laotou has a good point.
Dealing with Chinese officials rule number 1.
If you can't get what you want, try asking a different question, or the same question differently.
e.g.
With my Chinese wife at the train station to make a journey. The ticket counter said there were not more seats on any train that day. Shock horror! We could not get home. Then I asked my wife to enquire about 'soft seats'. Yes they had soft seats on all trains that day.
Don't worry if they say 'Impossible'. 'Impossible' does not mean 'no'.
However, 'difficult' often does mean 'no'.
A bit of confusion here because you used the term 'private schools'.
Now is perhaps a bad of year to be looking. Most of the public sector schools/colleges and private sector schools (not language training centres) are now thinking about recruiting for September. Because of the academic year most have contracted staff running until June.
You may need to consider working at training centres, at least until Sept.
Some of the universities and colleges also have 'spin offs' that may recruit on an ad-hoc basis. For the next semester (in two weeks). I have also recently come to Kunming and was lucky, as I am replacing a Chinese teacher who have been promoted to set up a new 'school' within the college, and even this is only part time.
Part-time is the other route. Working part-time is a good option. You can work for several employers at the same time. The rates of pay are higher, and you have the power to say 'no'. You also get to check out the culture in several institutions, before you decide for next year. The downside is that PT work won't get you a visa.
I can't give you any answers, as I am new to Kunming. But one thing I would add, is that you find out about specific campuses as well. There is one well know school with about 30 campuses.
The culture in each campus can be different. I once worked for an international company (not a franchise) and the local director was openly hostile to foreign teachers. She even espoused her disdain. She said that we were all a waste of time and refused to process any 'Z' visa. She said that the company was not a visa service for expats.
In another place the admin/sales manager was a real piece of goods, who would raise customer expectations to overly high levels, just to get her commission. But when the teacher fails to deliver the unreal, who gets blamed?
In both the above cases, it was individuals at the campus level that were the problem
You can buy the same, or better, stuff in the regular markets. If you are buying leather goods, Yunnan produces some great leather goods that are of original design and high quality for much less.
In fact a lot of the fake brands are no longer available. The fake logos are similar but not the same. The the prices are still over the top.
You don't understand why the good students need so much attention.
What I am saying is the good students don't get attention. And they are often the ones who could return that attention in manifold ways. Other students will just not do that to anywhere near the same level. Some of these disadvantaged smart kids could really make a difference to their communities and DESERVE every opportunity. Others will just squander the opportunity. You talk about the world class football players who started rough, but even the coaches could see potential. But for every Ronaldo there are a million or more wannabes who could never be. Imagine if Ronaldo was never given the encouragement or coaching, because the coach was spending all of the time on the weakest players.
If we could divide our time and effort equally amongst all the students, that would be at least egalitarian, but if we allow the no child left behind philosophy to rule, then all we are doing is nurturing the weakest at the expense of all, and limiting the potential of those who could be excellent, and thereby denying excellence to some students.
Some students, like Twain, will not let there schooling get in the way of their education. But for others, well meaning thinkers, will.
They all seem to turn up at Yunda. Probably hoping to improve their education and ultimately their prospects in the worlds fastest growing economy. ;-)
I work in a school that delivers a full curriculum, to larger than ideal class sizes (a normal pattern for most schools in the world). Each teacher gets the students, for class time, for just a few hours a week. In the hours that we do have we barely have time to deliver the basic content. There are lots of extension activities we would love to do with the students who get ahead because they are more able. Sometimes classroom management then becomes a higher priority, because dealing with students of mixed levels in a class of 20 or more requires more attention (to the group). However, we don't have time to nurture every individual student. Time is a resource you cannot buy more of. This is a big part of the frustration. There are also meetings to go to, and developing lesson plans for the differentiated group of students in a blended classroom setting. Then there is admin, and meetings. Some of us get to go for lunch, and have a family on the side as well. This is the reality for many school teachers around the world.
If we had small classes, in a tutoring type environment, we would have time to coach and encourage individual students. But there are few such ideal opportunities in larger schools, although it might be possible in smaller establishments.
