Experiences at SIAS International University

1. the students who want to learn are awesome
2. the school is dependable and reputable
3. your salary may not seem like much in the US, but you live like kings on it in china due to the lower cost of living.

being christian and going through www.plugintoyours.com

I have a BS in psychology and history, but I was hired to teach american level sociology courses. My major had very little to to with the position, and lot to do with the position. I was the most qualified to teach it the semester I was hired to teach the course.
For most jobs at SIAS all you need is a bachelors degree, and no teaching experience....

I miss a lot about SIAS.
I miss the students who are so eager to learn, and who want to learn.
I miss being in central china and being able travel easily.
I miss the housing and low cost of living.
I miss the freedom I had in my job, and the field I was teaching.

It is one of the softest landings in all of China. The ICED department takes good care of their teachers. Your housing is large, and you get seven weeks of winter holiday (4 weeks paid) to travel and learn about chinese culture.

The best team of teachers I worked with at SIAS were the older teachers who had been there several years,and my fellow Cooperating Teachers.

I was recruited by FHSU professor to be her cooperating teacher in china. this type of position is usually filled from teachers who are at SIAS. So you need to be hired to work there through www.plugintoyours.com and then you can see what positions you can arrange.

Ask questions of the people who have been around a while. See how the situation is. Do not expect to have US standards for grading, or educational expectations.
Know your contract.

Keep my mouth shut, and don't speak with the other teachers if it could be avoided.
I learned to be flexible, because nothing was ever on time, or the way it was described, or worked the way it was supposed to. as such flexibility was one of the greatest assets you could have.
I learned a great deal of chinese, and a great deal about my chinese students....

The hardest part is getting used to the Chinese educational method. This is where things like plaigarism doesn't matter, and cheating is expected. Teachers don't fail students, and that makes it very difficult to try to uphold any american standards.