In my new job at a buxiban I am teaching a real American curriculum to the students. The students have performance tests and the teachers have a real responsability for actually “teaching” (not often found in Taiwan).
I feel that so far things are going well. It can be complicated and I had a bit of a set-back after only 2 days at work but on the whole things are not too bad.
However for all of this professionalism I am getting the standard McBuxi rate of $600 per hour. Obviously that could go up in the subsequent years depending on my performance. It is also a small school so there are no real oportunities to be promoted into a management role which could then be used to complete a higher qualification (masters degree, MBA etc).
In the future where could all of this take me? In 5 years time what is going to separate me from the guy down the road who has spent all of his time throwing a sticky ball around? If I want to return back to my home country what could I tell future employers about me experiences? I don’t want to end up in the typical situation of “ok you have worked at the best McBuxi in town, however it is still only a McBuxi”.
Obviously there are the advantages of becoming a better teacher and learning how to “deliver the goods”. I can definatley improve upon that. However what would you do in this situation?
Ps: On a side note when I asked some Taiwanese people about my situation they said “you need to become a famous buxiban teacher” aiya! Taiwan ren!?!
It won’t really mean anything. If you ever go “home,” you can tell them whatever you want about your time in Taiwan. Unless the new boss at home has some connection to Taiwan, he won’t know truth from ear wax. That also means that even if you DO bust your stuff here in a very professional McSchool, it will count the same as backpacking. There’s no incentive in doing a professional job, if this is how you’re looking at things.
But there is a LOT to be said for being satisfied with your work on a personal level. If you feel like you’re doing a professional job, and if you’re feel like you’re learning, then it’s worth it if that’s important to you. I have a friend who only worked at one place for the fist five years she was in Taiwan. I’ve never known anyone else to do that. And she wouldn’t even consider changing jobs even though she knew she was making less than average and never got a raise. Why? Because the school was very small and she and the owner got along very well! She felt that she was treated fairly, she never had to put up with bratty behavior in class, and she got to do very professional teaching. To her, that positive work environment was worth whatever higher pay she may have gotten somewhere else.
I’ve had very crap jobs in Taiwan that paid fairly well. In the end, the compensation was never enough to keep me there.
But back home? None of this really matters. A buxijob is a buxijob is a buxijob.
[quote=“Milkybar_Kid”]In my new job at a buxiban I am teaching a real American curriculum to the students. The students have performance tests and the teachers have a real responsability for actually “teaching” (not often found in Taiwan).
I feel that so far things are going well. It can be complicated and I had a bit of a set-back after only 2 days at work but on the whole things are not too bad.
However for all of this professionalism I am getting the standard McBuxi rate of $600 per hour. Obviously that could go up in the subsequent years depending on my performance. It is also a small school so there are no real oportunities to be promoted into a management role which could then be used to complete a higher qualification (masters degree, MBA etc).
In the future where could all of this take me? In 5 years time what is going to separate me from the guy down the road who has spent all of his time throwing a sticky ball around? If I want to return back to my home country what could I tell future employers about me experiences? I don’t want to end up in the typical situation of “ok you have worked at the best McBuxi in town, however it is still only a McBuxi”.
Obviously there are the advantages of becoming a better teacher and learning how to “deliver the goods”. I can definatley improve upon that. However what would you do in this situation?
Ps: On a side note when I asked some Taiwanese people about my situation they said “you need to become a famous buxiban teacher” aiya! Taiwan ren!?![/quote]
When you leave Taiwan, you better hope that you have a good skill set or it will be an uphill battle. If you are good at taking test or BS, you can get a government job. Or maybe you have family connections that will help you get a job.
I can’t speak for other Western countries, but most of the people I know in the U.S. got their jobs because they knew someone. They may be competent at their job, but would not have gotten the interview if they didn’t know someone.
To the OP: I can relate to your dream of appearing on a talk show. I love playing mahjong, so I’m working on getting my Chinese level up to the point that I can play on Channel 38’s CASINO show (至尊百家樂). We all gotta have goals
Good luck and maybe I’ll see you on WTO 姐妹會 someday.
It’s not worth it in the long run to work as a foreign ESL instructor anywhere unless you are using it to springboard to pad your CV with something. I wouldn’t work here unless I were studying Chinese.
In my social circles, the ESL instructors in South Korea became hagwon managers or mastered enough Korean to find grown-up jobs. The ESL instructors in Japan moved into other industries once they passed the Japanese proficiency examinations. Most married natives of the countries where they lived for years, and they have few plans of returning to the US.
If you have higher aspirations and being in Taiwan specifically helps you meet them, then I would recommend doing the work here. Otherwise, go back and start climbing the ladder at home.
Also, I don’t know if you Chinese readers follow PTT, but I think one of the Chinese talk shows was scouting for foreigners with talent (singing, dancing, plate-spinning, whatever).
Personally I would say it depends what you see yourself doing in 5 years time? teaching? If so, then just go with whatever is most rewarding (personnally rather than financially) and make sure you learn as much as you can. As others have said,feeling that there is some point/reward in what you do beyond money and that you are learning will lead to a higher sense of satisfaction than doing crappy work for more money. It will also probably set you up for better positions in the future. However if you don’t plan on teaching long-term I really can’t see what teaching in ANY buxiban long term is going to add to your resume.
All that will happening is that you will be five years older teaching the same shite as usual for probably the same money. Nobody will really value that unless maybe become a certified IELTS instructer but for that you do need professional training.
Better be saving that $$$ to open up your own milky bar and I hope yuou do good milkshakes too.
aiya! Taiwan ren!?!
