My girlfriend and I are both CELTA certified teachers with 3 years ESL teaching experience, and arrived in Taiwan in August. Since then we have both landed jobs teaching part time at a school for adult students in Taipei that provides us with an ARC. The work enviornment is good and we have complete autonomy in the classroom, so long as we structure each course according to a particular skill, ie. reading, writing, listening, etc… Its a good job, but only 14 hrs a week at 600 an hour. Having relocated here from Korea, we initially figured that this wouldn’t be a problem as we would fill up the rest of our time with privates(which were abundant in Seoul). Unfortunately, luck has not been too kind to us and after two months are still living on budgets of NTD 150 a day for meals and transportation.
My questions to all of you out there are:
What is the best way to go about rustling up privates? An agent? Hanging out in starbucks? Siphoning them off of other teachers? Any suggestions would be apprecitated.
The rates that we see advertised for privates seem to flucuate pretty widely (anywhere from 500 to 1500 NTD an hour). It does’nt seem like having a CELTA really means anything in Taiwan, but what should a teacher with 3 years experience and a CELTA charge for privates in Taipei?
We’re sick of living hand to mouth, but would really prefer privates over getting another job at a school. Is this an unreasonable expectation?
Any suggestions about living on the cheap? We love to cook but it seems like it’s more expensive to cook than live off of noodles, fried buns and rice triangles.
Privates usually come from a pool of old students that you have been teaching in a classroom setting or from Chinese coworkers that work in the same company as you (which is not really your situation). and that takes time to build.
Other than that, check Forumosa and Tealit regularly and respond to postings immediately, then follow up.
In your case, it looks like one or both of you should work full time for a while, just to make some more money. There are a lot of full time jobs out there, it’s just not as easy as private teaching.
With your qualifications, you should be able to land one easily, given that it also reflects your teaching skills.
As for how much to charge privates, it really depends on how good of a sell you are and how much you think you are worth. Around 800-1000 is reasonable with your qualifications. But will your students pay it? That’s the question. Adults may, especially if they have a specific goal.
Teaching kids privately is usually below 800, unless you have an elementary or high school teacher’s license, which you don’t. Teaching kids is usually more stable though.
I don’t cook so I can’t give any advice about that. Sorry.
during our initial job searches we were both looking for full time positions teaching adults, but as I’m sure you’re aware, these are few and far between for someone without a masters degree. kids are ok, i just like to avoid the field trips, photo ops, saccharine atmosphere, and discipline(or lack thereof) that goes along with teaching them. so, when we came upon the school we work at now, the fact that we could get an ARC and bypass any babysitting gigs overshadowed the lack of hours. as I think I implied in my previous post, that minus the classroom time shortage, we both really like the school we’re at now. no split shift bullshit, unpaid “extra” duties or payment issues(so far).
we decided that we are going to try and fill up our extra time (of which there is alot) with some shifts at one or two of the other adult schools, but have two concerns and one question.
is it true that you can legally add another school to your ARC? if this is true can anyone give me a link to a page that lays out the details of this process?
will our present school resent us for doing this and try to make reprisals? or is this something that part time teachers do all the time?
any reccomendations regarding adult schools? any ones to avoid? i’ve heard that williams is particularly bad.
Your ARC is just ID so that your address and company address are registered with the police. Not sure if you have to add your second work permit holder’s details to that… If you have a second job, you need a second work permit (legally).
You can get a secondary work permit for a second job but you need permission from your primary work permit holder. In reality, your primary permit holder might not want you working for another adult school (either because it would be a conflict of interests, because it cuts down your availability for their school, or just BECAUSE) so it can be tricky.
Basically, officially, your school now ‘owns’ you until your contract is up. Most part time teachers just do the second job illegally. Your second employer may be unwilling to go through the expense and both if you already have an ARC through your other Work Permit. He/she can avoid the tax also, if you don’t have a work permit. It’s unlikely you’ll get caught but you’re screwed if you do.
Can’t you get more hours where you are? That would be the least hassle…
Disclaimer; this is my understanding based on what I’ve seen happen with friends and in my school; the best thing to do would be to go to the MOE and ask 'em.
