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Posts: 1876

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Q: Teachers: How Under-utilized Are You?

I've met and heard of of hundreds of teachers (whether fully qualified and certified or just 'hired as a teacher') that have loads of experience yet they are used as filler, the 'dancing monkey', edutainment, or just relegated to teaching "apple, banana..." despite their experience and qualifications.

Now, I know that some people take such positions for whatever reasons, but I've been thinking...if you're out to use someone like a battery (drain 'em dry then throw them out), why not take advantage of all the skills and experience that that person possesses?

My question, to all of who are teaching, how under-utilized do you think/feel you are?

9 years 16 weeks ago in  Teaching & Learning - China

 
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Posts: 879

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I actually feel sufficiently appreciated now.

 

Before coming to China I taught ESL in the English Language department of the university from which I graduated. That required a great deal more preparation and teaching methodology than is required in China.

 

I enjoyed the lack of rigour required by Chinese schools to begin with, but it quickly becomes unsatisfying. Now I teach Western History and Western Thought (history of Western Philosophy and ideology) to English majors at a fairly small university. It's taken a few years to offload the non-English-major ESL classes. The classes I teach now require a good deal more effort and engagement, and stop me from dissolving into lethargy.

 

I have a few students in each class who really take to alternate points of view (as opposed to the correct Chinese ones), and really, what more could I ask for? (More money. That's what. And I shall.)

 

tbh66:

Alternative points by students is always satisfiying.  They are actually thinking

9 years 16 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

Lucky you!! I majored in Philosophy, and have a fairly good interest in history, so I'd love to be able to teach those!!!

9 years 16 weeks ago
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9 years 16 weeks ago
 
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Yes, i.was one of those. CELTA and experience at the time i came to China, and they tried to use me as a dancing white monkey. I'm half convinced it's better NOT to have any relevent quals or experience when you first come. The "i don't know sh!t about teahing but the students like me" brigade seem happier than people like sorrel, for example, who are qualified and experienced

sorrel:

it was ironic that at the time, my joint employer, who is a university in my home country, paid for my CELTA,  as they understood the necessity of better english standards. 

my most recent employer is much more accommodating to the FT's who want to push the students in a much more student focused environment, not just the standard 'teacher speaks, students write' class set-up.

More of my previous experience was utilized which resulted in a much more challenging and interesting environment for all.

9 years 16 weeks ago
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MissA:

That sounds so much better, i'm glad to hear it :)

9 years 16 weeks ago
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9 years 16 weeks ago
 
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And, yes, there are many reasons why people might take a position not neccessarily equal to their skills. In my case MrA got horribly sick during his last week of ahis CELTA and failed on grounds of not doing that final, crucial TP. He was therefore an "unqualified"teacher (although he'd done the course and learned the skills and content) and our options were limited to places that would accept unqualified teachers, were not hot (poor boy melts in the tropics) and were easy and cheap to get to (his recovery time burned our spare cash). China was the logical choice.

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9 years 16 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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I  teach in a kindergarten and Iam very under-utilized.all I do is just teach my classes.I dont get asked for ideas about Christmas and we have a childrens show coming up soon.

I have alot of ideas but know one gives a shit.my brain is dead,I just go through the motions.

how is that some one that does not speak any English decide what English books for children to read.

I have well over 14 years teaching Kindergarten here in China.yes I am being very under-utilized.

 

no meetings about English,no meetings about classes,no idea meetings,no one gives a shit.

 

 

 

Eorthisio:

Yup, same experience here, no one gives a shit as long as the money comes in, don't worry they willl care when the cash flow dries up.

9 years 16 weeks ago
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9 years 16 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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Interesting topic.  I think basicly everyone is under-utilized in China as that is just a product of the system and culture that is put in place.  

laowaigentleman:

Most people here are under-utilized apart from a few at the top who are VASTLY OVER-utilized.

9 years 16 weeks ago
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9 years 16 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1198

Shifu

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I'm experienced (5 years of teaching, 2 of running a school) and I'm under-utilized by the training centre that I work for. In my home country I'd conduct teaching appraisals, curriculum development and review, professional development for staff and a host of other things to make sure that things were up to standard.
Here I tend to leave my brain at the door. The training centre I work for has no curriculum or management policies. Their only strategy is to push for more enrolments.
The good thing is that I am largely left to my own devices - which allows me to plan and teach whatever I like. I have a good rapport with the students and the parents so that means the boss is happy. Sometimes I feel like telling him how to run his business better but then I remember that his business is his business and that I don't really care.

Eorthisio:

I know that feel man, even if you told him he probably wouldn't listen to you, it's not like you ran a school before and know what you are talking about... Oh wait!

 

More seriously local bosses are too full of themselves to listen to anyone else.

9 years 16 weeks ago
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9 years 16 weeks ago
 
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Right now - sort of. It's not the under-utilisation that's really the problem. It's the lack of students who actually give a damn!

 

However, I was chatting to a colleague today who is an IELTS examiner, and he told me he once applied to work for New Oriental. They put him into the general ESL section. He asked why they don't use him in the IELTS preparation group... because they only use Chinese teachers there, and no, they didn't give a stuff that they had someone who knows the IELTS test far better than anyone of them...! Go XinDongFang!!!

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9 years 16 weeks ago
 
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I have to agree with some other posters. I think about 80-90% of the foreigners in China are under utilized. Why? 

 

Simple, Chinese want to be in control, they don't like being outshone (which is VERY easy to do in most cases) and they don't want us teaching the fun parts of our culture and not really the parts that may "damage" their superior culture and their children's minds. 

 

That being said, there are some that are very open-minded, intellectually stimulating Chinese that have their own opinions and value others. But they were the ones that didn't get brainwashed. 

 

Notice how many schools always tell teachers what to do for holiday events rather than actually letting the teachers organize it themselves? Why is this? Surely, we know our holidays better than them... and I am very certain most of us have better organizational skills... but that would mean giving foreign teachers/staff some control... a BIG no-no under Chinese management. 

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9 years 16 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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When I was a teacher, I was definitely overutilized, because the school tried milking me for as many teaching hours as they could for my salary.  The next year I found out that the new foreign teacher only had to teach half as many classes, go figure. 

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