Thursday, April 26, 2018
Subject: Why me?

Greetings from Baoding:
I am a Canadian citizen with over 10 years teaching experience teaching outside Canada. I have worked in China for about 8 years and I come with a Chinese wife. I’ve taught University and High School and have always prided myself on my ability to communicate and assist students.
I have taught every age from nursery school to adults. I am 62 years old at present and learning more every year. Is 62 old? I don’t think so. I ask, why don’t the people 40 or younger who come here to teach have a family life where they come from? My kids are grown up and on their own, and as I said I have a Chinese wife so I am quite familiar with Chinese culture through her, her family, and the students here I’ve taught.
I have over 10 years teaching experience overseas. I’ve spent 8 of those years in China. As I said, my wife is a Chinese National (who lived with me in Canada for 3 years) and that is an added plus in learning about the culture. After all, it’s all about communication between two cultures.
I spent 1 year teaching in Oman and that was a pleasant experience and I would enjoy returning to the Middle East.
I have over 25 years experience in the I.T. field and my job was mainly developing software and also included training and supervising programmers and trainers, installing our software in countries around the world (Brazil, Guam, Columbia, Ireland, etc.) so I know how to communicate with others of a different culture. I am not your typical North American who believes “West is Best”. I prefer to take the things I learn from other cultures and incorporate it into my personal culture.
I pride myself on my ability to communicate with others. I don’t talk down to anyone, and I listen. Listening is not a skill everyone has, but every truly successful teacher will have that skill.
I excel at communicating with others (as I said), both those under me and above me. My experience as a Project Manager in I.T. allowed me to provide guidance to others, scheduling things, and be personally responsible to our customers to get things done in a professional and helpful way. If you think of students as your customers (which I believe they are), then there isn’t must difference. Many people talk a good game, but not everyone can deliver what they promise. You don’t know me, but I do what I say I will, and what is required of me.
It is important to have a “team” mentality, especially here in China. One of the things that has amazed me most in China is that in a class everyone will offer assistance to the weakest student. Even if their classmates don’t like them as a person, they will help them. That doesn’t happen in the West. It’s all a big competition and everyone wants to be first even if it involved sticking a knife into the back of your classmate. I like the team concept here in China where your team wants to finish first, and I like the willingness to help others. After all, your team is only as good as it’s weakest link.
I love talking to students. To me, that’s not work. I have a lot to offer students and they have a lot to offer me. I am not a God, just another person who has much to learn. I’m a good listener and if you listen carefully, you can learn a lot of useful things.
I believe in using Theatre in the classroom. You must engage and involve the students. The more responsibility you give them, the better they respond. I’ve had students write and perform plays, and the results were amazing. I say amazing because Chinese teachers couldn’t believe what I’d accomplished. It was the kids who accomplished something; I just made it possible for them to perform at their best.
I spent many years in community theatre acting and directing where besides improving your performing and directing abilities, you improve your team skills. I am a quick thinker who can change very quickly if something isn’t working to something that will work. Sometimes the greatest plan you have isn’t actually the greatest plan. You have to be willing to accept responsibility for that and move on to help your customers (students).
As you can probably tell, I am quite verbal. As my children tell me, I don’t write emails, I write novels. I believe in being clear in what I say and what I write. I believe very strongly in treating everyone with respect. There is a class of people who think that others have to “earn their respect”. I’m not a member of that school. I start out with respect and I suppose you have to fail yourself to lose my respect.
I believe in giving responsibility to the students, which doesn’t happen a lot in China from my experience. I find that the students tend to rise to the level of responsibility you give them.
My job is to help others succeed. If they succeed, I succeed. To me, that sounds like a wonderful opportunity to have some tiny effect upon the world. If I only cared about money or rising up the corporate ladder, I’d be back in Canada earning the “big bucks”, but as you can see, I’m here in China working for peanuts (compared to Canada) and trying to be of some use
My teaching philosophy is to be of use to my students. I believe in being prepared for class and to be able to turn on a dime in order to change the focus of the class if your idea for the day is not working out. It happens. I think I have a great idea but the students just aren’t into that on a particular day. Do I try and force it down their throats? Some would, but not me. I can try again another day and go to Plan B or C to get their interest.
I am happy to teach most subjects because I enjoy teaching. The students learn and I learn from the students. It’s a fair trade. You have to be aware of your skills to put yourself in a strong position to succeed. For me, failure is not an option.
I hope you find me qualified enough to interview and I hope to hear back from you. I think you can tell from this rather long cover letter that I’m very interested in what you’re offering. I think I’m good at what I do, and if you truly are good, it’s not bragging.
With regards to the 60-age limit in China, that isn’t exactly 100% true. I am presently working in a top University but I’m 62. I worked last year and I was 61. If the age limit is 60, then how did I perform these feats of magic? There is no trick involved. If you, as a school, truly desires a particular teacher, you can get an exception for them, get them a work permit, and have them on your staff. You have to make an effort to get the best people, but that is your job and your responsibility, just as my job and my responsibility to educate students as best as I can.
I hope to hear back from you.
Thank you,
Martin King

RESUME:

MARTIN KING
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Phone (Toronto) 1-416-223-8558, +86 15200069753,
Email: martin.sallco@gmail.com Skype: mlking55
DOB: August 19, 1955. Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Nationality: Canadian

EDUCATION:
York University (Toronto, Canada), Master of Education (Language and Literacy) (A great deal of my courses were involving different areas of ESL) (Graduated 11/91)
York University (Toronto, Canada), Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) (Graduated 06/79)
Kanata Institute of Computer Sciences, Diploma in Business Computer Programming (Honors) (Graduated 05/80)
University of Cambridge CELTA Certification (120 in-class course) (Graduated 06/05)

Objective:
To obtain a position that will allow me to utilize my extensive communication, leadership, mentoring, and teaching the needed skills to provide benefit to my employer, and their students, and the social welfare of the community and beyond.

