Outside the Classroom

 

  1. English Corner
  2. Accommodations
  3. Freelancing
  4. Living in China <link to tab>


 

  1. English Corner

    Most schools offer what’s known as “English Corner.” This is a weekly event where English students meet with teachers and foreigners on a chosen corner of campus to speak English.

    This extracurricular activity usually lasts two hours, one night each week. All English teachers are expected to attend though are not paid to do so.

     
  2. Accommodations

    The accommodations for teachers are reasonable according to Western living standards. Each school varies in what type of apartment they offer, though all are adequately furnished. Furnishings include:
    * refrigerator
    * double gas burner for the kitchen
    * bed (s)
    * desk and chairs
    * sofa
    * T.V.
    * dining room set
    * Western toilet and
    * telephone
    Many schools will also provide a water dispenser and gas for the kitchen. It’s good to note that in this tropical climate, each apartment will also have one air conditioner (usually for one room only).

     
  3. Freelancing

    Your ability to hire yourself out as a tutor during your stay here in Hainan depends entirely on what your contract from the school says. Some schools will write into their contracts that you must not work outside of the school. That is to say, if you want to tutor on the side of class, your school will not let you find your own students to tutor but will rather ask that you find them either through the school or not at all. It’s best to find out where your school stands on this issue before you begin any tutoring, to save yourself from breeching your own contract.

    That information aside, we can say that the running rate for a foreign English tutor is anywhere from 50 to 100 RMB an hour. These prices are not set, and you will more than likely begin at the lower end of the spectrum, but depending on how many students you choose to tutor at once and how well you tutor, you can usually make a decent amount of money on the side.

    Be aware that some schools might ask you to help tutor students during the summer holiday. This is negotiable and it is up to the teacher to discuss this issue with the school before signing the contract and to have it included in the appendix of the contract.

    Unless you are fluent in Chinese, tutoring is really the only other job you as a foreigner can get in China.


     
  4. Living in China <link to tab>