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Q: Has anyone actually had a good experience teaching English in a city?
I have friends that currently teach in Beijing and hate it. Wild kids, no creativity, no communication with staff. A lot of people I've talked too have had really bad experiences teaching English in a city. Has anyone had a good experience?
Good luck with this one, but I think your friends' experience is probably pretty close to the norm. I don't think the job situation would vary from city to city so much as from school to school. You don't explicitly say it, but if you are job-hunting or thinking about teaching, I'd suggest you look for a university with a large foreign teaching staff, or a school with competent western management as these are the places you will get the most support. This is particularly important for new teachers, or teachers that are new to China.
The kids I taught in my former job in China, I found, were amazingly spoiled overall, although there were some very cool little people in my classes. Creativity was practically zero among the kids and absolutely zero among all but one or two of my Chinese colleagues.
LAR:
I agree with MissA regarding her comments about getting on at a university.
I'm teaching in a small private school that targets adults and particularly IELTS and TOEFL candidates, (many teachers think this is the absolute worst type of school to work in). I am the only foreign teacher and we have a small Chinese staff, 4 teachers, 3 'marketing' 4 or 5 part time receptionist / sales.
Everyone is friendly 100% of my prep is within my contract hours in the office, i.e. my paid hours are the only hours I have to work. The pay is modest, very modest by Beijing / Shanghai standards but average for this city. The boss is great, she worked in the office with everyone else until we ran out of office space and she booted herself, (with the other managers) to another office.
No, a great school, a great staff, some decent hard-working students and a fun place to be. I'm loving it.
MissA:
I mean this in the nicest possible way, but.... IELTS training ought only done by the most experienced and well trained teachers. I am trained and have taught for three years and I'd still be a little hesitant taking on an IELTS class. The standards, since these (normally) kids' futures are riding on their results, need to be sky-high. You're doing IELTS training for the average pay of a second tier city? Really? If you're actually suitably qualified to teach those courses, you're getting seriously ripped off! If not... why are you teaching IELTS?
Hugh.G.Rection:
Well I've been teaching IELTS for 9 months now, ok I only take the speaking classes but if I say so myself I have a very high success rate. Indeed our school has a policy that if you take the course they recommend then don't achieve the score you say you need / want we will refund your test fee. I haven't had a single student claim that refund due to the speaking test. So I can't be that bad. Oh and yes I am qualified, CELTA Cert Ed and Degree
MissA:
If you're a qualified and successful exam-prep teacher you ought to be asking for more than just the average pay for a second tier city! But perhaps average is a term that means different things to different people.
Hugh.G.Rection:
Well perhaps when the contract comes up for renewal I will remind the bosses of that. I am still earning 4 times what a Chinese teacher earns, it is the average salary for a Weijao in this city.
I need / want to be in this city as this is where my family is, I've spent many years traveling and being apart from my family, one of the reasons for moving to China was the stability. So I have to take some rough with the smooth. Life is ever thus.
I've met some great friends, but I was shocked by the behavior of the students. Yes, I'm a bit old-fashioned, but really, it was like a bad movie! Kids walking in and out, yelling face to face with senior teachers, openly defying the director, eating, drinking (alcohol) in the classroom, they even began sleeping on the floor! it took me a while to characterize the environment, but finally I figured it out. I say it is less like a classroom, and more like a KTV.
Strangest thing I have ever seen.
LAR:
Hi diver,
That sounds like fun! NOT! It reminds me of teaching some So. Korean kids..OMG!! :(
Ciao
Hugh.G.Rection:
That's not like any of my experiences, I have enough trouble getting the students to speak at all let alone mouth off! However, in both of my schools to date my policy has been the same, discuss, great, argue a little, ok, vent off then the door is open and you can leave. I am clear with that to ALL students (and staff) and so far, no problems.
Then again, I haven't taught kids yet.
i have had nothing bt a great experience in xi an great city great students
LAR:
I had a good experience teaching in Lishui. (Regarding the area,students and housing.)
Guilin was OK the first three years before I got bored. I love my job here in Beijing now!
GuilinRaf:
I must add, I teach University, not elementary or high school.
I hav
e been teaching in Xian,nice city,2 years plus now.But my wifes family is from here so may be biased
I taught at a university in Changsha and loved it. Good students and good colleagues.
