druther not say
- 2008-12-12
This is an update to my original post since nobody replied anyway. As I feared would happen my current employer, a "Third Tier" uni, decided to give me an "unfavorable" rating and now I'm an untouchable here in this province. No school can hire me even if it wants to. I'm at a total loss as to what to do. The rating has absolutely nothing to do with my teaching and everything to do with me actually standing up for myself when I was repeatedly lied to and my contract broken multiple times. I was never formally evaluated even once in the year I've been here so this comes totally out of the blue. Is there anyone out there who can offer any advice as to what I should do next?
Let this serve as an example to those of you who dare stand up for your rights here. Being a good teacher is not as important here as keeping your mouth shut and doing what you're told.
I'm presently teaching at a school I'm not particularly happy with, to keep things succinct. I'm determined, however, to hang in there and make it to the end of my contract, which should be in February, '09. My primary motivation is to get a "release letter" so I won't have to go all the way home to get a new "Z" visa and, eventually, a new Residence Permit. I just read that there is a "new regulation" that took effect in May. It seems all FT's now need not only a release letter but also a "letter of recommendation." This letter, from what I've read, seems to be pretty much what it says it is. One's present school needs to recommend that you are suitable for continued employment in China. It needn't say you're great or anything. Just suitable. This might be paranoia on my part but I'm a little worried my current school, for no other reason than simple spite, won't give me the recommendation. Does anyone out there have any first-hand knowledge of this and how it works?