I’ve been teaching for two and a half years at the same ESL school, and get paid hourly, as I’m on a part-time salary.
It’s salary increase/negotiation time and I feel that I should be getting $600/hour, no less.
The boss is offering an hourly figure a little less than that. I’m a bit miffed.
I’m keen to know, particularly from those of you that own buxibans/ESL schools, is $600/hour a fair request? Is the school being a bit stingy, considering the length of time I’ve worked there?
[quote=“j99l88e77”]After two and a half years it should be in the 700 range. Especially if you can speak Chinese.[/quote]You need to take into account that won’t get 700 if there are only 4 kids in your class. Language schools usually charge parents around 150 an hour for their children, which is often then discounted down further. If you can keep your kids, semester in semester out, then you deserve something, but you might want to walk into the office armed with knowledge about how much money the boss is making too.
I have 10 kids in my 2 - 4.30 class, and 9 kids in my 5 - 6.30 class. I have a high student retention rate.
Furthermore, I don’t get paid for extracurricular activities that fall outside of my paid hours - finales, storytelling competitions, report writing, etc.
When I query this, and remind my boss that I’m on an hourly rate, and feel I should be paid for these activities, he suggests that I have an attitude problem, and that this is how it works in ESL schools these days, and if I don’t like the situation I should leave Taiwan.
Not cool! It seems with the supply/demand balance in favour of school these days they have that extra clout to make shitty decisions like this.
[quote]j99l88e77 wrote:
After two and a half years it should be in the 700 range. Especially if you can speak Chinese.
You need to take into account that won’t get 700 if there are only 4 kids in your class. Language schools usually charge parents around 150 an hour for their children, which is often then discounted down further. If you can keep your kids, semester in semester out, then you deserve something, but you might want to walk into the office armed with knowledge about how much money the boss is making too.[/quote]
I’ve experienced this and wonder why the hell they would be in business.
Your boss is just another dumbass buxiban laoban who knows buggerall about teaching and teachers. He’s a businessman, right? He’s in the money-making business. Quick-buck-and-fu^%-the-teacher attitude. What surprises me is the fact that he’s saying you are the one with the attitude problem. I would have thought the two of you would have had some kind of working relationship by now. After 2+ years with the school you most definitely deserve more than NT $600 per hour. Some of my friends started 5 years ago at NT550/hr and are all earning in excess of NT600/hr right now.
You are paid hourly and not salary, right? If so, you are being screwed. Sounds harsh, but it is true.
Sorry, but that’s just funny! Your boss is an ass. That is not how it has worked in ANY school I have ever taught at. I suggest you take him up on his offer and leave. Not Taiwan, just his school.
Bullocks. Some bosses act this way because their employees allow themselves to be treated in this manner. There is ALWAYS another job available. I apologize if my post seems harsh, but you need to run far, far away from your current school/employer.
I started out making around $600/hour, and that was 1998. Less than two years later, my lowest wage was $800/hour, however, I worked mostly with one-on-one tutoring, a couple nights at a buxiban, and some contract work that I’d acquired through word-of-mouth (student referrals).
I know the wages haven’t gone up since then, but that truly is ridiculous that you’re having to put up with that. You’ve put in your time there and should be reqarded for it. Obviously, your boss doesn’t appreciate you. Go somewhere where you’ll be taken care of and more respected.
Funky has a point, too. You’re allowing him to walk all over you. Give him your resignation notice, and see if that changes anything. Or just leave anyway.
I agree with the others that you are selling yourself short.
There may be other benefits to the position that we are all unaware of, but you should certainly be getting more than NTD600 after two years at the same company. Even the lowest paying chain schools would pay you more than NTD600 an hour after two years, even though you may start out at those schools at NTD550.
Why not have a look at some job boards to get an idea of what current positions are offering and then talk with your boss? If he won’t do the reasonable thing then consider walking. With your experience you should have no trouble getting work.
