Got Fired

Work Teaching English in Taiwan
1

I feel embarrased about the whole thing. Last night trying to tell my girlfriend was the worst. How things go, last night was a roommates birthday party, and my gf was a happy drunk.

Essentially, I was told that I was let go because of classroom management. Only thing that bothers me a bit is that 2 weeks ago, my boss was just telling me that he wanted me to stay there for years to come. He has me substitute the last couple of weeks at the owner-owner’s buxiban and now he wants to let me go. I feel that part of the reason is that I didn’t want the kids, high school age, to sit like drones the whole lesson. I got them to talk, to get involved, in the class. I really felt that it went well. Hell, I actually expected that the owner-owner was going to tell my boss that they really liked me. Didn’t expect the ‘we’re gonna have to let you go’ speech.

Anyways, is this normal to be fired from your first job? I know I have a month to find a new job, and that shouldn’t be difficult, but I really didn’t expect to have to do this again for another year, atleast.

Any advice?

2

Wrong move … they are drones and should stay drones … how you guys call this, root learning … well they just should sit there and memorize, repeat, repeat, repeat again and again … than memorize the answers … it’s still an old tradition and probably you didn’t give anough home work. Maybe one of them complained to the owner that they had to get involved to much, so they were getting to tired … or your boss was one of the old guard …

Don’t worry and look for an other, better job, that gives you some freedom of choice of what and how to teach …

3

I, up until recently was teaching adults a David’s language centre.

I had about a 75% return rate with students and the (so called) academic director was quite pleased with my performance.

But he was a complete male organ and couldn’t manage anything properly. He hired two new teachers even though there were barely enough classes to go round the current teachers.
Suddenly my nice full schedule diminished into a few hours a week. One day I turned up for work to find one of the new teachers teaching my class - he told me that the class had been cancelled the day before, but I came in to do some paperwork and found him teaching my class.

There were other things regarding pay and hours which this chap lied about, and I tried to make an appointment to “talk” things over with him.

So at the appointment he said that he no longer had any classes for me and that I was to be let go.

I walked out of the room and he folowed me saying that I had to sign something or other or I wouldn’t be paid the $40,000NT owed for the last 3 weeks work.

Needless to say a very large argument ensued where I threatened all sorts of legal action which I made up on the spot. Unfortunately, I really lost my rag and shouted my head off at him for about 15 minutes.

Now, all this coincided with my contracted pay rise of about 25NT per hour. I wonder why he was trying to get rid of me?

Anyway, the real manager of the school had been away for several months and had returned a few days earlier. She witnessed the argument and was apparently already investigating the academic managers’ antics at the school. Two days later he was fired.

The real manager paid me my money but I don’t think I can go back after shouting like that.
I took 8 students away from the school as privates so I don’t really care anyway.

Anyway, the point of this story is that schools will be nice to you to your face, but behind the scenes they can be calous and will get rid of you for any reason, especially if they can save a buck or two.
Not all schools, but a large majority of them.

Don’t look at this as being your fault, it’s just the way it is here. Anyway, New Year, New job.

All the best,

Adam

4

“Anonomous,” I wouldn’t take what your boss told you as any indication of the real reason you were let go. If you really had “classroom management” issues, I think they would have showed up earlier. At any rate, the boss wouldn’t have been talking about you staying for years just days ago if this had been the case. Management of a lot of schools here is chaotic. They often don’t have the first clue what they are doing and their decisions are often impulsive and not thought out properly (like suddenly firing someone without warning they were praising a short time ago). Don’t let their sudden firing of you get to you. Their reasons for doing so more than likely have nothing to do with you or your abilities at all.

5

[quote=“Anonomous Bob”]I feel embarrased about the whole thing. Last night trying to tell my girlfriend was the worst. How things go, last night was a roommates birthday party, and my gf was a happy drunk.

Essentially, I was told that I was let go because of classroom management. Only thing that bothers me a bit is that 2 weeks ago, my boss was just telling me that he wanted me to stay there for years to come. He has me substitute the last couple of weeks at the owner-owner’s buxiban and now he wants to let me go. I feel that part of the reason is that I didn’t want the kids, high school age, to sit like drones the whole lesson. I got them to talk, to get involved, in the class. I really felt that it went well. Hell, I actually expected that the owner-owner was going to tell my boss that they really liked me. Didn’t expect the ‘we’re gonna have to let you go’ speech.

Anyways, is this normal to be fired from your first job? I know I have a month to find a new job, and that shouldn’t be difficult, but I really didn’t expect to have to do this again for another year, atleast.

Any advice?[/quote]

If I had to warrant a guess I would suggest that you might have been making too much money. Were you near or at the top of the salary scale?

