a problem with absenteeism; I expect every student to be absent once a term...I usually end up with one sick day...when I call the roll it's always 43-44 out of 45 or 46...that's fine by me.

A computer teacher friend at the last school told me he always lets his students know that if they have something more important to do, they needn't come to class. Mind you, at the same college, a student-friend sat CET for another student (and failed! his speaking is great though) and yesterday another student told me that at a 'make-up' (forget the subject) test, he had his text-book out and the teacher in charge quietly told him to be more discreet, so he put it on his lap...
A new teacher friend told me that it's definitely a mistake to fail students, certainly not too many and not more than the once (about Y40 for the make-up test, a lot more if they fail twice...)

I think the Chinese concept of 'face' is involved...

Actually they'd probably manage a piss-up in a brewery quite well if they didn't have to plan it...they're terribly resourceful...things get done; they just don't get done very well. It's the land of the amateur isn't it!

[Talkdoc]

...

[Sinobear]

I was a fanatic about attendance at my old place of employment. Each lesson was needed to understand the next. The biggest problem I had was students telling their parents that the teacher was bad and that's why they failed. It was great waving the attendance sheet in front of their faces and asking, "How would you know if I'm bad if you've missed 90% of the classes?"
Talkdoc, you're lucky to have the support of your dean. Many schools will place the blame for a student's failure on the teacher...that's why a lot of teachers have gone the path of least resistance...pass everyone.