Hello,

Not at all sure - seemingly no breeze pushing me in either direction decision-wise, just lots of ifs and buts. I am currently teaching English to 8-11 year olds. It's fine. I'm definitely riding the waves ok. Sometimes it's good fun, other times I feel like I'm messing things up. It's hard to gauge whether I'm any good. There's no feedback or evaluation about our teaching (a pretty slack school really in that respect - not that bothered about what we're doing...). I'm enjoying the lifestyle though - meeting new people, travelling, being in China, working part time - but I'm pretty broke too! I've been offered a contract teaching in the city of Ningbo - seems like a great place to live and slightly more money - but it's for a year and the teaching sounds more pressurized (I'm not sure my teaching standards will be good enough for the rich parents sending their kids to me for extra tuition!) But the people there sound great, I've emailed teachers already there for info, seems pretty trustworthy, and a conscientious school. There also may be an opportunity to get a writing gig as one of the teachers at the school is also a magazine editor! So that's a big pull. But I also know that teaching is not for me long term - so perhaps one year wouldn't be a good idea? I just don't want to go home, and I don't have a plan B. Basically I have no idea! I have about another week to decide I think. I'm also still looking around at other vacancies, but with the magazine opportunity here maybe it'd be best for me (I'm going to email the editor to find out what might be available to me).

I asked for a general diagnosis of me and teaching: (today I had 3 good-ish lessons and one lack-lustre one.)
6.2,4,5 > 23
Hmm... eek. Grating? Deteriorating? Or maybe I need to... let go? Not fight it? Maybe I am fighting with it rather than it with me? I just don't know if I'm... following the right path for my 'talents'. The lessons in this new job would also be longer - so the lesson plans would need to be more thorough, although it might make class more relaxing (feel like I'm cramming at the mo with 45 min lessons) - but I also have no idea, if I have my head around teaching! But there would be a month of training with them prior to starting...

Go home/Plan B? (move away from teaching)
53.2,3,5>4
Could this be saying that I need to work harder on advancing where I am at the mo - ie with teaching - and that there's more to learn and that can only be successful through experience? I'm sure I'd get job satisfaction working in a school with high standards - more motivation perhaps. Or that finding out what you can/should do is a slow process? Great, but what to commit to now!!???

Would working in this school and location be a good opportunity creatively? (considering the opportunity to contribute to the magazine)
31.3,5 > 15
Does this reading suggest I shouldn't run after this just because it seems attractive? Or to trust my gut instincts, but maybe play down my expectations? Hex 31 is generally about a good, inspirational and creative influence though isn't it?

My main reservations are the low-ish wages (although it is only part time so I could work a second job with it I think), and their high expectations of their teachers. Also, if you want to leave you have to work a 3 month notice and there being a penalty fee because of expenses to the school. But then I suppose if I was terrible they'd just ask me to leave! I've also been told also that the parents get involved - ie expect to see their childrens' progress through a presentation given by the students and teachers every few months or so. Eek! Don't know if I'm up to it! Feel like I only want to/can scratch the surface of teaching at the mo! But maybe it'd be good to commit; get deeper into it? I just don't know how capable I am to develop in this sphere! And like I said, it is not my life vocation, I'm sure. But it feels worthwhile, and it's good to challenge yourself, and like I said, I have no idea what else to do! And the lifestyle's pretty good....

Thanks for reading and any advice will be so appreciated!

Em :bows:

There's a saying:

'What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?'

A great saying but on the other hand...

I'm not sure I've mastered this saying:

'To thine own self be true, for it must follow as night does the day, that thou canst be false to any man'

I don't want to be false to students/school employers! I guess is the crux of it. And myself.

That's also Taoism - right?

