Job Discussion Forums

[gengrant]

I am withdrawing my posts on this topic.

[Roger]

I am sure you forgot to mention dessert!

[gengrant]

I am withdrawing my posts on this topic.

[Roger]

"What can I say?"
And then: a mega-rant! OK, OK, some folks see it that way! But you surely come across as a terribly disgrunteld short-fused chimneysweep on medication!

I certainly feel solidarity with other FTs who enjoy less than stellar working conditions here; but the problems you described are nothing unusual.
And your post wasn't exactly informative!
A little flattery and an attempt at being nice to your former employer would have gone a long way in enhancing your credit with readers!

Just one 3example: "5.5 days" of weekly working - why is that unbearable for you? We normally compare weekly HOURS in CLASS!

[gengrant]

I am withdrawing my posts on this topic.

[vikdk]

[gengrant]

I am withdrawing my posts on this topic.

[Sgt Killjoy]

This school sounds a good nominee to enter a blacklist like TeflWatch. I know there has to be plenty of good schools in China, but these kind of institutes always have bad reports.

[Roger]

OK, gangrent, I see a bit clearer now. Had you only posted in that vein at the beginning...explaining that you are a family man, for example!

You see, you omitted from your rant the legitimate considerations of your employer. Few of them are dealing with foreign married couples. Has it crossed your mind that Chinese work under much worse conditions, and they all end up being a family?

I still think your school doesn't deserve such a bad review! It does make sense posting your personal impressions here - but your employer is not bad, compared to really bad ones we all know.

One last thing: the majority of white FTs are a special crowd that doesn't really inspire a lot of respect or trust - just ask around and you will hear! They would not spend their spare time with "family" but try to find other jobs and make more moneyh.

That's not what we are supposed to do - even though some of our employers - including mine - allow us to do that.

Suffice to say this sort of opportunistic thinking is widely resented... hence extra control measures such as office hours...

[Mr. Kalgukshi]

I've just deleted two postings for being personal attacks and insults. I've also warned (final warning) the member involved. If the personal attacks and insults continue, there will be no more warnings. We will move directly to the next level.

[kev7161]

This is another good example of what to do before taking a job:

1. Ask questions.
2. Ask questions.
3. Visit the teaching site if you can and . . . ask questions!

I can certainly sympathize with the OP and anyone that has to deal with a bad situation, many of us have been down that road once or twice. However, I have to wonder (to the OP) if you were aware of the 5.5 days of work (as well as having to be there all day) before you took the job or was this something that was sprung on you after you started working (and, for that matter, were these "office" hours - - sounds to me about 40 hours a week - - even mentioned in your contract?)? If your contract doesn't give a specific amount of hours (including those forced "party" hours), then why should you feel obliged to work them? What does the micro-manager say when you inquire about these unexpected hours?

Were you aware of the fact that you'd have to pay for your own medical exam, visa, etc. before you took the job or was this another surprise from the school? How about housing and taxes (if you'll read one of my other posts, I mentioned how last year my school surprised me about taxes. I was a little put off, the school covered me for the duration of my current contract - - next contract they won't do this, now that I know.)?

My point is to anyone reading this thread is, if it's in the contract and you willingly signed the contract AND you asked a bunch of questions beforehand to satisfy your concerns, then I feel there's not much room for complaint in that regard. Of course, the actual classroom situations (teaching materials, resources, type of students, etc.) is something you can almost never anticipate before actually being in the situation.

[vikdk]

[gengrant]

I am withdrawing my posts on this topic.

[fallon77]

Gengrant:

Thanks for the info. I interviewed at MKC and was impressed by the facility, etc. The head teacher promised me the moon. But something didn't seem right. The pay was far too low for what they wanted in terms of hours. I make far less at my current job, but in terms of pay-per-hour I make more than I would have at MKC.

Your post confirmed my ideas about this school. Sorry you had a rough time.

Cheers,
Fallon

[Roger]

gangrent,
your last post has finally cleared the fogs here. If you had said right from the start that they misled you about the nature of your employment or their school, I for one would have agreed in toto with you.
Kindergartens are not schools although the CHinese misrepresent them as such. Kindies require special teachedrs with special training; often they resort to hiring primary school subject teachers because they do the parents bidding, which is to give the kids a "head start" in education - teaching 4 or 5-year olds what primary school kids ought to study in grade on or grade 2. This is nefarious and has a number of negative consequences for the child. the sooner they stop this practice the better for the kids.

FTs can do a good job in Chinese kindies - but they ought to be allowed to follow the9ir professional conscience.
Teacxhiung at kindies requires skills you do not often need at school. These skills you have either honed over time after training, or you are naturally endowed with them.
Buit a foreign teacher ought to be allowed to make a choice whether he wants to work in a kindergarten or not.

Thank you for bringing this up!