I’m currently teaching in China, but I’m not happy with my city or my job. I’m a new teacher as well and my school basically threw me into teaching within 2 weeks of my arrival. It is very overwhelming and stressful( only because I’m not used to teaching and performing as a clown). I have been considering handing in my resignation, but I still want to try and teach afterward. I’m thinking about coming to Taiwan because that’s where I originally wanted to go, but things didn’t work out. I’m not really sure what I should do, to be honest. I know teaching is difficult, especially for a new teacher, but my school is way too business oriented for me. It adds to my stress and my colleagues are unhelpful as well. If I leave my job in China, will I have issues securing a visa in Taiwan? I also have an injury that prevents me from being as mobile in class compared to my other teachers. Will I face discrimination at the schools in Taiwan because of it?
Not entirely clear why you’re not happy. If you’re hired as a teacher, why would you expect anything other than being “thrown into teaching” after 2 weeks? This is not a game or a holiday. A school has to be “business oriented” or it can’t pay salaries, simple as that.
If there’s something specific that’s bothering you - say, the class clown thing, which I completely understand is pointless and irritating - you’ll probably find another school that doesn’t expect that; however, what they will expect you to be is an extremely good teacher. It sounds as if you are at the beginning of your career, and that being the case, you are going to get dumped on a lot. You are Young Grasshopper, and you’re going to spend a lot of time sweeping the floor and washing the windows, metaphorically speaking, until you’re considered good enough to play with the nunchuks.
I would seriously recommend joining a Chinese class in the evenings. Although you’re likely to be tired after teaching your own class, it’ll result in you finding some friends - or at least people to talk to - and a feeling of familiarity when you can read the signs that say “don’t dump your trash here”. Everything will start to feel less alien and a bit like home.
Learn your chops in China - it’s as good a place as anywhere - and if you want to come to Taiwan later, it shouldn’t be a problem. Nobody cares either way if you’ve previously worked in China. However, the market here is a LOT smaller and more competitive than it used to be. You will need to be good at your job. The days of washing up here with no teaching degree and a high-school grasp of English grammar are long gone.
It won’t be any different in Taiwan. After about 6 months it gets easier. This is, generally, not a particularly professional industry.
You say that you don’t like the city you are in. I would advise to teach somewhere that you like. There’s no guarantee a city in Taiwan will be better, but it’s more likely to be.
If it’s an obvious disability then you probably will. It will make it more difficult for you to land a job if your potential employer is aware of it. Once you get a job and are good at it there will be no problems.
Having lived in the Mainland Area (as the government calls it) should not be an issue as far as paperwork is concerned, as long as your citizenship and degree don’t come from there.
Well, I have to sing, dance and be an overall clown. The complete opposite of my personality. I also have to do this in front of parents as a means of attracting new clientele. Hence the business aspect of the program. If I can’t meet their standards in the demo then it will reflect on my performance as a teacher. I’m able to interact with the students, but I have some issues with miming. There are many reasons for going to Taiwan, but I would like to improve my Mandarin so the other countries don’t interest me. I would love to travel to those countries, but in terms of my goals, I’d have to choose a Mandarin-speaking country. Sorry for the late reply, my VPN wasn’t working.
Are you joking? What kind of teaching gig makes you “sing and dance” for the students? And you have to do this in front of the parents too? I’ve never heard of a teacher having to put on impromptu vaudeville routines and I’ve heard hundreds of ridiculous demands over the years.
So yeah. I don’t know what to tell you. Even if you stay in China I’d get the fuck out of there and look for a different job. It can’t be any worse.
I can’t tell if that’s sarcasm or not haha. I don’t know what to expect in a teaching job abroad because this is my first one. I’m hesitant on giving my letter of resignation because if I leave, then that means the other teachers will take on my classes until a replacement arrives. I believe regardless of what occurs, I have 60 days before I can fully quit. Its very nerve-racking, but the school did lie to me about the location. If I do decide to be that guy then I have to decide how I should go about securing a job in Taiwan. I’m not sure if I should just arrive and wing it or interview before heading over. I have my FBI background check, diploma, and TEFL. I’m not sure what I need to do for authenticating the documents though.
No. I’m not being sarcastic. Unless you teach ballet, your school asking you to sing and dance for them is insane, insulting and just highly unreasonable. I’ve never heard that from teachers I know in my private life, or read about anyone having to do that here (and I’ve read some doozies). Good luck finding a new job. Your current one sounds like a nightmare.
The same exact things have been known to happen here, though not to everyone. If you’re okay with your living conditions, and your salary gets paid, you might as well stay for awhile. You’ll leave with more money, experience, flexibility, and understanding of the world.
With a family? Hard NO. If you’re single and don’t mind living in squalor, eating instant noodles every day, never traveling, and generally having a miserable, extremely spartan existence? Yes, but why would you want that kind of life?
500NTD/hour, 14 hour/week, then 28000NTD/month. With a dependent family, it’s almost impossible, but if single, I think just surviving is not so difficult nor so miserable when you don’t think on saving. I can use 10000NTD for weekends.
If 300NTD/hr, it’s just surviving, but still can have plenty of time.
I am honestly a bit offended by this thread. It takes years of training and experience to become a proper clown. Reducing the profession to singing and dancing is insulting.
What would you say if people called themselves English teachers based solely on holding a passport from an English-speaking country?
Honestly, depends where you are in China and where you are living in Taiwan. But my understanding from listening to teachers who have been in both China and Taiwan is China overall don’t expect to much of English teachers and some find it easier. Many only child parents just want a foreigner to “teach” and basically like you said, be a clown and attraction for the Chinese children. However you’ll have to deal with these one child parents who baby their kids, some of that in Taiwan as well but it’s worse in China from what I understand
In Taiwan you’ll mostly be expected to actually teach and be prepared.
