1 year and 1 month into a contract ....

.... with 3 months left on my current contract, less than that actually. I've found that I don't really care about anything outside of the scope of my actual teaching. The students matter, but little else does at this point. The company that I've worked for has managed to pay late a total of 4 times within the past 12 months, they've also managed to give me last minute notice concerning fairly well everything within the past 13 months.

Just a few moments ago we were advised that we have a recruitment drive scheduled for April 26, May 10, and May 17. Previously he had advised me that these were on the 19th of April, 26th of April, and 10th of May. The issues that we have with this primarily is that the compensation is far too low, less than 50 dollars for 8 hours of work and removal of office hours from three days of the  week following the recruitment drive. The primary problem that I and the other foreigners have with this is that he knew about these particular "drive" days a month ago, and he is just now telling us.

...... So I argued with the boss, in front of the other foreigners and associated Chinese staff. Between this and an associated drop in support for student related problems, a student verbally and physically threatening me if I did not return the students phone, I've really pretty much had it. 3 of 4 foreign teachers will not re-sign. 1 will stay, but he re signed last month.

....Venting over....

Time for a new job.

3 months left, currently looking for a more Coastal Chinese City.
 

If I may ask, what type of gig is it?

International program.

On the bright side I have seen others go through much worse. I think the rub will be how they react to you leaving for another, i.e will they or won't they play ball.

Well once the contract ends, and assuming that I am fully paid through, all they have to do is provide the necessary contract documents.
A Chinese wife works wonders for procuring necessary documents.

A Chinese wife works wonders for procuring necessary documents.

 

Post on international school review. 

Tired of confrontations over returning phones confiscated in class?  Blendtec has the answer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBUJcD6Ws6s

The rest of the class will love the show, and you can return the freshly blended phone within 2 minutes of confiscating it.  Just bring your Blendtec Total Blender and some bags for returning phones with you to class.

I don't see that being terribly popular with the students parents.
What happened to LiYiens Phone? ./......?
Oh..... I blended it. (hands plastic baggie of dust to parents)

I'm sure I'm not the only parent of a Chinese student who wouldn't mind seeing a phone blended.

Plus, you'll only have to do it once or twice.  Then phones will remain securely locked away the rest of the term.

And, best of all, think of the look on some kid's face when you drop their precious phone into the blender and hit the button.  Now that's what I call job satisfaction!

Name them and shame them.

Honestly I'm shocked you're working without being paid regularly (if I've read you correctly). Since most of the teachers won't return, how about staging a walk-out when wages aren't paid on time? They really won't want students telling their parents that the teachers didn't come to work because they haven't been paid.

It's an international program company, they host international programs in a variety of different Chinese cities.
Educhina. Honestly, it's been either a weekend late, or a day late. But, 4 times is 3 times too many.

Your administration needs to support you on the phone issue, and on all kid discipline issues. Your international department sounds like a place where the administration is more concerned with making the big bucks that international departments can make than it is with providing a quality program that will help the kids succeed.

At our school we have a student handbook that clearly states that kids are to turn in their phones at the beginning of the day. They get them back when class is done for the day. If they're caught with a phone in class, they lose the phone for three months. If there is a second offense, they lose the phone for the semester, and a third offense, they lose it for good. Parents and students both sign this policy and we have no issues with phones. Parents are actually pretty supportive of this policy and in my years here I have only seen a parent take a kid's side about a phone once. And we still held our ground.

No excuse for last minute shit. If payday falls on a weekend, there should be a clear policy stating whether you get paid on the Friday before or the Monday after. Recruiting drives shouldn't be sprung on you. We have one coming up too ... the second week in May. We already know and are being told the plans for it (and actually, most of the regular teachers don't even have to attend, only me and another guy because we're admin staff).

It sounds like finding a new school is probably in order. Do you teach ESL, or subjects? We may have some openings at our school coming up next year.