Teaching Diary: Why Are Schools Like This?

[wrote_and_writ]

There have been some changes over the last few weeks that have left me drained and angry and frustrated and feeling stuck and stupid and wishing I wasn’t an optimist, but then if I wasn’t an optimist, I wouldn’t be a teacher, so.

The gist of the whole Everything is learning that this school is as corrupt and morally bankrupt as pretty much any other school, especially in China. Parents and students rule the roost (i.e. a teacher was fired because he graded students fairly and the previous teacher had given all the kids A+s regardless of their ability and Precious Baby G8 student was an A+ student, so current teacher is obviously terrible and should be fired or we’ll take our children — and our tuition — elsewhere, so teacher was fired). Some changes to our duties were announced so late in the season that we don’t have the opportunity to go to any more job fairs this season, even though these changes have been in the works for years. The international principal told us, when discussing the issue of salaries, that she thinks of her live as volunteering! She comes to school every day for free, and when the shit hits the fan, as it does 3-4 times a year, well, she divides her salary up and Wow, she got paid a lot to deal with that! 😃 Cool, but passion doesn’t pay my rent. Nurturing the Youths doesn’t pay my rent. I fucking hate how teachers are constantly (and apparently all over the world) told how valuable and important we are and yet we can’t be just fucking paid for our time and expertise!

Anyway, none of the garbage is particularly new or interesting, but I had so hoped to find a school where I could feel good staying for a while, but this school ain’t it. I talked it over with my mom and made a little questionnaire for myself: Is this a place I want to stay long-term? No. Can I tolerate another year (finish my contract) without too much agony? Yes. So I updated my resume, will reactivate my profiles on job placement sites and hope for the best. I mean, it’s not like US schools are much better.

I really cannot reconcile the knowledge that people can be better and just … aren’t. I fucking hate it here (this planet, humanity), but I’m going to make it everyone else’s problem by being a thorn in the side of every lazy, greedy fucker I possibly can. And still find time for coffee and reading on the weekends.

Comments

[shipperslist]

fucking hate how teachers are constantly (and apparently all over the world) told how valuable and important we are and yet we can’t be just fucking paid for our time and expertise!
*toasts in nursing*

I really cannot reconcile the knowledge that people can be better and just … aren’t.
Yeah. This.

[wrote_and_writ]

YES! “But it’s a vocation! Don’t you get satisfaction from helping people??” I also get quite a lot of satisfaction from having a roof over my head and food on my table.

[umadoshi]

The international principal told us, when discussing the issue of salaries, that she thinks of her live as volunteering! She comes to school every day for free, and when the shit hits the fan, as it does 3-4 times a year, well, she divides her salary up and Wow, she got paid a lot to deal with that!

*STARES* Well. That's. Certainly one approach that would work for ALMOST NOBODY EVER.

I really cannot reconcile the knowledge that people can be better and just … aren’t.

It's genuinely hard on the soul. *hugs quietly*

[wrote_and_writ]

I’m pretty sure the entire international English staff will turn over after next year, with the possible exception of the department head, and maybe one other teacher, but they’re both married to local gals, so they are invested in staying in the area. And wil the school learn anything from this? No, because there are plenty of teachers waiting to take our places, and everyone knows foreign teachers are transient and really ready to leave. And I mean, that’s true to an extent, but I’d like to stay somewhere for a while, but somewhere better than here. But the school will learn absolutely nothing.

[umadoshi]

But the school will learn absolutely nothing.

>.< Horrible but unsurprising.