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[mignon]

Experiences to share, anyone? 

[bluezebracat]

Which field, which year, what in particular? For private or public?

[mignon]

I'm curious what China is like now, teaching at the university level, in a humanities field.  I'm headed there next semester; I will be teaching at a Chinese public (at least I think it's public . . . ) university.  Not sure what to expect in terms of students, colleagues, etc.  I've already found out I won't have an office, which seems odd; I'm trying to figure out how I'll meet with students.  It looks like both of my courses are "graduate level," but is does that mean the same thing that it means here?

(btw, I have a TT job in the States, and am just going for a year, so I am not worried about navigating long-term employment issues.  But I do want to do a good job and avoid major faux pas situations.)

[totoro]

I'm curious what China is like now, teaching at the university level, in a humanities field.  I'm headed there next semester; I will be teaching at a Chinese public (at least I think it's public . . . ) university.  Not sure what to expect in terms of students, colleagues, etc.  I've already found out I won't have an office, which seems odd; I'm trying to figure out how I'll meet with students.  It looks like both of my courses are "graduate level," but is does that mean the same thing that it means here?

Undergrads in China never have to write term papers or essays (at least in the sciences), I am told repeatedly, and so don't expect much writing ability from your students. I'm told exams consist of paragraph length answers. Also don't, therefore, freak out about plagiarism. Copying someone else's work is often felt safer than expressing your own opinion. My wife says she only learned about citing stuff properly when she did her PhD in the US and she has a masters degree (ecology) from Nankai U. (Tianjin). Students with econ. backgrounds seem to be a little more clued in. So maybe humanities students are even closer to Western norms.

[bluezebracat]

I'm assuming you are teaching in English, and that you are not teaching ESL. I don't know if you speak Chinese.  The quality of students will vary greatly depending on the level of your institution.  If you are teaching at Beida, the level of discourse will be different from Hainan U, obviously.  Students will be deferential.  You may have to work at getting them to open up and participate, but after a couple of classes, they'll probably be more vocal if you work at it.

It's not uncommon to have a shared office situation.  You will at least have a desk somewhere, and some proximity to the water cooler/hot water thermos. 

Don't worry too much about life and rules.  You're a foreigner, they don't expect you to know all the rules.

You tend to socialize more with your students in China than you do in the West. I don't mean that you're going out all the time with them, but it wouldn't be odd to have a couple of meals and drinks with a group of them.  Part of this has to do with the jumpy-litigation obsessed-atmosphere in the West, and also, the teacher-student relationship tends to be more modeled on the teacher-disciple spectrum.  This comes with good and bad aspects--while you can have warmer intellectual bonds, they'll look up to you, so don't behave poorly.   They will also be genuinely curious about you. 

Dress code is more formal than in the West. No jeans, no peep toe shoes, preferably no bare legs (in conservative places, stockings ok), no sleeveless, no tank tops (again, there are degrees of difference here, depending on whether you're in the boonies or in Shanghai).

Your colleagues may ask you for help in editing their English.  Your English skills will be desirable, and there may be requests for private tutoring (for which you'll be paid).

As for the graduate level question, I'm not quite sure what you mean.  Are you asking if they will be graduate students or if their system of graduate education is similar to? It depends if you're in N. America/Europe or Australia.

[mignon]

Thanks, all.  Blue, your comments were esp. helpful.  At risk of outing self w/ TMI . . . . I am indeed teaching English, not ESL.  My course list just came with the note "graduate" next to both of my classes.  In the USA, "graduate" means that the students are getting MAs or PhDs.  I will indeed be in the semi-boonies (not Beijing/Shanghai).  No Chinese language yet, but I'm working on it.  I'm bringing (dragging, kicking and screaming) my teen/tween kids.  Spouse, too.

There are so many things I don't know that I don't even KNOW what I don't know, if that makes any sense. 

[embitteredhistorian]

Wear shoes with big heels and make sure your pants don't touch the ground. I'd also recommend insuring your internal organs, if you can; a former acquaintance of mine was murdered in Shanghai for hers. Oh, and avoid criticizing anything.

If you have a baby daughter, don't give her powdered milk.

As a favor, you might want to consider donating some money to one of the organizations that helps North Korean refugees who are hiding in the north. China tends to send them to death camps.

