Post by Nate M on Feb 7, 2006 5:24:37 GMT 7
Ok, so since I've moved the websites, I occasionally get one or two emails where people ask about the new locations of the websites. I usually just tell them were they are located, but today there was a little extra information in there that wouldn't let me stop at that. The ensuing conversations have just reaffirmed for me why I started up www.ChinaSchoolReview.net in the first place, and why it is important that a few more people from here, (*hint,hint*), take a few minutes to talk to anyone you know who might be considering coming to China so that they don't get trapped into the same sort of situation this guy is walking into.
Here is the email conversation printed below. The guy I'm talking to will be in quotes, and my responses will be bolded:
Him:
Me:
The new website location is
www.TianjinExpats.net
Out of curiousity, why are you volunteering? Anyone
that comes to China to teach English should be paid.
Nathan.
I'm sorry, but you don't need to know any Chinese to
get paid. And all the things you mention: free
accomodation, flight ticket, language classes, etc,
are all pretty standard for anyone coming to China to
teach. Take a look at some job sites for teachers
coming to China:
www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/China/index.pl?index=0
www.eslcafe.com/joblist/
The jobs offered on these sites aren't even
particularly good ones. You can find better if you're
willing to work harder. I'm sorry, but this program
you're coming over with sounds like it's trying to
recruit people to volunteer for work they should be
paid for, so that the people running the show can make
a lot of money. I'd be careful.
My other site, www.ChinaSchoolReview.net, is a good
place for English teachers to let people know how
they've been treated by their employers. You might
want to check it out. Good luck to you.
Nathan Mittelstaedt
Just a few things to note, a few of the positives
you've mentioned aren't really positive in my book:
1. While being native speakers is always a plus, you
don't have to be in order to be paid. There are plenty
of companies that, even though they may prefer native
speakers, will gladly accept Europeans as well.
2. There are other opportunities to travel in a big
group and live together. You just have to find them. I
would say that at least half or more of the schools
that have foreign teachers in China have more than
one, so it's not like you'll be alone.
3. From what you've described, it sounds that while
your expectations are lower, theirs aren't.
4. I've never heard of Tianjin Cathay Future Children
Center, and I don't think it's exclusive at all. My
guess, from the sounds of it, is that it is a
for-profit private English school. Being a private
school in China isn't necessarily a positive thing,
either.
5. 35-37 hours per week for a volunteer?!? That is a
huge workload. For every hour you have teaching, you
will probably spend at least an hour and a half
preparing lessons and grading assignments. For
reference, I was limited to 18 teaching periods per
week, (45 minutes per period), plus planning time. And
I was getting paid, (not much, but a lot more than
nothing). I hope they only mean office hours, but from
the sounds of the organization I have a few doubts.
I can tell you right now with about 95% certainty that
you are being scammed. I've seen this kind of thing
time and time again. I urge you to look at the other
opportunities you have available to you, before it is
too late.
Best of luck,
Well, this is what we've gotten so far. Hopefully I can sway him a bit on this. I'll keep y'all posted.
Here is the email conversation printed below. The guy I'm talking to will be in quotes, and my responses will be bolded:
Him:
Hi there!
Me and 10 other danes will travel to Tianjin for half a year. We will work voluntarily as english teachers, and are almost ready to go.
Can I get the new location of the tianjinexpats-site?
Best regards
XXXXXXX, Denmark
Me and 10 other danes will travel to Tianjin for half a year. We will work voluntarily as english teachers, and are almost ready to go.
Can I get the new location of the tianjinexpats-site?
Best regards
XXXXXXX, Denmark
Me:
The new website location is
www.TianjinExpats.net
Out of curiousity, why are you volunteering? Anyone
that comes to China to teach English should be paid.
Nathan.
Hi Nathan,
We get no money, but free accomodation, 3 meals a day, the flight ticket, weekly language-class and one weeks round trip to sights near Beijing. A danish-chinese couple are coordinators, but unfortunately their website is in danish ( http://www.chinalink.dk).
They say that you have to know a little chinese to get paid for teaching, so we will have good opportunity after the first half year.
