Job Discussion Forums

[askiptochina]

I am wondering what experienced teachers in China do when handling scheduling issues with their Chinese employer. I know how it is done in Korea, and I played the game when I was there. However, in China, the work ethic and management notifications are vastly different.

In Korea, I would usually work with a co-teacher and they would speak with the school manager (who often was also an English teacher who worked up in the ranks). Instead, in China, I see that it doesn't matter if my co-teacher and I see eye to eye on issues, the manager feels empowered to be the "boss", much like we experience in America.

After the school year finished, I was told I would be teaching summer classes in July and "part of August". I was given an exact schedule for July, and then at the end of July, I was given an August schedule. It was my impression one of the classes wouldn't be meeting, but they were actually a good class and I didn't mind teaching them. I also thought that it would be just for 1 or 2 weeks in August.

We are into our third week of August, and tomorrow I finish these classes. It also happens to be my pay day tomorrow. Today after class, the manager comes in and tells me the owner wants me to teach some more summer classes, but as stated I was initially told something else in June. I can't complain about the hours yet because I am not working at the public school until September.

In a way, it seems like these new classes mentioned today might be better because I will be supposedly spending more concentrated time on actually speaking with students, rather than just filling up 2 hours with students who can only last 45 minutes.

Walking home, I went from angry about the short notice to a more accepting mood because it might mean my schedule in September will be like before (a lot less hours and often canceled due to exams or events).

One concern I have is about the short notice. What if I bought plane tickets? Maybe if I bought plane tickets in beginning of July (for say August 15) it would have been premature because I didn't get my August schedule. However, after getting a schedule with 18th as the last day, a teacher might get plane tickets or make other travel plans within the country.

2 questions:

1) How would you address this to your employer if you did make prior arrangements without getting on their bad side? In Korea, they don't like teachers saying no, but at the same time they give advanced notice. At least with me, the head English teacher and I would plan semester breaks before the semester started so we were always on the same page. In China, they just wait until the end, and then decide. I have come out ahead sometimes. For example, they had exams one week in May, and they could have switched my classes around. Instead they did absolutely no planning and were left with just giving me the week off.

2) How would you address this to your employer for future break periods? It's likely I won't go anywhere this summer, but if there is break time later this year, I am considering getting a plane ticket. I want to make some comment at least to let them know I am willing to do these summer classes, but I also want the time later to travel.

[kev7161]

You get everything in writing ahead of time. If you are planning on travel during what you assume (based on a previous written agreement/contract/schedule) is time off, then let them know that ahead of time, in writing (An email would suffice but for god's sake, keep that email and request a confirmation email back from them. If they don't confirm, bug them until they do - - it truly is the Chinese way!).

Then, when they time comes and they "ask" you to work extra time, you can politely and professionally turn it down due to all the previous agreements you and the school solidified before. If you aren't traveling after all and want to work, make sure there is an agreement of extra pay . . . yes, in writing.

"In writing" is not a fail safe for sure, but some schools (mine for example) do seem to honor agreements like this MUCH more than an "oral" agreement made months ago that can easily be "forgotten".

Also, you don't negotiate after the fact, you negotiate before anything is officially signed. Once you agreed to teach summer classes (esp. if nothing was down on paper), then you were pretty much stuck with whatever it was they wanted you to do. Your next holiday will probably be the National Day holiday beginning of October where you may get anywhere from 1 to 3 to 7 days off, depending on what kind of school you are teaching.

[dean_a_jones]

[Opiate]

Do not give an inch unless it is to your advantage...or unless you already agreed to.

As was stated above, if you do something nice once you will be expected to do so again.

Many schools push FT's just to see what they can get away with. They will then continue to abuse the fools who are too simple, weak, or naive enough to try and 'just help out'. Not sure what the case is here since I do not understand what you agreed to in writing so just consider this a warning.

In all fairness, I push the administration just to see what I can get away with also. It turns out...I can get away with a whole lot and get a raise and reduced hours at contract renewal time.

Never be afraid to say NO. Just if you say no once, stick to it and do not cave until you have a satisfactory resolution.

[askiptochina]

[dean_a_jones]

[kev7161]

And please stop using "like" in your sentences! I was, like, trying to figure out what you were saying, man.

Anyway, not even knowing your school or superiors of course, I would hazard to say that the past is the past and trying to get extra pay or something for work already done may be a lost cause. There is not always so much goodwill either. "Hey! I worked extra hours in July for free so you owe me something in November - - like the Thanksgiving holiday off!" - - probably not going to work, but it might.

Again, time to look forward. Make your teaching schedule plans (and renumeration), discuss time off you'd like to take, discuss potential overtime, discuss exactly what and how you are going to teach and then get it all written down and signed and stamped and then hope for the best. You don't have to be an ass about these things (not saying you were!), but if you are calm and reasonable, often management sees the light. If you are unhappy down the road, you can move on to another school - - hopefully you can stick out your contract, then move on.

[wesharris]

Is this school in Shaanxi?

[askiptochina]

kev7161,

You got a problem with reading comprehension. The Thanksgiving thing was in April, the overtime stuff was in July, and to top it off, I wasn't looking at it as overtime. It was just to get the program finished earlier.

And to defend my uses of "like" which I agree can be annoying if used in certain circumstances:

1. "much like we experience in America.", "will be like before" - used as a comparison (not a Valley Girl "like, OMG totally" comment)

2. "it seems like", "It's likely I won't" - used to state probability (not a Valley Girl "like, OMG totally" comment)

3. "they don't like teachers saying no" - to be agreeable or suitable to (not a Valley Girl "like, OMG totally" comment)

4. "I was teaching like one 45 minute lesson 34 times (34 different classes) for 2 weeks." - means about or around, also used in comparing things (not a Valley Girl "like, OMG totally" comment)

Now look at yours:

"And please stop using "like" in your sentences! I was, like, trying to figure out what you were saying, man."

You are the only person in this thread to use "like" by singling it out with commas. You nailed the annoying use of it, but you didn't read the other uses of "like" which are perfectly fine and used many people.

Let's get back on topic.

[askiptochina]

So, here's an update.

[disclaimer: this post will not contain a certain "L" word which can mean "similar"]

I went in and finished my last class for the program today. The students continued to play a game while I talked with my co-teacher. Seems that the manager is out on vacation as of today, and she won't be back until the 25th to pay me.

Do we apply a 10 day rule? When can teachers reasonably expect to get paid? I understand the last workday might not be pay day. From Korean contracts, they usually pay by the 10th, but more often than not the 5th or before.

I asked my co-teacher if we could talk with the owner. She got the phone number, but then text messaged the manager instead. After 10-15 minutes of this, she went out of the room and probably talked with the manager. She came back in and said, "They will pay you on Monday (22nd)."

Maybe I should have stopped there, but I was a bit pissed off and said, "I still need a face to face talk with the owner and get paid before teaching extra classes." With a surprised look on her face we said goodbye, and I went home. I just got a few text messages from the manager saying I can pick up my pay this afternoon and that no extra classes will be taught this month. I just wait for the public school schedule for September. In addition, these days before the public school classes start will be unpaid, so I will not get paid until October 1 if I start on September 1.

I figure this is reasonable middle ground, and if the money really mattered I shouldn't have demanded to talk with the owner before doing the extra classes. It's funny how they went from not being able to pay me until the 25th, to the 22nd, and then to this afternoon. It reminds me (not that evil L word kev hates) of tightening a screw.

[dean_a_jones]

[wesharris]

A good day to be payed is the day listed on the contract. Anything else is late, and subject to me getting new things from the office.

[kev7161]

[askiptochina]