text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Any red flags on this contract? Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Any red flags on this contract? Goto page 1, 2 Next Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only) View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message ChrisTeacherJoined: 14 Apr 2011Posts: 9Location: Philadelphia, PA Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 6:26 am Post subject: Any red flags on this contract? I am also being advised to: "ps: Since we need you on board soon, you are required to hold a tourist visa when you enter China. The Company is responsible to get you a work visa after you arrive and shoulder the cost of visa conversion. You will do a medical examination in Beijing and bear the cost according to the contract. For more details, pls check the Terms & Conditions in the contract." I've got a BA, US math teacher certification, and two years teaching experience. I'm told the tax on the salary of 14,800rmb will be 1000 to 1500rmb. Thank you for your help. --- (removed)Last edited by ChrisTeacher on Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:36 pm; edited 1 time in total Back to top rogerwilcoJoined: 10 Jun 2010Posts: 1549 Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:33 am Post subject: Too long for me to read. Can you edit it and just post the parts that concern you ? Back to top GeminiTigerJoined: 15 Oct 2004Posts: 999Location: China, 2005--Present Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:49 am Post subject: what roger said, but since they are asking you to work illegally the whole contract means little or nothing at all since they can do what they like to you once they have you trapped here. Back to top fat_chrisJoined: 10 Sep 2003Posts: 3198Location: Beijing Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:35 am Post subject: Asking you to arrive on a tourist visa? Hmm... Back to top Javelin of RadianceJoined: 01 Jul 2009Posts: 1187Location: The West Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:42 am Post subject: I wouldn't say anyone is trapped here by working illegally. If you're working without the proper documentation it's just as easy for you to leave as it is for the school to screw you over. Neither party is bound by the contract. Even if bound by a contract leaving is always an option. People only get trapped here if they're stupid enough to show up in China with no money and CAN'T leave if the employer decides to screw you over. Back to top roadwalkerJoined: 24 Aug 2005Posts: 1750Location: Ch Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:45 am Post subject: I almost got through it but couldn't read up to the end. Some is standard. I didn't think the section about the probationary period was worded in your favor, but since you said it was cancelled, then perhaps nothing to worry about. I couldn't understand what they meant about training during the holidays. First, that sucks. Second, are you expected to be the student or the teacher? Holiday pay during Spring Festival is pretty poor. Public schools generally pay through a long holiday with no work expected. Language institutes do a lot of business at this time, so obviously they have smaller holidays generally speaking. The key will be talking to other teachers, either current or former, or both. How do they treat the foreign teachers? Going in with a tourist visa is putting all of the risk on you. The contract you sign and email means nothing. If they change their minds, based on you or based on their circumstances, well, you've just won a self-financed holiday in Beijing. Congratulations!* (*Any offer made is not to be considered an actual obligation on the part of the school. Party A is a fictional character and any similarities to any person or school living or dead is purely coincidental. No recourse, do it today!) OP you have real teaching credentials so you could be making closer to a western salary in China or other countries in an international-curriculum school. But you missed out for this year no doubt, so this job could be something to tide you over for a year. But again, ask current or former teachers for information about the way the school treats teachers. If they can't put you in touch with any, that's a huge red flag. Back to top twilothunderJoined: 09 Dec 2011Posts: 442 Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:29 pm Post subject: GeminiTiger wrote: what roger said, but since they are asking you to work illegally the whole contract means little or nothing at all since they can do what they like to you once they have you trapped here. THIS Back to top ChrisTeacherJoined: 14 Apr 2011Posts: 9Location: Philadelphia, PA Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:44 pm Post subject: Sounds like going over on a tourist visa and then doing the visa is a recipe for disappointment. Here are some other edited parts of the tentative contract I was worried about -- I might still go anyhow, I have few opportunities here in the US at the moment. --- 1.3 在合同期内雇员负责担任(暂定)在北外附中(校区名称)Mathematics I: Fundamentals, Mathematics II: Probability, Statistics and Finance, Mathematics III: Calculus & Advanced Applications , Computing I: Introduction to Computing for Academic Study , Computing II: DataManagement, Computing III: Digital Communication , Business, Science & Social Science I: Communication skills , Science II: Scientific Principles , Science III: General Science , ACT math, ACT science_课程的授课教师,履行所在岗位职责。