Job Discussion Forums

[china_gurl]

Many of you may have noticed my post asking for help finding a teacher. Well, here's the news. I found two teachers. Good teachers. Canadian teachers. One is a brand newbie but is exactly like I was when I came here. The other is a seasoned pro with other experience in the peace corps or something like that. You'd think the school would be excited and happy that I've gone ahead and *FREE OF CHARGE* found them two outstanding people to teach their students.

Here's the thing: I went to Canada for 2 weeks. When I came back, I found this guy living in the apartment next to mine. An African guy, which in and of itself is ok. That said, I took him to lunch today and he *DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING*!! Hey, I'm all for my students being exposed to people whose first language is not English. Realistically, if they're going to go abroad, they'll run into people like that. However, if you don't understand the language, how the frig can you teach it?!

Not only that, but it's compromised my position in promising these other two teachers jobs. The school it seems may be unwilling to take on 4 foreign teachers.

The school would rather lose the African foreign teacher than lose me, am I right? This is my second year with said school.

Does anyone have any advice for me?! I'd appreciate it, sure.

[Michael T. Richter]

[wiggy]

good reply and advice, michael.

[MyTurnNow]

[wanderlust1066]

Typical Chinese standards of employment, then.........

[jianzhou65]

I am really surprise those school do hire chinese or other races but from the States, I am a singaporean chinese who speaks good english which is my first language when we study in schools and some putonghua. I have been reject umpteen times from many schools coz i am not from a english native speaking countries. but currently and luckily i am now employ to teach conversational english in a small language school in quanzhou run by a malaysian chinese who gave me this opportunity to teach, but what really upsets me is those schools employ those guys just becoz they are from states .... I am trying to find a teaching job in xiamen but got rejected coz I am not from a native speaking country .. what a load of crap.... I am trying to get into a govt funded school to teach english which I think it is more suitable for me..but unfortunately...

[Roger]

Yes, hiring and firing in China... a storybook full of surprising ancecdotes, mishaps, misunderstandings, quixotic decisions...
China-gurrl, sorry to hear about your troubles but I personally never feel I want to help a Chinese school hire someone from outside unless they give me carte blanche!
Maybe they wanted the hiring to be done by an expat herself when in fact it's always a Chinese that's pulling the strings.
Don't forget - laowai cannot "lose their faces".

[Roger]

and then, there was this clown wanderlust with his/her contribution again:
Sorry, mate, but if you knew about the hiring scandals in Hong Kong of the last 3 years you wouldn't be posting such nonsense on this forum!

Native English speaking ethnic Chinese British citizens rejected because of HK prejudices, lack of professionalism in the Education Department.... et j'en passe, mon vieux!

[Michael T. Richter]

[wOZfromOZ]

Michael

yo the man.......................spot on pal!

wOZfromOZ

[Wolf]

Agreed. We have learned at the feet of a master. Something to meditate upon . . . in a good way.

[roaming kiwi]

Yeah, but...

It's complete bullsheeeet that we have to lower our standards just because we've been hired to look good for the leaders of our respective schools.

Dammit, I work in a department whose teachers can barely converse in English unless ...I.....slow.....it.....right....down....and....use.....simple....words....arrggghhhhh!

They want to speak English - why do we have to just grin and bear it just because our colleagues can't even speak it, let alone teach it effectively. Surely it's our obligation to stop them massacring (intentional spelling mistakes - I'm tired!) our language.

I suggest you people sit in and observe your colleagues. I'll be really pleased to hear that a native Chinese person is actually able to teach effectively. So far, what I have observed is frightening. It wouldn't be so bad if I was in a university, but since I'm in a teachers college - they are churning out badddd English usage in bucket-fulls.

I agree with Michael that it's important not to let a job rule your life. But while you're at the coal face dealing with the butchering of your mother-tongue, why not go in with guns blazing and clean up your joint!

If we all start sorting out our own patches, we may actually affect some sort of change. Why not at least try?

Dammit, you've been speaking English for...how many years now? You've got some sort of authority to help in teaching it effectively.

Or maybe I'm too tired...too many china-moments, too many china-surprises...too much chinese-logic (the holy trinity).

I bought a hottie today (6 kuai) - I'm going to test it now! (for you non-kiwis, it's a hot-water bottle)

Good night

[wOZfromOZ]

Kiwi

I know what you mean. I started an IELTS class on Monday night with 5 of the college teachers in it. It soon became apparent (after 50 minutes)that the students taught by the foreign teachers had higher levels of comprehension than their Chinese teachers. The Chinese teachers disappeared after the first break!! - great - My class then became 8!

Apparently only 8 turned up on night 2 - THE WRITING NIGHT!!

I wonder how many will be there for speaking tonight?

BTW - That Ielts listening tape and accompanying text is quite difficult.

wOZfromOZ

[arioch36]

I hate teaching IELTS!! Oops, that's the wrong thread. But it seems so much a sham, especially the oral IELTS. 10-15 minutes when we all know the tester makes up their mind in the first 30 seconds.

Back to the real thread, that has bugged me. I am the only native speaker at my school right now. Last year, I was at a nice school. They want another teacher for the Spring. I had been in contact with this guy from the states, a teacher there, and a year or two in China. He wanted to come in time to get SARS. I tell my FAO. The next day my FAO says...have you ever heard of a countru called camera, cameroon. I said, yeah that's close, it's Cameroon. He said, "do they speak english there?" I said, "It's possible, if the British invaded and conquered for long enough. talk to them on the phone"

FAO said, "I did, but I couldn't understand her. Could you talk to her?"

SO much for my qualified guy from the states.

But if you think Canadians will work for cheap (Oops, sorry, go Maple Leafs) People from other countries will work for even cheaper. Unfortunately, often the botom line.

[Wolf]