In China, education positions exist in a variety of forms and sizes, as well as pay, working schedules, flexibility, independence, and total workload. If you’re looking for English-teaching jobs abroad for the first time, you might be tempted to just scroll down for the highest-paying jobs (we’ll save you the trouble: it’s the most prestigious international schools), but you’d be wise to familiarize yourself with the benefits and drawbacks of each type of teaching position before settling on one. Given how distinctive each teaching target country is, none more so than China, you should definitely do this even if you have already taught overseas.
Underdtanding the Education Jobs In China
We work with a wide range of teaching institutions in China by Teaching, from some of the most well-known kindergartens, schools, universities, and training centers in major capitals (Tier 1 cities such as Beijing and Shanghai) to smaller teaching institutes in lesser-known destinations, which we refer to as the Best of the Rest.
Because education is so popular in China, there are a plethora of career opportunities available all around the nation. The bulk of occupations are concentrated in the central, eastern, northern, and south-eastern areas, although they may appear almost everywhere!
Choosing the proper work will thus be based on two primary factors: first, determining what kind of Education job you want (in this instance, continue reading to learn more) and, second, narrowing down a suitable location based on your preferences and requirements. Our Teaching Destinations page will undoubtedly be of use in this regard.
Under the Education career category, you’ll discover a wide range of opportunities. While most people associate teaching English in China with teaching other topics in English, there are a number of positions that require you to teach other subjects in English. Secondary teaching roles at International Schools, for example, will need topic specialization, while many conventional kindergarten employment will only require you to speak English to the children while caring for them. These two particular instances, assuming you work at a prominent institution in one of the big Tier 1 cities, maybe the greatest paying occupations of all.
If you are qualified to work in China (see our Am I Eligible Page?) but do not have TEFL certifications or enough practical teaching hours to qualify for Tier 1 English-teaching employment, teaching topics other than English may be a good option.
How diverse may Education positions be? Consider this: you may be paid to play, dance, and paint with two-year-olds at kindergartens, or you might be obliged to engage in intense socio-economic arguments with interested young people at Chinese universities. You may be an English tutor for a few kids who are supplementing their studies, or you could be following a pre-determined curriculum in an international school. The possibilities are practically limitless.
It’s vital to remember that China is a unique nation, and education careers in China are unquestionably different from what you’re accustomed to: even if your whole teaching career has been focused on kindergarten work, you’ll still have to master the complexities of that kind of work here. Surprisingly, this also applies to teaching at international schools in China, which, despite the fact that many are branches of foreign-based institutions, appear to march to a different drummer in China. When applying for a position, it’s a good idea to do some research about the school you’re applying to, especially evaluations from foreign instructors who have already taught there. Half the fight is won when you know what sort of educational atmosphere you’ll be entering.