More on this; I’ve been here for 2 comfortable yrs, stayed at one major chain school full-time, and balanced my off-hours with about 5-10 hours a week part-time at a cram or 2. I never had any problems, until just recently, a newcomer to Taiwan and buddy of mine got snagged for doing a simliar thing, and may be deported. I’ve always known that my ARC doesn’t support my other jobs, but it seemed to be a “look the other way” kind of existence, both by my ARC-supporting employer and the police (hell, half of my students’ parents are in law enforcement!). Now my whole foundation has been shaken, and there is no way I’m willing to lose the satisfying life I have here, just for a few thousand extra NT per week. I hear the gov’t has been making more strides as of late with surprise raids and the like …
Anyway, just wanted to post my thoughts and experiences. For 2 years, I kept a steady flow of privates and cram work. It can function, and complement your income, quite nicely. Conversely, I wanted to see if anyone else thinks I’m overreacting (by preparing to drop all sidejobs) or if this is really a serious risk (not worth taking). I apologize for my banter, but I’d love to hear opinions outside from the 10 FTs I work with and see every day …
I lucked out in privates in the beginning. After my first month, I found myself with 7 or 8 eight hours on top of my regular teaching hours. They are very wishy washy though. Cancellations, changes, etc. It’s better to have something more stable. Privates (in homes, anyway) are a great big pain in the butt.
From what I’ve understood on this forum, teaching at a second school is a fairly common practice, but NEVER EVER LEGAL. Do it at your own risk, but there is no such thing as having a valid work permit to work at two jobs. It’s not even legal to work for free in Taiwan as a volunteer.
[quote=“jonnyspermz”]More on this; I’ve been here for 2 comfortable yrs, stayed at one major chain school full-time, and balanced my off-hours with about 5-10 hours a week part-time at a cram or 2. I never had any problems, until just recently, a newcomer to Taiwan and buddy of mine got snagged for doing a simliar thing, and may be deported. I’ve always known that my ARC doesn’t support my other jobs, but it seemed to be a “look the other way” kind of existence, both by my ARC-supporting employer and the police (hell, half of my students’ parents are in law enforcement!). Now my whole foundation has been shaken, and there is no way I’m willing to lose the satisfying life I have here, just for a few thousand extra NT per week. I hear the gov’t has been making more strides as of late with surprise raids and the like …
Anyway, just wanted to post my thoughts and experiences. For 2 years, I kept a steady flow of privates and cram work. It can function, and complement your income, quite nicely. Conversely, I wanted to see if anyone else thinks I’m overreacting (by preparing to drop all sidejobs) or if this is really a serious risk (not worth taking). I apologize for my banter, but I’d love to hear opinions outside from the 10 FTs I work with and see every day …
OK, I won’t say much (yet) about my tale, as it isn’t happening to ME, and I want to respect that fact. Plus, it’s still an ongoing saga. He will try to appeal this week. Expectations are grim. Poor guy, he may or may not have known that it wasn’t legal to do what he did. He was just subbing, a one time gig, for an FT (it was kindy-age, but a cram school). Anyways, inspectors came. I have a feeling that the manager at that place threw him to the wolves, cuz he wasn’t one of the regular workers there. Just my opinion, in any event. Cops and school mgmt urged him, in an oh-so-friendly manner, to sign something admitting he was working there. IS IT TRUE THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO SHOW OUR ID/ARC, TALK OR SIGN ANYTHING, AT THAT TIME??? It clearly came back to bite him in the ass a month or 2 later when he got a letter from the gov’t.
I don’t wanna post anything else about this specific situation, as it’s developing and it’s not my life in the balance, it’s his. Personally, I’m torn between trusting my sidejob cram school would hide me/delay inspectors (if they came) and/or tell them I’m just visiting, not teaching. I don’t want to overreact and drop my jobs … but, it’s cut and dry, isn’t it? I don’t have an ARC for that school, so I’m not legal. I don’t know. Anyone else facing a similar dilemma/decision???
Legally you shouldn’t be on the other school’s premises until you have the work permit. But in reality 99% of schools will take the chance. You’d probably get away with it if your school could show that your permit is being processed.
The main concerns that schools seem to have about second work permits are that (a) the won’t have the option to up your hours if their business expands; they have a point, I suppose, but you still have to earn a living. (b) you will give away ‘their secrets’ to the competition. Humour them and pretend that they DO have an amazing and revolutionary program and that your lips are sealed…
What is the best way to go about rustling up privates? An agent? Hanging out in starbucks? Siphoning them off of other teachers? Any suggestions would be apprecitated.[/quote]
Hi. There’s a Web site out there specifically designed for this purpose. You might want to try it out if you haven’t already.
It works, too, but it’s not a post-and-forget system. You have to think carefully about how you want to project yourself in your profile. Look at some of the teachers that have student feedback posted, since they are some of the more sucessful ones, and do what they do. You should find some privates in no time.
