At the School

 

  1. Salary and Benefits
  2. Contract
  3. Schools and Conditions
  4. Holidays


  1.   Salary

    Currently in Hainan, the pay for teachers runs from 3500 - 4500 RMB per month. Though this may seem less than most other countries, you need to remember the exchange rates of the RMB (please note these rates change daily. Click here for today’s rate).

    In Hainan, history has implied that pay does not depend on certification. Whether you have an Associate's of Arts degree with a TESOL certificate, a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree or a PhD, you will more than likely be paid the same as all other foreign teachers in that school or city, no matter their certification.

    Benefits for teachers stay fairly standard amongst all schools.
    * The school will provide housing where they pay the rent and some utilities. For example, the school would pay for the first 100 watts of electricity each month as well as the first 10 tons of water each month. The teacher would pay for anything over these amounts. The school would pay for the first 100 RMB of the telephone bill each month. The teacher pays the excess.
    * The school may provide meals for the teacher, though this may mean a lower monthly pay rate.
    * Each school promises to compensate airfare costs for teachers who sign a one-year contract. This ticket covers the cost from port of exit to port of entry only.
    Example: I live in Alabama, USA. I must pay the cost of airfare from Alabama to Los Angeles. China pays from the port of exit, L.A., to the port of entry, Guangzhou. I must also pay for my flight from Guangzhou to Haikou City.
    If you decide to teach only one semester, the school is not required to provide airfare, though some schools may negotiate paying half for six-month contracts.

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  2. Contract

    Regarding initial contract issues, IEEA will be there to assist you in negotiations. No school will allow for anything too demanding, but we can advise you on issues you may want to consider.

    Each school has its own standardized contract with an attached, specialized appendix. The school will tailor the appendix specifically for you, and we will oversee this process. It is imperative that we review the appendix together before you sign either of these documents, for once you sign them, they then become totally binding.

    If the school fails to uphold their end of the contract, IEEA can step in and contact the arbitrator at the Provincial Bureau immediately.

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  3. Schools and Conditions

    During the application process, we will ask you which age groups you prefer to teach, for we want you to feel comfortable with something possibly familiar. The different ages to teach in Hainan are:
    * kindergarten
    * primary
    * middle school
    * high school
    * college and university.
    We will focus our search to places that suit your interests, though we can only base our final decisions on available schools that are presently looking to hire foreign teachers.

    Since Hainan is a tropical island, classrooms from late spring to late autumn can be stiflingly hot and humid. Conditions differ from school to school, and your classroom may not have air-conditioning through the humid parts of the year. Though these have been the conditions at schools throughout the world since the beginning of time, they may come as a shock to you at first, so its best to be aware of it now.

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  4. Holidays

    There are four main holidays throughout the year that allow enough time for relaxation or travel.
    * Summer holiday usually runs from early July until mid-August, though the exact dates vary from school to school and year to year. Foreign teachers usually give their final oral exams up to three weeks earlier than all other final exams students must take in order to give the students ample time to study for other classes. Thus, you could actually finish your classes an begin your vacation in late June.
    * October 1 is the PRC national holiday. Public schools receive a seven-day vacation, and training centers receive a three-day vacation either prior to or after the holiday. On October 1, the Provincial Office of Foreign Affairs hosts a banquet for many foreign teachers on the island. This is a coat-and-tie affair and a nice time to relax and meet others foreigners from the island.  
    * Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year, changes each year and is based upon the lunar calendar. This holiday usually runs anywhere from late January until early March. This holiday is the Chinese equivalent to Christmas break.
    * May Day is a holiday at the beginning of May. Like the vacation in October, Public schools receive a seven-day vacation, and training centers receive a three-day vacation either prior to or after the holiday.
    Most schools will give one day off for Christmas and sometimes one day for Thanksgiving.
    Some schools might ask you to help tutor some 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.

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