Great teaching position in Hangzhou, one of the most beautiful cities in China. 20 hours (no office hours) 12,000rmb to 14,000rmb per month plus other benefits Great community of teachers and all the support you need.
About the company
Shane English School Hangzhou is a franchise of the wider Shane English Schools company. This company was established in 1977 and has over 300 schools in Japan, China, Poland, and Vietnam. Shane English Schools China started operating in 2000 and there is now a network of over 80 schools spread throughout the country, in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and of course, Hangzhou. Our school is professionally run with joint Western and Chinese management so teachers receive the benefits of working at an internationally owned company and we rarely experience the communication difficulties, so often seen when working a living in a foreign country.
We teach around 20 hours a week and have no office hours but we do have to spend some time planning our lessons. There is plenty of time left over to experience Hangzhou and the rest of China.
We currently have seven teachers who all really enjoy living and working here. One of the best things about our school is the atmosphere of friendship around the place. We all socialize, help each other out and all of our teachers are given the support they need to enjoy their time in China and become great teachers. There are also a number of Chinese staff that really help us out. Aside from the assistance they give us in class, they help us with all those little things that are difficult to do in a foreign country. Our school will provide an official Z work visa, reimburse your air fare, pay for medical insurance. We also offer a salary between 12,000RMB - 14,000RMB including 2000rmb apartment allowance. Other benefits include a 6000rmb contract completion bonus (based on performance) and 2000rmb contract renewal bonus.
The City
Hangzhou is located in Eastern China’s Zhejiang Province. It is a medium sized city by Chinese standards. Just 45 minutes away from Shanghai by high speed train it has the feel of a dynamic, international city but is small enough to retain a lot of its original culture. It has all the necessary facilities and amenities so teachers coming to Hangzhou will be able to experience “real” China whilst maintaining the comfortable life which they were used to at home. There is a vibrant expat community with many organized events and nights, for example, a weekly trivia/quiz night, an Ultimate Frisbee club, hiking and biking events and many more. There are also several expat bars where you can meet like-minded people and make plenty of new friends.
Many people regard Hangzhou as being ‘the most beautiful city in China’. The city has been built around the ‘West Lake’, or ‘Xihu’ in Chinese, a recently approved UNESCO site of beauty, historical and cultural interest. This is a large, manmade lake in the centre of the city. It’s surrounded on three sides by easily accessible mountains (perfect for hiking, biking and painting) and on the other by the sky scrapers of the city’s CBD. The lake is the perfect place to relax and unwind in the centre of the city it has many traditional causeways, pagodas, cafes, grassy areas and nature. Hangzhou also has numerous tea plantations where you can sit in cafes or at people’s houses, drink tea and watch the world go by. There are also plenty of pagodas and temples to visit which make interesting tourist attrs. Hangzhou has great transport s, both within the city through numerous taxis, great bus routes and. It also has extensive public transport s to the rest of China through the international airport, three train stations and four bus stations, perfect for weekend/holiday travelling to cities such as Nanjing or the traditional water towns of Xitang and Wuzhen.
How do we teach?
We like to immerse our students in the English language so we do not speak Chinese in the classroom. Basically, we try to teach our students in a fun and interactive way, so they can learn English but also learn a little about Western culture and what life is like in foreign countries. Chinese students tend to be overworked and spend most of their time studying, so they really appreciate our classes and enjoy the freedom and the chance to be creative. We have plenty of resources, for example course books, power point presentations, dice, balls, blocks and all other resources which you would expect a modern school to provide. .The school emphasises quality of education above all, and most of our students continue to study here term after term.
Our older students classes will also help you to develop your creative thinking skills and plan classes and activities that you are interested in. They offer a nice change of pace and the ability to widely communicate with the students. There is also a Chinese Teaching Assistant for every class to help translate, mark homework. They help classes run smoother and make life much easier for our teachers.
Professional Development
As a school we encourage teacher’s professional development. As an international company SESC provides excellent career opportunities in education and educational management and also the ability to transfer between schools and countries. At a local level, SESC Hangzhou runs training workshops, seminar sessions and personal development programs to help teachers develop their skills and enjoyment of classes.
Common questions:
How many hours will I be expected to work?
You are expected to work 20 hours per week. This doesn’t sound like much, but when class planning time is added to that, it is a full time job, especially at the weekends, which is our busiest time. That said, there is plenty of time left over to experience Hangzhou and China.
Will someone meet me at the airport?
Yes. Someone from our school will meet you at the airport (usually Shanghai or Hangzhou) and bring you back to the School. The office staff will then provide you with a sim-card, some bedding and everything else you need for your first few days in a new city/country.
Is there a flight bonus?
Each teacher who is come to Hangzhou from abroad receives a 4200 RMB flight bonus at the end of each one year contract.
Is there an end of contract bonus?
Yes, for first year teachers the end of contract bonus is 8000rmb
What happens if I want to stay for a second/third year?
We really encourage and reward our teachers for staying with the school for subsequent years.
Are there any office hours?
You are not expected to complete any office hours, leaving you with the freedom to plan your classes at home/ Starbucks or by the beautiful West Lake. There are however workshop sessions/ event planning meetings which you will be expected to attend.
What about a visa?
The school will provide you with a valid ‘z’ (work) visa and a foreign expert’s certificate. This means that you can enter/exit the country as much as you like during your time here.
Apply
We are only able to accept applications from people, with at least undergraduate degrees, from the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. We are looking for teachers who are creative, energetic, hardworking and outgoing. Teaching experience is not necessary however we are looking for people who are passionate about working with children and young people. If you are interested in becoming part of our dynamic, exciting and welcoming team then please send the following documents to our mailbox:
- Copy of passport
- CV In word format(with High school and University information)
- Copy of degree certificate
- Copy of TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate
- Letter of recommendation
- Police check
