# School hosts 'camp', but pay is half regular teaching pay **URL:** \ **Category:** Teaching English in Taiwan\ **Created:** [December 8, 2020, 6:15am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973 "2020-12-08T06:15:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![raymanh](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/a5b964/32.png) [@raymanh](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/raymanh)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 6:15am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/1 "2020-12-08T06:15:22Z")
I’m working for a school that gives me a fairly normal hourly salary for a new teacher (~NT$600) and they’ve asked me a few times to teach these ‘camps’. I didn’t know what these camps were, but they told me it’s basically a week long thing for the kids starting 9am or so and then ending at 5pm, and it’s not too serious in terms of English learning. Anyway, I’ve been asked to do these a few times, but each time the school has only offered ~NT$12,000 for 1 week, which they tell me is the standard pay for camps. I worked it out, and minus breaks and other things, that equates to around NT$300 an hour. Don’t really understand this as I would think it’s about the same effort as teaching in class, yet is half the pay. Anyone else have experience with this? I’d like to hear your opinions. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![JPMichaels1](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JPMichaels1](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/JPMichaels1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 7:39am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/2 "2020-12-08T07:39:07Z")
Saying no usually works out just as bad as saying yes. Best thing to do would be act all naive and confused and then make an excuse that you can’t “teach” between certain hours so it rules you out altogether. Downside of that is they might deliberately give you hours that make it impossible to work somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 7:45am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/3 "2020-12-08T07:45:12Z")
My uni runs a summer camp with embarrassingly low pay (675 an hour, but if you factored in unpaid breaks as you have done it would probably be closer to 400). It’s ‘optional’, of course, but it is a very good idea to do it. I always do it but only really for the guanxi. The extra money is a little bonus. It’s a good idea to do stuff like this, or come up with a very good excuse as @JPMichaels1 says. ---
**Author:** ![DrewC](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/drewc/32/224499_2.png) [@DrewC](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/DrewC)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 7:56am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/4 "2020-12-08T07:56:24Z")
If COVID is over this summer and I can travel overseas, there’s no way I’m doing a uni camp, guanxi be damned. ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:02am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/5 "2020-12-08T08:02:19Z")
> [@DrewC](#): > > If COVID is over this summer and I can travel overseas, there’s no way I’m doing a uni camp, guanxi be damned. Ours is always a week or two before the new semester, so travelling home is still possible. I doubt that international travel will be close to back to normal by next summer, but fingers crossed! ---
**Author:** ![eCanada](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/ecanada/32/126538_2.png) [@eCanada](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/eCanada)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:08am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/6 "2020-12-08T08:08:19Z")
Yes, it’s pretty normal. Like the others said; if you like the job, do it as it is pretty relaxed as you said. I’ve done the same thing recently. It’s very easy and puts you in the good books. ---
**Author:** ![DrewC](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/drewc/32/224499_2.png) [@DrewC](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/DrewC)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:12am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/7 "2020-12-08T08:12:31Z")
A little OT, but depends what you consider normal. I heard there will be an Australiasian travel bubble (basically most of Asia + Australia and NZ). I think USA and Europe might take longer. ---
**Author:** ![eCanada](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/ecanada/32/126538_2.png) [@eCanada](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/eCanada)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:24am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/8 "2020-12-08T08:24:04Z")
> [@BiggusDickus](#): > > I doubt that international travel will be close to back to normal by next summer I agree. I’m planning for LNY 2022. ---
**Author:** ![DrewC](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/drewc/32/224499_2.png) [@DrewC](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/DrewC)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:25am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/9 "2020-12-08T08:25:03Z")
Let’s be optimistic, guys. I think they’re going to pump out these vaccines faster than anyone expects… for the sake of commerce if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:27am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/10 "2020-12-08T08:27:20Z")
> [@eCanada](#): > > > [@BiggusDickus](#): > > > > I doubt that international travel will be close to back to normal by next summer > > I agree. I’m planning for LNY 2022. That’s my prediction as well. ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:28am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/11 "2020-12-08T08:28:14Z")
