Job Discussion Forums

[dakelei]

This is an actual conversation I had with a colleague today at the senior middle school where I teach. She's a very nice Hunan girl, 24. May not be verbatim but pretty close.

Me: When does this term end?
Colleague: I don't know.
Me: (incredulous) What do you mean you don't know?
Colleague: Well, sometimes there are extra classes.
Me: Why?
Colleague: To get ready for the.....
Me: (cutting her off) Exam?
Colleague: Yes
Me: (tone dripping with sarcasm) Of course. There's always gotta be more exam-prep time.
Colleague: (interpreting the sarcasm as serious) That's correct.
Me: OK...when does the next term begin?
Colleague: I don't know.
Me: (through clenched teeth) How can you not know?
Colleague: The leaders haven't told us yet.
Me: How can you plan?
Colleague: Plan for what?
Me: You know, going home for the holidays and all.
Colleague: I'll just have to wait and see.
Me: Well, who DOES have the answer to these questions?
Colleague: The Senior Grade 1 leader might.
Me: Might?
Colleague: Might.

This continued for another 2 or 3 minutes but I think you get the gist. The term is set to end relatively soon but no one in the school knows exactly when. I've lived in China for more than six years altogether and this sort of thing still puzzles and amazes me. How can this country plan and execute flawlessly something like The Olympics yet so many schools here can't plan a term? How can they not know basic information like when a term begins and ends? Anyone else here have a similar experience?

[ttorriel]

Where is the surprise ?

[MisterButtkins]

Yeah, Chinese people, sometimes, well they just aren't that good at organizing things.

"Umm, yes, on the class schedule that you gave me, it says that I have a class meeting at 9:30 on Monday in room 905, and also that on Mondays I have a class meeting at 9:30 in room 901, is this correct?"

[norwalkesl]

[XiGua]

Picking up a phone or looking at a calendar is too difficult for most Chinese people unless it's for recreational purposes. This is why all my school related information I get from my students. They have never let me down and I always get the info that I need much further in advance from when (and if) my school tells me. So my conversations are:

FAO: Hi, your spring festival will begin tomorrow.
Me: Yeah I know, i'm already on the train out of here.

[Ariadne]

Yes, I've been in China several years. Yes, I know that things are often not planned in advance. It still makes me crazy!! It's true that getting info from the students is much easier and faster than getting the info from the FAO. My students told me several weeks ago that New Year's Day would be a holiday. I asked admin several times to verify. Yesterday we finally got a message letting us know that we would be off on Friday. If the students know these things, why can't the information be spread around to the teachers? I know TIC, but I still keep asking WHY is the information guarded so closely?

.

[xiaolongbaolaoxi]

Worked at a uni first year here... a very large political organization [figure it out] would post information [in Chinese] with quite a lot of "leadtime..." I would get phone calls from students letting me know about planned water/power outages [with as much as two weeks ahead of time] while the [Chinese native] department chair was stuck in a dry/dark apartment with no warning. I even found out my class schedule from my students... a friend of one of the advanced students was excited to be my student, which was a surprise as they knew I was not teaching on that day/time--my first inkling that I was teaching came from the students, not the school. Another teacher found out her contract was not being renewed from her students; they noticed her name was not on the expected class/schedule. Ouch!

XLB

[tomstone]

Here's an online chat I had with the FAO about the end of term:

Tom: I want to make sure of something. Once the finals are finished, classes are finished, is that correct?
opulence: Yes, when you finish the finals, classes are finished.But, according to the rules, you have to go to the classroom when it is your class time and the students are free to learn anything they want, your task is to ensure their sitting in classroom.
Tom: Okay, I didn't know that about holding classes after the finals. I have broken the rules. I need to make sure the students are notified. I told them classes were over. How do I make sure they are informed?
opulence: In fact, it doesnt matter
Tom: I don't understand. It doesn't matter? I don't have to have classes?
opulence: Usually, when the class is over, the teaching administration office will tell the teachers to be in classroom when it is their classs time.But, in fact, some teachers will still nelgect it.
Tom: I like to play by the rules. What would you suggest?
opulence: if you have time you can go to the classroom to have a look.If not, do it as you like,
Tom: Okay, I'm still not 100% sure what would be best. I would like to stay within the rules.
Tom: I spoke to the leader of the Student Union and told her to ask all of the students who want to have class to let me know.

That certainly cleared things up!

[roadwalker]

http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/abrupt-scheduling-changes-china.htm

There is a plausible explanation from the above site which has a lot of good information for newbies or teachers. The bottom line is your boss and his/her boss also doesn't know the schedule until the provincial bosses decide it.

[chengdu4me]

True. The school/school district does not get to make their own schedule. The provincial education authority sends their edicts down from upon high when they get around to it.

If anyone is Sichuan province wants to know....The last day of school is Jan. 29th and everyone returns to school on Feb 22nd.

I got lucky. My classes were canceled, as were music, art, and PE as of Dec 31 so that the little darlings can have more time to study for exams. Seven weeks paid vacation!

[Mister Al]

Me too. 3.5 weeks in The Philippines soon...............