Strengths:
I believe that no project or task is too difficult. I have always found a solution to a problem regardless of its complexity. I listen carefully when I am spoken to, regardless of the person, their level in society, or their level of English.

Summary:
• Teacher working with children from Kindergarten through adults in China, Korea, and the Middle East.
• I.T. professional with over 20 years experience in all phases of software and system design, development, programming, training and support in different businesses.
• Proven record of managing, leading, completing projects, and educating students in a professional and friendly manner.
• Working and training all levels of staff in using our computer system.
• Steady, reliable and dependable as evidenced by my employment record.
• Experience working with people in different countries around the world (i.e. Brazil, Palestine/Israel, Columbia, Ireland, Canada, U.S., S. Korea, China and others).

Accomplishments:
(What I would write here is basically the same for all schools I’ve worked at. To summarize, I’ve had a wide and varied career in teaching English and other subjects (I am an I.T. professional) and I love it. I love the students and I appreciate that they can teach me as much about their country as I can teach them about English)

I’ve worked with University students teaching them English (speaking, listening, reading, writing, research methods, business, and economics). I have worked with post-graduate students in thesis writing in preparation for their further studies. I’ve worked in Oman where the culture leads to some interesting challenges such as the separation of the sexes (even though the school is co-ed). This has allowed me the opportunity to approach teaching using some new ways, as I have to change myself to fit the students. I have also worked in High Schools.

I have changed schools every year in China so I can see and experience different parts of the country. I am willing to settle down for a period of longer than a year if an excellent position appeared.

My I.T. career involved designing systems for various companies and involvement in the training of all levels of staff.

North China Electric Power University (August 2017 – Current)
Baoding, China
English Teacher

Number 3 Middle School
Nanchang, China
American History/IELTS Speaking Teacher (September, 2016-July, 2017)

Norman B. English (August 2015 – June 2016)
Baoding, Hebei Province
Co-owner/Operator/Teacher

Fu Yue Foreign Language Institute (Jan. 2015-June 2015)
Changsha, Hunan Province
Research Methods Teacher

Rustaq College of Applied Arts and Technology
Rustaq
Oman
English Teacher (Sept. 1, 2013 to July 1, 2014)

Baotou Teachers College (Sept. 1 2012 to July 1, 2013)
Zhengzhou, Henan Province
China
English Teacher

Jiangsu Polytechnic College of Agriculture and Forestry (Sept 2011-July 2012)
Jurong, Jiangsu Province, China
English Teacher

EF Language Institute, S. Korea (February 2006 – May 2007)
Duil Middle School, S. Korea
C.A.U.N. Language
ESL Teacher

Tiberias Schools, Israel (1980-1982)
ESL Teacher
Teaching English through Drama

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RR Enterprises Ltd. (1991-2003, 2007-July 2011)
Project/Applications Manager AS/400 (RPG) environment
• Worked with users in JAD environment developing a system customers wanted along with continuing enhancements that meet and continue to meet their needs.
• Conversed with all levels of employees and management at companies throughout the world in order to determine and discuss their needs and to ensure that they were successfully integrated into the software and delivered.
• Researched the best way of implementing these needs and translating them into a functional and useable system that was saleable and made companies happy.
• Supported installed systems throughout the world, interfacing and working with all levels of company personnel, both on the phone and on site. This included travelling to install the system and working with our trainers to help the company get up to speed as quickly and painlessly as possible.
• Wrote the 400 page manual that accompanied the system before any programming began to guide users through the process of how to use it and what they will be getting, for them to sign off on.
• Managed groups of programmers, analysts, and trainers through all stages of projects (complete SDLC) and supported and assisted in their efforts towards building successful systems.
• Designed, developed, managed, programmed, and supported a financially successful subscriber management system (also known as a billing system) on the AS/400 (Iseries) utilizing RPG and RPGLE. This system contains a multitude of modules including, but not limited to order entry, charging, invoicing, accounting, inventory management, sales management, plant maintenance, dispatch, booking schedules, and others.
• Coordinated and assigned work tasks and timelines for analysts and programmers, and ensured the best people were assigned to do the task to enable its completion it in a timely manner. Provided support to those who needed it to help make them more effective on the job.
• Worked with all levels of employees in the instruction of our system and how to get the most out of it to meet their needs

NorthStar Software Solutions (2004-February 2006)
System Designer/Project Manager
• Designed, developed and managed the creation and implementation of a Subscriber Management System to be used by Call Centers and Cable Operators
• Worked with programmers, analysts, and testers in order to guide the project through it’s complete life cycle
• Provided all forms of support to those working on the project to enable them to successfully complete their tasks
• Worked with Call Center to ensure their needs were being met during the development of the system
• Involved in traveling to trade shows in an effort to market the product and speaking with potential purchasers of the product

Westinghouse Canada (1984-1989)
Systems Analyst AS/400/S38 (RPG) environment
• Designed, developed and programmed various systems that enabled employees to work in a more efficient manner. These included systems in labour, materials, accounting, and other areas.

Please note*
I have been involved in software development, user training, technical support, and teaching all levels of students over the years. I do not think you will be disappointed.