Calling all teachers in CN
jonsnow
October 06, 2008, 01:21 PM posted in General DiscussionHi all
Good day to you. I'm asking all teachers for their experience in teaching in China. I graduated in a degree (completely unrelated to teaching - a bsc in computer science and mathmatics) but am looking to study my CELTA on the 21st.
In doing my research I've come across a few teachers that have said more or less that they were hired for their blonde hair and blue eyes. Naturally I'm a little worried as I get told I look "Spanish" a lot (even though I'm quarter enlglish, quarter irish and half mauritian). Plus I'm only 5'8'
However, my English is articulate. I get told I'm well spoken a lot and my accent is very typically English with no "area" accent (ie.london, north etc)
Can teachers give me a point of view on their experience?
(NOTE: this is due in part to a teachers post "Was I hired because of my exceptional qualifications? I had no teaching quals. Was I hired because I was better than the teachers there? No, if anything they were much more qualified than me. To put it simply I was hired because of my blue eyes and blonde hair)
I'm the one on the left in my avatar would I expect to run into problems purely on sight?
Thank you v.much for your replies and please message me if you would not like your post to be public.
Rich xxx
jonsnow
October 06, 2008, 10:32 PMThanks for the reply. I'm sure it's not...Just been reading some horror stories on the net of teachers who have come up on this sort of thing
Then again some peopole say its the best thing they ever did =]
sebire
October 06, 2008, 10:45 PMI think you'll find horror stories over-represented on the internet. Everyone I spoke to only had positive experiences.
longdehua
November 03, 2008, 11:56 PMHey,
I did a degree in Maths and then went to teach in Shanghai for a year and also look somewhat mediterranean. I had no problem with my appearance but people who don't look European do have problems with some schools: this goes for British or American teachers of African or Asian descent. It's a sad situation. The franchise I worked for stuck up for teachers that were being given BS excuses why the Chinese schools didn't want them but some companies seem to just brush it under the carpet.
I don't imagine your appearance will be a problem though.
sebire
October 06, 2008, 02:42 PMI met a bunch of teachers in China, and they certainly don't all have blonde hair and blue eyes. One girl was half-Chinese, others had different backgrounds. I get the feeling it's not all that bad. Maybe if you have blonde hair and blue eyes, people will respond to you differently, I have definitely heard that (but that is in Thailand), but it's not like you'll be unemployable.