Job Discussion Forums

bullitt · Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 49 Location: Shanghai

I have been following this forum for a cupla months now and have some questions that I hope you guys can help me with. Forgive me if they overlap a little with some previous posts.

I am a third year law student at Tulane University. I will earn my Juris Doctorate this May, but have decided not to pursue a "traditional" legal career.(It can be a rather miserable profession) I am planning on coming to Asia to teach for a while and could really use some advice. I am interested in China, specifically Shanghai. Ideally, I would like something other than the basic "BS required conversation teacher." As far as I can tell I would basically just be a human tape recorder. I was thinking legal English at a university or for a firm in Shanghai. I understand that this is probably wishful thinking, but I want to know if it is in the realm of possibility. I have been taking undergrad mandarin classes, but I will not even be close to conversational by the time I get over there. I have two main questions, the first is in regards to timing. Should I be making a big push now, or closer to the end of the (American) school year? The second concerns my lack of experience. I have never formally taught, although I worked as a graduate counselor for an American university in London between undergrad and Law school. Will this be something I can overcome with my advanced degree? I would also appreciate any general guidance you think would be relevant to a person in my position.

Thanks in advance,
Bullitt

Oh, a quick noob question?what is a troll? The best I can guess from context is it is either a freeloader, or someone who is excessively negative.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

A total newcomer informed me recently he got a job teaching law-related subjects at a Chinese university. Medium of instruction is English, he said.
Pay is quite the same as that offered for regular English subject teachers, good but not stratospheric.
There is one observation I can add:
The use of English as the language of instruction must be questioned. How many of your students are going to be up to scratch? I don't think the Chinese screen unsuitable students out. It is going to be a tough challenge for you to accommodate linguistically underachieving students in a highly academic class. I know this from the rantings a colleague of mine has made over the years. He teaches sciences at a private college that supposedly is "bilingual" and has cooperative agreements with overseas-based universities that absorb some of this college's graduates. He complains that the initially high English proficiency of his class has dramatically plummeted over the two years he has been in the country - because Chinese parents have the upper hand in the admission exercises!

sojourner · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2003 3:48 am Post subject:

Hi Bullitt,

If you want to start teaching at a uni or college in China you should start applying NOW.I believe that the 1st Term for 2004 commences around 9th February.

Yes,I can appreciate your feelings of not wanting to teach something like Oral English ! You should focus your attentions on applying for jobs in the uni/college sector - rather than in language schools - preferably for jobs that would involve the teaching of your particular academic discipline.But you should be aware that not all institutions that call themselves "universities" are anything like what we understand by the term in the English-speaking West.Refer to some of my more recent postings, on the subject,made under the name "Sojourner".

With your advanced legal studies background,ideally,you should be looking for jobs in the "top" universities.At those places,one would imagine that those students would have a reasonable command of English.What aspect of law did you specialise in at uni ? Would it be something like International Trade Law,or even the Law of Contract ? Emphasise this in your letters of application if you are applying for good quality institutions,especially those that have good faculties in law and int'l business.You may end up teaching law subjects,rather than Oral English !

Another area to consider would be E.A.P. (English for Academic Purposes).At some universities, there would be students who have their eyes set upon doing postgraduate studies in the West.So,here you could combine your academic background with an interest in ESL - however,it might be a good idea to become familiar with such concepts as Genre and Discourse Analyses.If you are interested in E.A.P.,send me a PM and I'll provide you with details about a pertinent course of study that'll probably provide you with some background knowledge.

If you are unable to get a job involving the teaching of your academic studies,or in E.A.P.,you could also consider something like the teaching of Business English - or even Legal English.

Re the term "troll".I only came across this term - on Dave's,in fact ! - for the first time just a few weeks ago.I gather that it means someone who deliberately submits a contentious or provocative posting,not so much for the purpose of obtaining information,but to start "flame wars",to abuse others,etc.On Dave's there have been a number of characters who are regarded as "trolls" - when they are banned,they usually rejoin Dave's with new "names",eg: "Bertrand","Wanderlust",and some strange guy who was pretending that he was a raving gay - possibly,they could all be the same person ! Currently,"Jen" is regarded,by many, as a "troll",but I'm not sure myself.In turn,"Jen" accuses her critics - and "victims" - of being "trolls" themselves !

Regards,

Peter

cherubim2003 · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 10

Please try to look at this: www.chinajob.com
They offer placements for all professionals.

bullitt · Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 49 Location: Shanghai

Mister Ed · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 32

Bullit, Fudan University is Shanghai's number 1, followed by Jiaotong, Tongji, Shanghai U. Fudan has law. Do a search for their website.
Trolls? Just keep posting on this board and you're sure to get your very own.

cherubim2003 · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 10

try this: http://www.monashcollege.monash.edu.au

they are in need of teachers for Management, Law, Communication and Accounting programs.

bullitt · Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 49 Location: Shanghai

I checked out the link...do they have a campus in China? I could not find one. The home page says "I look forward to welcoming you to Monash College in Australia, China, Singapore or Indonesia in the near future." but when I looked under campuses, there was no listing for China. I am probably looking right at it and still can't find it. Thanks for the link though...

Bullitt

kimo · Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Posts: 668

bullit, that you ask what a troll is has me wondering. But I'll keep my wonderings to myself.

I know one fellow here in Beijing who works for a Chinese law firm. He learned on-the-job translating and does other things for them. His salary is fairly good I believe. He seems to enjoy his job and prefers it to teaching which he did when he first came here. You might look in that direction, or at multi-nationals which are setting up shop in country. Unfortunately, I only bump into that guy about twice a year or I'd put you in touch.

Also, I think Tulane (in New Orleans, right?) is private and rather expensive. Perhaps, mama and papa paid or you managed it another way, but if you have student loans I would seriously consider how you will pay them off before coming here. It's hassle enough back home to do this without thinking how you will do that from here.

Good luck with the bar!