Job Discussion Forums

[AvogadrosNumber]

I am new to this forum and am currently a math teacher in the USA. My girlfriend (who is an elementary school teacher) and I are considering working in China next year and we would like to work at the same school.

1) Is this possible?

2) Where should we look for jobs?

3) What sort of benefits should we expect? (We have both taught now for 2 years in private schools in the US.)

Thanks!

[bweidema]

I am in the same situation as you AvogadrosNumber. My girlfriend and I are going to graduate in June and we want to work at the same school in Shanghai. I really hope someone has some experience or insight with this.

[kev7161]

I'm not a recruiter by any means but sent you a PM with a little info so check out your personal messages.

[beck's]

My wife and I are also teachers. Our situation is different from yours though. We are both retired and so took public university jobs because the small workload would enable us to travel, read, write and generally loaf around. We are having a great time so far. We just returned back from five weeks in SEA. We are only teaching 12 hours per week this semester.

Since you are both teachers, you might consider the international schools as an option. The salaries there are much higher than in the public universities but the hours are greater too. With your qualifications, don't even consider the language mills. If I were you, I would think about teaching in Hong Kong--in an international school. The salaries there are much, much higher and you have the advantage of the cosmopolitan atmosphere that H.K. affords. You could also teach math and your gf could teach the younger students. From H.K. you can easily travel in China during your free time. If we were younger, that is what we would do.

[Mpho]

Not only is this possible, but many schools prefer couples.

When I first came to China my wife (now my ex-wfie) and I worked at the same public middle school. When we left there for another position, a couple replaced us.

Where I work now, there is a private language school nearby and they had a Filipino couple working at the school.

The only problem with some schools is that they do not have an apartment for two people or they do not have a need for more than one teacher.

Schools like couples, especially if married, as it adds stability and lessens the chance of male teachers hitting on female students or town girls. Likewise it lessens the chance of the female teacher dating students or town guys.

Mpho

[maxwell999]

Can i just recommend against working and lving with someone, it doesn't work. We all need a break from our loved ones and if you are the kind of couple that don't need that break then you are sickly. I lived with my girlfriend in Korea but we worked at different schools, much better.....until we broke up

[diana83709]

My husband and I were hired as a "teaching couple" and there are probably quite a few possibilities out there for you.
Please check your PM as I will send you some info regarding this.
Good luck!

[arioch36]

[pancakes]

I too would not recommend working and living with your partner. It didn't work for me.

But as was said earlier, schools do like the opportunity to hire couples - we didn't have any problems finding jobs at the same school.

[kev7161]

We had a couple last year working at our school - - different departments; their paths would rarely cross during your typical workday. SHE worked near me and was pretty cool-headed and seemed to do a good job. HE seemed to be a nice guy but could EASILY fly off the handle at any perceived slight. HE would go into the FA Office and let 'em have it frequently throughout the school year. SHE, being his loyal gal, would support him and get caught up in his frenzied outrages. Neither were asked back this year and we lost one good teacher and one (at times) loon.