Job Discussion Forums

sfarkas103 · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 47

At my present public university they have started several programs where the kids from certain majors do a 3+1 program. Obviously for 3 years they go here and then head overseas to either, mostly right now, Wales or Canada. The students pay what amounts to the same as they would at a private school, yet the teachers here get only public school pay. I have to limit this to how it affects the teachers, as the students often don't even have textbooks and are really being taken advantage of. My concern is that if they can do this type of private school scenario but only pay us public school wage we are being ripped off and the school is making a nice piece of change on what they save from paying us. We get 3400 while for the same hours, etc. at a private school we'd be getting 6-8000. Any thoughts on this?

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Change schools if you don't like the pay. You're not getting ripped off because you knew what you were going to get paid and agreed to it. I think the school is entitled to pay whatever they want, even if you don't think it is fair.

sfarkas103 · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 47

Sorry Gordon, I think that's inaccurate in some regards. Naturally I can just leave, and yes I feel I am being taken advantage of. When I signed on here 2 years ago these programs did not exist. I am renewing right now and asked them about this with no satisfaction. It's the point of the thing here; they are paying me and many other teachers much below what they should. There seems to be two trains of thought on this board, one that this is China and they can't afford to pay more and the other, which I consider true, this is China yet a lot of people are making more than anyone I ever knew in the US. It just sticks a bit to see foreign affairs people flying to England every few months on the students money and some people driving new BMW's. I accept in private school sewttings that the owners get wealthy, but this is a private school and they give then preferential treatment, which is fine, if the education was equal. Which it should be as this in not a private or foundation school.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

I understand what you are going through and am trying not to sound callous. I've gone through a similar situation where I was vastly underpaid, but there is little you can do about greedy people, other than walk away. It is a cutthroat business in China or anywhere else. You say it is a public university, but it sounds as if it is not being run like one.

sfarkas103 · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 47

Yes, that was the basic point. I understand greed, and to be honest part of my complaint is my own I think. I want my share of the pie. But as you alluded to this IS a public institution, and it is not being run like one.
I don't hold a "holier than thou" attitude with the administration; it's not easy watching many people get rich doing the same job this school is doing. My classes for the English majors were booted from a very nice and good room for learning oral English so these special students can have our room. They have an English corner where English majors are not encouraged to attend (only those same special students), or at least were not until I said I'm not going to it if they discriminate. I think it's swell if a parent has the money to pay more for their kid to go abroad and get special training before they do from here, but not at the expense of the general student population.

lagerlout2006 · Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 985

I agree with you sfarkas103...They will expect you to be better prepared and to get better results thaan in the average ESL class...Students and parents will also expect more.Yes they have "the right" I guess to pay as little as they like but in fairness.......

I taught in a Sino_canada program from Sept to-Feb...And I was paid 1500Y more than for ESL.....As for the program---they used first rate books from the high school in Canada they are affiliated with.. Problem was they just let who-ever paid into the program..Ended up it was mostly the WORST grade 10's in it.....And it's not easy...By grade 12 they need to pass the exams written in Canada (Newfoundland in this case.) That means reading modern novels--essays--a Shakespeare play....Anyway the program was cancelled for now because the students were just not ready...

MonkeyKing · Joined: 24 May 2003 Posts: 96 Location: Beijing

I have been checking out some of these joint programmes, specifically Chinese/UK ones, and It seems that if you are recruited through the Foreign Institution involved, pay tends to be considerably higher...as much as 15,000RMB per month for a similar workload to what you would get at most Chinese Unis. Of course, the application process is going to be a bit more demanding, but not so much so I think. (and, no I am not going to tell you where I found these jobs, haha!)

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

It's pointless to complain about greedy Chinese operators so long as there are so many CHINESE PARENTS who can afford to pay tuition for their progeny OVERSEAS.
First of all: why do they want their kids to go abroad? IT's surely not because they appreciate the better education their kid gets there.

And, colleges and universities throughout the anglophone world have for decades been cashing in on this trend. If they cared for the students' own benefits, they would never allow the Chinese to prepare their own students in such a shoddy way.
I mean, most students are unable to use the English they have acquired over ten years - due to the antiquated teaching style of the Chinese side.
Thee is no incentive for any teacher to perform better in this system. So, why offer better pay?