Thinking of starting your own ESL programs in China?
Starting a training center? Developing a new teaching method? The first thing to keep in mind is that you’re always operating under the heavy radar of the Chinese government. I’ve known a number of excellent teachers with new, great ideas for ESL training in China who “just couldn’t take it” and ended up heading to a different country or back home.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how good your idea is or how innovative your new methods are. In the end, if the person next to you, with no experience, and no care for students drinks bai jiu with a school principal three nights a week then he will end up with a new contract or the necessary funding for his training center.
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Bargain for everything in China – especially your teaching contract
If you’ve been in China for any amount of time then you probably know well enough to bargain for just about everything. This certainly does not exclude a teaching contract.
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Winter ESL Camps in China
The semester is winding down and depending on where you’re teaching you might only have a month left. Some people are going home for the holidays but many either can’t afford it or simply don’t want to. If you’re in the latter group then are a few options available to you over your vacation. You can always travel, however, if travel doesn’t appeal to you and you don’t mind teaching over the break then you might want to seek out a winter ESL camp. It’s a great opportunity to make extra money, especially if you’re on a contract that doesn’t pay you over the vacation. If you’re thinking of finding a job at a winter language camp there are a few things you should consider.
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My teaching experience in Jiangxi
I came to Jiang Xi a few weeks ago to help a school down here start a new SAT and TOEFL training program for a small class of students. The school contacted us very suddenly with an immediate need for teachers. My first impression was one of excitement and enthusiasm. The school was one of the best in Jiang Xi and the students numbered over ten thousand. “This school might actually be somewhat organized” I thought, “This will be a great chance to reach out to students who have no exposure to anything outside China.”
Foreign ESL Teachers’ Salaries On The Rise
This is good news for all of us. Compared to this time a few years ago the average hourly pay for a foreign ESL teacher in Beijing has raised nearly 20%. My only guess is that this increase will, or already has, been felt in other provinces of China as well. Read more
Do you need TEFL certification to teach in China?
Whether you’ve made the decision of coming to China to teach or are in the “just considering” stage the question of whether or not to get a TESOL certification will inevitably come up. Let me help you answer this question. Read more
Best TEFL Job Websites For China
ESL teaching job listings in China? Below are a few of my favorite websites along with introductions in order to help you find the perfect TEFL job for you. All of these sites have employers seeking teachers throughout the year. Don’t worry if you missed the beginning of the semester. There is always an unfilled TEFL job in China! Read more
School Flavours
In China, the term, “school”, can refer to a kaleidoscope of educational institutions, from nurseries to universities, from government-funded establishments to those paid for privately. This article looks specifically at the differences between public and private schools.
Here’s a primary one: money. With few exceptions, you’ll get more of it at a private school. Public schools generally cannot compete with the salaries offered by their non-state counterparts. They do, however, usually require fewer teaching hours. Traditionally they also give teachers better holidays - typically six weeks over winter and up to two months over summer. This advantage is disappearing in some places with the advent of ten month contracts, meaning that your holiday time is unpaid. But in general, you can expect to have more free time if you’re employed by the state.
Agents and direct applications
Recruitment agency or direct applications? Seems easy initially: why wrestle with multiple schools when you can send one CV, then sit back and play video games while a recruiter finds you a job?
Well, don’t break out the Nintendo just yet. Using an agency can save you hassle, but there are drawbacks. You become just one of the teachers they’re hawking, instead of dazzling schools directly with your personality, skills and charm. And you risk being duped by unscrupulous recruiters.
Remember, agencies should charge jobhunters little or nothing. An application fee may exist, to deter bored teenagers with no intention of leaving their bedroom, let alone their country. But it should be minimal.
Finding a job - in advance, or on the ground?
Landing in China without a job teaching English: calculated risk, or foolhardy gamble? Depends who you ask - some people get a job with little difficulty, while others spend weeks traipsing round schools with no luck. It might help to know that the people in the former group are almost certainly those who did their research before they got here. But is it a good idea?
It certainly has a lot to recommend it. If you’re a first time English teacher, you have little in your application arsenal to help you market yourself, other than your qualifications and your foreignness. For you, sheer proximity might be your secret weapon in seeking work. A school that is looking for a foreign English teacher faces posting adverts, replying to emails, arranging accommodation, refunding flight costs, and many other hassles. Then lo and behold, you turn up on their doorstep, qualified, fresh-faced and ready to start tomorrow. They’re hardly going to pursue those applicants from Aberdeen or jobseekers from Johannesburg, are they?