Job Discussion Forums

[benoires]

Hi All,

My wife and I are planning to transfer in September - from teaching in public upper middle/senior schools to a private kindy-upper middle one.

It appears to be much better resourced (albeit, its hard not to be) and in a less isolated city than we are currently in.

That aside, can anyone advise if the kids are likely to be more or less problematic in terms of respect or motivation? Neither have been a huge problem in our current schools, but looking at other countries forums, ie Latin America, it seems paradoxically (to us) that private school students there can be a nightmare compared to public school students.

Does this 'I'm paying your wages, do as I tell you' attitude exist in China's private schools?

Cheers

[daCabbie]

[benoires]

Thanks for replying daCabbie.

Yes we're in China, on our first agency placement (5 month contract) teaching at public, i.e. state, schools. The private school has been recommended by the agency and looks pretty good - notwithstanding our above worries. The school's in a different province so a bit tricky to visit before signing another term's contract.

The money's not brilliant, but all-round its an adequate package for us, although we know we can get, and have been offered, better.

The agency have been pretty good, if sometimes a little inaccurate in their advice (- we don't pin this down to dishonesty, more about perspectives) and generally we think they're as good as any other, and certainly much better than most I've read about on these forums.

We're both Celta qualified and have Ed. degrees, and we have enough experience to know we can cope with difficulties but, frankly, we just want an easy life.

The agency should be able to put us in touch with the current (agency) teachers there - maybe I should pursue that channel. If they don't, well.. that will be telling enough.

[nickpellatt]

Ive taught adults and the attitude can be 'Im paying for this, and so deliver a real lesson' may apply sometimes. Not all the time, but if you cant put together a decent lesson, cant present things and engage students, and dont prepare anything of value, you can get challenged. Not all the time, and their tolerance for such things is far higher than EU students (as an example) but I have seen 'teachers' have a hard time in the settings I work in.

I cant imagine it will apply in Kindy though TBH. Different problems to face, and Im sure someone with kindy experience will pop up and tell you soon enough.