Now that I'm only a weekend away from beginning classes and have a better sense of what I'll be teaching this year, I thought I'd do a quick expo-blog on my new school.
This year I'll be teaching at Xiamen Yingcai School's International Education Center. Xiamen Yingcai is a private K-12 boarding school with around 3000 students and 600 faculty and staff. The International Education Center is specifically devoted to preparing Xiamen Yingcai high school students for future study at universities in the States (or other English speaking countries).
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Outside of the International Education Center
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As of right now, I will be teaching Senior 3 Advanced Writing and Senior 1 Speaking. Class sizes are about 20 students per class which I'm pretty happy with. Anything bigger and it can be harder to keep tabs on everyone and anything smaller and it limits the amount of activities and exercises you can do.
The staff at the Center is made up of both native and non-native English teachers. I haven't officially been introduced to everyone yet, but the Chinese teachers I have met so far all seem incredibly friendly and helpful. We all share a huge office partitioned off into mini cubicles so I'm sure we'll all get to know each other
quite well this year.
At the moment, the foreign teachers consist of myself, Loren (USA), and Maffi (Philippines). There was supposed to be another American girl joining us but she had to drop out at the last minute. They're holding interviews now to fill the position so there should be a fourth member joining our little party shortly.
The campus itself is huge (over 41 acres!) and has computer labs, a library, art center, gym, outdoor Olympic--sized swimming pool, a huge music department, etc., etc. It's easily larger than the small university I attended for undergrad. It's also relatively close to the downtown area of my neighborhood so most of what I need is within walking distance.
Below are a few pictures (as promised) of the school and the supermarket:
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| View of the basketball courts and some of the buildings on campus |
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| Construction in front of Sun Square (the front of the school) |
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| Kindergarten building |
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| Sidewalk outside of the school--on the way to the supermarket |
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| Our two level supermarket with escalators! |
Daaang, that is one nice school and the supermarket looks super dope too. I guess you weren't kidding when you said it was a wealthier institution.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the kids who come here are quite well off. Which can make it difficult in terms of classroom behavior, but makes for a great campus.
Deleteand after a year with those 'well-behaved' well-off students, and an efficient and rational administration, no doubt you're dying to resign a contract.
ReplyDeleteHaha, well that would be a resounding no. I know some people who have been teaching here for awhile but a year is plenty for me. The experience certainly made me a better teacher in some ways, but I don't need a repeat.
DeleteI'm thinking of working here. Do you recommend it?
ReplyDeleteIt really depends on what you're looking for. Xiamen Yingcai is nice in terms of the fact that it pays well, offers free room and board, gives you a lot of freedom in the classroom, and is located in Xiamen which is definitely one of China's nicer cities. The challenges I faced were primarily with student behavior. While I had a few good classes many of my students were unmotivated, slept in class, failed to complete assignments, etc. It was frustrating because I did not have the ability to discipline them or enforce consequences of any kind. The organization and planning of the administration was also lacking (which is a common problem with a lot of overseas ESL positions.) I think the key to working here (and most places in China) is to keep your expectations low and simply "go with the flow." If you're okay with doing both of those things, you'll be fine. If your primary focus is to spend time in China and save money, then you're set. Out of Chinese schools, this is definitely one of the better ones. But if you're looking for an enriching teaching experience at a well-run school, you'd probably be better off looking somewhere else.
DeleteHi, where are you working now? Do you miss working at Xiamen Ying Cai? I applied tonight for a English Teacher gig next semester. Hope all is well
ReplyDeleteI'm currently working in Princeton, NJ as the ELL Specialist at an all girls' school. I don't particularly miss Xiamen Yingcai, although I do miss a fair amount of my students (some who still keep in touch via WeChat). Working in China in general can be challenging because of how things are run and how the educational system is set up, but I did save a fair amount of money and got the experience of living in Asia. I wish you all the best and if you have any specific questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
DeleteHi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI was contacted about a position as a college prep coordinator for a startup student advising firm that has partnered with Yingcai. I wondered if you had any observations about the guidance dept at the school to what college advising processes you observed already in place?
Thanks!
Hi Nick,
ReplyDeleteThere was no guidance department at Yingcai when I worked there last year. If there were any questions regarding college, the students would randomly ask one of the foreign teachers (myself or Loren) or ask their Chinese agent who was processing all of their college applications and forms for them. Having a college prep coordinator would be a very new thing for the school, but one that I think will serve them well.
I hope that helps!
Best,
Amanda
Thanks, Amanda! I am really surprised there's no established guidance department, being that this is a school with a large percentage of graduates going on to college. On a somewhat related topic, what area of Xiamen did you live in? I have been looking at apartments to get a feel for what the going rate is, but it's tricky figuring out the best neighborhoods in which to search.
DeleteThanks again,
Nick
It is a bit odd. But if you're familiar with China and its educational system, then it's really not that surprising. I actually lived at Xiamen Yingcai since it's a boarding school and have apartments on campus for the teachers. I would definitely suggest living on the island though and not the mainland as that is where everything is. Look for apartments in Marco Polo, near Xiamen University or near the exhibition center. Those are all nice areas with lots to do nearby and a fair amount of foreigners. Those areas are slightly pricier, but definitely worth it. My brother is still living in Xiamen and studying at Xiamen University. I could put you in touch with him if you'd like to speak with someone who is still 'on the ground' over there.
DeleteHi Amanda, I hope you're doing well and are thoroughly enjoying living the dream. :))
ReplyDeleteI am excited & happy to find your blog...because right now, I'm in the process of reveiwing a contract to teach English at the International Centre of Xiamen Yincai School this upcoming school year, Sept.1- June 30, and I'm seeking pointers that will help me make it the most positive experience possible.
In your blog, you mention the school providing free accommodations for teachers on campus, but that was not something that was offered to me, nor mentioned as an option. I would definitely prefer living on, or very near campus, and am not experienced in, nor excited about the prospect of having to find and secure an apartment to rent for myself in Xiamen. Any suggestions you might have on how I might approach this issue gracefully will be greatly appreciated.
Also, the contract states that for individuals signing a one year contact or longer, for those willing to renew their contract, the school will provide an international flight allowance of 7500 RMB. The contract I've been presented is for only 10 months, rather than a full year. Would it seem extremely greedy of me to request that the length of the contract be extended, so that I might qualify for this benefit? How might I handle the issue gracefully? Ahh, this is all new terrain for me and I would so appreciate any suggestions you have that will allow me to address these issues gracefully. I am open to and grateful for any other pointers you may have that will help me to make this the most positive experience possible for all involved.
Thank you, Ms. Amanda. I'm wishing you happoiness, peace, and joy in all you be and do.
With gratitude,
Jenni Julien im12lovelife@yahoo.com
WeChat:JenniJulien
sheesh--typos, wordiness & misspellings-- not befitting of a good English teacher.
ReplyDeleteHello, do you by any chance have we chat of Maffi or any other teacher who is working there now? I need a letter from the school and can't reach them by phone. Cheers, Dominika
ReplyDelete