Considering teaching English in China

You do face a difficult choice, as almost all cities with large （western) expat communities are whether very polluted (Beijing) or crazy hot in Summer ( Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, but also Beijing can be very hot in Summer).
I'm living in Xiamen. It's hot in Summer, but it's a very green city, there are trees literally everywhere and it's at sea side. For China it has few pollution.
But there are only few expats here, a couple of 1000 I have read in some article. I only occasionally see other expats here, but as a British you might like that there is a among expats well known British Pub, where you always can meet some expats.

Hi nikocord, thank you so much for your reply. I think Xiamen sounds great and will definitely look into it further!

loubeelou wrote:

Hello & good morning. My name is Lou, I'm 29 years old & am from the UK. I am considering taking the CELTA tefl course and moving to China to teach English this year. I'd like to teach at a University or adult level as I feel my skills are more suited in this area. I'd like to do this long term - I am ready for a career change & a challenge & I have no commitments in the UK. I also visited China a few years ago and loved it. If anyone could offer any advice at all I'd be really grateful. I'd like to go to a city that has a large expat community & that isn't too polluted. Also somewhere that is not too hot in summer. Thanks!

Hi Lou,
I am from Canada and have worked in China and Hong Kong for the past 8 years for a Canadian university and a UK university as Head of University Preparation Program and English Placement Test Examiner. I was also Executive Director for a Dongguan international school designing programs for k-12 within the international department. I taught English, American history and teacher training throughout Asia Pacific in countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and several cities in China.
My advice to you is that China is a country that has great potential, however, you need to come with an open mind. Students are great, very motivated learners and diligent workers. The environmental issues are something you have to be willing to put up with. After 8 years, I still find it difficult to breath cuz of the pollution, and fake foods are a concern meaning at restaurants and grocery stores. Western foods are at times difficult to find, but not impossible. If you stay in a more globalized city like Guangzhou, Shenzhen (which is hop skip and a jump form Hong Kong), Shanghai and Beijing, then it is ok.
I have now start my own company writing and designing academic programs for academic institutions in China and Hong Kong, which will eventually expand to include other non-English speaking countries in Asia Pacific. I am signing an agreement with the Guangzhou Management Association for International Scholarly Exchange in Guangzhou (a department within the Guangzhou Education Bureau) and GLF Management to deliver my IELTSprepPlus programs for students going overseas.
I am telling you this because if you are creative and business minded, teaching English in China, although somewhat saturated, still has a great potential if you are connected, diligent in your approach, and not afraid to explore.
If you are planning on coming to China, keep in touch, as I may have an opening for you. The primary city I am concentrating on will be Guangzhou and perhaps Hong Kong occasionally.
You can email me directly at [email protected] for further information, advise, and/or assistance.
Good luck with your new move.
Cheers,
Eric

Hi ya Lou, I am  also a fellow Brit living and working in a small city called Changde in Hunan province central south China. It is a pretty place. Growing all the time. The Capital city in Hunan is Changsha. I am north by 2 hours by bus. Changde is a great place to live, unspoilt as such, green and the environment here is better than most. Not much hard industry around, and Changde feels it is a tourist area or at least it is trying, they even built a dam beach here to impress the locals. If you`re interested in working here I can put you in touch with the School I work at. Its a private language school. I do about 20 hours of teaching and no office hours. Its pretty laid back sort of style too. Give me a PM and I can forward on your details if you like. PS.. do you like spicy food?...lol oh and there is a German town here with a few Brits living around the area.

epcling wrote:

loubeelou wrote:

Hello & good morning. My name is Lou, I'm 29 years old & am from the UK. I am considering taking the CELTA tefl course and moving to China to teach English this year. I'd like to teach at a University or adult level as I feel my skills are more suited in this area. I'd like to do this long term - I am ready for a career change & a challenge & I have no commitments in the UK. I also visited China a few years ago and loved it. If anyone could offer any advice at all I'd be really grateful. I'd like to go to a city that has a large expat community & that isn't too polluted. Also somewhere that is not too hot in summer. Thanks!

Hi Lou,
I am from Canada and have worked in China and Hong Kong for the past 8 years for a Canadian university and a UK university as Head of University Preparation Program and English Placement Test Examiner. I was also Executive Director for a Dongguan international school designing programs for k-12 within the international department. I taught English, American history and teacher training throughout Asia Pacific in countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and several cities in China.
My advice to you is that China is a country that has great potential, however, you need to come with an open mind. Students are great, very motivated learners and diligent workers. The environmental issues are something you have to be willing to put up with. After 8 years, I still find it difficult to breath cuz of the pollution, and fake foods are a concern meaning at restaurants and grocery stores. Western foods are at times difficult to find, but not impossible. If you stay in a more globalized city like Guangzhou, Shenzhen (which is hop skip and a jump form Hong Kong), Shanghai and Beijing, then it is ok.
I have now start my own company writing and designing academic programs for academic institutions in China and Hong Kong, which will eventually expand to include other non-English speaking countries in Asia Pacific. I am signing an agreement with the Guangzhou Management Association for International Scholarly Exchange in Guangzhou (a department within the Guangzhou Education Bureau) and GLF Management to deliver my IELTSprepPlus programs for students going overseas.
I am telling you this because if you are creative and business minded, teaching English in China, although somewhat saturated, still has a great potential if you are connected, diligent in your approach, and not afraid to explore.
If you are planning on coming to China, keep in touch, as I may have an opening for you. The primary city I am concentrating on will be Guangzhou and perhaps Hong Kong occasionally.
You can email me directly at [email protected] for further information, advise, and/or assistance.
Good luck with your new move.
Cheers,
Eric

Hi Eric,

Thanks so much for your reply. It sounds like you have had a fascinating career so far! I'd like to hear more about any possible openings you may have? Feel free to get in touch!

