What happens when you break a teacher contract?
Right now is a very tough time to find a teaching position. You might try contacting a previous interviewer and ask them if it is an issue. Or call someone you don't want to work for and ask for their advice. I would think that it was so long ago, it shouldn't be an issue, especially if the illness is behind you. Maybe prospective employers are worried that your health problem will resurface? Do you have good letters of reference from the 2 jobs you did get after that? can you reassure them without getting too personal that it won't be an issue again? I don't know why, but I have a feeling there is more to the story. What have you been doing since 2001 besides those 2 jobs? Why did you leave those jobs?
Is there any legal way to break your job contract as a China Foreign teacher working for a school or TEFL, ESL, or TOEFL program?
Thanks Liz - you came up with a real gem. Here is a bit more on that tactic and apparently it worked for a teacher named Cole who also won a $30,000 settlement from a school chain that made him work with an illegal contract http://eslwatch.info/china-2/about-the-law-china/12172-cftu-china-law-update-how-to-legally-break-your-china-foreign-teacher-contract-without-penalty-loss-of-visa-nor-pay.html I guess a lot of expat teachers worry too much about losing their visas or last paycheck so stay quiet and endure all the BS. This is also worth reading: http://ChinaBlacklist.wordpress.com
Can you actually make money by teaching english in China?
Truthfully your recruiter will earn 7x more than you per month. They get paid the same whether you get a crap job or a good one so they don't care about you once you sign their contract and may stick you in a school that is not even licensed. The legitimate teaching jobs are the international schools and public universities. Most job placements coming from China job recruiters and agents are taking a huge bite of your wages. See http://www.chinascambusters.com to learn more about all the China foreign teacher scams. You can get links to all the China blacklists at this scam.com link: http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=617489 Also be aware that more than 90% of those great "teach in China" job ads online are posted by scam artists and identity thieves that use fake testimonials, blind ads, free email addresses, and self-created "reviews". BTW... if you find yourself stuck in a bad one-sided contract and want out, don't be fooled into believeing that you are trapped. You can legally bail out of abusive contract situations without being deported, blacklisted, or losing your visa. See: http://www.bjstuff.com/profiles/blogs/cftu-confirms-china-foreign-teachers-employees-not-obligated-to
Yes. Of course.That said, now for a couple of questions:Do you want to offer your services on an online platform that you running? In other words, do you want make money as a self-employed teacher?Or do you want to be employed, either by an online company or by a language school on location in the country of residence or where you would prefer to live?For both of the above options you need to ask yourself: since I am not a native English speaker nor do I have TEFL quaifications, how do I convince a potential employer or students that I am the right person for the job?Either way, in addition to any written application or self-promo, I suggest add a sound and/or video clip of you speaking. People are going to find out how you sound and look sooner or later anyway.The beauty of a clip, you can practise it till you get it right: be it pronunciation, content, intonation, style, whatever…And if use a video clip, you show yourself to be a real person because you have stepped out from behind the cloak of anonymity afforded by written applications and sound clips.A fact, a VERY good fact:Most teachers who teach English are not native speakers.What????Correct.There are over 52,000 junior high schools in China. There are over 16,000 senior high schools.See China: number of high schools 2016 | StatisticDo you really think each school would have even one native English teacher?Multiply that around the world and it becomes rapidly clear that the majority of English teachers are non-native speakers.So really, there is nothing to hold you back as long as you are as proficient as you suggest.
Has anyone broken their ESL contract in China after the first semester?
If it is a deposit you have left with them, you need to talk with them say you will work for another month and help try to find another teacher but after 1 month you need your salary and deposit, most schools will accept if you tell them in the right way...its no good having an unhappy and unproductive teacher at your school... If it says if you quit you need to pay 15,000 then it does not matter...the contract here is next to meaningless...you either choose to tell them you are not happy and will leave in one month or you just leave after next pay day...really depends on how the school have treated you...it will not affect your chances of getting other jobs in China...only effect it can have is on your Visa if on a work visa they can cancel and it will be harder to make a new one without a release letter ( to get around this you need to make a new passport) I dont know what type of city you are in or what type of job you are doing but you should try to make more friends and even inviting your spouse to come over could be a good thing.... I would suggest staying in China if you can, its a great place to be in my personal opinion... and I think learning some of the language would be a great help too!
