Foreign Teachers Don’t Need to Know
The downside to being a foreign teacher at a school in China (besides just about everything) is how nobody bothers to share important information with you until the last minute. Then they act surprised when you don’t docilely go along with the changes. But I thought all foreigners loved spontaneity! That’s why you’re a teacher!
It was frustrating when I worked at the primary school and wouldn’t find out my class was canceled until the moment I went to class and saw no one there. If I had know, I would have gone downtown or at least slept in that day! The training school would do just the opposite. They’d ask me five minutes ahead of time to teach an extra class or interview a potential student after I’d already clocked out and was on my way home.
The head teacher at my current school is always inviting me to teachers’ dinners or meetings, but he never gives me a heads up. I keep telling him, “I already have other commitments. Next time, you need to let me know sooner.” Next time, we go through the same thing as if the last three conversations never took place. They must treat all their employees like this, but foreign teachers are the only ones who ever have a problem with it. Maybe that’s because foreign teachers actually like to make plans and ensure they have a life outside of school.
Sometimes, though, the school drops a pleasant surprise on me, like when they announced it was midterms, and I wouldn’t have to teach for three days. Finally, some good news! But, again, I didn’t hear this until the day before, rendering it difficult to prepare to go anywhere. Foreign teachers are really out of the loop, and, considering my office desk is frequently being overtaken by other teachers’ crap, it often feels like the school forgets they have a foreign teacher at all.
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Responses to “Foreign Teachers Don’t Need to Know”
Comments RSS Feed – All CommentsJR — 12 November 2009 @ 11:10 pm
Funny you should post this now, just a few days ago I showed up to an empty class. Sure would have been nice to know it was canceled so I could have done my grocery shopping.
Chinamatt — 14 November 2009 @ 5:06 pm
I remember walking into the classroom, getting ready for class, and not having any students show up for 10 minutes or so. Then I would be told that the class was cancelled.
It was more painful when I was told to write 5 exams for 5 levels of classes in less than 24 hours. The school didn’t like my response to that request.
Clark — 14 November 2009 @ 9:29 pm
It was one of those last minute “you need to prepare and give all the students an oral test” requests that forced me to work Christmas day last year. In exchange, I at least got my birthday off.
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