2006-12-10 16:10
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The opium of the masses: teaching english in Shanghai
[b]By Alex Research by Coco[/b]8]d
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Whether it's because you have a masochistic pendant for crowd-controlling rugrats or just want to make a quick buck, teaching English is probably the most popular profession in Shanghai for expats.
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To help you in finding a job in this ever-growing field, here are some pointers:
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-Do your research: Google these schools, and check on Dave's ESL Cafe for good measure. ,^#\%aGC?)X Y%X
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-Most of the better places want someone qualified, experienced or both. In terms of qualifications a TEFL certificate (such as CELTA) is usually what they're after. The days when you could just walk into a job straight from the airport are gone.
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-For part-time work, pay is generally around 150 RMB per hour for someone qualified and experienced. Full-time pay is lower (generally 110-130 RMB per hour), but you usually get benefits such as health insurance and paid holidays. Personally, I prefer living dangerously and taking the part-time route -- more flexibility and more money. On the other hand, if you have a family to support, or you're not as young as you used to be, a full-time position, with the perks, may be a wiser choice.
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-Don't always expect a contract, especially for part-time work. A lot of teaching work is "under the table" -- that is to say, cash in hand.
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-Dress codes differ amongst schools. As far as I know, places like the Wall Street Institute require business casual, whilst Kai En has recently insisted its male employees wear ties. On the other hand, Web International offers a more relaxed dress code and it's possible to push the boundaries in some state schools too.
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-It's difficult to know how to put this -- unfortunately, a lot of schools in China only want white teachers. If you're black, then you'll face an uphill struggle, and I know of one ethnically-Indian Canadian teacher who was forced out due to his skin colour. Some ABCs and other overseas-born Chinese may suffer the same prejudice. Hell, half the time the colour of your skin is more important than your native language. Yep, teaching English here truly sucks in that regard. \-b4B k@b
So, here's the exhaustive fruits of our research. Please, don't thank us all at once. Just doing our duty ma'am. [#Ut o5W%`_:v