Teaching English in Zhengzhou, China
Report submitted on 28 October, 2022 by Milli.
Teaching English in Zhengzhou, China:
How can teachers find teaching jobs in Zhengzhou, China?
Echinacities.com, Dave’s ESL cafe, word of mouth.
The main English teaching jobs available are:
Full time English language school positions, teaching at kindergartens / pre-schools, teaching at private international schools, teaching at colleges / universities, teaching at companies.
What are the minimum teaching requirements?
Bachelors Degree and 120 TEFL Certificate, or at least 2 years of teaching experience.
What teaching requirements would you recommend?
Native speaking level. Schools aren’t interested in people from other foreign countries that don’t speak English, unless you want to work here illegally or have at least two years of teaching English experience to back it up.
What are the levels of payment?
Minimum 10,000 RMB a month for a full time job.
How many teaching days a week is normal?
5 days per week.
How many face-to-face teaching hours a week is normal?
10-15 hours per week.
What is the normal arrangement for holidays?
Typical Chinese holidays off. Some private schools also offer Christmas vacation too. It really depends on the location.
What advice would you give to someone considering coming to Zhengzhou, China to teach English?
Have a decent understanding of the school you are coming to. Many people online state how easy teaching English is, and that it doesn’t require much effort. That is false.
If you are teaching at a full time school, you must expect to work full days and come prepared. The school might check your lesson plans daily. Please prepare!
What are the positive aspects of teaching English in Zhengzhou, China?
Many jobs available, most schools are pretty relaxed.
What are the negative aspects for teaching English in Zhengzhou, China?
The pay here might be lower than in other major cities like Shanghai or Beijing, and many kids won’t have a lot of experience with English beforehand.
What are some of the teaching challenges for English teachers teaching the local people in your area?
Like all schools that foreigners teach in, some teachers might have some prejudice against foreigners. Just work hard and prove to them you are the real deal and you will earn their respect.
Living in Zhengzhou, China:
Are there any visa or other legal requirements to live in China?
You must obtain your work visa, then a residence permit in order to work. If you work before you have a residence permit, you can get jail time and kicked out of China.
What is the cost of living like in Zhengzhou, China?
Apartment- 1200RMB to 2000RMB (low end to high end).
Food is extremely cheap, you can purchase a decent meal online for like 20RMB.
Going out is also very cheap. A beer might be like 20RMB each at a bar, and food at a fancy restaurant might be like 80-100RMB.
What are the usual accommodation arrangements and how can you find accommodation?
My agency helped me find an apartment, but some schools also will provide the accommodation. If you aren’t satisfied, they can also provide a monthly allowance to pay for your own apartment. Considering there might be issues in the future (for example, the rent going up or something) , I recommend just taking the apartment provided by your company as all of the communication will be done in Chinese.
Other than teaching, what positive aspects are there for living in Zhengzhou, China?
Extremely nice people, low cost of living, many things to do.
Other than teaching, what negative aspects are there for living in Zhengzhou, China?
Most people cannot speak English, bad pollution.
What advice would you give to someone considering coming to Zhengzhou, China to live?
Zhengzhou isn’t as crazy and fast paced as Shanghai or Beijing. It is big, but it’s definitely more slow. A lot of foreigners complain that there “isn’t anything to do here”. I recommend making friends here to entertain yourself, and understanding that the city is more laid back and relaxed. If you can accept that, I believe you will like the city.
What things do you miss most (other than family and friends) from your home country?
Butter popcorn, pancakes, basically most Canadian/American food. You can get anything else you want here by purchasing it online!.
What do you think you will miss most when (or if) you leave China?
I will miss the convenience of purchasing everything online. If you want any clothes, food, items, you name it, you can get it shipped to your apartment INSTANTLY. Also, the transportation is so advanced, I feel very spoiled.
What things would you recommend to new teachers in your area to bring with them from their home country (e.g. things that are difficult to get in your location)?
Electric shavers if you have a beard. It’s difficult to find one that isn’t for completely shaving your face clean.
Medication. I have some friends who must take medication for their mental health, and it might be impossible to get it here. Make sure you prepare well in advance and bring a supply that will last you the duration of your trip!
About Me and My Work:
My Name: Milli
Nationality: Canadian
Students I’ve taught in China: Pre-school / kindergarten (4-6 years), elementary (6-12 years).
Where I teach: A private school in Zhengzhou. Working here for 4 years.
How I found my current jobs: My agency helped me connect with the school. I found the agency on echinacities.com.
My school facilities: Very good – the school is very rich, and all of the teachers have been teaching for many years. They want the best for their students.
What kind of teacher support is available at your school?: Lesson observations, teacher evaluations.
Do you teach English in China?
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