Should You Teach English in China?

Back in the summer of 2018, I was a minimum-wage college graduate with a Sociology degree. On my search for a glimmer of financial independence, I one-click applied my way into an English teaching opportunity in China. $2,100/month, $1,200 in reimbursed travel expenses, and free housing. Honestly, the salary could have been half that, and I would have been equally as excited for the free housing. It sounded too good to be true, yet little did I know it could have been much better.

Before flying out, there was a fair amount of paperwork to work through. The official requirements for teaching English in China are a Bachelor's degree in any field, a TEFL certificate, criminal background check, medical examination, and a passport from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, or South Africa. I did my TEFL online, but later my school sponsored an in-person official one, which was a fairly simple 3-day ordeal.

Once there, I spent about 10 months at an ESL School in Yiwu, China. I broke my contract a tad early after finding that the American agency hiring me was actually eating 1/3 of my income each month from the English center. Once I realized the bigger opportunities at play, I paid a YouTube creator named Ben Stout for a coaching session to boost my resume, find better opportunities, and review teaching contracts. Unfortunately, it appears he's no longer providing this service. Still, with his guidance, I was able to secure a secondary-school teaching position in a much more interesting city, Shenzhen, with a much more interesting offer: $4,100/month (including housing allowance). I think my chosen apartment was around $600/month.

Now, like anyone who has worked a job will tell you, a paycheck isn't the whole story. After China, due to global lockdown, I also briefly worked at a US School in Florida once I got my teaching credential through an online course and in-person test (surprisingly and concerningly simple), and then I briefly also taught in Qatar. Each of the institutions I worked for had varying values, requirements, and benefits. That's why it is really important to make an informed decision, review the contract closely, and be clear on how much of your time and energy you are actually being compensated for. Beyond that there are various institutions to choose from: learning centers, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and even universities. Each again has its own benefits and requirements. Let me know if you're interested in more on this topic and feel free to schedule a call with me if you'd like customized guidance, resources, and connections.

Wishing you well,

Naser

In case you missed it:

This week my good friend, writer Sean Goodman joined the Walking Home Podcast, to share his thoughts on constructive action in the current political climate, as well as his professional writing and personal mindfulness journey: