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From studying education, I finally came to we split the students into smaller classes?
realize that the education system in Taiwan is Well, here comes another issue- the budget.
a disappointment. Since I entered University Public schools don’t have enough money to
of Taipei, I have studied English education for hire more teachers; while private schools want
three years and have taught primary students to reduce costs to earn more profit. As a result,
English in private cram schools now and then. there are about 70 thousand “stray teachers”
Yet the more I learn about primary education, in Taiwan each year. These are teachers who
the more I get worried about the working have teaching certification without an official
environment that I am going to encounter in job offer and have to move around between
the near future. different schools like a stray dog.
First of all, the biggest problem is that some According to Insight magazine, “Only 44
parents nowadays do not trust teachers the way percent of these certified teachers landed
parents used to. To some extent, our society
does not seem teachers as professionals,
especially in preschools and primary schools.
Parents always think they know how to teach
and interfere with teachers’ instructions in
several ways, from teaching style to class
management. You name it. But the truth is
that they know nothing but how to spoil their
children rotten to the core.
Knowing how to raise a child does not mean
BEWARE! THE N
TEACHER MIGHT
knowing how to teach one.
When it comes to parenting, parents only need
to care about their own children, while teachers an official teaching position, while 17,000
have to deal with at least 25 individuals at the were unofficially employed as contract or
same time and make sure the course goes temporary teachers.” You might not know the
smoothly. Thus, how could you expect a huge difference between the salary of a “stray
teacher to meet every students’ needs? We’re teacher” and an official teacher. Compared
teachers, not babysitters. Unfortunately, the to the former, the latter will get NT$40,000
only thing dinosaur parents know is to blame per month and enjoy paid summer and winter
teachers and seldom give them support, which vacations. Yet things are not so lucky for
often make things worse. hourly-paid teachers who are exploited in
private institutions. For instance, at Hess, one
Moreover, things get worse when your of Taiwan’s famous chain cram schools that
students are spoiled. If you can’t satisfy these teaches primary students English, most of
little princesses and princes, you’re doomed. their English teachers work as part-time job
You never know how they whine about you in and get a base salary of 360 NT dollars per
front of their parents. That’s why we also have hour, while students pay Hess two hundred
classes to learn how to build good parent- thousand NT dollars per year. Even worse,
teacher relationships and how to communicate if you work there as an intern, you only get
with parents effectively. NT$150 for doing the same job as others,
and the reason for that they believe they are
Some of you might think if teachers can not offering you a great opportunity to learn so
handle so many students at a time, why don’t that you should be “grateful.”
JULIE
LIN
28 U
NIVE
R S 林佳璉
AL MAGAZINE
MARCH 2011