Conflict changing to Splitting Apart! It certainly doesn't sound like teaching where you are now is your thing, em, LOL!
Still, I wouldn't walk off the job just yet. How about you apply for the new position and then as you are considering your options you approach your current job as if you were at the new place? That is, what are the increased demands and restrictions you anticipate at the new school? Can you live up to those standards now? You may find that as you devote yourself to lesson plans here as would be required there, you come to feel clearer about your life course. For example, by really making an effort to be this top notch instructor now you may find it's too much for you and you know you wouldn't be able to keep it up, that you don't even want to keep it up. On the other hand you may find that the other teachers where you are now don't appreciate you raising the bar and that in fact this school discourages excellence and so you really must move on. Or perhaps you will find that by giving your current responsibilities more attention you like your current world better and don't even want to change.

23.
It does not further one to go anywhere - One can ensure their position only by giving generously to those below.

Sounds like you would not be happier some place else and should make an effort to do more where you are right now.

6.2
One cannot engage in conflict; one returns home, gives way.
The people of the town, three hundred households, remain free of guilt.

Sounds like the new rules and standards might be too much for you or might even conflict with your core beliefs of how children should be taught. The laid back atmosphere where you are right now may not be such a bad thing.

6.4
Ditto

6.5
To contend before him brings good fortune.

But this sounds like you should never the less apply for the new position.

As I said, strive to get more into your current job and then see if you still want to move to a new school - or if you even want to stay with teaching.

Best wishes,
rosada

Strip Away the Fighting

em ching said:

I asked for a general diagnosis of me and teaching: (today I had 3 good-ish lessons and one lack-lustre one.)
6.2,4,5 > 23

Click to expand...

Having observed some of your posts on your doubts about teaching, and your concerns about your lessons, tallying good and bad, I feel that Yi is talking here about your tendency to argue with yourself. In effect it is saying "strip away all the arguments with your self" and then you will have a direction to go.

Here is some text from the Wikiwing:

'Arguing.
With truth and confidence, blocked.
Cautious and centred, good fortune. Completing, pitfall.
Harvest in seeing great people.
No harvest in crossing the great river.'

Even when you have fu, when you are absolutely in the right, you can be blocked and stymied when arguing. (Or just maybe, your capacity to feel truth inwardly is blocked up by arguing. )

You can enjoy good fortune with caution and centrality, not going to extremes. You cannot use arguing as a way to complete/ finish anything. Pursuing an argument to the bitter end doesn’t lead to the end of the argument – arguments don’t contain the means for their own resolution, they’re endlessly self-perpetuating. There must be a shift in perspective, lifting you up out of the argument to the viewpoint of the great people.

Seeing great people, in general, has many possible interpretations: seeing an actual advisor/ choosing a role model/ seeing the potential greatness in yourself/ seeing it in others.

No harvest in crossing the great river – this is not a mindset in which to commit yourself to anything. Just because you can see that things are wrong, doesn’t mean you can yet see the right direction to go in from here.

So this is why you can't see direction...you are arguing with yourself, criticizing yourself, and not seeing the great potential. Even if you are right, that one lesson is not as good as others, you need to focus on your potential and direction, on the path to greatness, rather than counting the failures.

I know you will ask about the lines, and I have looked at them, and two of them are about ways that arguments can't succeed and only one of them is about a time when arguing leads to a good outcome. There is a role for self-criticism, but it must be balanced with a strong desire to excel and a move to excellence.

Tiger

rosada said:

That is, what are the increased demands and restrictions you anticipate at the new school? Can you live up to those standards now? You may find that as you devote yourself to lesson plans here as would be required there, you come to feel clearer about your life course. For example, by really making an effort to be this top notch instructor now you may find it's too much for you and you know you wouldn't be able to keep it up, that you don't even want to keep it up....
Or perhaps you will find that by giving your current responsibilities more attention you like your current world better and don't even want to change.

23.
It does not further one to go anywhere - One can ensure their position only by giving generously to those below.

Sounds like you would not be happier some place else and should make an effort to do more where you are right now.

6.2
One cannot engage in conflict; one returns home, gives way.
The people of the town, three hundred households, remain free of guilt.

Sounds like the new rules and standards might be too much for you or might even conflict with your core beliefs of how children should be taught. The laid back atmosphere where you are right now may not be such a bad thing.

....
As I said, strive to get more into your current job and then see if you still want to move to a new school - or if you even want to stay with teaching.

Best wishes,
rosada

Click to expand...

Thanks Rosada! Definitely something to think about. I have actually already been offered the job! And corresponded with the teachers there at the mo, and it does sound like it has a much better atmosphere than here (although there's not much pressure, the chinese translators are very strict and sometimes mean to the children - they're also overworked) Whereas the new position would be in a language training centre - extra tuition after their normal school (evenings and weekends - poor things - likely to be tired eh!). But in terms of teaching new teachers are trained for a month and shown the school's style (which I didn't get here), and then you have a chinese assistant during your lessons. So it doesn't sound too pressurized - except that the parents like to see their childrens' progress every few months.

I am still making mistakes here, but learning. It does feel good when I've given a good lesson, and when they get excited over games. My main issue I think is making things too complex. And maybe unable to discipline that effectively (though never been too challenged in that area. Main reason why I think I couldn't do this at home!)

I will be visiting said school and having a look around the city in a couple of weeks. Hopefully sit in on a lesson so I can know for sure whether it's for me or not. Meanwhile I will strive to get better while I'm here!!!

Thanks so much

:bows:

tigerintheboat said:

Having observed some of your posts on your doubts about teaching, and your concerns about your lessons, tallying good and bad, I feel that Yi is talking here about your tendency to argue with yourself. In effect it is saying "strip away all the arguments with your self" and then you will have a direction to go.

... (Or just maybe, your capacity to feel truth inwardly is blocked up by arguing. )

... You cannot use arguing as a way to complete/ finish anything. Pursuing an argument to the bitter end doesn’t lead to the end of the argument – arguments don’t contain the means for their own resolution, they’re endlessly self-perpetuating. There must be a shift in perspective, lifting you up out of the argument to the viewpoint of the great people.

Seeing great people, in general, has many possible interpretations: seeing an actual advisor/ choosing a role model/ seeing the potential greatness in yourself/ seeing it in others.

... Just because you can see that things are wrong, doesn’t mean you can yet see the right direction to go in from here.[/I]

So this is why you can't see direction...you are arguing with yourself, criticizing yourself, and not seeing the great potential. Even if you are right, that one lesson is not as good as others, you need to focus on your potential and direction, on the path to greatness, rather than counting the failures.

.... only one of them is about a time when arguing leads to a good outcome. There is a role for self-criticism, but it must be balanced with a strong desire to excel and a move to excellence.

Tiger

Click to expand...

Excellent.

Thanks Tiger! I will try to let go of the conflict I feel that what I'm doing isn't what I should be doing (you're right - pointless argument) and concentrate on trying to get better - believing that it's a slow process - for gradual progress I guess.

Thanks, I'm going to check out the school/lessons in a couple of weeks so I know the reality of it and am better prepared!

:bows:

PS Santa Fe looks really nice. Are they statues of Pocahontas? Such lovely photos - rich colours... like the 'Jesus says buy folk art' and Jesus-tree one. cool doors too! and sunny. I'd like to visit!

Santa Fe

em ching said:

PS Santa Fe looks really nice. Are they statues of Pocahontas? Such lovely photos - rich colours... like the 'Jesus says buy folk art' and Jesus-tree one. cool doors too! and sunny. I'd like to visit!

Click to expand...

Em, thanks for enjoying them and letting me know.

You know, I am not really sure if those wooden statues are supposed to "be" anybody in particular. They are on an avenue in the town, near where we stayed, public art. I was to busy looking at them and photographing in the morning light to notice if there were any signs.

Some of the other statues are in front of art galleries, one main area of town where all the dealers are. But the doorways and building facades are very typical of Santa Fe, at least the more well to do parts.

New Mexico is worth visiting; Ghost Ranch is especially beautiful. I will post some photos one of these days shortly.

Tiger