Job Discussion Forums

[frank d]

There is a recent job posting seeking foreign teachers for Nasdaken International English (trainng school) in Nanjing. As someone who has worked there twice (as a part-time teacher), I suggest other foreign teachers should consider any FT contract with them very carefully. The foreign teacher's office is quite small, and just as of 3 weeks ago, it was being shared by 18 part-time and 3 full time foreign teachers! (Two of the FT's recently left). The office is glass and therefore offers NO privacy for the foreign teachers to prepare their classes peacefully (for FT's usually 5-6 classes a day). There are only three working computers in the office with unreliable internet service. All the Chinese staff have their own private work desk with individual computers, but the foreign teachers must share one very small, cramped area. Teaching materials are often missing, or never existed in the first place. Nasdaken offers several advanced levels of classes that have NO teaching materials.

The Nasdaken managers have little or no English ability and their understanding of how to work effectively woth foreigners is also quite low. Foreign teachers are kept completely "out of the loop" by the school, and only told to do something on short notice and with minimal information. The head teacher is often used as a messager by the managers to deliver bad news (salary reduction, special class, etc.) to the other foreign teachers.

They talk about salary bonuses in the contract (and the ad), but teachers usually tell me the school becomes very creative in finding ways to avoid such salary bonuses. The critieria for evaluating and rewarding the bonus changes monthly. I could go on and on about the various problems foreign teachers face on a daily basis as Nasdaken.

If you consider a contract with them, I advise you to ask LOTS of questions and get as much clarity as you can about any aspects of the job (and living arrangements) that concern you.

They are offering 6000-6500 RMB per month. As I understand it, this salary will be for about 25 (or more) classes per week. You will also be expected to do several "oral assessment" evaluations per week for students who are changing their course level. Demo classes for perspective students are also frequently requested.

It was standard when I came to Nanjing in 2003 for training schools here to automatically offer 8000RMB to teachers with or without teaching experience (plus 1000-1500RMB housing allowance). The ad boasts that Nasdaken is in the "tallest building in Nanjing," and that many of the student clients are business people with high incomes. So tell me why are the salaries going down more and more each year in Nanjing?

[asianbizarre]

Frank--thanks for taking the time and being considerate enough to sound the alarm

[Susie]

PUBLIC LECTURE from the Department of Chinese, & Faculty of
Education.

"Nanjing to North Carolina"

Friday 16 June 2006, 5 - 7 pm
Theatre P4, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Building

Speaker:
Cmdr. Gavin Menzies R.N.(retd.)
author "1421 -The Year China Discovered the World�
Dr Siu Leung Lee
owner of the Imperial Medal of Emperor Xuan De

Background Information
Gavin Menzies' controversial book, "1421, the Year China Discovered
the World", published in November 2002, challenged the conventional
history that the "New World" was "discovered" by European explorers.
He suggests that the seven voyages of Admiral Zheng He, and a fleet
from China, may have arrived in America at least 70 years before
Columbus and in Australia 250 years before Cook.

His ideas have provoked strong criticism from academics, and
attracted the interest of the media and support from the general public.
One supporter is Beijing map collector Liu Gang. After reading
Menzies' book, published in Chinese in early 2005 he realised he
might own an important artefact: a 1763 copy of a 1418 world map
showing features that could only have been gathered by Zheng He and
other Chinese explorers. The map was publicly unveiled in January
2006.

On Friday Gavin Menzies will describe the 1418/1763 map, in
particular its depiction of the Roanoke River. The first European
explorers there found Chinese settlements, and George Washington
and friends found a Chinese junk when they drained the nearby Great
Dismal Swamp.
In nearby North Carolina the centrepiece of Friday' s session, a 7cm
diameter brass medal of Emperor Xuan De, was unearthed.
Dr Siu Leung Lee, its owner, lives in Columbus, Ohio and was once a
critic of Menzies, he will describe how his researches caused him to
change his mind.

We aim to provide a forum for open and respectful discussion of the
issues raised in the book "1421", in the context of broadening thought
about conventional wisdom, and of the New Senior Secondary School
Liberal Studies Curriculum.

Please join us on Friday June 16th at 5pm to hear the latest chapter
in this fascinating and challenging story. An exhibition of relevant
posters, a video and access to the 1421 website will be on view,
refreshment will be served.

Dr. Jeffrey Richard Day, Associate Professor,
Head, Science, Mathematics & Computer Education Division
Faculty of Education

[chengdude]

[HunanForeignGuy]

Chengdudude raises some good issues albeit only at the end of his message.

Indeed, from my own experience, Nanjing salaries have really tanked, particularly compared to the salaries in the other parts of the province. Salaries in Wuxi, for example, are much and can easily reach double those in Nanjing, if a FT has the courage to push the envelope enough.

Nonetheless, there may be a correction occuring here because while there is an oversupply of FTs in Nanjing at the moment, many, particurlarly those who do their homework, are refusing to pick up on these RMB 3500 a month jobs, and as a result, there is a glut of advertising for these lower-end jobs in Nanjing all the Internet and with recruiters.

And my God, Nanjing can be quite cold in the winter, without central heating, and hot as all h*ll in the summer months. Still it's a great city with a lot of history.

All the best,


HFG

[bdawg]