Dodgy Job Ad #6

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Raoul F. Duke

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Dodgy Job Ad #6
« on: May 09, 2012, 05:52:02 PM »
This howler was provided by anthonyinchina. It's mostly just a bad deal, but there's a seriously dodgy bit...
Here's the ad:

Yucky English Training School
Job Description
We would love to hear from anyone interested in teaching English in a small, well-resourced school located in Blowhole, a prefecture in eastern Guizhou Province, located in southwest China.

If you are an outgoing person and would like to teach children, please join our school as a foreign teacher. We offer full-time teaching positions. Foreign teachers should have between 15 and 20 teaching hours per week, with a minimum of 50 teaching hours per month. Foreign teachers are paid 100 RMB per class.
Your students are between five and seventeen years old. English skills range from nonexistent to advanced, depending on each student’s age and ability. Classes consist of a maximum of 26 children within three years age of each other. Students regularly have Yucky English classes twice a week with their Chinese English teachers.

Teaching Requirements
1. Your teaching role is to review and improve material previously taught by the students’ Chinese teacher. The
Chinese teacher explains class material to students prior to your class. You encourage continued learning and
improved pronunciation by reviewing the material and then using the material for games. Your main task is to
encourage the students to practice speaking and listening in English. You help correct students’ pronunciation and
create conversational English inspired from the textbooks.
Chinese teachers provide teaching plans for each class detailing the units and concepts you are required to review.
Teaching must be exercised in a playful manner. Be prepared to dance, sing, and make a fool of yourself. The Yucky method of teaching English to small children relies heavily on gestures and body language. You are required to learn the gestures, songs, and chants prior to each class.
The favored method of teaching is by playing games. The use of picture cards, videos, and singing is preferred. You are required to play educational games with the students for half of your class time. You determine what games or activities work best for each lesson and class.
2. Foreigner teachers have many different classes, and they meet with individual classes once every two or three weeks. For example, in a three-week cycle, you will meet once with 45 or more different classes.
3. On Friday evenings, for one hour, you are required to participate in English Corner. Children come with their parents to practice their English speaking skills. You are paid for one half hour (50 RMB) for each English Corner.
4. Every Friday afternoon, you are required to attend all-school meetings that generally last one hour. You are not paid for this time. These meetings are the only time that all Yucky staff are in the same room – teachers, administrative staff, etc.
5. Your normal working hours are as follows:
• All day on Saturdays and Sundays, up to seven classes each day
• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings, with one or two classes each evening (you have your days to yourself)
• Wednesdays, all day trips to branch schools (see point 6)
• You may or may not have a day or two off once per week, depending on the three-week cycle and number of foreign teachers currently at Yucky
• At the end of each semester, there is about one week of intensive teaching, with multiple classes per day for multiple days
6. Weekly one-day trips out of Blowhole to teach at Yucky branch schools in nearby towns will be required. Each town is about one and a half hours away from Blowhole. You leave Blowhole around 10 am and return between 8 and 10 pm. You will teach two classes and possibly an English Corner. The school pays for transportation, and lunch and dinner is usually provided. You generally take a bus or taxi for to and from each city.
7. Teachers are expected to act in a kind and professional manner. Working with children can be stressful, especially for the foreign teachers. There is usually not a Chinese teacher in the foreign teacher’s class, except during the training period and when requested by the foreign teacher. To be a successful teacher to these young kids, you must be able to bring a smile and a playful attitude to each new class. Adaptability and creativity is a must!
8. Five levels of English courses are handled in this school:
• Play Way to English is for children between five and eight years old.
• Cambridge Young Learners English is for children between nine and eleven years old.
• Super Kids is for children between eight and twelve years old.
• New Concept English is for students twelve and older.
• A new kindergarten program recently opened. You may be required to teach a few classes a month for 30 minutes to three or four year olds. The kindergarten teachers are present with each class. These classes are taught during the daytime during the week.
9. Foreign teachers must also attend trainings as required and school promotional opportunities as they arise.
10. A one-year (two semesters) teaching commitment is required. Semesters run September through January and February through July. You have about one month between Fall and Spring Semesters for Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and about one month off for the summer break.
Other requirements of you upon arrival:
