Interested in teaching in China...

[Axiom]

I am SERIOUSLy starting to give thought about teacing in China... but  what kind of initial investment do I need?  The job market blows here currently so I becoming short on funds. So I am curious how much initial money will I need to teach over seas?

Plane ticket? Vaccinations?

[Pineau]

I have had this same thought. I actually got an offer from a school in Chanchung. If you have a 4 year degree and English is your native language then you wont have any problem finding a job. If you have a TESOL certificate then you can just about work anywhere. If you have teaching experience you can just about write your own ticket. Some of the schools will pay for part or all of your air fare and put you up in a furnished apartment.
go here and get on their mailing list. You will get several new job postings every day http://www.esljobs.com/

Gerry

[Axiom]

Wow really I do have all that (bachelors, native english speaker, teaching experience) and when I was on DavesEslCafe everywhere I applied wanted me to pay for airfair over... I had to pay for all my shots...etc etc


Guess I was looking in the wrong spot?

EDIT: Hmm I do have teaching experience, but not a TEFL I am afraid

[ttwjr32]

the tefl isnt that important as you will find out. just start by applying for what interests you and see who gets back to you.

the initial investment can be small depending on the city size. these smaller cities you would need about 2000 to 3000 rmb to
make a go of it. which is about 375 USA dollars a month.

large cities like Guangzhou well that is a different scenario.

[Paul Todd]

There are many on-line Tefl/Tesol courses to choose from. You can get a 60 hours Tefl certificate and this will do just fine. These are not challenging courses by any means and although they say 60 hours of study is required you can easily do it in a week or less. For the time and cost involved I would do one as it makes life easier here and opens more doors for you. I got my job teaching at a university just on the promise that I would take an on-line course. I did provide them with a letter to prove I had actually enrolled and they were very happy indeed.I did my diploma course here.
http://www.teachenglish.co.uk
I can recommend them and they were very helpful.

If having enough funds to support your self while you look for a job is a problem and to take the pressure off ,you could except a position unseen as it where. Do your homework first as Ted says and try to find a reputable agent. The ESL cafe is a good start. The beauty of this is that you will enter China with your Z visa and this means you don't have to take a trip to Hong Kong to get it at a later date. If you want to arrive here and then look for a job there are so many out there that I'm sure you will have no trouble finding work. I posted an article  in another thread that said there where 5000 native English teachers with the correct visa's working on the mainland this year and with a potential number of students at 300 million plus, you can see that you are in demand!

Maybe a good balance would be to sign a 6 month contract and get your foot in the door and then move on. I would chose a job at a state school, tech collage or university over any private language institution as the pay, working hours and holidays are much, much better. Most if not all of theses jobs come with a furnish apartment close to the school. You can get lucky and have a beautiful place or a basic one , but they are all Ok after all you are so much in demand that if the place is not up to standard change schools!

Think about the age range your looking to teach as there a huge difference in teaching kindergarten and university students, do you want to be singing Old McDonald had a farm or giving a grammar lesson. Think about the hours you want to work as well. Full time or part time with private students its up to you. Of couse as both Ted and I have said, check any contract carefully before signing on the line.

[Axiom]

Okay as I am applying for different jobs putting my feelers out...  I just came across an interesting idea....

How much is college in China? is it at least some what affoardable unlike the states? I have a Bachelors already so I might want to take some classes to learn programming (Web Based perferably). Can you audit classes?

The idea of coming to China to teach while simultaneously learning is an interesting one...

[ttwjr32]

colleges in China are around 30,000 rmb a year on a slide average

[ttwjr32]

the govt subsidized schools are cheaper because they get money from the govt

[Paul Todd]

The Chinese government have announced a new drive to encourage residents of Beijing to learn English. The program comes as part of an effort to turn Beijing into a “world city” that welcomes foreign visitors, especially English-speaking visitors.The Chinese government’s plan to improve English fluency in the city consists of 5 parts:

- Toddlers will begin learning the language in kindergarten, to better prepare them for more advanced classes in later grades.
- Every public servant under the age of 40 with a college degree must learn 1000 English sentences.
- By 2015, all government employees must learn at least 100 English sentences, whether they have a college degree or not.
- 60% of service employees, like waiters and hairdressers, must pass English tests covering vocabulary related to their jobs.
- By 2015, a certain number of guides in each museum in the city must be proficient in English as well.

The drive demonstrates the dramatic changes that China has undergone in the past few decades and how its focus in world affairs has shifted.
According to China Daily, Beijing isn’t the only city in which the government is pushing its citizens to learn English.  The city of Shanghai just started an 8-year-long program to help its officials become proficient in English. X’ian is also planning to encourage residents to learn English.

Lots of work here!

[Willy The Londoner]

the govt subsidized schools are cheaper because they get money from the govt

Wow that is quite a revelation Ted.  Govt Subsidized Schools getting money from Govt!!!!

Willy

[ttwjr32]

waqs wondering if anyone would pick up on that

[Jimmy]

Wow really I do have all that (bachelors, native english speaker, teaching experience) and when I was on DavesEslCafe everywhere I applied wanted me to pay for airfair over... I had to pay for all my shots...etc etc
Guess I was looking in the wrong spot?
EDIT: Hmm I do have teaching experience, but not a TEFL I am afraid

They tell you they will pay the airfare but remember you have to pay it first. Then in 6 to 12 months depending on the deal you make they give it back.

[Paul Todd]

Here's the link to " The Teach Abroad China Alliance" forum. It's a site full of info and some cautionary tales too. Well worth a read if your thinking of teaching in China:-

http://teachabroadchina.com/TACA/

[ttwjr32]

Along with your return ticket money but if your staying then you can buy a
guitar like Paul. Maybe we can start a band here. Yea we are old but look at the Stones

I dont play but i can sing well.

[RobertBfrom aust]

Well I guess Ted you end up with the tamborine .