I have read these articles with a great deal of interest. As an experienced teacher in China everyone including myself has a horror story to tell of some bad experience either with a school or agency.
So no one is Robinson Crusoe.
The stories are similar, the complaints are the same, as are the problems.
We are all highly educated and qualified (or at least most of us) so we should be able to resolve some of these issues.
I currently live in Shenzhen and maybe have a solution or at least an idea.
Those of us who are in China now know many of the pitfalls of teaching here ranging from bogus contracts, unprofessional school or recruiter personal, extreme misrepresentation of school facilities and a total misunderstanding of western teaching methodology.
Many schools and agencies are primarily business orientated so their focus is on how much money they can make and truth in advertising especially here is non existant.
these things we already know but some of our brothers and sisters in the teaching field have no experience in such things. Especially those still in their own countries.
As educators I believe it is our responsibility to try to offer as much assistance to these teachers as we can. We are trying to bring a new style of thinking to a country with 5000 years of history and its not gonna be easy.
This is a country with different idea's and thinking from our own and 迟篇chi pian is a legitimate tool of business.
Those of us here in China should just not complain but also look to trying to change not the system but our acceptance of such things.
I for one volunteer to assist any propective teacher who wants to come here with any and all questions they may have.
I also have a few contacts with some reputable agencies who do do the right thing for their teachers both here in Shenzhen and in Chengdu.
Im sure there are other teachers who also have similar abilities.
So why not band together and stand up for who we are. If schools dont want to play properly then we dont play with them.
Any one who reads this is free to e mail me if they want to. If you are in Shenzhen then you can e mail me and we can meet.
I am offering free of charge any assistance, job placement, advice or questions to anyone who wants it.
Dont let Chinese think that we laowai's are stupid.
Remember they need us more then we need them.
So lets help each other and we can do what we came here to do. Teach.

Thank you.

David Murray.
expat New Zealand