Job Discussion Forums

dawnbuckley · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 68

Hi,

I am thinking of going to China and have my CV posting on a couple of sites. I've been getting the usual sort of offers but have just got one that was a bit different. It is from a recruiter called Channel Education and the job is teaching philosophy is a hight school. Has anyone heard of Channel Education? And teaching philosophy??? My degree is in philosophy (can't remember any of it) but I don't know if I would be able to teach it. Has anyone had an offer like this before?

Thanks,

Dawn

TreKidation · Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 108

How long ago did you study and receive your degree in philosophy that you can't remember any of it? I've never heard of "Channel Education." Can you provide a site/link?

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Never heard of them. But i can asure you, any philosophy course in China, especilly at a high school, will need no extra qualifications. A Basket -weaving degree will suffice. No exxageration

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

Maybe it's this

Kaplan Enters Strategic Partnership with Beijing New Channel Education"We are delighted that Kaplan has chosen to work with New Channel, and look forward to working together to bring language education in China to the next ...
www.kaplan.com/aboutkaplan/pressreleases/archive/2006/Oct-12-KaplanPartnershipBeijing.htm - 25k -

Mydnight · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject:

I teach lit here. If the situation wasn't VERY VERY VERY special, it would NEVER work. Like, my students aren't enrolled in public schools but sorta a private 'xue tang' (academy) kinda place...

Good luck. I wouldn't take it unless you were getting serious pay.

dawnbuckley · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 68

They pay is ok; this is what they said:

Monthly Salary： 7000－10000RMB
Workload:20-22 periods/week
I exaggerated,I did graduate 6 years ago but I definitely do remember alot! I just don' t know much about Asian philosophy and dont want to make a *beep* of myself if i havent already. I did my degree in Ireland and Asian Philosophy wasn`t really touched on, though I am very interested in it. I did most of my research on Continental topics.
Also, they seem to be having difficulty finding a teacher so I was worried about why. The recruiter said that they have been burned by alot of teachers in the past.

That`s about as much as I know though. It would be great if you could let me know what you think /know, they are calling tomorrow apparently and ill post again what they said if you could read!

Thanks!

Dawn

Mydnight · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:47 am Post subject:

That pay doesn't seem to be ok to me for 22 hours. If the recruiter was burned, maybe it has something to do with the way they do things or perhaps the situation at the school.

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

As a foreign teacher - I believe you'll find it's teaching philosophy from a western viewpoint that'll be the preferred classroom method. If it was a state institution then that teaching should be heavily influenced by the classical school of them ol' Greeks and their followers (the concept of science taking over from the dogma of perceived superstition) - nobody in those types of places want to delve too much into those concepts that dominate modern western philosophy - an individuals life and the questioning of so-called true knowledge. After all here we have social existence and and one sanctioned guiding light that leads to all that's true.
But saying that - the company you talk about sounds private - and there are many who thirst for ideas and being able to discuss new ways of thinking. However the biggest problem with these kind of classes may be the poor English level of the students. The language surrounding philosophy is often difficult for native English speakers Idea

By the way - for any serious teaching - the wage is far too low!!!!!

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

I would give it a go as it sounds like more of a challenge that teaching English to disinterested students that most of us get stuck with. It might even get you into an international school one day where the big money is. You could probably do another year at Uni in education somewhere and get registered as a teacher back home.

Be a bit careful but:

"Socrates
Socrates was the big-city philosopher in ancient Athens. Accused and convicted of corrupting the youth, his only real crime was embarrassing and irritating a number of important people. His punishment was death."

.............................................................................................

Take the easy way and go for basics:

1 - 10 of about 35,000 for teaching philosophy for dummies

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=teaching+philosophy+for+dummies&btnG=Google+Search

.....................................................................................

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

malu · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java

I can only imagine that teaching philosophy here will be like walking uphill through treacle - or maybe just standing there and talking to yourself.

As an IB teacher I have to incorporate ideas about Theory of Knowledge (ToK) in my subject classes. For me this is the simpler stuff like distinguishing cause and effect from correlation, or discussing how paradigm shifts occur in science. Apart from a few bright (mostly non-Chinese) students this is a part of IB teaching that is more trouble than it is worth.

In China a few big IB schools employ FT's purely as ToK teachers and believe me those guys earn every penny of their salary. Imagine all those eyes glazing over as you settle into a monologue about the Allegory of the Cave.

I have just finished marking a whole load of mock exams so my head is still f**ked but it never ceases to amaze me how many Chinese students can memorise acres of trivia, and how few can actually make connections between those bits of trivia.