For our long-term ESL teachers, standard contracts last one year, but for summer short-term teachers, 6-8 week contracts are available.
At Omeida, we expect our teachers to be native English speakers with at least a bachelor’s degree, preferably with teaching experience and teaching qualifications. We want our teachers to be passionate, patient and flexible. To avoid visa issues, we require our teachers to be older than 22 and younger than 55.
Omeida provides long-term teachers with a private room within a 3 bedroom apartment shared with other teachers. Short term teachers receive a private dorm style room they can share a room with a Chinese adult student with an extra cash allowance. Each room is furnished and has a private bathroom and air conditioning. Bedding is also provided. Accommodations are about a 5-15 minute walk from the school.
For long term and short term teachers, Omeida offers two full time teaching contracts: a 2 class/day and a 3 class/day schedule, Monday-Friday. Each class is 1.5 hours, made up of two 45 minutes long segments with 10 minutes break in between. Each day has 2 classes before lunch and 1 class in the afternoon. Those serving in our volunteer program can work either 1 hour or 2 hours per day, depending on the contract they choose.
We do not require extra office hours, but we do expect our teachers to be well prepared for every class. Every other week, our teachers must gather for a student report meeting, lasting for 10-30 minutes. Every Thursday night, teachers are required to join the Social Night event.
Classes generally contain 2-12 students who are eager to progress and participate in class. Students are placed into one of 11 different levels to ensure they receive appropriate instruction for their skill level, and our foreign teachers are mainly be responsible for the intermediate to advanced levels. Classes are mostly speaking orientated and interaction in class is always important.
Omeida organizes Social Night every Thursday with various activities, including cookouts, talent shows, free talk and various competitions, all with the focus of exercising the students’ English. A couple times a month, Omeida organizes weekend events for students and teachers to participate in. Some are as simple as a bike ride and lunch along the beautiful Yulong River, while others are a weekend excursion to places like the famous Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces. The prices for bigger trips are discounted for teachers. Omeida also organizes sports activities on occasion, including volleyball, tug-of-war, etc.
Omeida teachers are free to teach using the content and style that suits them best. Teachers’ class materials are reviewed by the Education Department to ensure quality lessons are being taught. Omeida also has teaching materials that are available to new teachers in the first few weeks if needed. We also have material available for short term summer teachers.
We do not have a strict dress code, but formal clothes while teaching is suggested. During the summer, teachers will get an Omeida polo shirt and are required to wear it on Mondays and Thursdays.
Yangshuo’s seasons range from hot, sunny summers to cold, damp winters. A rainy spring season gives way to a bright summer with moderate to high humidity. Fall is very comfortable with the lowest humidity of the year and temperatures and humidity lower than that of summer. Winter is generally overcast with temperatures averaging between 5-10 degrees C.
For spring, summer and fall, short-sleeved shirts, shorts, and sandals are comfortable. For winter, a medium weight coat, jeans with long underwear and tennis shoes will be plenty to keep you warm. A light raincoat is also convenient to have for the rainy season.
Yangshuo is small enough that you can walk anywhere within 20 minutes, and a countless mass of motorcycle taxis are always ready to give you a lift for 5-10 RMB. But if you desire a little more freedom, new and used bikes can be purchased easily at a fair price and will serve you well for getting around town and exploring the countryside.