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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Are demo classes an absolute waste of time?
For those not familiar with them, demo classes are 30 min opportunities for the white monkey to act like an edutainer in the hope of signing up new students. As a business strategy I think they're pointless and tell you little to nothing of a child's ability. Any thoughts to the contrary?
12 years 8 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
Yes, they are an extreme waste of time. I did them for a year and I saw no evidence that they affected anyone's decision whether or not to sign their kids up. It was just a free minstrel show, and most of the people who showed up were just there for the free entertainment, obviously with no intention of giving up their cash.
But your Chinese boss will still make you do them no matter what. No amount of persuasion, reasoning or evidence will change that. Just be thankful you don't have to do them in shopping malls, McDonalds, 大润发, or KFC.
This could be your answer to your "Why can't we recruit teachers?" question. Most people who've been teaching in China for a while are extremely weary of training centres, especially in areas where a minstrel show can still draw a crowd.
GuilinRaf:
One of my friends will sometimes take his kids to these "shows". He tells me his children like them because "foreigners are so humorous". That is why I turn down all partime jobs that are not university related.
You already know the answer to this one... bloody monkey shows.
That's part of the reason I only bother looking at university jobs.
I won't have trial/demo classes anymore. Actually I stopped that almost immediately after arriving here. Instead I schedule meetings with each student and their parents. I know that sounds impossible but I insist on it and I have to say....I even tell them how much money they should pay and the amount of hours of classes the student needs (depending on their individual goals) and escort them to the cashier for payment when possible. Actually they seem to appreciate that quite a lot. This is easier for me as I almost exclusively teach IELTS and TOEFL, or small classes of 1 to 5.
5 years ago I did a silly demo class on Children's Day and vowed to never do it again.
There a waste of time for a number of reasons. First off the person setting the demos up will usually never tell the teacher anything about the students they are about to meet. This is a huge problem. The demo should be a way to meeting the student and getting acquainted with them, but the problem is since the person that sets up the demo between the student and teacher never tells either about the person it's a waste of time. It's kind of like being picky! They know it's up to the student to take the teacher or not so it's always picky picky! And a lot of times the parent will say if their child likes the teacher they accept, but a lot of times they change their minds. It's too picky to me and a waste of time. The students need to learn how to adapt to different teachers etc., When they go to college sure they might be able to pick who they want as a teacher but that's not the case all of the time.
if u have interest in it ,that 's useful,if not,it absolute waste of youe time,so do u think it interesting?
Been there once, and I'm telling you, it's a bloody waste of time! They're gonna come up with promising words about ur upcoming demo, but in reality they just make u a salesman without pay. Not a wise strategy of them.
MissA:
My school pays demo bonuses at least, and takes the hours out of out contracted weekly hours, so its not always unpaid; but it is always a tedious and entirely stupid waste of bloody time.
I did one, when I first came to China. When the school refused to pay for it, I left on the spot.
You guys are babies, just shut up and do your job. Demos are not a waste of time at all. Why wouldnt someone want to see what they are getting before they pay?? I love demo classes, they are incredibly usefull if you are good at them. And people that are good at giving demos almost always get paid more in my experience.. When you give a good demo for your job interview its a very usefull negotiation tool. Ive been here for a while, and in my experience people hate to do them because they 1. Suck and 2. Hate to do anything at all out of their comfort zone.
derek:
I'm happy for you...but you are wrong with your assessment. Not everyone is like you. You seem angry too.
MissA:
Job interview demonstration lessons are one thing. Demos when your schools's marketing department shoves an unknown number of students of unspecified age and ability into any one of a number of classrooms and then expects that in 20 minutes you will dazzle them with you brilliance at (and I quote a sales girl at my school) "making English noises" enough to cover for their sheer incompentence. Those are tedious, even if you're good at them.
yian:
First off, demo classes are not 'classes' at all and demonstrate only that actual, honest, teaching isn't really a requirement for working in China. The fact that I get paid 100rmb for every student we sign through them (for 30 minutes work) does not make me appreciate doing such pointless theatrics. The money I make doing this covers my rent and utilities/taxes, so financially is quite appreciated. However, be under no illusion: I'd rather forego the extra money and not do them at all. Secondly, 'babies'? Really? While I applaud your ability to get some enjoyment out of such crass marketing folly, to say that someone is a 'bad' teacher because they object to not actually teaching is well...ENTIRELY unprofessional. My demo classes, especially for the under 5's, are very polished performances that in no way tell me anything about potential students' abilities. In real centres of learning, this is done exclusively through placement testing. Have you considered gaining an esl qualification? Do this and you'll appreciate just how ridiculous your post is. Amateur.
MissA:
I so badly want to give this answer a down point, but then yian's awesome response would disappear also. Life's hard some days :(
mike695ca:
Yian, for your information, I have one. Completely useless. And the very fact that you give demos to " under 5's" well that sais alot. I am wasting my time. Enjoy taking the bus to drink 2 kuai baijiu while you wait for your next paycheck.
Demos are not a waste of time, but there are two seperate type of demo classes.
1) is the demo class that you will do for a school so that they can see what kind of a teacher you are.
2) is the demo you perform for a school in order for them to gather students and thus increase their profits. You should definitely be getting paid for these. If not, simply refuse to do them.
All types of demos are a waste of time as they're unrealistic. The teacher is nervous and when they normally teach they aren't. You can't make accurate assessments from demos (I used to be a school principal). If the teacher has any kind of teaching certificate (they must have been observed to pass it) conducted by a qualified person. Often the person observing in China is unqualified. I send them a resume with 26 years teaching experience and a teaching certificate and they ask me to do a demo to prove I can teach! How demeaning, moronic and disrespectful can you get?