Aihua

This page is a work in progress.  I will go through emails over the next few days and add questions and answers here.  For now:

1. The contract states that between 60-100 teaching hrs. in a month will be paid 10,000rmb, can I expect to achieve this many hours each month?

The contract states that teachers may only be under time in February or in August.  These months fall between our main terms and we usually have a long holiday here.  Teachers will only be on undertime during these months if they choose to take a holiday, and not be available to the school during this time.  Teachers are usually on between 90 and 100 periods (40-45 mins) per month.  Quite a few teachers, however, want overtime, as we pay a good overtime rate, and these teachers may be on as many as 120 periods per month.

2. The contract states that the school has housing available for rent. What would be the total cost of this housing including utilities? Will I be able to make enough money teaching to cover food and other living expenses and also have (if even a small amount) enough left over to save?

Rent for a one or two bedroom apartment is between 2000 and 3500 per month.  If two people are sharing, it is half of this.  Utilities are at most 200 per month on top of this.  When a teacher arrives, that teacher is typically replacing an outgoing teacher, so that long term accommodation is immediately available.  IF a deposit is needed to secure accommodation, the school will advance the teachers money if required, and work out a repayment schedule for over the following months.

As for cost of living, this can vary wildly, depending on the individual.  I live on 3000 per month.  I eat at restaurants about three a week, but when I do I eat at common Chinese restaurants.  I do my shopping at open markets.  When I drink beer, I drink Chinese beer.  If you eat at foreign restaurants, drink foreign alcohol, and live the fast life, it is easy to spend 20000 in a month, and have no idea of where it went.

3. What would be a typical teaching schedule for a new teacher like me? What hours can I expect to teach during the day and on what days?

Teachers at Gucheng and Changyin have 2 days off per week, though these are not necessarily consecutive.  (We will do our best to make days off consecutive, but we cannot promise this.)  At Zhongguancun teachers work six days per week, but their total weekly hours are lower than at our Gucheng or Changyin.  During weekdays, teaching typically starts between 2:00 and 4:00 (usually three) and continues until 6:00 or 8:00 (usually 7:00).  During weekends, our school hours are from 8:30 to 5:00.  Teachers working on weekends will typically do between 4 and 6 fourty five minute periods in the day.  After the timetable is established at the start of term it remains constant throughout the term, so that teachers may comfortably establish their habits around their timetable.

 

I will continue adding questions and answers to this list.