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carlstar

Chinese teacher training does lead them in the same direction. Education is a system that makes a lot of money so changing it would be a huge effort. Students pass test right? Yes they do so there is no need to change the system. It does what it is focused on.

May 15, 2013 20:24 Report Abuse

GuestBob

Yeah, it's a shame how trapped alot of people are by the system. I don't envy the task of reforming it though because it is possibly the most complex task anywhere in education. The MoE recently tried to reform classroom CET practice by altering the test battery (2005 CERF) but it didn't achieve much because people just adapted to teaching the new test. I like teaching tertiary in China because there is a higher level of intrinsic motivation and more space to put that to work. Someone else here has been grizzling about English majors who can't hold a conversation but my experience has been very much the opposite. My students (T3 college, central China) can manage a 1600 word history term paper - without copying it from the internet either. The real pity is that this ***can be done*** but very few people are able or willing to make it happen, for a variety of reasons.

May 16, 2013 11:01 Report Abuse

carlstar

Students and teachers are the ones losing out. Business wanks will do all they can to make a buck and screw everyone else. 80% of english teachers hate China and these and more are the reasons why.

May 16, 2013 19:27 Report Abuse

Guest236530

People are not victims here. You should know how apathetic most Chinese are, about anything that suggests "change". They have this infantile psychology, always waiting, and being scared from, for the Emperor to drizzle down sth. This mentality is in the language and their brain neuronets. No hope, but wait and see, if the younger generations in 20-50 years will amount to sth.

May 24, 2013 13:51 Report Abuse

Guest314114

I'm going to get blasted for this, but I have to say; the English education industry here is a scam; from the owners to the teachers, and even to the students who mostly aren't there to learn. Yeah, you get some students, teachers and perhaps school owners who are genuine, but they aren't that common. I think the whole industry is a colossal waste of time. Period.

May 15, 2013 19:08 Report Abuse

dharma86

This frustration is something the author has to deal with if he wants to remain in such a school. Its not all rainbows and butterflies in private schools. First he complains about the principal not being interested in his ideas. At the end of the day these leaders are all businessmen and are capitalising on the popularity of learning English merely to make money. Then you have the underpaid Chinese English teachers who just fully resent the 'overpaid' foreign teachers. You have to remember the Chinese teachers can get in trouble over anything. They could lose a lump of their salary over wearing the wrong skirt or being a minute late for work. No matter how bad you think life is... the foreign teacher still has it easy. You can't play happy family if everyone is not getting treated as such.

May 15, 2013 10:11 Report Abuse

Guest236530

Not only businessmen, but former police, military and government high fly officials, or businessmen, if you prefer. Rotten lot... Exceptions are rare, change is very, very, very slow. This country is becoming a disaster with its influence on the global economics. Think about the brain and consciousness the tomorrow "leaders" will share with the rest of humanity. In fact, Chinese have no respect for one another, unless the emperor line them up in flanks to spit to the Western winds If you haven't carefully read Confucius, do so. One rule contradict the next. Everything open to free interpretation. This is in the roots. There is almost no trace left from TAO or true Buddhism, the only truly educational teachings China had in the past.

May 24, 2013 13:44 Report Abuse

Judred1967

Yes, foreign teachers from the West still have an easier life than the locals. Some can even teach English without a degree in education. However, the kind of education seen in China (learning to pass exams) vs. Western educational systems just reflects the Asian thinking of what education means. South Korea, Japan, India and other Asian nations have similar ideas on education. That is why when they study in Western countries, Asian students take their studies very seriously.

Feb 11, 2017 19:24 Report Abuse

DaqingDevil

This article was okay but I felt it touched on just one small aspect of the problems and frustrations, the tip of the iceberg. In a public school, yes, the importance of passing exams is paramount but teaching English in an International school faces issues of value for money, pleasing parents (who can't speak English!), entertaining the kids rather than educating them and maintaining your popularity with students and assistants alike to ensure continuing employment. Add to that the quality of the books you are supposed to use to teach the students English you can find yourself drowning in frustrations at times. What I find hard to accept is the inability of schools, public and private, to embrace change. Then again, that's an inherent Chinese problem not restricted to English education. Personally, I just try to give each class 100% and hope from that there will be a few students who learn and retain something. Also I am slowly, insidiously, changing the way I present lessons and bringing in my own style of 'change'.

May 15, 2013 07:47 Report Abuse

chamaflauge

Exactly!

May 15, 2013 08:39 Report Abuse