I think that it's quite necessary for us to avoid generalities when we're discussing EFL teaching and learning in China; therefore, our imaginary conversations are rightfully laced with expressions such as "the great majority," and I do take note that you have avoided using sweeping generalities. Obviously, though, we have differing opinions regarding the degree to which FT's should shoulder the blame for not having had a more positive impact in terms of altering some of the more dismal realities we're addressing. Here's a conversation I had a few months ago in my office with a rather bright student at our college:

Me: Hey, Michael, come on in. Always nice to see you. How are things going.

Michael: Well, ok, I guess.

Me: Is something bothering you?

Michael: Yes, but I'm not sure I should talk about it.

Me: Don't worry Michael, you know that anything we talk about here is just between you and me.

Michael: Ok, well, yesterday I and a few of my classmates had a talk with the Dean about some of the things that bother us here.

Me: Hmm. I guess you were a little disappointed with that conversation, were'nt you?

Michael: Yes, we were. It seems he's not really interested in listening to our complaints.

Me: I'm not surprised. As you know, I'm not real happy with the Dean either, and that's one of the reasons I won't be coming back for a third year. At one time, he seemed capable of dealing with problems and even listened to advice from a few of the qualified teachers, but now it seems like he's lost interest. I think it's because this college has grown so fast and has hired so many new teachers, that he's in over his head. (Explanation of "over his head" provided to the student.)

Michael: I see, and yes that's the problem we wanted to talk to him about. Most of our new teachers don't seem like they know what they're doing, or don't seem to care about the students.

Me: Yeah, I know what you're talking about. Lately, so many students have been coming to my office and asking me to correct their work because their teachers aren't really bothering to do so and they know that all the mistakes are not being found.

Michael: Yes, that's part of the problem, but the biggest problem is that they don't seem very interested in what they're doing and so the class is so boring.

Me: What do you wish they were doing differently?

Michael: Well, before I came to college I had some great English teachers.

Me: Foreign teachers?

Michael: No, Chinese teachers. They really made our English classes interesting. I learned so much more in Senior school than I have at this college. We all really like your class, but................

Me: Thanks Michael.

Michael: Well, I think you understand my meaning. Some of the teachers just talk and talk and we don't learn anything. We don't even get to use the language. Other teachers just flirt with the girls. Our writing teacher has never showed us his own writing; it's always just the boring passages from our boring text book.

Me: I understand, and I've tried to talk about these things to the Dean also. He just doesn't want to listen these days, so I don't know what to do about it.

Michael: Yes, we feel the same way. We're a little disappointed about paying so much money and not getting what we thought we would get.

Me: I'm sorry about that Michael. I wish I could offer you some advice, but I think that all you can do is try your best. Maybe you and your friends should form a study group and spend as much time as possible studying outside the classroom.

Michael: Ok, we'll try. Thank you teacher.

To be honest, this is actually downplaying the conversation. The disappointment of this student and many others at the college I just left is acute. Their awareness of the deficiencies of the teachers is just as acute. The problem in their minds is less about the big picture that you describe Yingwen - that of a system bogged down in the past, but more of one about a system that should, at the very least, be providing quality teachers.

We can make valid comparisons about the West and East having similar profit motivations, but in the West there is little toleration for unqualified teachers. I simply can't imagine a college in America, for example, offering Chinese language classes taught by someone who can't communicate well in Chinese or write well in Chinese and who hasn't a clue about how to conduct themselves in the classroom.

Again, yes the education system in China has some serious problems that seemingly aren't being addressed; however, the influx of pretend teachers is only exacerbating a situation that they actually are trying to fix. I've asked the question before and I'll ask it again: Why do foreigners who have absolutely zero teaching experience, zero training and zero interest in learning anything about teaching English as a Foreign Language continue showing up in droves knowing that they can scam their way into a classroom and make a decent enough wage in China to have a pretty nice lifestyle? Well, I guess the question is the answer. On the other hand, what makes them capable of complaining about the system when they are a big part of the problem?

You and I have been colleagues in the past Yingwen - quite awhile ago, now that I think about it. I'm sure that since then we've both observed a lot that we simply wish was not the case. Moreover, I know that you are as dedicated to your students as I am, and that you're always seeking ways to make your classes more meaningful for their sake. I also think that, like me, you probably go through varying degrees of frustration when dealing with this whole scene and that on some days we're both capable of putting it aside and just concentrating on the task at hand. I also note from reading most of your posts that you're a little more balanced than I in the way that you discuss EFL in China, as I tend to lean more toward the side of the students while you tend to look more at the big picture and choose to provide a broader perspective in this forum. I guess that after five years of this, I've found that most of my concern is for the students though. Perhaps I've had it up to here with the whiners and they don't bother you quite as much as they do me.

Yeah, I'm leaving this campus in a few days and moving on to my next assignment that should prove to be quite interesting. Back to the small town atmosphere for me - even smaller than where we taught together. This time, though, I'll be working for a private company where I'll be helping to prepare some of their employees for studies abroad. They're actually paying me a months salary for vacation time before I even begin, and paying all my vacation travel costs after I go there to get my visa renewed, and paying for my flight there and flight costs after the contract as per usual. They're doing all this because they've had problems in the past with young teachers and pretend teachers and want to keep me there as long as possible. I've talked extensively with the outgoing teacher - yep, only one, and that appeals to me also. Like where we were before, I'll be one of the few foreigners around. I'll be in a part of China that I've always considered quite fascinating, but haven't had the opportunity to go to prior to this. Well, I'm pretty excited about the change and so is my girl friend - yep, still together after four years. I'll send you an email after I get there and let you know how it's going.

Take care Yingwen!