> [@DrewC](#): > > Let’s be optimistic, guys. I think they’re going to pump out these vaccines faster than anyone expects… for the sake of commerce if nothing else. A 90 year old lady was the first Briton to get the jab today (outside of clinical trials). ---
**Author:** ![the\_bear](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/the_bear/32/192391_2.png) [@the\_bear](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/the_bear)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:40am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/12 "2020-12-08T08:40:18Z")
Oh god yes. I have a vision of a ticket, Taipei - Bangkok - Auckland. And me on that plane. Gin and tonic in hand. ---
**Author:** ![DrewC](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/drewc/32/224499_2.png) [@DrewC](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/DrewC)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 9:05am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/13 "2020-12-08T09:05:27Z")
That’s awesome to hear. ---
**Author:** ![oneofdaroughs](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oneofdaroughs](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/oneofdaroughs)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 9:28am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/14 "2020-12-08T09:28:24Z")
The only question worth asking is how long you want to be at this school. One more term, screw it then. More terms, then see you be at camp! ---
**Author:** ![JPMichaels1](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JPMichaels1](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/JPMichaels1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 12:28pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/15 "2020-12-08T12:28:12Z")
They are technically still clinical trials. Stage 4. Some medical friends of mine are very paranoid at all the things that could go wrong at this stage. ---
**Author:** ![BiggusDickus](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/biggusdickus/32/90381_2.png) [@BiggusDickus](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/BiggusDickus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 12:54pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/16 "2020-12-08T12:54:19Z")
> [@JPMichaels1](#): > > They are technically still clinical trials. Stage 4. Some medical friends of mine are very paranoid at all the things that could go wrong at this stage. She’s 90 and I assume everyone else taking it at this stage will be similar. If anything goes wrong it’s not a massive loss. Your medical friends can decline it once it’s their turn, yeah? Or will that mean they won’t be allowed to practice anymore? ---
**Author:** ![JPMichaels1](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JPMichaels1](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/JPMichaels1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 2:18pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/17 "2020-12-08T14:18:57Z")
So far they seem to be in the decline group of people. Having said that they are fastidious in regards to practicing proper hygiene practices and pretty much led the push for their clinics to adopt much stricter covid hygiene protocols. The most common fear that is conveyed is regarding leakage and possible mutation and then having to start all over again. The UK, being an Island with a fairly large population, is essentially the test case. There is also the issue that there are now 3 main coronavirus strains and getting 1 does not mean you are then immune from either of the others. ---
**Author:** ![jimipresley](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/jimipresley/32/102867_2.png) [@jimipresley](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/jimipresley)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 2:32pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/18 "2020-12-08T14:32:45Z")
What does all of this have to do with a school hosting a camp at half pay? ---
**Author:** ![KongTaigi](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/kongtaigi/32/270477_2.png) [@KongTaigi](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/KongTaigi)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 4:10pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/19 "2020-12-08T16:10:59Z")
My uni is “asking” for volunteers for a three day camp. Unpaid. Hard to say no from the bottom of the toten pole. Also, as mentioned, good for guan-xi. If we calculate everything by the hours invested, the outcome would undoubtedly be depressing. Public university assistant profs (even excluding prep, assessment, research, meetings, service) earn less _per hour_ than what a fresh-off-the-boat cram school teacher makes. ---
**Author:** ![raymanh](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/a5b964/32.png) [@raymanh](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/raymanh)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973/20 "2020-12-08T16:40:14Z")
Seems like most of you guys would do it to stay in the school’s good books. I know that other teachers at my school have also been asked to do it, and all of them have said no because of the same reason (low pay). Would really saying no be enough to get you fired as some of you are alluding to. If not, what other negative repercussions could come about? It doesn’t feel like there would be any from my feeling of the school. [Next page](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/school-hosts-camp-but-pay-is-half-regular-teaching-pay/199973.md?page=2)