Job Discussion Forums

[Mowgli]

My boyfriend and I are considering several offers. Two of them want us to start Sept 1st requiring us to move really fast. One of them we are just beginning to discuss options and is with Disney English through TEFL international, so any opinions on Disney English would be great.

Job #1 is in Zhengzhou with and Australian program. We are referred to as Contractor in the contract and will be teaching for the program within a middle school. The offer goes as follows:
- September-July. With a month off between each semester. A return flight or allowance during that month but no pay. And another return flight at the end of the contract.
- 10,000RMB plus Individual Income Tax.
- Accommodation is provided but we pay utilities
- Teach 20 hours and spend 10 hour planning Monday-Friday
- Teaching Materials provided
- Several sick days.
- Paid public holidays

Job #2 is in Guangzhou with a language school.
- One year contract.
- 8000RMB end of contract bonus
- 10,000RMB and we pay for Chinese individual income tax.
- Accomodation provided, we pay utilities.
- It says work/lecture 25 hours plus that we should "also devote a reasonable amount of out of class time" to lesson planning, school activities, assign and correct homework and many other things are listed.
- Teaching materials provided
- No mention of sick days.
- Paid public holidays

What do you guys think? Any opinions or advice would be appreciated!

[Laurence]

Firstly,
you should check if those are 'real' or 'academic' hours. Also, check the location of each school within the city - it's rarely much fun on the dusty perimeter of a bland urban sprawl. I would imagine that with accom provided, COL would be pretty similar, although Guangzhou probably offers more temptations like export shops and pints of Guinness.

It's pretty annoying the way Zhengzhou will stop your pay during the holidays. I mean, if you're not getting paid, it's not really a holiday - more like being unemployed!

The Guangzhou contract does seem a little dubious though. Language schools tend to foist 'activities' on you, which actually take just as much time and prep as a lesson. Unless they specify what it is that they want you to do, and when, you are leaving the door open to abuse. Public holidays at a language school means about two weeks off, I think.

[arcueil_1]

From the information you've posted, I would say that Job #1 is probably the better option. As stated earlier, "also devote a reasonable amount of out of class time" (Job #2) is little more than an open door to potential exploitation. If these people require that you prepare some lesson plans, spend some hours in the office, and prepare homework and mark it (all reasonable demands in most cases), then that should be less vaguely specified in the contract. As for "school activities", watch out. That could be anything... from asking for often useless and chaotic English Corner sessions to being used for school promotions without any form of pay or reward, and whatever else you care to imagine. Insist that participation in school activities is optional and that declining to participate from time to time will not in the least affect your standing with the school. Put it in writing in both versions of the contract. They must understand that you and your boyfriend have a life outside of school-related matters, and require privacy and freewill. Be elegant and polite with your demand, but stand firm. If they say "no because of this or that", drop them.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]