Job Discussion Forums

rossttuedu · Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 66 Location: Tianjin

So I have been teaching at my primary school for almost two weeks now. I have finally found my groove in the school and things are going great. The kids are learning and we are having a great time in the process. After every class I ask the teaching assistant (chinese english teacher) how the class went and if I need to do something different. They have always told me that I teach well and all I hear from them is compliments. Today I got a call from my boss at the agency saying that I am getting bad feedback from the primary school and need to go and watch some of the other FTs teach this Thursday to see how they do it "correctly" i guess.

The whole time I have been teaching at this school I have been told to my face that I am doing a great job. Then these chinese coworkers of mine go over my head and rat me out to my boss for apparently not being an effective teacher. I mean whats the deal with the two face coworkers I have? Is this a china-foreigner thing?

As long as the kids are learning and having fun I will probably continue doing the same routine. I am certain I know which TA it was. I am considering asking her what the deal is tomorrow morning. Last Friday she brought one of her friends to the teachers lounge and explained that her friend wanted me to tutor her daughter in English becuase she wants her to go to America for High School. I told her that I probably would not be able to because I was very busy both during the week and the weekend. Now this week she thinks I am a bad teacher.... bleh....

-Waiting for the Weekend-

Areut · Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 48

I am sorry to hear what is going on. Maybe you should have a talk with the TA�s and the boss and see what is really going on.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

I never get visits to my class and I rarely get any feedback. Sometimes I long for a little attention, but they seem to think I'm doing just swell. As for the OP and anyone else reading this who may have similar situations, here's a suggestion. Since a lot of these TAs seem to talk out of both sides of their mouths, why not draw up a small, simple form that they can check off and sign and date. Just 3 or 4 criteria, for example:

1. Teacher's lessons are lively and the students seem to find them interesting.

___ Excellent ____ Very good _____ Needs improvement

2. Students respond well to teacher and many seem eager to participate.

___ Excellent ____ Very good _____ Needs improvement

. . . that sort of thing. Maybe leave a couple lines at the bottom for comments/suggestions. Doesn't have to be a whole laundry list, but make sure the TA does sign it then, hey, make a copy for him/her and keep one for yourself. This way, when those "complaints" come in you've CYA. Granted, none of us should HAVE to do these sort of things and, quite frankly, there should already be an evaluation form like this provided by the school so there's no question about your performance. Maybe that would be too organized though . . . you think?

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

Don't be too concerned. You made the TA lose face because she probably promised her friend you'd do the tutoring. Remember the Chinese HAVE TO win in any situation and this time she didn't.

You might consider

1. Groveling with an apology.
2. Offering to do the tutoring, but at a high hourly rate.
3. Having the Tong put a lean on her. (They tend to lean very hard.)

abusalam4 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 143

[quote="brsmith15"]Don't be too concerned. You made the TA lose face because she probably promised her friend you'd do the tutoring.
You might consider

1. Groveling with an apology.
quote]

No, I do not agree at all. Teaching Assistants are not superiors to this foreign teacher, and if she/he wants a favor from the foreign teacher, she has to ask first. If she did not and lostn her face (diu mianzi), it is her business and fault alone. She may be the person to apologise to the foreign teacher.

May advice: See the boss, explain everything and ask him to clarify the matter. In the worst case, ask for another TA to be assigned to you.
I would not want to work with a TA who is taking decisions in private matters above my head. And I would not simply tolerate it and make this very clear to the school and to her! No other waqy, otherwise they gonna squeeze you over and over again, and you MUST NOT allow it!

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Um, this happens with about 20% of South Korean co=teachers in the public school system. I haven't had this happen here in China to me, but maybe I'm lucky.

When you can't or don't want to teach a private student then offer ond show them how to self study on the internet.

Show them sites like http://www.stonesoup.com/

http://www.topics-mag.com/

Sgt Killjoy · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 438

I like the idea of a weekly checkoff form for the TA. It sounds like a good idea. It should end the complaints as long as the teacher truly cares about the feedback received.

cj750 · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing

roadwalker · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1750 Location: Ch

If you weren't getting any constructive criticism, you should stop asking for it.

There are several possibilities: maybe you were right that this is payback. On the other hand the TA's may have actually thought that there is something wrong with your methods but either they were too shy to say so to your face, or didn't know how to express it in English.

You said yourself that the kids were learning (two weeks is a short time, though) and seem to enjoy the class. You are probably doing a good or great job. Play the game, if that is what it is, and check out the other FTs. You might learn a few things you can use. But in the end go with what works for you. And don't tutor anyone's kid unless you really want to or need the money that badly.