What college courses should an aspiring ESL teacher take?
In general you'll need a degree and a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate to get a visa and work. The degree can be in almost any subject as it is usually required for the visa only so you will find teachers with a degree in Engineering or Sociology. Having said this, to help get the job it's obviously better to be English or language related, for example a degree in English literature. The TEFL certificate can be taken either in-house or online at your own pace which is a much cheaper option (see http://icalweb.com).
Because, as me and some friends of mine had predicted some 8–9 years ago, they have served their purpose and their services are no longer required.When I first came to China I was astounded by the number of illegal workers, a.k.a. “English teachers,” in the country. Throw a rock in an “expat” bar or club and you’re bound to hit either a hooker, or an “English teacher” - no working visa, no Foreign Expert Certificate, no proper education or experience in teaching and very often, poor English skills to begin with (and yes, that applied to native speakers, too); and yet, they managed to live and make money in a country that was supposed to be so controlling. Many people wondered how it was possible for them to survive. My answer always was: because they served a purpose.The level of English teaching in China was (and probably still is) quite low. Most Chinese people who spoke a little better than the country average (e.g. people who were previously educated to be English teachers in Chinese schools) would rather go working in companies doing international trade, rather than teach in schools (better pay, overseas travel opportunity, etc.). So there was a constant shortage of good teachers - and thus came the foreigners. Relatively cheap, doing o-kay job teaching, they were tolerated by the government for many years, despite of obviously and visibly breaking the law.Chinese people are pragmatic and patient. As long as these foreigners did their job and stayed relatively low on the government’s radars, everything was peachy. But in the last couple of years, two things happened: 1) the average level of English in the society went up, 2) too many foreigners tried to “break away” from their teaching positions and do more (start their own “businesses” in China, engage in illegal activities like the famous Shenzhen “Tunnel rave,” etc.). Enough is enough. Chinese people are pragmatic and patient, but they have their limits, too.Believe you me, if you got your job through proper channels and your paperwork is proper and legal - you have nothing to worry about. But if you’re teaching English on a tourist visa or a work visa obtained from some shady company that had outstanding quota for hiring foreigners, then perhaps it’s time to start packing.
There is definitely an age-bias against older ESL teachers. I found this out recently when I quit my uni job in Portugal at the age of 52, thinking that with my qualifications and experience, I’d walk into any job.I was wrong. Apart from being overqualified, I was also considered too old. Anyone over the age of 35 is old, according to local ESL gossip. But there are jobs for older people. You may need to be a bit more persistent, and don’t baulk at the miserly salaries, as little as paid €6 an hour.In Portugal, most of the ESL jobs are around Lisbon, although there are jobs elsewhere. Spain has many jobs, and many more mature workers go there. Likewise Italy and across Europe. You can see a map of work here.There are many jobs in Asia, but many schools say they want younger teachers and the official upper age limit for a VISA is 55 in China. However, China in particular is so desperate for teachers that they might be more tolerant in practice. Apparently being older in Vietnam is an advantage.There is no apparent bias against older people in the Americas, but these jobs are often only advertised locally, meaning you may have to travel to find the opportunities. However, there are many schools that like the maturity of older teachers, so this may be a good bet.One of the problems of hiring older workers is insurance; schools are worried about how healthy older teachers are and insurance is expensive. It’s vital to make sure you are covered by any contract you get.A friend of mine, aged 58, has recently re-started his career in ESL in the UK, and not found any shortage of work (although he is outraged by the low salaries).ESL is a passion rather than a lucrative career, and it does give you the chance to travel. So go for it, and have fun!