6

Rule # 1

Never tell anyone what you make. In Taiwan or more specifically Taipei, people tend to get blood thirsty if they make so much as 50nt less than you. It could be your best friend or a closer than average co-worker. People get sneaky because there’s a strange ONE-UP type attitude between foreigners in this city.

“I make 60,000nt at my day job and 25K at my evening school”

“Oh ya? well, I make 100,000nt a month barely working 21 hours a week AND my girlfriend stands on her head to suck my wang”

“Well, I make that plus my girlfriend is hotter than yours while I secretly work for the Taiwanese Government PLUS I own 5 buxibans!”

“OH YA??!?!?!”

“YA!!!”

shudder

7

[quote=“M0NSTER”]Rule # 1

Never tell anyone what you make. In Taiwan or more specifically Taipei, people tend to get blood thirsty if they make so much as 50nt less than you. It could be your best friend or a closer than average co-worker. People get sneaky because there’s a strange ONE-UP type attitude between foreigners in this city.

“I make 60,000nt at my day job and 25K at my evening school”

“Oh ya? well, I make 100,000nt a month barely working 21 hours a week AND my girlfriend stands on her head to suck my wang”

“Well, I make that plus my girlfriend is hotter than yours while I secretly work for the Taiwanese Government PLUS I own 5 buxibans!”

“OH YA??!?!?!”

“YA!!!”

shudder[/quote]

That, and you keep your ability to speak Mandarin in your pocket. Folks up north do enjoy their pissing contests.

8

Live and learn.

9

[quote=“M0NSTER”]Rule # 1

Never tell anyone what you make. In Taiwan or more specifically Taipei, people tend to get blood thirsty if they make so much as 50nt less than you. It could be your best friend or a closer than average co-worker. People get sneaky because there’s a strange ONE-UP type attitude between foreigners in this city.

“I make 60,000nt at my day job and 25K at my evening school”

“Oh ya? well, I make 100,000nt a month barely working 21 hours a week AND my girlfriend stands on her head to suck my wang”

“Well, I make that plus my girlfriend is hotter than yours while I secretly work for the Taiwanese Government PLUS I own 5 buxibans!”

“OH YA??!?!?!”

“YA!!!”

shudder[/quote]

That’s funny.

Now I remember why I don’t want to go back to Taiwan: the paranoia of losing your job at the drop of a hat or losing hours even though you’re under contract. There was this guy in Hualien running around taking my jobs. Or so it seemed.

10

Well said. Lots of firing decisions made by management are based on saving or gaining face. They believe that foreigners, regardless of skill, are bascially expendable, as when it comes down to it the parents still want the pale face and big nose, and there’s heaps of those about.
In the OP’s case, in two weeks or even two days they will probably regret their decision on one level or another. But then they will make the same mistake the very next time around. A vicious circle of demented decisions by management who often has severe difficulty negotiating their way into a paper lunch bag.

The important thing is not to let it bring you down. It’s the nature of the beast. Keep on keepin’ on!
:smiley:

11

hualien…that was one heck of a laoban’s market. fresh laowai were knocking on the gate every week offering to work for half of what i was getting.

is the good rate still 500 NT an hour still?

12

So. I was let go from my new school after 1/2 the contract. They did it very nicely. They made a mistake with how many kids were there so they have 2 small classes at the same level. I thought no problem.

Then as I am scanning for a new job I see a nice add. Sounds like a good school. It is. The same school I have been working at. What’s up with that??

Am I allowed to get angry at that? Hard to be nice about it any more eh.
Chicken

13

Success is the best revenge. Make them regret getting rid of you.

14

:frowning: Sorry to hear about your problems. It happens though. And as you said, it went hand in hand with your increase. They probably found someone cheaper than you.

Don’t let it get to you! Just find a new one!

Good luck!

15

[quote=“skeptic yank”]Hualian…that was one heck of a laoban’s market. fresh laowai were knocking on the gate every week offering to work for half of what I was getting.

is the good rate still 500 NT an hour still?[/quote]

I never had a contract there, but I had a 500 job once teaching like 2 hours/wk. Kindy was 550. Other jobs were 550-600. That was from 2003-2004. I blew that 500 one off after a bit. They try to get you at 500. Even when I had little work, I wouldn’t work for 500. Especially part-time. Like what’s the difference to them for a measly 3 hour or whatever. 3 bowls of wonton soup :unamused: . Private were 600 1 on 1. I’m pretty sure you’re right though. The bigger schools paid 500 (unless it was foreign owned - foreigners would get a bad name, I guess, from other foreigners if they tried to cheapskate ya). I did a demo at Berlitz. 500. No thanks.

I’m sure it’s 500 now save Hess. Public school’s pay more there, but not too much. I made something weird like 680/hr. That’s pretty low for public school.

Yeah, people would steal jobs there. Nice town, but weird after a while. Can’t ever imagine going back.

