Thursday, 20 November 2008

Working in Beijing - February, 2007

I am in Beijing teaching English

I work in a primary school

The school is enclosed in a fence with security guards on the front gate

Teachers and students live on campus

Most teachers share a dorm room with at least 3 others

3 cooked meals are provided for staff and students in the cafeteria

This is served on a metal tray

The students school day runs from 8am - 4.30pm

They get a two hour lunch break in which they eat and then sleep.

They have a ten minute break inbetween each class to run around

The students are just like primary school students in Australia

Quiet kids, noisy kids, funny kids, tough kids, pretty kids etc

Not the stereotype of army-like kids

Many of the children attend Maths and language programs during the weekends and school holidays

Most of the staff do not speak English but there is an international officer to help me

They have a certificate from the government to take foreign teachers

A word of advice for those who are planning to teach overseas

1. get references from past foreign teachers

2. Ask a lot of questions about the exact details

links

www.daveseslcafe.com

www.chinatefl.com

www.thebeijinger.com

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