Best wishes,

Lou

Hello,

My name is Carmelo Bono, I am a certified BC teacher (Canadian) at Maple Leaf Education Systems. I have been here three years. If you are interested in teaching opportunities across a few provinces in China with chances of promotion, pleas personal message me and I will send you details. By all means you can google the school, although the webpages were said to be a bit outdated recently. They are currently building a social media department to better maintain the online publicity and recruitment. My fiancee is the recruiting officer for our ESL program, I try to help her recruit to make her life significantly less stressful.

The school grows quickly each year demanding and increase in hires every year which means the school requires her to work more, thus my motivation to post.

All the best,

Carm

Hey, I am Bonnie,and I just read ur post imformation here.I learned that u wanna come to China,and thinking Hangzhou is a good place to come.It is a very pretty country as well as a lot of oppunities. It may not like BEIJING so developed, but it is a good place to start ur journey in CHINA. One more thing, our school is looking for a new foreigner teacher, but we are teaching kid like 3-5 years old  ,if u r  interested in come toHangzhou, contact me if u need help.

Hi Carmelo. This is Nazanin from Iran. I'm 35 years old. I hold a master of Teaching English and I've recently got my CELTA certificate. I'm planning on living and teaching in China and I would like to know if there is an open position in Maple Leaf for me.
I'd rather work in cities that are in south and south east China. Cities with reasonable living cost and temperate climate.
Thank you

Hello,

As far as positions goes, there are many, we have a large system, please bing search our school for a complete list of locations (or google).

If you would like to apply please send me your email and please apply by emailing [email protected]

Send a cover letter and resume, in the email just clarify that you heard about Maple Leaf from Carm Bono, and that you need clarification on the Canadian certification process. However, if not possible you are still open to TESL in the school system as well.

If you are really keen on this, I'd recommend emailing the “TRB” (teacher regulation board” in BC (Canada). Here is the site below, be sure to ask them what documents you need to qualify for Canadian certification. But remember even if you don't have Canadian certification there are other teacher positions in our system!

https://www.bcteacherregulation.ca/

If you need anything else please email me [email protected]
All the best,

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for providing the information. It was very helpful.

Dear Epcling,

This is such an interesting career post. I am a British math teacher in Abu Dhabi at the moment. I am considering my options for August 2021. Are you still in China?

Harrow Haikou is looking for a maths teacher for August.  I'm going there.  It seems to be a fabulous school.  Have a look on the Harrow Recuit website.

echinacities.com
Teaching positions in all cities.  Shanghai has hundreds of positions open. Cheers. Lex

Hi, I am in Hong Kong now.

Hello Hattie, thanks for your response. So, where are you moving from?  How do you feel about the move?

Thanks Lex

I'm really excited about it.  Can't wait to get there.  The school and job sound fabulous.   But the visa situation will be touch and go as to whether it will come through in time.  So I'm finding that very stressful.  There are so many international maths jobs being advertised at the moment.  You should easily get something.  Come to Haikou!!

Thanks much. I will definitely look into it and see how it goes. I hope it works out well for you.

Check echinacities.com for jobs in all major cities in china.  Great website for qualified foreigners looking for work.

Hello, there!
First, it is not difficult to find somewhere that isn't too polluted not too hot in summer. And I think Shanghai is great. Then is about where you want to teach, if you want to teach English in China, and you prefer to teach in the University or adult level, to be honest I don't think it is easy to apply for teaching in the university, and most foreigners chose to teach in Chinese training market, kindergarten, and international schools, so I recommend you to teach in the Chinese training market if you want to teach a level for adult, which you will have lots of options.

Visa application is definitely stressful. I have a job waiting in Chengdu but I am not so optimistic I can arrive in time which is end of July latest. China is extremely strict in admitting foreign teachers outside China right now, perhaps a small miracle is needed if I can board my plane there, and I am not even talking about spending money on quarantine alone! Prepare for worst guys

I'm with you on that!

Hi, I sent an email to you but bounce back.

[link moderated] is my email.

Anyone has any updates on their own application to get into China by summer?

@HattieM, how is your application so far? Any updates.

Hi.  Things seem to be moving on.  I have received my work permit notification, so my school has now applied for the PU letter.  Should know within 3 weeks if I get that.  My school is confident that we will get out there at the beginning of July.  Fingers crossed that they are right!  I just want to get there!   How about you?

I'm not as far along as Hattie; still waiting to receive apostillated documents from my state, one of the steps in getting the work permit. Processing was delayed due to COVID.

Hi HattieM, I am still waiting for my work permit and possible PU LETTER. Supposed to be starting in late July, I guessed I can only enter by mid Aug, if that provided my visa application will be swift which I doubt about that

Happy for your progress though.

Lets keep our hopes high yeah

With PU letter the chance of applying visa is higher. Once you are in China, it would be easier to find a job becos then you can convert M visa to Z visa. I have teaching offers