Job Discussion Forums

[frank d]

I am American, teaching English in China for the past two and a half years with a full spectrum of good and bad experiences. What keeps me here is that I TRULY LOVE teaching English to Chinese students. I want to warn you about my worst experience to date: Panzhihua (Sichuan) No. 3 School. Having worked in Jiangsu the past two years, I understood that salaries are lower in Sichuan. I accepted a low salary (4500RMB) to work at this school, because the teaching load was lower and I believed I was working for a PUBLIC school. It is a public school, exceot for foreign teachers, who are part of the "international" department. What this means is that one man, David Luo has charged each student (and their parents) 4000RMB to be in my class. My two classes had 78 and 65 students. After Luo shares 30% of his take with school, he pockets the balance of 420,000RMB just from my students alone (and there are two other foreign teachers there as well). I will not be exploited! I did not come to China to get rich from teaching, but I refuse to allow someone to get rich off of my good will and hard work! David Luo gave me very sub-standard housing, refused to allow me to meet with the head master, and constantly lied to me about everything! A group of my students came to me and told me how cheated and mistreated they feel by David Luo, and told me I was their fourth teacher just this term. If you contact this school beware of other foreign teachers who will not tell you the truth about the situation. They will also mislead you, because they have to teach the extra classes when other teachers flee or "escape," like me, and will tell you anything to get you to come there to decrease their teaching load (for which they receive no extra salary). I hated leaving my wonderful students there, but it was all such underhanded business by David Luo.

[Voldermort]

I was wondering when you would surface Frank.

First I would like to point out, before you came to this school you agreed to a salary, work load, benefits etc... This process took some time to complete as you wanted many aspects of the contract to be changed. You also saw pictures of the campus and of the apartment. In addition to this you spoke to myself for some length of time over the phone. OK you may say that I lied to, but I would like you to inform me of exactly what I lied to you about. I told you that I had not seen your apartment, I told you about the 2 monthly exams, I told you about the teaching material provided not to mention everything I could tell you about the staff here.

Fair enough, I did not tell you about the English corner or about the TOEFL class, which in all fairness I did not know about until after you arrived. This was something extra the school wanted to give the students and had decided they could since we had 3 foreign teachers to share the task. As you might recall, the TOEFL classes were cancelled as it was unfair to us, and the English corner is not compulsory.

Your students said you were their 4th foreign teacher this term. Did you actually check this fact? Since the term began I have been teaching these students, we had 1 foreign teacher who came here and performed a demonstration class. This teacher actually decided himself that he was not suitable to teach this age group and happily returned to his wife in a neighbouring city. I can put you in contact with him if you require.

You also complain about how much the students are paying for this course. To be honest this is non of your business, you agreed to a salary before you came here. If you had even asked anybody we would have been more than happy to tell you the real facts. The students actually pay in excess of 7,000 Yuan RMB per term. This is what we call the international class, and for a good reason. Many of these students will go on to a foreign University. Therefore in order for them to pass the entrance examination they are provided with the best teachers. Also at the end of this course they will sit a Canadian examination in addition to the standard Chinese exams. The cost of this is not cheap. But again, this is non of your business. Your problem is that you came here, saw how much the students pay and decided you wanted a larger piece of the cake than what you had previously agreed.

In your post, you say that you were denied to meet with the headmaster. This is just a plain lie. I remember on 2 occasions all the staff were called in to have a meeting in which the headmaster was present. During the first meeting you made some complaints about your apartment which leads me to another point. Before you came here you were sent pictures of the apartment. After arriving you made some complaints about lack of water and frequent power outage. Due to the water problem the school put you up in a hotel while they completely refitted the apartment. This cost the school a substantial amount of money only to be rewarded by more complaints.

The simple fact Frank. You came here and wanted more money. This school and especially David Luo, treated you with the utmost respect. They gave you everything you asked for and catered for your every whim. Before and after you came here! The school spent a lot of money while looking after your best interests, your flights, meals, apartment etc... All this was rewarded by you running away in the middle of the night like a little child.

I would like to point out to any school thinking of hiring Frank to be weary. Although he has spent 2 years in China, he has yet to complete a contract. He will complain and complain and complain. He will not be happy unless he is sleeping in a 5 star hotel and his work load includes pre planned lessons for which he doesn't have to teach.

Why don't you tell us where you are Frank. You have left a lot of very angry people here. You have also broken a contract for no good reason. Usually I don't agree in schools pursuing foreign teachers and taking them to court, but in your case I have to make an exception.

[erinyes]

At first glance I guess any FT who looks at what the students pay and them does the sums will be aghast at how much money individuals seem to be making. But it ridiculous to think that it's all profit!

I mean, did you teach in classrooms? Did you use books? Did the students sit on chairs? These all cost money, and people who invest in projects expect to get a return higher than their outlay.

There are many hands to share the profits. Some of them deserve it and maybe some of it is just used to grease the wheels, but that is how business works, especially in China! To think that one person in making bucket loads... that's just childish really.

If you want commission based employment, go and work in sales!

[vikdk]

anybody not getting a decent share of the profit is a fool - cut the middleman out and making 150/hour is simple

[Roger]

Also, perhaps, relevant might be that students probably pay not just for Frank's English classes but for a variety of subjects plus boarding.
I am amazed at the greed of some FTs that leave no stone unturned in their complaining and wailing over perceived slights and unfair remunerations!
Anyone considering working in a backwater such as PANZHIHUA must be aware that he or she is heading for a depressed salary and rewards that come from sources other than pecuniary ones.
I consider 4500 a tidy amount for a teacher in Panzhihua!

[Voldermort]

[Roger]

I apologise, Voldermort, for this unfortunate qualification I used in reference to Panzhihua; I did pass through it (is it not alternatively called "Jinjiang"?) many years ago en route from Lijiang, Yunnan to Kunming via the Chengdu-Kunming railway line.

I know it is a big town; I even heard some German guy set up shop there as a restaurateur... Personally, I had a BAD time there - I thought the natives a bit wild (in the rtrain station, for example, one guy sneaked up to me from behind, then slammed down his hand on my shoulder in a mock Western-style "friendly" greeting that felt like a declaration of war...I know not everyone is like that, of course).

I might take up your invitation, though...

[vikdk]

[Babala]

Finally some said what should be said. Of course it's a business!! Schools in China are a business just like any other. Businesses are supposed to make money. It's also true that schools shell out huge investments to start up. Why is it that some people come over here with such a sense of importance that they think they deserve a huge portion of the school's profits

[kev7161]

My school is selling desktop calendars for 30rmb each. They are being mostly solicited to parents of students. I'm sure some will end up as free goodwill gifts as well. I noticed my picture featured on one of the pages. Nobody asked me if it was okay to do so. However, I won't get a cut of the money coming in on these calendars, nor a "fee" for using my likeness.

I'm a little put off (but not terribly so) - - surely they could at least offer me a free calendar, no?

[vikdk]

a classic babala quote

[anthyp]

[vikdk]

I personaly work for no less than 200/hour (230 is my top)- I have no problem finding 15 hours a week (no evening, weekend or private) and have had the majority of my clients for over 2 years - do you know how much a teaching company gets/hour - a lot less than I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is so much money in this game you can't beleive it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way I'm not in the East - big cities there, 300 is a good goal.

[Roger]

[vikdk]

Roger, something tells me the gravy train passed you by