News & Announcements
Sam’s Club in Guangzhou, China
In summary, and with few exceptions, you won’t find merchandise or prices at the Sam’s Club in Guangzhou …
Guangzhou To Require Standardized Teaching Certificate
According to a brief report posted on the website Life of Guangzhou, the city of …
SAFEA Releases New Foreign Teacher Salary Guidelines
In what was an unprecedented move for the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs (SAFEA), new salary guidelines …
Teacher Reports Successful Z-visa Run to Hong Kong
This is the first report we have received since the Summer Olympic Games of a successful “visa run” …
China News
How Hard Do Foreign English Teachers in China Actually Work?
While foreign teachers employed by Chinese colleges and universities do work the fewest number of hours, the average number of base contract hours was reported as 17.33, SD = 5.2, suggesting that the days of receiving university contracts requiring only 12 to 14 class periods per week of work are rapidly coming to an end. Related, teachers working at private English language schools reported working an average of 26.91 hours per week, SD = 9.93, which is also in excess of what used to commonly be …
Friendships in China
For the most part, and there are exceptions, the doctrine of quid pro quo does not apply in regard to foreign teachers who are seen as “just passing through.” You were simply an “iron” that was “struck” while the opportunity was hot, i.e., you were simply exploited.
Teaching English in China for Non-White, Non-Native Speakers
My best advice is that if you are a highly qualified English teacher who also happens to be a non-native speaker and/or not white, do not waste your time even thinking about teaching oral English in China—unless you have some strong personal reason for doing so, like the Chinese-American woman I mentioned above.
Opening Your Own School – Part Four
Your competition will send countless “spies” to check out your school. They’re not hard to spot—just look for the “parent” carrying a video recorder and a notebook, asking “Can you show me your school licenses, your teachers’ diplomas, and provide me with a copy of your curricula and lesson plans?”
Featured photos
Op-Ed & Other Topics
Do You Speak English?
It’s a question I find myself asking every time I need to call the Bank of China about my secured “international” …
Analysis of the Statistical Differences between StatCounter and Google Analytics
This article examines the quantitative differences between StatCounter and Google Analytics across two statistics, page views and visits, for one website …
What a Difference a Train Ride Makes in China
The train ride to Hong Kong from Guangzhou is quite a pleasant one: just about two hours from the east train …
Reader Submitted Articles
Pros and Cons of Being Married to a Chinese Woman
Although my wife is an associate professor of English in a vocational school and her English is far …
Western Woman Dating a Chinese Man
The main difference is the way we open our relationship to others. For example, as soon as …
Enough
I have a good friend back home who occasionally sends me spiritually-uplifting e-mails usually containing inspirational photos, PowerPoint …
How China Saved My Life
The language barrier was the worst part but not the only thing that tormented me. I hated …
On Being Jewish in China During Christmas
… in China, Christmas is nothing more than a day for gift giving and shopping. The holiday here …
Six Years in China: Teacher, Student, Entrepreneur
What a fascinating country China is and being a part of the fervor and progress is what makes …
What Others Are Saying About MKL
...So far, not much has been written about how cultural factors affect what people do online, and, also, how those factors might interact with the online disinhibition effect. Your article is an important step in that direction. Thanks for sharing it with me..., John Suler, PhD, Rider University, The Psychology of Cyberspace.
