Footprints Recruiting

Apart from the ten truly excellent, greatly experienced and highly respected foreign teachers at the University where I am working, there are only a handful of foreigners in Jiaozuo.

Jiaozuo is a mid-sized city (by China’s standards) of more than one million people. Located in central China, this is an inland city, approximately two hundred kilometers from the capital of Henan Province.   Despite seemingly not on the "map" or connected, the English language appears just about everywhere one looks in this city.

From street signs and billboards, department store windows and small shop storefronts to advertisements in local newspapers, English is being widely embraced by the local population. This is remarkable in the fact that the Chinese people have taken to English by themselves. They have not had an influx of Westerners in Jiaozuo but the entire city is enjoying a love affair with the English language.

Unlike the other Western teachers at the University where I work, I have not traveled extensively in China. My journeys have been limited to some nearby cities in Henan province. From what I have seen in the cities where I have made some day-trips, I am confident to say that the joy of English extends beyond my local community.

Certainly my students would agree. From hometowns in far from well-known towns and villages, they are all learning English in school. Few of my students’ parents and the people of their parents’ generation speak more than some simple English words. Yet most Chinese feel that learning English is of ever increasing importance, especially since China entered the WTO. As English is an international language of communication, parents want their children to develop the skill that they lack – namely speaking English.

This had led to an influx of independently owned language schools throughout China. These schools are not affiliated with government run educational institutions. These are “after school” and weekend programs being run by private entrepreneurs. These privately operated schools are in great demand here in Jiaozuo and represent an opportunity for foreigners to find employment. 

Several of these private schools enjoy a friendship with the English Department of the University where I am currently working. Although I am the most junior teacher here in terms of international experience, I have often been invited to volunteer my free time to visit independent schools. It is strictly against my contract to work outside of the University yet an exception is made as I do not accept any money for going to spend some time with the students. There is a great need for foreign teachers to visit with these language school students. The students of these schools are primarily grade school children. Their ages range from just three years old on the low end to seventeen or eighteen on the high end. The average student is approximately thirteen years old.

They are usually taught English by local teachers. Their teachers speak well but their students truly benefit from hearing the Western accent from a foreign teacher. Most of the students just love speaking English and practice for several hours every night. English songs are regularly heard on local radio and booming from stereos in front of area restaurants. Western culture has certainly been embraced here in Jiaozuo and the private language schools provide their students a further window to the west – learning English.

The drawback with these private schools is that the government does not regulate them. Anybody who chooses to proclaim themselves an English teacher can do so. This is not to say that the schools I have attended have not been honest. I truly believe that they are all offering an excellent service to their students. From speaking with many native Chinese teachers who are employed by these private schools, the school owners are honest; their headmasters friendly. I have heard no complaints from anyone involved, neither from student, teacher nor parent.

Sometimes parents have unrealistic expectations. They want their children to become fluent in English in just a few lessons – especially since they are paying for their children’s additional education. I am told that any complaints of this nature are promptly dealt with by the school’s administration.

The competition amongst these private schools is fierce. All schools would love to add a native English speaker to their teaching roster. This would give them a competitive edge.  From what I have seen, all the private language schools wish to offer the best service they possibly can to their students. They are concerned about improving their students’ language skills and are in business to do the best they can. Sometimes, their lack of experience can cause some smaller schools to offer a lower quality of education than some of the larger schools. Parents willing and able to send their children to more established schools often have the advantage over those parents whose children attend the recent upstarts. As it is at home, you get what you pay for.

In order for these smaller privately owned schools to remain in business, they must constantly be updating their curriculum – making sure that their students are getting the best possible education. This has opened a new opportunity for Westerners wishing to teach in China – the educational trainer. Since most of the language school teachers have not had the opportunity to learn English from a foreign teacher, I often meet with Chinese teachers on an informal basis.

Many local teachers attend the weekly “English Corner” at the university where I am employed. English Corner is the name given to open speaking sessions held throughout China. Held on Sunday nights, our English Corner regularly attracts close to a thousand students. This type of session is simply a free-for-all. Although there is an assigned topic, students use this as a guide to their discussion. Topics are as varied as language levels.

Although it is as important for teachers to practice their language skills as it is for the students, English Corner is not the best place for learning. It is simply too busy. Often, students who are uncomfortable speaking English tend to crowd around the foreign teachers who attend English Corner. This puts even more limits on the number of students that each teacher can speak with during open English. With the demand exceeding supply, foreign teachers could easily hold an English Corner session in a different place, every day. Many private language schools know this and are creating new opportunities within their organizations to employ foreign teachers – not only to teach their students and teachers but the public at large.

In order to graduate high school students in China must write a national college entrance examination. This is a comprehensive test, covering all aspects of China’s standardized curriculum. As English is a mandatory subject in China’s schools, English is included as part of this examination. Publicly owned and government funded high schools simply cannot afford to bring in foreign teachers. The more prestigious, private schools that cater to China’s elite, can and do bring in Westerners to teach. 