We might se you in Tianjin.
We get no money, but free accomodation, 3 meals a day, the flight ticket, weekly language-class and one weeks round trip to sights near Beijing. A danish-chinese couple are coordinators, but unfortunately their website is in danish ( http://www.chinalink.dk).
They say that you have to know a little chinese to get paid for teaching, so we will have good opportunity after the first half year.
We might se you in Tianjin.
I'm sorry, but you don't need to know any Chinese to
get paid. And all the things you mention: free
accomodation, flight ticket, language classes, etc,
are all pretty standard for anyone coming to China to
teach. Take a look at some job sites for teachers
coming to China:
www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/China/index.pl?index=0
www.eslcafe.com/joblist/
The jobs offered on these sites aren't even
particularly good ones. You can find better if you're
willing to work harder. I'm sorry, but this program
you're coming over with sounds like it's trying to
recruit people to volunteer for work they should be
paid for, so that the people running the show can make
a lot of money. I'd be careful.
My other site, www.ChinaSchoolReview.net, is a good
place for English teachers to let people know how
they've been treated by their employers. You might
want to check it out. Good luck to you.
Nathan Mittelstaedt
Thanks for your insightful information. And great webite too, I've just joined.
I get your point, and I can see that there's lots of good jobs offered. But I don't doubt that our coordinators are decent, and I too see some positive things about the voluntary programme:
- We don't have to be native english speakers (what we are not)
- We get to travel in a big group and live together
- We are safer in our agreement, and the expectations are lower
- We will work at Tianjin Cathay Future Children Center, which I understand is somehow exclusive.
- We only work 35-37 hours a week, with 2 whole days off each week
Where I live, and in Denmark in general I think, it is actually considered an extraordinary opportunity to go to China and work, learn Chinese and get to know the country. I feel very lucky, that I get to go.
Having said this, I of course realise, that there are many great opportunities for western people teaching and being paid in China.
Good work!
I get your point, and I can see that there's lots of good jobs offered. But I don't doubt that our coordinators are decent, and I too see some positive things about the voluntary programme:
- We don't have to be native english speakers (what we are not)
- We get to travel in a big group and live together
- We are safer in our agreement, and the expectations are lower
- We will work at Tianjin Cathay Future Children Center, which I understand is somehow exclusive.
- We only work 35-37 hours a week, with 2 whole days off each week
Where I live, and in Denmark in general I think, it is actually considered an extraordinary opportunity to go to China and work, learn Chinese and get to know the country. I feel very lucky, that I get to go.
Having said this, I of course realise, that there are many great opportunities for western people teaching and being paid in China.
Good work!
Just a few things to note, a few of the positives
you've mentioned aren't really positive in my book:
1. While being native speakers is always a plus, you
don't have to be in order to be paid. There are plenty
of companies that, even though they may prefer native
speakers, will gladly accept Europeans as well.
2. There are other opportunities to travel in a big
group and live together. You just have to find them. I
would say that at least half or more of the schools
that have foreign teachers in China have more than
one, so it's not like you'll be alone.
3. From what you've described, it sounds that while
your expectations are lower, theirs aren't.
4. I've never heard of Tianjin Cathay Future Children
Center, and I don't think it's exclusive at all. My
guess, from the sounds of it, is that it is a
for-profit private English school. Being a private
school in China isn't necessarily a positive thing,
either.
5. 35-37 hours per week for a volunteer?!? That is a
huge workload. For every hour you have teaching, you
will probably spend at least an hour and a half
preparing lessons and grading assignments. For
reference, I was limited to 18 teaching periods per
week, (45 minutes per period), plus planning time. And
I was getting paid, (not much, but a lot more than
nothing). I hope they only mean office hours, but from
the sounds of the organization I have a few doubts.
I can tell you right now with about 95% certainty that
you are being scammed. I've seen this kind of thing
time and time again. I urge you to look at the other
opportunities you have available to you, before it is
too late.
Best of luck,
Well, this is what we've gotten so far. Hopefully I can sway him a bit on this. I'll keep y'all posted.
