At the end of the day everyone is most likely going to defend, in
one way or another, their current station in life. So I'll start
with mine... I've been teaching here in China over 3 years now.
When I first came, I had been wanting to try something different
and thought teaching here would be a great start. I applied to a
few private English schools. I chose to apply to them because all
the ads I had seen and still see for Public Schools and
Universities pay less and require morning and office hours. To
make more than a private school at a public school or University
you are required to dilly-dally around in the school for 45
minutes to 2 hours between classes until you can go home and
that's not my cup of tea. As I stated at the beginning and know
from others opinions expressed on here, that it works for them.
This past year I had re-negotiated my contract with my boss to
work Friday evening and Sat./Sun. morning for 7K a month. Not a
lot, but hey I have four days in a row off and I found a sweet
apartment of my own in down-town Shanghai for 2k. My plan was to
work part-time at other schools and private tutor; sort of a
hit-man for hire. It worked fine at first, but found it took too
much effort to keep busy. Most of the agencies I work for find it
difficult to work around me not being able to work Friday. In this
time I have been private tutoring students and substituting at
public schools. I still have 3 months left until I'm done with my
current employer so I went looking for some more part-time work
and found you know who. I, like others here have expressed, was a
little turned off by the 500 RMB a month they with-hold for three
months in a row and the 200 RMB for 100 mins. This is the lowest I
have encountered so far and was a little shocked. I'm not trying
to slam them, they obviously are successful. I just think these
sort of companies that hire part-time/substitute teachers should
have more of a scale for paying teachers that have experience, the
necessary credentials and are actually from English speaking
countries and not from Lithuania or Brazil with a decent English
accent. No offense to those who teach English whose first language
isn't English, I just feel there should be a more varying pay
scale. Even when I have voiced my opinion the interviewers are
always quick to access the necessary pre-programed rebuttal they
have memorized for such an unruly git as myself. I just don't
like having to ask for what I shouldn't have to but I understand
business is business but I can't be the first guy or the umpteenth
for that matter. These sort of clauses in contracts I have seen be

more counterproductive than useful. I have seen many teachers

leave the company I worked for the first year in the middle of the

night after recieving the last months check and saying F' the half

month they'll keep for me leaving and then everyone suffers; the

kids, owners, other teachers, translators and parents because it

takes at least a month to replace a teacher especially in a small

town/city. If this company and others like it with this sort of

clause realized that if they just had an open door where if the

teacher was unhappy or needed to leave for any reason could come

and tell the owner and not have to worry about losing money or

leaving on bad terms and give the owner a head start on replacing

the teacher. It should be common sense to understand that someone

is not going to be willing to work for another 2 weeks if they

know you are going to fine them 2 weeks pay for breaking a

contract, or in this case whatever it works out to. I also both

agree and disagree with other statements/opinions made here. I

have seen first hand how piss-poor private schools can be run.

Most owners only see the Yuan signs and don't give two shits about

the children or parents. They always know there will be a fresh

crop of 4 and 5 year olds just around the corner to replace the

kids and their parents who've given up on their shitty teacher

who's only concern is where and with whom he or she is going to

party with that night, studying his Chinese so he can hope to pick

up girls and offend guys and somehow feel like a bad-ass because

people are impressed by his antics. More often than not the

"teachers" I've known don't truly appreciate the opportunity they

have here and see everyone around them as their playthings and

this as their play-land. I know some of you reading this may feel

your blood beginning to boil at this very moment and if it is,

stop, look away; and ask yourself, is he wrong? Then of course

your answer might be no and you, like your boss, also don't give

two shits about your students and who you offend. Moreover, those

who put down the teacher's without degree shouldn't generalize. I

have seen both sides of this. Those with degrees who don't give a

crap about their job or the children and/or are very inept at

teaching in general and have a sense of entitlement because of the

degree mommy and daddy paid for for them. And on the other hand

I've seen those without degrees who do appreciate the opportunity

and do care about the kids and always try to improve and get

better. They may be more "hungry" or they may also be just as

shitty and just want to party it up and try their best not to puke

in front of the kids the next morning, just as I'm sure there are

with degrees that care about their jobs. Anyway, sorry to rant.

It's been locked away for quite a while and when I found this

thread I figured it was time. To those thinking of coming here I

would suggest doing your homework. Figure out what sort of hours

and size town/city you will be most comfortable with and always

remember to think about the kids first because lord knows, someone

needs to as most of their parents treat them like programmable

possessions and not the smiley happy kids that should enjoy being

kids while they still are and that is up to you. Please don't come

here for the wrong reasons.....please. B4n