Four in ten newly qualified teachers quit within the 1st year.

March 31, 2015 Michael Tyler Comments 1 comment

Being a teacher, I turned up this stat just the other day on a recruitment site for assaid ‘support teachers’ mentioned in the article below.

Figures disclosed showed that only 62 per cent were still in teaching a year after gaining their Qualified Teacher Status

Richard Garner. Independent.

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Almost four out of ten teachers are no longer in the classroom a year after qualifying, a teachers’ conference heard yesterday.

Figures disclosed at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers conference in Liverpool yesterday showed that only 62 per cent were still in teaching a year after gaining their Qualified Teacher Status.

The figures, based on an analysis of Department for Education data, also showed that the number who complete their training but never enter the classroom has tripled in six years – from 3,600 in 2006 to 10,800 in 2011.

The cost to the taxpayer of training them is estimated to be just under £1 billion.
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How Much Money Can You Make Teaching in China?

March 17, 2015 Michael Tyler Comments 0 Comment

Taken from New Life ESL. An article on teaching in China, and how much money you can make.

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Monica

Ah, the golden question. Money makes the world go ‘round, indeed. But we always try to guide our applicants with the advice that you should absolutely not be chasing salary or city in China — you should be chasing trustworthiness in a school. While some are not as easily convinced as others, the truth is, there really is no one-size-fits-all guide to how much you can make here.Being in the recruiting game for around two years and teaching English for three, I’ve had the benefit of meeting all kinds of aspiring English teachers. There’s the person that read somewhere online they should be making 15,000RMB ($2,435) monthly with everything from their flight to China to their meals being covered by the school, yet they have no experience or degree. There’s the person who has been screwed over by so many schools and recruiters, yet for some reason, they still keep looking for jobs and constantly have their guard up with no matter whom they speak to. There’s the person that read all the online forums saying all agents are monsters robbing you of your salary. Which can absolutely be true for some, but luckily not for us, being that you’ll never sign a contract with New Life, only directly with schools we’ve introduced you to.And then, sometimes, on a really, really gorgeous day, when the sun is shining and the birds are chirping, we get that one person that fully understands that salary = experience, qualifications, and city tier. When this person applies on our site, I often can’t control myself and end up putting on my guilty pleasure playlist (it includes INXS), dancing around just moments before our Skype meeting. I sincerely love this person.Unlike most countries that accept foreign English teachers, China is unique in that salaries are based off the tier of the city. They can’t have foreigners coming in and making 12,000RMB a month and working 25 hours weekly while the locals are working 40 hours weekly making 2,000RMB. It’s just not fair. So here, I provide to you a full break down of what salaries will look like throughout China based on experience, city tier, and qualifications.

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Taizhou Bilingual – The end is nigh

January 19, 2015 Michael Tyler Comments 0 Comment

All things…

Having found my new apartment in my new estate to be a step in the wrong direction, it was a stroke of luck that the school decided they didn’t wish to continue my contract.

Having lived in the place for 2 weeks, it’s still got no TV and I’m confined to one room, in which I sit and watch the internet.

Not what the contract says, I’m supposed to be provided with a TV (minimum requirement for dealing with the boredom).

Bai xing jiao ling

The estate is called Bai xing Jiao ling, or common peoples estate, which is exactly right.

The leafy boulevards of Fengnan Road have been replaced by dumped sofas and bags of building waste.

The apartment itself is lightly furnished, with a wicker sofa, a table some chairs, a washing machine, a fridge, (whose door doesn’t close properly), and a TV (which doesn’t work) – all covered by a layer of plaster dust.

It’s closer to school, but further from the shops, places to eat, supermarkets and general activity.
Out in the sticks you might say.

It’s really not what I’m looking for. I want to be close to town, near the bars, shops and communications. Where I can have a good time. I was relieved when they said they were terminating my contract.

This, I think, won’t be without drama.

In the stitch zone

The guy from the agency that employed me on behalf of the school said they would pay me until 28th January + travel bonus.

I’m getting the distinct feeling they’re going to try and sack me and get out of paying this $500 bonus.

Someone asked me whether I was receiving drugs in the post in the teachers office, which I felt was a strange thing to say.

It’s not unusual to receive packages over Christmas. And like the other outlandish comments, I let it fall on stoney ground, (so to speak).

It’s 10 days to go until I’m free of the contract and paid up. I’m getting the feeling this week I’m going to be stitched up… so watch this space…

Abusive pupil

November 26, 2014 Michael Tyler Comments 3 comments

Often well behaved. Sometimes not. Today I was given this gift by one of my pupils called E***y.

She tried to call me a monkey in my last lesson, and said I had ‘monkey’ eyes. I responded by saying monkeys don’t have blue eyes.

I’m not used to being called a monkey by my pupils. And I won’t stand for any disrespect directed towards anyone, pupils or teachers alike.

Even-so, I ignored it as a one off.

Next lesson

At the end of the lesson. E***y came to my desk at the front and presented me with this gift.

I read it with disbelief.

After consideration, I said “this is not funny” and put it in my bag.

Pupils have called me things in the past, but never directly. Usually they shout in class when they can get away with it.

Although she may have thought this was a clever thing to do, writing abusive notes to your teacher is never a wise thing to do.

I can’t imagine she’s going to get away with it…..

Skipping games

November 15, 2014 Michael Tyler Comments 0 Comment

So.

Had a little break from my lessons and sat outside by the stadium area.

This is where all the students and teachers alike go and enjoy their morning sun.

There were many girls skipping. So I decided to make this video of them skipping their rope.

As you can notice, they are very nervous and shy.

Many Chinese schoolgirls are like this. …

Taizhou Bi-lingual School

November 10, 2014 Michael Tyler Comments 1 comment

Taizhou Bi-lingual School

So here’s some pictures from the new school…

I’m trying to get one of the teachers to give me a tour of the full campus. At the moment, I’ve only seen the lower school. Most of the pictures are from the middle school, where the sports hall, stadium, sports ground and the rest of facilities are.

No-one has given me a tour yet, although it was promised.

The teachers

The school seems fine. The teachers are a little shitty. One of the British guys phoned me on Friday to ask me if I “was on medication”, I simply refused to answer.

Today, the foreign teacher coordinator Flora, wouldn’t say hello to me.

So I’ve been made to feel welcome. Maybe I won’t be here too long.