[vicbruin]

Thank you mignon for your post. I will also be teaching (undergraduate) in China commencing in September (Southern China). Up to now, I had very little information as to how classes (and grading) were conducted and how much material students were expected to read for class. So the post is helping clear up some doubts. I will be teaching three courses in the humanities.

I have been told that American textbooks are difficult to obtain and thus the school has requested that I pdf my major textbooks, which raises all kinds of question concerning copyright. They have also asked me to take at least two copies of the class textbook. They have implied that readings should be light, but I still have no idea of what exactly that means. I'm still quite vague as to many matters. I guess i'll find out when I get there!

[mignon]

Embittered, I don't get your tone:  humor, or xenophobia?  By "China," I assume you mean the government of China?  (My family is part Chinese.)

[embitteredhistorian]

Embittered, I don't get your tone:  humor, or xenophobia?  By "China," I assume you mean the government of China?  (My family is part Chinese.)

Neither; that's a false dilemma if I ever saw one. I imagine you've never been to China, which is why you don't understand my point.

By "China", yes, I indeed meant the government. What's your family's ancestry have to do with anything?

[mignon]

I have been to China.  I found it to be an extremely diverse country:  totalitarian, yes, and indefensible in some aspects (i.e. NK border control, which trumps even the USA's efforts in AZ).  But China is also full of vibrant, striving people who have overcome incredible odds.   

Your post disturbed me because of its uniformly negative stereotypes. Such attitudes have a long history in the USA, as the "historian" part of you, embittered, must surely realize.

 

[glenwood]

This isn't an exact match to your question, but the Chronicle ran an article a few years back by a woman who'd had a Fulbright in China.

Her piece is really about living in China on a Fulbright with four children, but the piece suggests that you may need to think about some issues that your host institution (or Fulbright) may not be aware of.

[bluezebracat]

Things in that part of the world change must faster than it does back in the U.S.  There will be culture shock, but there will also be fascinating, crazy, fun and intellectually intriguing experiences.  There will be internet, Wal-Mart (oh yeah baby), McDonalds (tastes way better than in the US), Sam's club--you'll be able to buy everything you need.  This applies if you are in a city.  I don't know where you are, but if there is an expat community there, there will be smaller stores and restaurants where you can also get non-Chinese food when you get homesick (though there is so much variety in Chinese food, it can take a lifetime to discover it all).  There's a French grocery chain that has stores all over China called Carrefour.  If you're in a city, you'll probably have one. There will be random useful Western food there.  Get a maid/cook.  You'll be able to afford it, and it will make your life a million times easier with the kids.  And she'll be able to buy all the groceries and stuff, saving you a lot of time.

China is one of those countries where your experience will differ very greatly on your ability to speak some Chinese.  It can be really frustrating for those who don't speak any.  If you speak a little, or try to, you will find that things can be a lot more fun--just go with the flow.  And you will no doubt be assigned or will find a minder (a colleague or an admin), who will help you negotiate any problems you encounter.  Just take it easy--if you don't speak the language, things will take longer, but you won't be alone and people will always help you figure things out.

Vicbruin: That request is not abnormal. As for work, assign as little as you can, and ramp up if you see on the ground that they can take it--that's my suggestion.  If I assign a book a week for US undergrads and I am teaching in English in China, I would assign an article or excerpts of about 5-10 pages for undergrads.  They are taking it in a foreign language, you know?   I'm in the humanities, but am probably not in the same field as you.

Again, these are my own opinions, they won't cover the spectrum of possible experiences.

[mingus]

Experiences to share, anyone? 

The best is that Chinese food is just called food and is everywhere.

[embitteredhistorian]

I have been to China.  I found it to be an extremely diverse country:  totalitarian, yes, and indefensible in some aspects (i.e. NK border control, which trumps even the USA's efforts in AZ).  But China is also full of vibrant, striving people who have overcome incredible odds.   

Your post disturbed me because of its uniformly negative stereotypes. Such attitudes have a long history in the USA, as the "historian" part of you, embittered, must surely realize.

 

Do tell--what in my post was a stereotype? I know that word is easily bandied about to incur white guilt, but I didn't make a single one.

I don't get it--if someone posted saying, "I'm going to Burma" or "I'm going to Zimbabwe" and someone else posted warnings about the obvious, no one would bat an eye. Is it China's economic might that gives it a free pass for its high crime, corruption, pollution, and totalitarianism? At least the sky is blue in Zimbabwe.