Location: Jiangyin, China
Start date: August 2024
Contract type: Full-time fixed term (two years contract with annual renewal thereafter).

Background

Founded in 2016, the goal of our A-level program is to educate students to develop a “Chinese spirit within a global perspective in order to have a truly international presence”.

The mathematics teacher’s role

The position involves teaching IGCSE and A-level mathematics to students aged 16 to 18 years old. The mathematics teacher will endeavour to enhance their abilities and critical thinking skills, while getting them ready to study university overseas.

Salary and Benefits

• Competitive salary levels
• Accommodation allowance
• Annual return airfare and bonus
• Worldwide medical cover
• High disposable income

Jiangyin Canal Photo-by-Vadzim-Vinakur-via-Flickr

About the School

Location

The campus is located about 20 minutes taxi from downtown Jiangyin, a medium level city on the southern bank of the Yangtze river. The environment is pleasant, with a reading area overlooking a stream complementing the beauty of the natural surrounds.

Students
Our students are bright, motivated and deeply committed to learning. Working with these students will remind you while you chose to become a teacher in the first place.

Teacher and Staff
The diverse mix of cultural identities within our team make our campus a place of global learning and growth for staff and students alike.

About You

• Ability to engage and challenge high-performing students
• Recognized teaching qualification
• Experience teaching Mathematics at the high school level
• A track record of teaching excellence
• Well-developed subject knowledge

About Dipont Education

We have been at the forefront of international education in China for more than thirty years. We employ over 400 expat teachers and there are more than 6,000 students enrolled in our high school programs, located in some of the best schools in the country.

Professional development includes orientation for new staff as well as ongoing contact with experts in the field. Internal career path opportunities are open to capable and high-performing educators, with the potential to move into curricula or program management roles.

The post Mathematics teacher (A-level) appeared first on Dipont Education.

In the past three years there has been a huge decline in the ESL private education market in China. COVID, policy change, and general economic shrinkage have placed enormous pressure on this once lucrative and booming industry. As a result, a lot of ESL teachers are facing the end of their China dreams.

Photo by Tom Parsons on Unsplash

At the same time many international and bilingual schools in China are now filling the last of their vacancies for an August 2022 start.

Here are some tips on making the leap from training centers to the big league.

1. Align with your subject knowledge

If economics was not your major at university, don’t apply for an economics teaching job. You do not want the stress of trying to learn the topic between classes. Like a predator’s instinct to smell fear on the hunted, most students can detect a knowledge gap within the first 15 minutes of a course. A bitter victory it would be to bluff your way into such a classroom.

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

You will need subject knowledge. What was your major? Literature, History, and, to a lesser extent, Political Science are fields that are applicable to an English subject teaching role, and should be highlighted in your CV.

Look into options to undertake a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education), which effectively upgrades your qualifications to be classroom ready. Enrolling in a PGCE will also demonstrate your commitment to career development.

2. Emphasize your unique strengths

You may have been an awesome ESL teacher, but there are a lot of awesome ex-ESL teachers flooding the market these days. What makes you stand out from the crowd? Brushing up your CV is an opportunity to reflect on your achievements and your growth, and also to articulate the benefits you can bring to a new employer.

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

What is it about your classroom management style that supports autonomous, student-centered learning? Have you any experince with safe-guarding protocols? What have you learnt about the unique perspective of Chinese learners? What experience do you have with cross-cultural communication? Have you ever organized an extra-curricular activity? What made it great? What did you learn from it?

3. Be prepared to move

Back in the day you could throw a rock* in downtown Shanghai and it would bounce off a couple of ESL schools before hitting the ground. There were a lot of training centers. The daily commute was a breeze. You could live in the thick of the CBD, taking your pick of workplaces. It was easy to find a job.

Photo by Alessio Lin on Unsplash

These days it is not so easy. You may need to change cities to find a position that matches your qualifications. This is not to say that any reputable school will accept inadequately skilled teachers, but there is a greater likelihood of being accepted into a non-ESL academic role away from the extremely competitive job market in top tier cities.