本公司可以根据工作需要安排雇员到不同校区、不同项目教授不同科目课程,雇员同意服从公司安排。 During the contract period, the employee is responsible for fulfilling the duties as the teacher of __ Mathematics I: Fundamentals, Mathematics II: Probability, Statistics and Finance, Mathematics III: Calculus & Advanced Applications , Computing I: Introduction to Computing for Academic Study , Computing II: DataManagement, Computing III: Digital Communication , Business, Science & Social Science I: Communication skills , Science II: Scientific Principles , Science III: General Science , ACT math, ACT science (course name) held (tentatively) in ___ (campus name). The Company may arrange the employee to teach different courses in different campuses and for different projects, and the employee agrees to the companys arrangement. --- Different campuses and different projects? Will I be expected to travel from school to school? --- 雇员每月税前总工资额为:人民币_14800__元, 其中包含每月基本工资人民币_4000_元。公司每月至少为雇员安排80课时,由于公司原因造成少于80课时的教学任务,按照80课时计算。课时数超过80课时以上的部分,则按照__150_元/课时核算。 The employees monthly pre-tax salary totally amounts to _14800_ RMB, which contains the basic monthly salary of __4000_RMB. The Company will at least arrange 80 class hours for the employee in a month. If the Company fails to arrange enough hours, the salary will still be calculated by 80 hours. For the extra part, it will be calculated as _150_ RMB per class hour. --- 协议生效期间的寒暑假,雇员享有基本工资和实际课时工资,课时工资标准为__150_元/课时。寒暑假的具体日期安排根据各个教学中心教学安排确定,每年会有不同。如果雇员寒暑假每月基本工资和实际课时工资总额低于5000元,则按照5000元发放。否则,按照基本工资加实际课时工资发放。 During the winter and summer holidays within the contract period, the employee will enjoy a basic salary and actual class fee, and the latter will be _150_ RMB / per class hour. The exact date of summer and winter holiday varies each year according to the teaching schedule of the teaching centers. If the employees monthly basic salary and actual class fee amounts to less than 5000 RMB during summer and winter holidays, the salary will be issued according to 5000 RMB. Otherwise, it will be paid in accordance with the basic salary and actual class fee. --- How long are winter holidays? Is summer holiday not after the end of the contract in June? --- 根据工作需求,公司可以在假期期间安排教学研讨会或者培训,雇员应把培训作为工作的一部分,不再另行支付报酬。 According to the work requirements, the Company may arrange teaching seminars or training courses during holidays, and the employee should take the training section as part of his/her work without any additional payment. 2.5.2 --- This does concern me.. training during holidays. --- 2.5公司为雇员提供岗前培训,培训期间提供食宿。岗前培训不是雇佣关系的正式开始,故雇员不会得 到工资或者其他的员工福利。如因雇员自身原因,在未得到公司许可情况下,不能完成岗前培训 并获得认证,公司有权终止合同。 The Company will carry out pre-job training for employees, and will provide accommodation during the training. However, the pre-service training is not the official start of employment relationship, so during the training employees can not enjoy wages and other employee benefits. If the employee cannot fulfil the pre-job training with certification for his/her own reasons as well as without the Companys permission, the Company has the right to terminate this contract. --- Pre-job training as a requirement makes me worry about some troubles with a proprietary curriculum (PGA) --- 全面完成本协议约定的雇员在完成之日可享受人民币8000元机票补贴和人民币2200元旅游补贴。 此补贴在本协议届满之日后一周内发放,本协议另有约定除外。 For employees having fulfilled this Agreement, they can enjoy a transportation subsidy of 8000 RMB and a travel subsidy of 2200 RMB at their expiry of contract. Unless it is agreed otherwise, these subsidies will be paid within one week after the expiry of this Agreement. --- Is this amount sufficient for a round-trip ticket? Is that how the travel subsidy is used most often -- people buy a round trip ticket for a year later, and then get reimbursed after completion - then they've got a ticket to visit back home. Then, if they stay on with the company, another travel subsidy is provided? --- 5.1 公司每月按考勤、课时数核算工资,根据中国法律相关规定,公司有权在员工每月工资中直接扣 除员工应缴的个人所得税。 The employees salary will be calculated monthly on the basis of his/her attendance and class hours. In accordance to relevant provisions of Chinese laws, the Company is entitled to directly deduct the payable personal income tax from the employees monthly salary. 5.2 按照中华人民共和国个人所得税法和出台的相关条例,公司在扣除雇员个人所得税时,须通知雇 员。 According to the Personal Income Tax Law of the People's Republic of China and relevant regulations, the Company shall notify the employee when deducting the personal income tax. 5.3 在任何情况下,如雇员还有协议中所提及的或任何其他的对公司的未付款,公司会保留所有在雇 员薪资中扣除应付款的权利。 In any case, if the employee has any non-payment mentioned in this agreement to the company, the company will retain the rights to deduct it from the employees payroll. 5.4 公司不负责雇员在中国境外发生的任何税款。 The Company is not responsible for any tax occurred by the employee outside China. --- Are these tax provisions standard -- with deduction directly from the paycheck? --- 6 证件 Work Visa and Foreign Expert Certificate 6.1 公司为签订全职协议的外籍雇员代办在华工作相关证件,证件的种类有来华工作许可证、居留许 可证、专家证。 