3~8;30 pm Mon to Fri
10~4 saturday (yep. Saturday)
50 000NTD/month
Me: recent grad, no experience, ABC
School:
It’s a local buxiban in Taipei.
Basically I spend about 5-6 hours at work every day.
About 2-3 hours are actual " teaching" hours.
Classes are spread apart. One might start at 3pm and the next one would start at 7.
I also need to come in at 3pm regardless of when my first class starts.
Any hours inbetween classes is considered office hours, during which I make tests or grade papers.
(Is this type of scheduling normal…?)
Class sizes are anywhere from 8~15 students/class.
Some of the classes are chill because the kids are mature enough (grade 11 or 12) with really good english. These are conversation classes so I just need to talk to them about Ariana Grande or something for an hour or two.
Others can be more challenging (ie elementary or junior high kids with attitude problems :/)
I was extremely desperate when I applied.
It’s been a little while since I started the job. So I figured now would a good time to talk to the boss about my paycheck. (We discussed this during my job interview so there WILL be a raise of some sort)
Realistically speaking, what should I ask for?
Ask for 60k and settle at 55k?
Any tips or advice would really be appreciated. I’m starting to get confused…T.T
That is the problem with buxibans, you are paid a salary so he can give you as much/little work as he wants.
They are all different really, depends on what your boss wants.
Saturday sucks but a lot of them do have classes on Saturdays.
Since you are on a salary, he is right in asking you to come in at 3pm. I think 50k for 5/6 hours of work and 2/3 teaching hours a day is great. Id aim for 60k yeah, settle for 55k sure.
If it’s a salaried job, sadly yes. If it’s hourly, it’s not.
50k seems pretty low, but not bottom low for starting job.
Do you get other benefits? If you don’t, it isn’t a great job.
3 x 6 = 18 and 18 x 600 is $10800 a week.
10800 x 4 is $43200. Rest is the office hour.
How bad are your office-hour jobs? Do you have any freedom? How is the work environment? Many factors constitute a good working condition. My first job teaching was at a chain cram school getting $650 an hour for 20-22 hours a week. It was a part-time job, so I didn’t have to be there until 15 minutes before the class. I also had 6-8 hours of adult classes after for $600 an hour. So at one point, I was doing up to 30 hours a week schedule where I didn’t have to be at the office.
I suggest you stay there to get little more comfortable with teaching and the culture of this industry and just make a jump. If you didn’t sign any contract, you’re not obligated to stay.
You can ask for an increase of pay but make sure you’re performing and somewhat satisfying your boss. (Not trying to make you pessimistic, but this is very very rare in bu xi bans where you’ll get an increase.)
Btw, some buxibans have been known to play the “only teachers with fixed monthly salaries can be employees” card. Don’t trust them.
Buxiban teachers are subject to the Labor Standards Act and therefore are entitled to paid holidays, paid sick leave, etc., but good luck finding an employer who fully obeys the law.
I’m happy with the working environment. I just wasn’t sure about all the extra office hours… (I’m obvs a newbie so I don’t really know what the norm is around here haha)
It is a salaried position so I guess the office hours can’t be avoided then. It’s not too hard. I write short quizzes or put together new booklets by copy/pasting from pre existing material.
+I get a LOT of freedom. There are a few branches of the school but only one boss…so when he isnt around even the taiwanese teachers seem to slack a little. Short trips to a nearby 711 or takeout restaurants are completely acceptable.
As for benefits… We do get two weeks off in late july and like a week off in january. I’m pretty sure he said paid vacation so I guess that counts?
