My career in China

My career in China

When I was 19 years old, I got a qualification to be a secondary school teacher.

It was very tough in 1980’s in China to get a qualification. Because it meant a financial security in all your life.

I was appointed to be a permanent full time teacher in one of the high schools in my hometown. I taught year 10-12 English. English was one of the three main subjects, the other two were Chinese and maths. Anyone who taught main subjects had two lessons per day from Monday to Friday. It was 10x45 minutes per week. The rest of the hours were flexible-either staying at home or at school.

There were 6 lessons per day, four in the morning and two in the afternoon. In the morning, school started at 7.50 am, finished at 11.30am. There were 10 minutes break between each lesson and an extra half hour break after the first 2 lessons for exercise. All the students were required to attend, teachers were optional. Most of the teachers went for eating in canteen, quite similar as our tea time. After 11:30am everyone went home for lunch and a short sleep except boarding students. Most of us went home by bike.

 In the afternoon, school started at 2.00pm.

Students called their teachers: Chinese Teacher or English Teacher … depending on the subject taught. They called me English teacher.

For the National Higher Education Entrance Examination, there were 5 subjects for art. They were Chinese, Maths, English, History and Geography. History included Chinese History and World History, Modern History and Ancient History. Geography included Chinese Geography and World Geography. I chose art.

There were 5 subjects for science as well. They were Chinese, Maths, English, Chemistry and Physics.

We had twice school holidays through the year, plus public holidays. One was from July to August. The other was in winter before and after Chinese Lunar New Year, about 2-3weeks. Teachers were encouraged to have a travel during the summer school holidays. Administrative officers organized everything for us.

Being a full-time secondary school teacher for 16 years, I left China for Australia

.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Higher_Education_Entrance_Examination