Job Discussion Forums

[chryanvii]

I am debating right now whether to continue teaching at University again, or going back to teaching full-time at a training center as a result of not having my contract renewed at a university for the second time in a row.

These are my questions:

(1) Would you consider a contract not being renewed at a university the same as "being laid off" in the states? Our school claims that it is making some serious changes and hiring from an education center from canada. It IS true that they have let many of the teachers go. But they have also kept some of the teachers from this past year on board. What special talents might they have had that I didn't?

(2) Is is much easier to "please" training center students than university students? In my mind the oral classes at university were okay...but when it came to the "lecture-style" classes, all the students I think might have reamed me on the evaluations. I have heard that chinese students can be overwhelmingly critical on evaluations at universities. But my contract was renewed with "flying colors" at the training center I once worked for.

(3) Is it true that there is a lot more "red tape" that is involved with being re-hired at a university than at a training center? That the ways of getting re-hired [and why the other teachers might have been asked to stay] are quite vague and indirect? And not necessarily even related to teaching?

In my mind, since I have worked at universities, I have not really had any direct supervisors who I could talk regularly with about my performance. So I could not really get any direct answers as to how I was doing. It seems to me that there are so many more people that you must please at a university BEYOND just the students in order to keep your job. And these people you may NEVER meet, or at least know who they are. You see them around all the time...but you never know if they are the people in charge of your rehire or not. You could just walk by them one day, be a little moody, and rub them the wrong way with strange eye contact or something.

I have been secretly told told that it might NOT have just been the teacher's ability alone, but that there could have been other factors involved. Maybe it was because they were able to "get in" with other chinese teachers and become friends with them? Maybe they just involved themselves more in other activities outside of the school? Just more sociable and "likeable" by their colleagues in general?

At a training center, you are in direct contact with your supervisors all the time. She will tell you about your performance. If you hear a complaint from a student, you will KNOW about it. You have only one person in charge of your rehire, and you know exactly who it is.

You might get a nice amount of vacation time and a lot of free time with your university job...plus some other perks...but on the other hand...it seems to be a real secret as to how you can keep your job year after year. At training center...there really is no secret.

Tell me your thoughts and opinions...I really don't want to keep getting the "sack" in China! That's the exact opposite reason I came here!

One last question: I was told in one of my personal surveys that I gave to my students that they think the foreign teachers will NEVER compare to any of their chinese teachers, and that they are much better. Have you ever heard this before? Do you find this unbelievable? It seems as if chinese students really DON'T take the foreign teachers seriously, and really DO respect their chinese teachers much more.

[rogerwilco]

[choudoufu]

[TexasHighway]

cryanvii wrote:

[xiguagua]

I think it's more your personal relationships (or their opinion of you rather) than anything you do in the classroom. I think the students evaluations actually carry very little weight. My school was open with me that the head masters liked me because I did the teachers paperwork (the grades and crap) to a very high standard and never caused trouble for the school. That's all they need to know. They don't care if the students like you or not. They care about you costing them not too much money, not troubling them, and creating a "harmonious society" Something like refusing a teacher to sit in your class will quickly reach the higher-ups and be seen as "causing trouble"

I think it's easier to please university students. Uni kids don't really expect much from FT's. That's just how it is. I can definitely see students saying CT's are "better" but probably only because of some stupid reason like because they can speak Chinese. They ignore the fact that these same teachers are incapable of having any kind of decent conversation with native english speakers (making generalities here) but at training schools you gotta deal the students......but also their crazy parents.....which are impossible to appease. Maybe you'll get feedback constantly, but if you're teaching kids, everyone of their parents will be complaining about why their kid isn't living in America right now being fluent with English and becoming the first Chinese US president.

[Miajiayou]

I think university students are pretty easy to please. They have to attend your classes and most don't really plan on using their English in the future. I think they generally just welcome the change in scenery.