Fixit, if you have carved yourself a niche and a personal style, good for you. However, not all teachers who don't do that are bad teachers. Additionally, some people would consider adults in positions of authority, building personal relationships with young people, inappropriate. In your case I am sure it is innocent, but missionaries use if for their own purposes, and other people use it for grooming. Some schools even have a policy against teachers forming personal relationships with students, that goes so far as meeting off campus.
A reasonable choice of lumber that has improved over time. Fancy hardwoods like walnut, and mahogany are in abundance. There are some plywood and rubber-wood boards available. There are also some kiln dried imported softwoods and merbao available. Some of the lumber is very green, so look for the kiln dried if you need stable timbers.
Echo everything said by others.
Breakfast great and the serve from 8am. Most other places say 9am and they still are not ready.
Sandwiches are cheap 22-32, and really packed full of filling. We got some sandwiches for a day out, the only mistake I made was ordering two, as this was too much. These are seriously good sangars, and they are wrapped in alu foil.
In fairness to Metro, they are a wholesalers, and not really a supermarket. Hence the need for a card, which can be got around.
They have improved in the year I have been away. They now carry a more consistent range of imported foodstuffs and they also seem to have sorted out the mported milk supply.
They have a wider range of electrical appliances now, there is a coice of more than one toast. There is also a better range of seasonal non foods, like clothes, shoes, garden furniture and camping gear.
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Kunming educator finalist for Global Teacher Prize
发布者P.S. I am not sure you either read, or understood my comments about differentiation, or the blended classroom.
Kunming educator finalist for Global Teacher Prize
发布者You don't understand why the good students need so much attention.
What I am saying is the good students don't get attention. And they are often the ones who could return that attention in manifold ways. Other students will just not do that to anywhere near the same level. Some of these disadvantaged smart kids could really make a difference to their communities and DESERVE every opportunity. Others will just squander the opportunity. You talk about the world class football players who started rough, but even the coaches could see potential. But for every Ronaldo there are a million or more wannabes who could never be. Imagine if Ronaldo was never given the encouragement or coaching, because the coach was spending all of the time on the weakest players.
If we could divide our time and effort equally amongst all the students, that would be at least egalitarian, but if we allow the no child left behind philosophy to rule, then all we are doing is nurturing the weakest at the expense of all, and limiting the potential of those who could be excellent, and thereby denying excellence to some students.
Some students, like Twain, will not let there schooling get in the way of their education. But for others, well meaning thinkers, will.
Kunming university ponders fate of baby owl
发布者They all seem to turn up at Yunda. Probably hoping to improve their education and ultimately their prospects in the worlds fastest growing economy. ;-)
Kunming educator finalist for Global Teacher Prize
发布者I work in a school that delivers a full curriculum, to larger than ideal class sizes (a normal pattern for most schools in the world). Each teacher gets the students, for class time, for just a few hours a week. In the hours that we do have we barely have time to deliver the basic content. There are lots of extension activities we would love to do with the students who get ahead because they are more able. Sometimes classroom management then becomes a higher priority, because dealing with students of mixed levels in a class of 20 or more requires more attention (to the group). However, we don't have time to nurture every individual student. Time is a resource you cannot buy more of. This is a big part of the frustration. There are also meetings to go to, and developing lesson plans for the differentiated group of students in a blended classroom setting. Then there is admin, and meetings. Some of us get to go for lunch, and have a family on the side as well. This is the reality for many school teachers around the world.
If we had small classes, in a tutoring type environment, we would have time to coach and encourage individual students. But there are few such ideal opportunities in larger schools, although it might be possible in smaller establishments.
Kunming educator finalist for Global Teacher Prize
发布者Fixit, if you have carved yourself a niche and a personal style, good for you. However, not all teachers who don't do that are bad teachers. Additionally, some people would consider adults in positions of authority, building personal relationships with young people, inappropriate. In your case I am sure it is innocent, but missionaries use if for their own purposes, and other people use it for grooming. Some schools even have a policy against teachers forming personal relationships with students, that goes so far as meeting off campus.