• Medical Exam – Upon your arrival in Blowhole, you are required to complete a medical exam. Per Chinese government guidelines, any medical exam from your home country is not valid once you arrive in China.
The school assists with the arrangements, but you are required to pay the medical cost, about 300 RMB.
This cost is deducted from your first salary payment.
• Insurance – The Chinese government now requires medical and emergency insurance of all foreigners. The school handles all paperwork for the policy, but you are required to pay the policy cost, approximately 600 RMB. This is cost is deducted from your first salary payment.
What Yucky and Blowhole Offer Blowhole has approximately 250,000 people, but because of the high-density housing, it takes about an hour to walk across town. Blowhole is a rural city in the Karst Mountains with little Western influence. The countryside is a 10- minute bike ride out of town. The city is pedestrian friendly and inexpensive. There are few non-Chinese restaurants, and the nearest McDonalds is a five-hour bus ride away in Guiyang, the provincial capital.
Foreigners are not a common sight for local people. Older people will often stare, and children will point and giggle.
Foreigners are low in number; perhaps three at Yucky with four Peace Corps volunteers in a local university. The large expatriate communities found in larger cities is lacking in Blowhole.
Most people do not speak English but are generally very friendly and want to help you. Many people speak the local dialect that is different from the standard Mandarin Chinese.
This position is very rewarding for someone who wants to experience the real China. Unlike Shanghai, Chengdu, or Beijing, Blowhole has few places that will seem just like your home country. The language and cultural situation provides many benefits, but it also poses many challenges. An open mind and willingness to try new things go a long way. Please note these things when considering this position.
Yucky provides the following to its foreign teachers:
• Accommodation – You live in an apartment provided by the school in Blowhole. You are about 25 minutes away from the school on foot, about 10 by bus and 5 by taxi. Your apartment includes basics like a television, DVD player, refrigerator, basic furniture, shower, kitchen tools, etc. The school pays your monthly rent.
• Utilities – the school pays 100 RMB per month for phone, electricity and water. The foreign teacher pays for costs over 100 RMB. This balance is generally taken out of your monthly salary.
• Travel – The school arranges an optional two- or three-day trip around the local province every six months, all expenses paid.
• Holiday – During your holiday breaks (winter and summer, depending on when you arrive), you are paid 1,000 RMB.
• Return Flight – At the end of your contract, the school provides a subsidy of 6,000 RMB for your return flight ticket. You are responsible for your flight to China and travel to Blowhole at the beginning of your contract.
• Salary/Teaching Hours – You are paid on a monthly basis, at the end of each month. Foreign teachers should have between 15 and 20 teaching hours per week, with a minimum of 50 teaching hours per month.
Foreign teachers are paid 100 RMB per class. While you are paid 100 RMB for each class, Yucky withholds 20 RMB per class that is paid out at the end of your contract. (Effectively, if you screw up during your contract or get into any dispute with the employer, you ain't getting back the withheld salary!)
• Other – Yucky can help you find activities in your new home. You can be provided with a Chinese tutor to learn Mandarin Chinese for four hours a week in a learning partnership where the foreign teacher also helps the Chinese teacher improve his or her Engligh. The school can organize other activities – calligraphy, Kong Fu, or Chinese cooking lesson – but the foreign teacher must pay the tuition/costs for these lessons. The costs vary by activity but are generally 100 to 200 RMB per month.
Application Requirements
Potential applicants need:
• At least a BS or BA; TESOL-trained teacher preferred but not essential
• Teaching experience is an advantage
• Some Chinese language skills are an advantage but not essential
• A valid passport from one of the following: USA, Republic of Ireland, The United Kingdom, Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand or Canada
• Ability to commit to at least a one-year contract
To apply, please scan the following:
• Valid Passport Page
• Letter of Recommendation
• Medical Physical
• Resume or CV
• College/University Diploma


OK, this is just an awful deal, but what's dodgy about it?
The main rub comes here, in the clause about pay: "Foreign teachers are paid 100 RMB per class. While you are paid 100 RMB for each class, Yucky withholds 20 RMB per class that is paid out at the end of your contract."

In other words, they will withhold 20% of your pay and keep it until the end of your contract, paying it to you only if you finish your contract (and of course, schools can find many ways to make sure you don't finish your contract...) and you play nice and they just decide they really want to. THIS IS AN OPEN INVITATION TO GET RIPPED OFF! NEVER take a deal like this!
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2012, 06:16:20 PM »
But but but, the kindly school managers are just being nice and saving your money for you so you don't blow it all on hookers and booze. Everyone knows foreigners can't be trusted with their own money.

