delicate laowai rules

[Ruth]

I'm too delicate to teach more than 3 classes - just so you guys don't put too much pressure on me. We taught 3 classes twice a week last year. Had offered to do more this semester (out of boredom, wanting to impact more students, etc.). Apparently the local government won't allow it. The school will get in trouble if we do. What??? Has anyone else come up against this?

[con's fly is open]

6 classes a week? Oh, you poor dear!

[George61]

...............and I thought I was doin' fine with 12!!
But , of course, you are MUCH OLDER than us!!

[Raoul Duke]

Depends on the classes. 6 adult classes ain't no thang, while 6 classes of middle-schoolers can put you in the grave.

BTW, Ruth, never heard of a legal limit on teaching hours anywhere. Most schools seem delighted to load you up with all you're desperate or silly enough to take.

[Ruth]

That's what I thought. So why is there this silly rule in our town? Not that I mind a light work load, but 6 classes a week is ridiculously low. We were hoping they might farm us out to other schools - for more pay, of course - but I have a feeling if the local authorities won't let us teach more in that school they won't let us teach more anywhere.

BTW George - I might have to use a bottle to hide the gray hair, but if what I read here on Raoul's is accurate, and the pictures of you are really you - you have A LOT of years on me.

[George61]

BTW George - I might have to use a bottle to hide the gray hair

The only bottle I use, contains beer!
Here we go again!!....grey, gray...............??
I'm right, naturally. ;D

[Ruth]

So the picture of you with decidedly NOT gray/grey hair on Lagerlout's thread is the real you? What about all those other pictures, then?

[George61]

of course tis the real me!!...and probably all the others are too.
"You are only as old as the woman you feel"
NB...I wrote "womAn"

[Steve]

Regardless of the specific numbers though, I find class hours are way too low in China. Even so, the hourly rate is good, and if a schedule is compact this can make it easy to work 2 jobs.

But the problem is if your hours are scattered throughout the day, which is common for many schools.

I'll get flamed for this, but I think the Korea set up is pretty good for hours, given that they have no qualms about making the foreigner work hard. I want to work hard, so no problems. But the students in China trump the Koreans hands down, so it's still better to teach here.

Steve

[Crippler]

Me I figure I will use the spare time to start English lessons at the local PSB and gain some favors. Maybe get that permanent visa through the back door...

[Lager]

Steve let me flame you first for condoning hard work ..But I do like Korea for the hours What I like is they are in blocks..I used to work 2-8 or 3-9 or so. 6 straight hours with little breaks is much better than splits...Last term was horrible -I did something like this--class at 8--2 hour break and class at 11. Long break and classes at 4 and 5. Seems to be the norm here...My first gig in China I taught ONLY mornings...Didn't realize how lucky I was ..I'm not a morning guy but finishing at noon everyday was nice..YES I know I am whining. ;D

[Ruth]

Well, I found out the reason we can only teach 3 classes each. It makes sense, sort of. If they give us more classes, they would have to pay us more money. They are already getting as much out of the students as the market will bear and the gov't won't give them any more than they are already receiving. So, stalemate.

Their mistake a year ago. Our original contract, which was for a different school in a different town, was for something like up to 20 hours a week. When we got shifted here, the contract said 6 lessons a week. They should have loaded us up then when we were too new to know better and were prepared for more work. Ah well, I'm getting used to semi-retirement.