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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: how many teachers have to work extra in China and get it up the...
I was talking to someone that was telling me about what schools are like to work for. He said he did 42 classes and the school won't pay over time because the week was split Jan/ Feb. He said this is just a sample of what happens. How often do you get stung or are forced to work extra classes?. I thought teachers worked an average of 18 hours and had lots of time to travel etc. What else happens to ya?
12 years 7 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
Not at all. I'm on a 40 hour contract and tend to do a few hours fewer than I'm meant to. Sometimes, however, the schedule will change a little to accommodate this.
University! 24 classes (45 mins), plus 5 office hours (which I usually do less ).
Only screwing around gets done once the results come in
"an average of 18 hours"
HAHHAHAH. Not in a private school. Training centres - no matter what the contract says - will try to push you over forty. Even a relatively honest training centre nowadays is unlikely to settle for less than 25 plus marketing time. I once worked at a training centre (World English in Zhenjiang) where the boss forged my signature to give me another full time job at a second school (Sanzhisan, both schools you should avoid like the plague), which totalled to 52 classes a week.
The owner, Wang, was a low-level government official who ran the school on the side, and he repeatedly threatened to have me deported or arrested if I didn't comply. I hope that corrupt bastard ends up in prison one of these days.
Working for a key school, you'll tend to get less classes. Twenty tops but usually less.
Nope, I'm actually working less than my contracted contact hours. My boss did decide, apparently that there needs to be one foreign teacher working every day. So the contract which calls for two consecutive days off suddenly turned into whatever days off they feel like giving me... and no one thought to tell me what was going on.
My contract says that my salary covers 25 classes a week and that any extra classes would be paid with overtime. I'm getting more classes now with the Advanced students because one of the teachers quit and the school is taking its sweet time in looking for a new one but it's hard to complain when you're making easy money.
I teach 12 hours a week. I have never been asked to work more hours than usual, although I have been a judge for several things at the school. I go to the English corner when they have it, but I'm only involved, I don't plan or run that. For 5,000 rmb a month...I can't complain too much.
TedDBayer:
who picks on little girls with negs? I give you + just to counter
The threats are just a bluff in most cases, but the trick is to be prepared when they do the actions that are so predictable. Like find a lawyer at the first sign of a problem, so when they give you the fake termination letter (on blank paper, without the company letterhead or red stamp), you can just call the lawyer, then hand the phone to your boss. You can physically see their faces and bodies melt at this unexpected turn of events. You then have the upper hand.
Most of the lawyers I have met in China are quite happy to give advice for free for two reasons. First, they seem to like getting involved in cases with foreigners. Second, it is their chance to get revenge on the education system they hated as kids, and don't want for their own kids. If it goes to arbitration, they will of course charge for their services.
Also, Government agencies will assist you, but you must be prepared to push a little, and have your credentials scrutinised.
I have actually taken official action on two occasions. Last month I called Foreign Experts Administration when the school gave me a fake termination letter, for failing to do additional unpaid work, of subjects that are not in my contract. My contract is for Maths only, but the school tried to force me to teach Oral English classes as well. Foreign Experts arranged a mediation hearing at which the school admitted the letter was a bluff. Foreign Experts gave me the choice of accepting it as genuine, or continuing the contract.
I accepted it as genuine, to the protests of the school, and Foreign Experts told the school they must pay 60 days salary in lieu of notice, two weeks additional salary for unlawful termination, a return plane ticket to Australia, and provide accommodation for 60 days if required (all stipulations of the contract). They also had to provide a release letter. They have done all this, and I am now enjoying the summer back in Australia, before returning to another job later in the year.
Shining_brow:
You lucky, lucky bastard!!! I, too, have used the lawyer threat... and yeah, it gets those face colours changing :D
I work 14 classes (45 min each) a week, no office hours, and no other additional obligations required by contract. Anything else is up to negotiation, which we have done in the past.