I would imagine adult students are a little harder to please at a training center (never worked for one) because they are paying and want to learn English for a reason.

I think getting rehired depends on whether you have caused any trouble for the administration, whether they think they're already paying you too much, and if students actually complain. If they just don't really enjoy your classes, it is one thing, but if there is a stream of unhappy students going to see various head teachers, department heads, FAOs, etc., that probably counts as "causing trouble" on your part.

I would say the ideal candidate for contract renewal is neither the worst teacher not the best, has never called in sick, is making close to the salary that would be offered a new teacher, and makes the FAO look good in front of his or her colleagues.

[Shroob]

[Denim-Maniac]

I think the reason students think that about FTs is because most of them have had the experience of asking an FT 'how to say this sound /dz/?', or 'what is the difference between 2nd and 3rd conditional?', and being met with a blank face.

Its not so different to us finding language partners or people to speak Chinese with who cant explain grammar points or rules we may feel we need from time to time. You understand very quickly that those people are not teachers, and whilst they have their uses...they are sometimes limited.

[vikeologist]

Some of the teachers at my Uni are not being invited back next year, and I have been privy to some of the decision process.

First of all, I think there is one big reason why teachers in this position should not regard it as being laid off. If you're employed on a one year contract, you shouldn't assume that the contract will be renewed. It's going to be reviewed each year. Both parties have an out at the end of the contract.

We're small fish in a big pond. The decisions on which teachers to keep were (ostensibly at least) based on the quality of teaching. I think there's been a few conspiracy throries floating around our Uni, of it being based on vendettas, personality conflicts, politics, corruption and general unfairness. In such a large institution, with so many people, agendas and fiefdoms, some of these theories may even be true. However, in the discussions that i was involved with, the one and only criteria was the quality of teaching. Some of the conspiracy theories that I've heard are floating around are wildly untrue. people hear a lot of stuff from 'reliable sources' in the Uni ithat I know for a fact are nonsense.

General profesionalism and decent inter-personal skills are important. Creating good relationships with people is important in China. I do believe though that being a good teacher (or not) is the main thing.

[Simon in Suzhou]

There are a myriad of reasons people are asked back year after year and others aren't.

Some reasons why people's contracts are renewed despite coming to class drunk, sleeping with students, or having ZERO teaching abilities:

1. They are handsome or beautiful (i.e. tall, thin, or blond hair)

2. They are older and look professorial and dress well, giving the department a more distinguished look.

3. Excellent student reviews- Which has no bearing on anything actually being learned in the classroom, but the teacher is seen as funny or entertaining and the kids think their class is fun.

4. Those who don't complain or make waves at all when bits of their contract are not fulfilled or when things like water, electricity, and internet don't work in their apartments. Kissing up to the FAO and academic deans also helps. They also make appearances at non-required events, like department holiday dinners, etc.

Reasons good teachers are often not renewed:

1. Unnattractive and overweight people. It sucks but its true. I've heard several FAO's moan about teachers who arrive on campus looking MUCH different than the photo submitted with their resume. Based on appearance alone, they regret the hire and can't wait until you are gone.

2. Those who complain a lot, even rightfully so, will be seen as someone who is not a team player. Causing a Chinese person to lose face is a big no-no for renewal.

3. A poor dresser. If you are handsome or beautiful you can wear whatever you want, do whatever you want, and everyone will think you're wonderful. If you are just average, especially if you're a guy, and you dress really casually you will be seen as unprofessional and one of those sleazy guys who is not really a teacher but just in China to shag young girls. Notice male Chinese teachers do not wear sandals, blue jeans, and a t-shirt to class. A good rule of thumb- at least wear a shirt with a collar, like a polo shirt. Image is pretty much everything here.

4. They actually try to teach and improve their students' English abilities. Lazy students think they are too serious, boring, and they get mixed reviews from their classes. Sometimes the teachers ARE too serious and never really make a connection with their students.