Job Discussion Forums

[bharrell]

I like the relaxed workload of this Chinese university where I am currently employed. There are many other advantages to working here as well. However, I have had the thought that I am crippling my professional development by working here. It's not much of an English department.

The book is terrible, and there is no audio visual equipment. The school is too cheap to pay for handouts to the students, so I send them materials to their e-mail addresses, and they can print it if they wish. There is an older woman who sits in my classes twice a semester who has "unique" ideas about teaching. She would have enjoyed being German in WWII. It's not what they taught me in my CELTA class.

How do I keep from deteriorating and improve as a teacher? Are people who work in private schools better teachers in the long run? I don't want to be worked to death, like in many private language schools, but I do want to improve as a teacher. Any advice?

[kev7161]

There are a lot of universities in China. Surely there's one or two that have a better working environment?

[Mister Al]

[tatsuo1]

Have you considered teaching in your home country?

[Hansen]

In light of Lobster's very positive contribution, I decided to delete my very negative one.

[nickpellatt]

I have the same worries about working in China. Sure, its great for many reasons ... its easy, you have lots of free time, etc etc ... but it probably doesnt do much for your development and your chances of making TEFL a career.

That doesnt mean it needs to be a total washout though ... the free time and lack of in-class pressure does mean you can use the time to experiment and hone some skills that would be transferrable back into a more career-focused EFL role. If you have the inclination, its an ideal time to practice developing materials, lesson plans and new ideas that you may have.

You could also take 1-1 lessons and use them to develop your 1-1 teaching skills. Teaching in China, as suggested, probably isnt a career in itself for most teachers ... but I would guess 99% of us arent intending to stay in China forevever anyway. That doesnt mean you cant learn something and develop certain skills that may be useful in other jobs, in other schools, in other countries.

Im back in China in December, and I intend using the rather relaxed, no pressure environment to develop some of my skills and ideas ... things I couldnt do in a college job in my own country, but these are things I feel I can use later. I dont really plan on returning to China after this next contract though as to get to where I want to be, I do need a stint elsewhere in a more professional environment.

At the end of the day, I feel a teacher who cant take something from a stint in China, that is useable and transferrable elsewhere .... needs to look at themselves rather than purely blaming the environment.

[China.Pete]

"How do I keep from deteriorating and improve as a teacher?" -- B Harrell

China is not exactly a hotbed of modern language education. It's usually whatever you can make of it. One of the positive reasons for working here is that because schools typically have no idea (and possibly little interest) in what we do as foreign teachers, there is sometimes more chance for experimentation. Unfortunately, your school does not appear to offer the minimum required for this: a decent textbook or handouts. Look for these elsewhere if you want professional growth.

"Are people who work in private schools better teachers in the long run?" -- B Harrell

In China at least, "private" usually equals "weaker" students, at least within the context of the Chinese education system. While some private schools can be quite innovative in making education more accessible, others can seem more like degree mills. On the plus side, you may have a little more of a budget for textbooks and related course materials, based on the higher tuition these students are required to pay.

[Lobster]

Perhaps you'd prefer some real, practical advice instead of having some people laugh at your aspirations. I applaud your desire for self improvement. If you're planning to stay in the game for a while, there are a few things you can do.

1. Review your basic and advanced grammar. Think about how you'd approach various topics and create some plans and materials appropriate for different levels.

2. Create some interesting presentation materials (PPTs or paper) on various everyday topics such as transportation, animals, western customs, food etc.

3. Join Dave's ESL help centre and answer some of the questions posed by students from around the world.

4. Review some of the latest ESL methodology developed by universities.

5. Upgrade your qualifications by taking distance education courses.

6. Develop your portfolio of classroom activities.

7. Polish up your CV and get it ready for your next, undoubtedly more rewarding, teaching position.

8. The more you know about Chinese language, the more you'll understand the linguistic processes of your students. Keep at it.

I say all this without any knowledge of your background or capabilities. More power to you.

RED

[englishgibson]

i really like the "few things you can do" from above

[dialogger]

Good stuff from Lobster. When I read OP I thought 'this guy must be at my old school'.
Can I suugest you look at the international schools. You will need teacher certification from home though.
Another tack is the become a guru on one or other of the testing systems. Get the tester certification and then teach how to pass the test.

[spunkmonkey]

[Beyond1984]

"How do I keep from deteriorating and improve as a teacher?" -bharrell

I imagine that you probably have an MA in English or Applied Linguistics, and plan to eventually earn a doctorate.

I was a doctoral candidate in Linguistics during the time I worked for my TESOL Certificate at the University of Florida. Earning a doctorate in Linguistics at any university worth its salt requires competence in a non-western language.

Currently there are 32 doctoral candidates in Linguistics at UF and fewer than a quarter of them have western names:

http://www.lin.ufl.edu/grad/students.html

You should be studying and practicing Mandarin.

-Wen Lin

I gave up on the bizzarely inflected West Greenlandic Eskimo after just a few decades of study in Nuuk.