drmau
Junior member
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« on: September 18, 2011, 07:36:38 PM » |
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OK, so I really like my job here in China. They pay well, and on time, and until now have let me do what I want with my courses. Now I have to teach writing, following a course book largely written in Chinese, so the kids can pass a test, writing essays according to models that largely consist of inane platitudes. I also have to meet with the other writing teachers so we can have a unified curriculum, whose goals are quite unclear to me.
I took on the two sections of writing with the usual "Do whatever" administrative non-oversight.
Now the game has changed, with exactly no notice.
Am I right to refuse to teach? It is not as though I actually need the job.
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totoro
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« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2011, 07:38:55 PM » |
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If you don't want to do it, then quit. You might think about finishing the semester if it would be hard to find another teacher for the students you are teaching.
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tuxedo_cat
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« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2011, 09:19:29 PM » |
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I think the answer to the "quit or don't quit" question is whether you are building a career, as in will you be obliged to list this job on your c.v. and will any future academic employer email your old Dept. Head only to have that person say, "Dr. Mau? Oh yeah, I remember that [insert epithet of choice here]. Quit a week before the semester started and left me two sections of students with no teacher."
Yes, it's obnoxious that they have sprung this standardization maneuver on you at the last minute. And it will be a headache to teach. But if you stick with it, you may very likely learn some things that will be valuable to you in the future. For example, wildly different cultural standards about how to teach writing.
However, if your future career plans are to land the next hot cooking show on The Food Network, then sure, quit.
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The only protection from zombies is a good friend who runs slightly more slowly than you do.
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drmau
Junior member
Posts: 77
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« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2011, 10:35:04 PM » |
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I would never quit. I like my job, I like my students, I even like the administration, mostly. They know I am leaving at the end of this semester, and they are quite right to squeeze every atom of work out of me they can. Compromising my standards, however, is not possible.
I am not a little girl. I adjuncted at a Community College with 6:30 AM classes, and most of my students were convicts. I was allowed to teach writing the way I know how, and I still get emails from my students-articulate, passionate emails telling me I changed their lives.
I did not change their lives. I gave them tools to change their own.
This is what I can do:
Allow my students to find the truth about many things that concern them.
Enable them to present these truths in a manner that is persuasive.
Persuasion is the dicey part-aestheics, morality, reason, emotion?
I refuse to decide anything for anyone, ever. I reject manufactured truth.
I am enjoying a one day strike.
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tuxedo_cat
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« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2011, 10:22:37 AM » |
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I am enjoying a one day strike.
What does that mean? What do you hope this will accomplish? I'm genuinely curious. |
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The only protection from zombies is a good friend who runs slightly more slowly than you do.
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chenjiabao
New member
Posts: 1
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« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2011, 08:18:09 AM » |
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If you like Chinese I recommend you to a place where the other day, I saw the site of China http://www.9a9m.com is introduced was so beautiful, the working environment is very good, not so old think before |
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drmau
Junior member
Posts: 77
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« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2011, 09:49:19 AM » |
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Thanks, I will look into it.
One thing I have learned from China is the art of compromise. I will teach from the book SOMEWHAT, and prep them for the standardized final. Then I can teach them critical thinking, and give them the space to be creative. It is far from ideal here, and there is a fair bit of old think. Like the book does not contain anything written after 1961, and has a lot of very dull grammar.
I'm only here for one more semester, but I hope to be the best teacher I can in the time I have.
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karenrules
New member
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« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2011, 08:29:11 PM » |
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I'm sure you will and from everything you said, I know you're really passionate in what you do. Just keep doing what you love doing and everything else will come next. Good luck!
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The two most beautiful words in English are "CHEQUE ENCLOSED." :)
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drmau
Junior member
Posts: 77
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« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2011, 02:02:22 AM » |
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Thank you for the kind words. This will be my last semester teaching for a while: Thanks to the lovely job my other half has landed, I will be at home writing. The students are turning out some amazing work.
I am considering creating an online composition text featuring only student work. Probably not the right forum, but anyone with ideas on teaching writing to non native speakers should send me a private message.
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