16

I always remember what the boss of Kojen (ELSI at the time) said when I was working there: “If I could do this job without foreigners, I would.”

Never forget that you are a despised and hated necessary evil in the eyes of the buxiban manager.

On the other hand, by all accounts it’s much better than the treatment you’ll get in Korea, and these are the nice Taiwanese managers. The real bastards are running Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Mainland Chinese slave gangs. It could be a lot worse.

Good advice from the Monster. Any foreigner here you disclose you salary here will make what you make plus 20%. But really they make what you make times 0.8 and now they hate you. When you meet a foreigner tell him you make NT$60k working a 400-hour week and he’ll feel great cause he makes NT$61k working a 399-hour week and he’ll buy you a beer.

PS. They never tell you why they are firing you, but it’s usually to do with money. There is a pamphlet published by the Buxiban Association and it has a section on Excuses for Firing Foreigners, and you got number 12. I think there are about 30 excuses in total.

17

[quote=“Miranda”]I always remember what the boss of Kojen (ELSI at the time) said when I was working there: “If I could do this job without foreigners, I would.”

Never forget that you are a despised and hated necessary evil in the eyes of the buxiban manager.

On the other hand, by all accounts it’s much better than the treatment you’ll get in Korea, and these are the nice Taiwanese managers. The real bastards are running Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Mainland Chinese slave gangs. It could be a lot worse.

Good advice from the Monster. Any foreigner here you disclose you salary here will make what you make plus 20%. But really they make what you make times 0.8 and now they hate you. When you meet a foreigner tell him you make NT$60k working a 400-hour week and he’ll feel great cause he makes NT$61k working a 399-hour week and he’ll buy you a beer.

PS. They never tell you why they are firing you, but it’s usually to do with money. There is a pamphlet published by the Buxiban Association and it has a section on Excuses for Firing Foreigners, and you got number 12. I think there are about 30 excuses in total.[/quote]

Miranda certainly said it like it is. Those other pus holes of Asia are just that compared to the shit that goes on in Taiwan. Yet, for any short termers, my advice has always been, and still is, do your one year or two, cut your contract short before your laoban can, laugh your ass off all the way to the bank and fuck Taiwan. As for the other piss stops in Asia, that’s exactly what they are. At least Taiwan is a good place to take a dump and leave with some coin.

18

Yeah…

I just came back from Chinese New Year break to find out that they had cut my hours down to ten. Before I left I been teaching kindergarten, from 9:30 to 12, then a three hour break where I just hung out and used the computer, then the night classes until 9pm. During that time he had given away some of my afternoon classes for “the time being,” but it was cool because I was getting like 25 hours a week even if the break kind sucked. So today my boss took me into a room and told me he was taking away more of my classes “to make you concentrate more on your phonics classes because your quality isn’t good enough.” I teach four hours of phonics a week to one class and at first I was a little overwhelmed with the two hours of just short a short a aaa, so i started using some alternative methods and phonics games I had learned over the past four years of teaching, but at that time, during the first class, my boss interrupted and said “follow the system.”

So after that, he never came back, but my Chinese teacher began giving me advice so I started “following the system.” A mind numbing two hours of “drill, pair drills, and reinforcement.” So now three months later he’s telling me although he hasn’t monitored my classes since, he said that I need more time to focus and concentrate on “the system without distractions.” He also said that I hadn’t read the two hundred page booklet on how to teach which he had paid a Taiwanese teacher/consultant handsomely to write even though it was total gibberish and besides that, it only covers intermediate classes. The Chinese teachers just rolled their eyes and said he’s just making us read it because he spent so much money on it.

He also said he was angry because my coworkers and I talked and laughed in the office which is “unprofessional” and he was also taking away classes from them to punish them - one of them who had been teaching there for five years. Basically, he’s been cutting everyone’s classes and now all of the Chinese teachers are stressed and pissed off because now their heaped with more classes and they’re on salary so it’s just more work for them without compensation.

I know he’s stressed about increasing competition and everything, but I’ve been hearing more and more stories like this. My former boss said that many schools are phasing out foreign teachers for Chinese teachers and many of her friends who own buxibans aren’t offering ARCs anymore. Most of the jobs I’ve seen offered are only offering around 8 to 10 hours a week. I studied education in the States and taught there for a spell and I’ve been teaching in Taiwan for four years and no one has ever told me that I was a bad teacher until now, but today my boss said that if I wanted to find another job I could.

I’m really glad I’m getting out of here for good this summer, but I would like to at least find sustainable employment until then. Is the ESL scene just crashing? Is the slacker’s paradise over?

19

It sounds like your boss is simply trying to make/save more money. Unfortunately, it’s always the teachers and students who pay the price. He sounds like the typical bushiban owner.

I would have immediately taken him up on his offer.

20

And for this reason it is crucial you don’t let it dent your confidence.

HG