Sunday, January 5, 2014

Being A Senior Teacher

When I first applied for a job in Hefei I knew I wanted to take on more responsibility and be more involved with how the school is run.  So I applied for a Senior Teaching position and almost immediately I was granted it.  Of course I also asked for an increase in pay (thank god I did).  My schedule in the beginning was considerably easy, much easier than my past school and I enjoyed the majority of my classes, which is usually uncommon.



  

But as time went on my skills as a teacher became more apparent to my school and colleagues.  I am
frequently asked questions about everything involving work and sometimes even advice about what to do in China in certain instances.  I like giving advice and being the person others come to when they are unsure, I guess it's because I like helping people.  

As my skills were being noticed, others lack of skills were also beginning to surface.  The majority of our teachers are new teachers, meaning they have never taught before coming to China or received any sort of training to help them teach.  This isn't the foreign teachers fault in the slightest, it's the schools for their laziness and greediness.  As a Senior Teacher I have to observe classes from time-to-time, especially if there are complaints, most times the complaints aren't very serious and/or things we can't change (some complaint examples are: too many games, not enough games, their accent is too thick, they speak to fast, their class is boring, they don't teach anything, they speak too much Chinese instead of English).  I love the accent one because really if you come from a different country that speaks English you are bound to sound different from another person that came from a different country, but that is lost on the Chinese people.  The supreme accent that is looked for in China is either British or American (and even then American accent always beats the British... Yay for me!).  



I've realized recently that I take my job more seriously than anyone else.  It's not because I think my school is the top school in the country, let alone the city, but because it's who I am.  I like working hard and yes although super hard to admit I love keeping busy.  I also love being relied on, capable and loved.  I like going into a work place and having everyone smile at me genuinely and my students get excited every time I enter the classroom.  I don't just want to drift along my classes just pushing to get through the day.

I think everyone can see those things about me and because of this I am technically a Full-Time teacher by Chinese and American standards.  I get two days off a week (if I'm lucky three!) and teach at least 5 classes a day and on the weekends around 9 or 10 a day.  I teach around 30 classes a week because I am a great teacher and the best that we have at the moment apparently (not my words, I hear it every week more than once).  I like being acknowledged for my hard work and if I wasn't being acknowledged in any way I wouldn't work as hard, but encouragement is often given.  


So far I have done the work as a Senior Teacher and as a Foreign Manager. I help everyone, CT and FT
alike and I even give advice to the school managers when they need it.  I even hosted the Annual Christmas Party and I am hosting another event at a local primary school next week.  My school asks me because I am willing and I'm not a total bitch about it.  Sure I may whine here and there but who doesn't?  Most foreigners who come to a foreign country come to escape, to be free, and to be lazy.  It's not a bad thing, but it's hard to be the only one who takes their job seriously sometimes (not saying everyone is like that just a large percentage is all).  I say yes to things and I don't just say yes blindly, I think about it first (usually at the speed of light) and decide.  If the proposition doesn't outrightly affect me then I say yes, but if it puts me out of my way (like way out of my way) then I say no.  When they say, "Hey we will pay you over-time!" It's usually a yes (what can I say money is nice).


The laziness of others around me bothers me to hell and back.  I hate when someone bitches about their day of only having one class, I mean come on it's just one class for god sake!  I can't stand it that I bust my ass trying to get every where on time then my fellow teachers can walk in half an hour late or never show up at all and nothing happens to them.  It's ridiculous, totally ridiculous.  

I have gotten on everyones good side, so everyone loves me and believes in me.  Building relationships like these in China, helps your career immensely and honestly makes life much easier (I don't think most foreigners understand this, since they spend most of their time hanging with other foreigners instead of getting to know the Chinese people they work with nearly every day).  If I need help with anything, it is done as quickly as possible; whereas with others it will take awhile since their relationship with that person isn't as established as mine.  

My school is like my family, with the good times and, of course, the bad times (especially in China), but I love each of them because they respect me and believe in me.  I also love all my students, even the naughty ones and I have learned through Thankful letters that they love me too! See below pictures: 





Hopefully, soon, I will be able to show my full potential as a team player and leader in the near future and make our school the top English school in the city!