If you have the ability, the determination, and the willingness to grow, a second or third tier would be the ideal place to launch your career renaissance.

*note that this is a metaphorical rock. It is never a good idea to throw stones in the inner city.

4. Prepare a killer demo lesson

You may not always have the opportunity to use it, but preparing a demo lesson is a good way to focus your intent and refine your pitch for the job. In addition, many classes are being taught online these days, albeit temporarily, so preparing a great demo lesson in this format could make a huge difference to your application.

Photo by Tumisu on Pixabay

You should aim for a snapshot of your teaching persona that highlights your mastery of the medium as well as your comfort in the subject area. The question for your audience is: Is this person able to deliver a curriculum with confidence and discernment? Charisma is not king in this situation.

5. Persevere or perish

Failure is inevitable on the road to change, but the road is long and forgiving if you give yourself the chance. Every application is an opportunity to hone your message. Every interview is a chance to practice delivering your brand to the market.

Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash

China has always been a land of opportunity for teachers. The difference now is that the stakes are higher, and the rewards are greater. The end of your ESL days need not be the end of your China life. You could make it the start of your education career.

Dipont Education has had a few last minute positions open up for teachers currently residing in China for an August 2022 start. Now is the time to get started on your career revival.

The post Time for your career revival appeared first on Dipont Education.

Lili Ma is the Director of Curriculum Design and Development, Grades 1 – 9, based in the headquarters of Dipont Education in Shanghai, China. She has worked with the company for more than 12 years and has a wealth of experiences, memories and achievements from this time.

Here she talks about why she loves working for Dipont, the changing landscape of education in China and an exciting opportunity to join her team.

You’ve been working with Dipont for a long time. What has kept you here?

Dipont is a very innovative company. Every year I can embrace new ideas, which means I’m always studying, learning, improving, and creating. I can always learn from different people from different programs. I think that’s the thing I love about working with Dipont the most.

What is your team currently working on?

The Dipont Institute of Education is structured into two departments. My department is focused on Grade 1 to Grade 9, so Primary and Lower Secondary, while the other department is focused on Grade 10 and above, so High School. The overall goal for both departments is to continuously improve and support the teaching and learning in our schools.

In recent years, the Chinese government has introduced new policies related to compulsory education. Specific standards and examinations have always been a part of the Chinese National Curriculum (CNC). The big change is that now all schools must integrate these standards into their own curriculum. An example of this is the zhongkao, an important examination that students take in Grade 9. We now need to prepare our students in the years leading up to this important exam in addition to our existing curricula.

Our goal is to enhance teaching and learning through the development of integrated curriculum standards and educational resources. The integrated curricula are designed based on both CNC standards and western educational practice. The material we make needs to be in English and Chinese. That’s why we are currently recruiting more Chinese staff, and are also looking for expat education professionals to join our team.

▲ Lili’s team works to enhance teaching and learning in Dipont schools

You are recruiting for a Primary Academic Manager to join your team. Apart from strong subject knowledge and related experience, what personality traits will you be looking for in applicants?

You have to be very open-minded and flexible and have a growth mindset. You need to have very good communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and especially cross-cultural skills. Because this position is not only about writing the curriculum in the office, it is also about communicating with teachers.

When you create and integrate a new curriculum in schools, you are actually challenging people’s mindsets and habits, which can be very difficult. So I would say that interpersonal and cross-cultural skills are very important.

What would be the unique challenges of this position?

Most teachers already work in schools, but the surroundings in the headquarters are very different, as is the routine, and pace of working. We have important deadlines to work towards as a team, and this way of working can be quite different from being only responsible for your students and your classroom.

When it comes to creating an integrated curriculum, it may be more challenging for expat staff than it is for Chinese staff. Everyone can always learn more about new standards and new methodologies. But expat teachers may need to learn more about the Chinese national standards, and the government requirements, as they wouldn’t have the same educational experiences as their Chinese colleagues. So this aspect may be quite challenging.

