Post by CountFathom on Dec 26, 2004 17:48:35 GMT 7
I feel awkward suggesting this school as a place of employment. I'm happy here; many people are not. Beware...
Salary: $1600CDN (Canadian)/month in the first year. As the rate changes regularly, I'll ballpark 9-10 000RMB/mth.
Hours: 24 classes/wk
Level: 4 campuses - elementary, middle school, high school, and adult training - as positions become available.
Housing: varies, but generally pretty good. Approx. 100sq m two bedroom, western toilet, kitchen, sparsely furnished. Location is dependant on the campus at which you work.
Medical: Top notch
Vacations: 40days+ over winter, Approx. July 2nd - Aug 28th in the summer. (Excellent)
Expectations: very high. Regular testing, possibly as often as once a month per class. Willingness to work closely with your Chinese counterparts and other foreigners. Lesson planning and course outlining (somewhat). A clear understanding that keeping the students happy is just as important as teaching effectively, though nobody will ever tell you this.
On a more personal note: This school hires and fires on a dime. I've personally worked with 17 other foreigners - 3 have been fired, 6 have quit. One of the three fired was without good cause, the other two were marginal. Of the 6 that quit - two were wanted, the others were not qualified enough for the school to care. When your employer fires colleagues you feel stressed. Several times a year I feel tight around here because it's rare to hear an encouraging word and you never know who has the itchy trigger finger, as you are responsible to quite a few superiors, whether you know it or not. If you fit the school "profile" and you work hard, you have little to worry about beyond the wealthy and finicky students.
On the upside - the pay, vacation time, and network of foreigners. Dalian is a fantastic city and surrounding area. I've been working here for a year and a half and plan to double that time. The stress is balanced, for me, by a noticible and dramatic improvement in my teaching and the students' development. I have a lot of contact with dedicated professionals. This keeps me focused and helps me learn. If this sort of satisfaction appeals to you, then perhaps Maple Leaf is the right place to apply. Vacancies arise throughout the year. I couldn't imagine the school holding a persons resume on file unused for more than 3 months.
A parting note, perhaps critical - they prefer Canadians. Of the 17 (see above): one brit (quit), one kiwi (contract not renewed, only worked for 2 months), and one american (still here, the only other teacher not working at the highschool who made it past a year)
Contact info: (sorry) a simple web search for the schools name will bring up several relevant sites. The human resources department experiences alot of change, so I can't be very specific.
Leave this post up - they are always looking.
Salary: $1600CDN (Canadian)/month in the first year. As the rate changes regularly, I'll ballpark 9-10 000RMB/mth.
Hours: 24 classes/wk
Level: 4 campuses - elementary, middle school, high school, and adult training - as positions become available.
Housing: varies, but generally pretty good. Approx. 100sq m two bedroom, western toilet, kitchen, sparsely furnished. Location is dependant on the campus at which you work.
Medical: Top notch
Vacations: 40days+ over winter, Approx. July 2nd - Aug 28th in the summer. (Excellent)
Expectations: very high. Regular testing, possibly as often as once a month per class. Willingness to work closely with your Chinese counterparts and other foreigners. Lesson planning and course outlining (somewhat). A clear understanding that keeping the students happy is just as important as teaching effectively, though nobody will ever tell you this.
On a more personal note: This school hires and fires on a dime. I've personally worked with 17 other foreigners - 3 have been fired, 6 have quit. One of the three fired was without good cause, the other two were marginal. Of the 6 that quit - two were wanted, the others were not qualified enough for the school to care. When your employer fires colleagues you feel stressed. Several times a year I feel tight around here because it's rare to hear an encouraging word and you never know who has the itchy trigger finger, as you are responsible to quite a few superiors, whether you know it or not. If you fit the school "profile" and you work hard, you have little to worry about beyond the wealthy and finicky students.
On the upside - the pay, vacation time, and network of foreigners. Dalian is a fantastic city and surrounding area. I've been working here for a year and a half and plan to double that time. The stress is balanced, for me, by a noticible and dramatic improvement in my teaching and the students' development. I have a lot of contact with dedicated professionals. This keeps me focused and helps me learn. If this sort of satisfaction appeals to you, then perhaps Maple Leaf is the right place to apply. Vacancies arise throughout the year. I couldn't imagine the school holding a persons resume on file unused for more than 3 months.
A parting note, perhaps critical - they prefer Canadians. Of the 17 (see above): one brit (quit), one kiwi (contract not renewed, only worked for 2 months), and one american (still here, the only other teacher not working at the highschool who made it past a year)
Contact info: (sorry) a simple web search for the schools name will bring up several relevant sites. The human resources department experiences alot of change, so I can't be very specific.
Leave this post up - they are always looking.
