ESL Jobs Forum

[Renate]

I asked the foreign office directly what was going on there- and about this blacking, he explained and I did infact go to teach at this school. I found they are over subscribed with pupils but are building new fantastic buildings outside of the city to accommodate everyone-- but that is really all I can say against them!
For myself, I am always especially careful as I once went to teach at a 'blacked school' in Italy and it really was problematic as it was a case of return or starve to death, another very popular teacher there had to have money sent out by his mother to survive. I told him: go to China young man. Don't waste your talent here!
I had been too relaxed in their case--
However the Shandong school has problems of overcrowding etc but nothing like this young man describes. I found the chinese staff to be EXTREMELY friendly and very understanding, and the kids great except for a couple of nasty girls, which did rather shock me as I had always taught at Universities without jelly kids as they are called. These girls were taken into hand by the Chinese staff the second I complained! Their lower level was a surprise to me, but I had not had experience of what a conversation teacher WAS before- having taught ''English speaking countries, their culture, language and history'' before. It quite threw me to find out what a conversation teacher was! A person who teaches them to converse! I had many laughs with my classes who were on the whole very hard working.
In the event I did have to leave early to my great regret, (I am missing them terribly even now!) but not because of anything done there, but because of an annoying sudden health problem- I was found to have a massive gall stone when I returned for the Spring Holiday which needed sorting out as it was upsetting some of my systems.
So please, would be China teachers, just ask your would be foreign office to explain. They do read these pages too and know of the postings- positive and negative!