Jeez. Some teachers are so cynical, always willing to believe the worst.  :wtf:

Plus, you get to experience the real China! Isn't that great!?!  bqbqbqbqbq




 ahahahahah ahahahahah



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Monkey King

Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2012, 10:48:52 PM »
Agh, why don't they at least frame it as "hourly pay is 80RMB, but a further bonus of XXXXXRMB is payable upon completion of the full term of your contract" or something...sounds a lot less dodgy and threatening that way, because I mean maybe they just genuinely have had problems with teacher's disappearing for no good reason...

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CWL

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Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2012, 11:56:18 PM »
Maybe they are in the money lending business.

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NATO

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Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2012, 03:29:55 AM »
"3 times a week you are required to bend over, drop 'em and take it like a man. To ensure you don't go quitting on us like a big baby, we will hold back 50% of your salary until the end of the year. The money will be given to you after all staff have reviewed your performance during these 'training sessions' and rated their satisfaction with you. In the case of incomplete satisfaction we retain the right to permanently withold the money from you. We will show you where to buy lube, but you must pay for it yourself. We will show you where to buy toys, but you must pay for them yourself. If you come to a training session without either lube or toys, we reserve the right to withold 99% of your remainng pay. Weekly training sessions last 3hrs (we've got over 40 staff) but we will pay you for half an hour at the usual rate, 5 yuan."


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BrandeX

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Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2012, 03:45:11 PM »
English corners are 1 hour for which you will be payed for a half hour. LMAO.

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Monkey King

Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2012, 04:37:35 PM »
uh-huh...look at point 6 as well mandatory weekly commutes (sorry, 'trips'!!) of several hours to completely different cities...who takes these jobs?

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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2012, 05:06:45 PM »
Yup. This is a staggeringly bad deal...AND dodgy! aoaoaoaoao
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2012, 07:05:02 PM »
If you read point 7, it states that this job is going to be very stressful as you will be alone with a class full of kindy kids (max 26) without teaching assistant!  aoaoaoaoao Well, I can understand if you have a very small class and without any assistant is fine, but a large class? For the children's safety, wouldn't it be necessary to have teaching assistants around?  bibibibibi

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Stil

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Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2012, 09:06:33 PM »
It depends. I don't like teaching assistants, they can undermine your authority and they never bring me the right kind of beer.

Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2012, 09:24:42 PM »
26 kindergarteners without an assistant? That's just ...! In fact, I'm pretty sure it is illegal student to teacher ratio for that age group. Yikes!

Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2013, 06:52:07 PM »
I wouldn't actually call this one 'dodgey' - it tells you straight up that it's a crap job that you shouldn't take!! I mean, if they're going to stiff you after what they've said here, then you really deserve to get taken!!!

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gonzo

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Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2013, 07:06:30 PM »
26 kindergarteners without an assistant? That's just ...! In fact, I'm pretty sure it is illegal student to teacher ratio for that age group. Yikes!
No I don't think it's "illegal", only immoral. My son attended Chinese kindergarten in Shanghai, and that was pretty much the ratio. However, it was tended by an experienced Chinese teacher, and run like a stalag. A foreigner with limited, or even decent, Chinese would get murdered. Chinese xiao wangs do pretty much what they like.
RIP Phil Stephens.
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Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2013, 10:02:30 PM »
Actually,Chinese law regarding kindergarten classes states a class should have no more than 35 kids, and there should be 3 adults in the class at all times. Two teachers, and a "caregiver."

Not that all kindies adhere to this (TIFC), but that's what the government considers reasonable. And of course, that's for actual kindergartens, not for dodgy training schools, which I'm sure are totally unregulated.

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Escaped Lunatic

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Re: Dodgy Job Ad #6
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2013, 11:29:08 PM »
I wouldn't actually call this one 'dodgey' - it tells you straight up that it's a crap job that you shouldn't take!! I mean, if they're going to stiff you after what they've said here, then you really deserve to get taken!!!

We were all wide-eyed innocents ready to willingly throw ourselves into the meat grinder once.  This one isn't as dodgy as some, but it's got the types of built in traps that incipient FTs need to be warned about.
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