In some ways, this is a greater opportunity for Westerners with teaching experience to find employment in China. I’ve been told that the pay is rumoured to be higher in private high schools than similar work elsewhere in the country. Granted, the drawback to teaching high school students is that it can be lonely work. Their English levels are not as advanced as University students. Without the camaraderie of other teachers, especially for those who enjoy being part of a social group, I feel a University environment may be a better choice for younger teachers. This being said, teaching in a prestigious high school is not without financial and emotional reward.

Post-secondary education is open to all Chinese students who wish to attend an educational institution. With China’s enormous population, this in itself creates a tremendous demand for schools and teachers (foreign teachers included). Yet not all Chinese post-secondary schools are equal. To gain admission to one of China’s famous Universities is a tremendous honour – virtually guaranteeing students top employment upon their graduation. Students attending and graduating from lesser schools face a great challenge in finding employment that pays more than the average Chinese starting wage of 600RMB a month.

The only way to be granted admission to a top university fis to score in the highest percentile in the national examination. For those students scoring in the middle tier, attending a less prestigious, tier two or tier three school is their only option (other than to repeat their senior year of high school, rewrite the national examination and try again a year later). As such, students arriving at a “second” or “third” choice school often have morale problems. Although some students, especially students who come from peasant families are thrilled to be in university, most students are somewhat ashamed of their fate when they first walk through the gate of a lesser school. Teaching students at a prestigious high school level avoids having to teach disappointed university students who would rather be somewhere other than in your classroom.

I feel that most of my students are happy to be here. In my opinion, most don’t know the difference. I can usually explain away the doubts of the few students who wish they were somewhere else. I say that if I had a choice between studying in a large university and a small university, I would always choose the smaller school without question.

I point out that in my experience, larger schools have larger classes. Here, in a mid-level school, our class size averages forty students per room. This holds true in a neighbouring university as well where they have no more than fifty four students in a classroom at any one time. When I say that my classes in a minor Canadian university (the University of Windsor, Ontario) often had more than three hundred students in a lecture hall, it is hard for my students to fathom.

The mere fact that they are talking with their instructor would be something quite rare in a larger school, both here and abroad. There are no teaching assistants for any of the instructors at schools in the lower level – Chinese or foreign. Teachers teach all of their own classes and regular “office hours” are non-existent. Should teachers allow students to make contact with them outside of class hours, it is most welcomed by the students. This, however, is not necessary. Teachers are not expected to attend student run events or spend any time with their students outside of class hours. Should teachers wish to spend time with the students, it is neither encouraged nor discouraged by the administration.

Certainly, all schools would like to employ foreign teachers who hold a graduate degree. The problem is in what these Universities are able to pay in terms of salary. In smaller schools, yearly tuition averages 960 RMB per school year (under 150 Canadian dollars) – including shared dormitory accommodations. Food services are outsourced in most Chinese schools and board is not included in the tuition.

Although ridiculously low by western standards, 960 RMB per year is a substantial investment for most students. Native Chinese teachers with a Masters’ Degree earn a salary of 1000 RMB per month (approximately 150 Canadian dollars) and receive an unfurnished two bedroom apartment with an open market rental value of about $20 Canadian a month.

Unless an experienced teacher at the Masters’ degree level wants to live in a certain city, the chance of a smaller university being able to attract higher-level teaching talent is quite slim. This lowers the number of teachers available to smaller schools to holders of an undergraduate degree.

This creates a great chance for new graduates of a Bachelor of Education program to find employment here in China. Being here is a great chance for new Bachelor of Education graduates to put their knowledge into practice. Where it may be difficult to find employment in the west immediately after graduation, here in China, a B.Ed is highly respected by Chinese employers. Similarly, a teacher with a certificate in adult education from a community college is desired. Here, where I am currently employed, it is believed by the administration that education is the best teacher.

For those teachers, such as myself, who have a general BA and no international teaching experience, seeking initial international experience at a university may not be the best place to start. Having one year of teaching experience is seen by the administration here as a great asset. Without experience, every day is moving into uncharted territory. The chance for mistakes is magnified under the microscope of the administration. The administrators rightly put the interests of their students first – as they should. Without that year of experience under one’s belt to rely upon, rookie teachers, such as myself, are often subjected to the whims of their employer.

Unlike the high school curriculum, there are no set standards as to university teaching. Individual teachers must run their classes in complete autonomy. There are textbooks but these are used at the discretion of each teacher. No two classes in a university are ever the same. Here in China, the differences from one instructor to the next can be night and day. Teachers who make an effort to bring original work to their classes, who spend several hours preparing for their class and then more hours to correct homework are both saviours (in the eyes of their students) and fools (in the eyes of the administration and the eyes of the foreign teacher who really couldn’t care less).

In my life, I’ve held many jobs; everything from being a university teaching assistant, sessional instructor, guest lecturer to telemarketer, pizza order taker and dishwasher. Although my work experience is varied, there is one constant – you get in what you put out – the greater your effort, the greater your joy. This couldn’t be more true than here in China. From standing in front of a classroom of eager, young children to teaching at the university, the students can tell who cares and who doesn’t. Your rewards as a teacher in China won’t be financial. You could make just as much money staying at home and receiving social assistance. You will be richer every day here in China – that is if you are willing to make the effort.

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