▲ Dipont HQ offers a stimulating working environment and incredible views

In your opinion, what is the most attractive thing about this position?

Everyone has their own passion. I would say, if you have always been a teacher, you may like to gain a new perspective on education. And if you are someone who likes to learn, study, research and create, then curriculum development would be a very good chance to do these things. It would give you a chance to explore your subject area very deeply, and to create something that integrates best practices in Chinese and western education. That is something that would be very attractive. At least it is for me!

If you are interested in joining Lili’s team as a Primary Academic Manager, please visit the job vacancy for more information and to apply.

The post Meet Lili Ma: curriculum visionary appeared first on Dipont Education.

Our SALs worked to support Dipont teachers across our network of centers and schools.

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Anyone who is interested in upcoming events or working with Dipont Education or Explore CRS can register for updates via this form.

Dipont Education, in collaboration with Explore CRS, is holding an education event in Beijing on Saturday 27 November 2021.

The one-day conference and recruitment event will include presentations from leaders in the Dipont network on key topics. There will also be an opportunity to network and meet informally with other educators, and, for those interested, the chance to interview for available vacancies within the Dipont Education group.

Attendance is free of charge and refreshments will be provided.

Leaders from the following schools will be attending:

• Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi
• RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou
• Shanghai Huaer Collegiate School
• Dipont KCS Chengdu
• Dipont international high school programs
• RDFZ Chaoyang
• RDFZ ICC
• RDFZ Xishan

Event details:

Location

RDFZ Chaoyang Branch School, Taiyanggong North Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing
中国人民大学附属中学朝阳分校北京市朝阳区太阳宫北街

Date

Saturday 27 November 2021

Time

9am

How to register:

If you might be interested in hearing more and potentially attending the event, please let us know by filling in a registration form.

The post CANCELLED: Dipont Education Conference and Recruitment event appeared first on Dipont Education.

It’s 2021 and as technology improves recruitment, so we’ve added a self-introduction video feature to our online application process. Although submitting a self-introduction video is entirely optional, we believe there are some strong reasons why you should consider providing one.

Firstly, self-introduction videos make your application stand out. Rather than being just another resume on a screen, you now get 1 to 2 minutes to introduce who you are and why you love teaching. Plus, you also have the chance to explain anything that might not be clear in your resume.

Secondly, some candidates who we would have otherwise passed on, have wowed us with their poise and presence in their video. An impressive self-introduction video gives you a better chance of being offered a pre-screen call to further discuss your background and experience. In short, a good video can make us think twice about you as our next teacher.

How can you create a great self-introduction video?

To create a great self-introduction video, follow our tips to make a powerful first impression:

1. Record your video alone in a quiet room with great lighting (either natural or artificial). Make sure you are not backlit by any light source however – let it light your face, not hide it.
2. Try to use a tripod or something similar to keep your video still and stable.
3. Dress to impress but remember you’re speaking to a potential employer, not a suitor!
4. Speak clearly in your strongest voice so that it carries to the microphone.
5. Be concise in what you say. If you need to write some notes in order to remember the key things (your name, nationality, teaching philosophy, etc) do so, but try and avoid reading a script on camera, as this can sound robotic. Speak as naturally as you would when talking face-to-face with someone.
6. Rehearse a little before hitting record.
7. Keep your introduction short, less than 2 minutes. You should have a good reason for going over this time limit – for example, you perform a musical piece because you’re a music teacher or you conduct a science experiment because you’re a science teacher.
8. There is no need to show us a teaching demo video. We want to get to know you from your own speech and thoughts.
9. Review the video before sending it. Check for sound and image quality. If you took many takes and know basic editing, perhaps you can edit the video. Otherwise, if you are happy with it and feel it gives a great first impression, send away!

Remember that a self-introduction video is an optional add-on to your application. However, it is an excellent way for us to qualify you for our jobs if you do a good job.

Interested in the vacancies we have available? Visit our careers section to search our available positions.

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