The Company as an agent of the employee helps the employees to get necessary documents for the full- time foreign employees to facilitate their work in China, including Chinas work permit, residence permit and the expert certificate. 6.2 外籍雇员需在规定的时间内向各教学中心相关负责人提供办理以上证件的必要资料,否则公司保 留立刻终止合同的权利。 Foreign employees are required to provide necessary materials to the relevant person in teaching centers to apply for the above documents within the stipulated time, otherwise the Company reserves the right to immediately terminate the contract. 办理签证过程中所需的境内签证费用由公司承担。雇员需要承担体检费用以及境外签证办理的相 关费用。 The domestic fees occurred in the process of applying for visa shall be borne by the company, but the Employee is required to bear the medical expenses and costs associated with foreign visa. 6.5 如雇员经过公司允许需要中介参与办理工作签证,或者需要到香港转签,公司将承担此部分费 用。如因雇员个人原因或不可抗力因素未完成协议履行,雇员需要偿还公司此部分发生的费用。 If the employee obtains the Companys permit to hire an intermediary agent in the process of visa application, the Company will assume this part of the visa application cost. If the Agreement cannot be performed for the employees personal reasons or force majeure, the employee is required to repay the cost incurred by the company in this section. --- Does the fact that this is specified in the contract make the whole -- show up on a tourist visa because we need you now, then we get a work visa -- does that make it any more legitimate? Is a contract only legitimate if the work visa is actually obtained from the government before I arrive there? --- 7.3 寒暑假 School holidays 7.3.1 协议生效期间的寒暑假,雇员享有基本工资和实际课时工资。寒暑假的具体时间安排根据各 个教学中心教学安排确定,每年会有不同。 During the winter and summer holidays within the contract period, the employee will enjoy a basic salary and an actual class fee according to class hours. The exact date of summer and winter holiday varies each year according to the teaching schedule of the teaching centers. 7.3.2根据工作需要,公司可以在假期期间安排教学研讨会或者培训,此类培训为雇员正常工作职 责范围。 According to the work requirements, the Company may arrange teaching seminars or training courses during holidays, and the employee should take the training section as part of his/her work. --- Requirement to work during holidays for training does concern me. --- 时候不能披露、泄漏、使用任何公司商业秘密(包括但不限于协议的内容、工作、教学材料 等),否则,你将被立即辞退。 As the Companys employee, you may have the opportunity to contact and deal with some trade secrets of the Company. This information is necessary to maintain confidentiality, and the electronic or print materials in your hand require a secure collection and custody. By entering into this agreement, you have to ensure that the information cannot be disclosed or leaked, and you are not allowed to use any of these trade secrets (including but not limited to the content of the agreement, working and teaching materials, etc.), otherwise you will be immediately dismissed. 在任何时候,无论在合同期或合同终止后,你都不可以泄漏或者交流这些你在工作中得到的有 关生意、策略、事物、财政或者价格敏感的信息,或者任何的设计、进程、系统、发明、客户 信息或者供给信息。你不允许用这些信息为了个人的目的,除非是为了完成公司交办的工作任 务。没有公司的许可,你不得泄漏任何公司商业秘密。 At any time during or after the term of the contract, you cannot leak or exchange the Companys sensitive information on business, strategy, things, financial affairs or price, or any design, process, system, inventions, customer information or supply information. You are not allowed to use this information for personal purposes, unless it is for accomplishing the tasks assigned by the company. Without permission of the Company, you shall not disclose any trade secrets. --- Uh oh, looks like I already released the trade secret of the 'content of the agreement'? --- B、雇员发生以下行为,将受到口头或书面警告,并处罚款100-500元: In case of the following behaviors, the employee will be subject to verbal or written warning with a fine of 100-500 RMB: 12.9.12 其行为影响工作效率或者工作质量; The employees behavior affects the working efficiency or quality; 12.9.13 其言辞或者行为蓄意冒犯其他员工; The employees words or behavior deliberately offends other employees; 12.9.14 由于疏忽造成公司资源的浪费; The employees negligence causes a waste of the Companys resources; 12.9.15 无理拒绝跟其他员工的工作合作; The employee unreasonably refuses to cooperate with other employees; 12.9.16 拒绝汇报工作中存在的问题; The employee refuses to report the problems during work; 12.9.17 拒绝合理加班; The employee refuses reasonable extra work; --- Is this reasonable extra work clause a red flag? --- The employee breaks the provisions of the contract and discloses relevant salary and benefits to others, which causes negative effect. --- Or this? Might have done that already. --- 13 合同终止 Termination of this Agreement 13.1 离职通知期Notice period of resignation 13.1.1 对于正式雇员,任何一方欲终止该协议,需提前一个月提供书面通知。试用期雇员,任 何一方欲终止该协议,需提前七天提供书面通知。此外,合同协议可在达成一致意见的 情况下提前终止该合同。 During full-time employment, if either party wishes to terminate the Agreement, this party shall provide the written notice one month in advance. During the probationary period, such written notice is required to be provided seven days in advance. In addition, early termination of the Agreement can be achieved by the consensus of both parties. 13.1.2 发生辞退情况下,该员工应即刻离职,并且公司除支付其在职期间的劳动报酬不给予其 任何额外的补偿和福利。 In case of dismissal, the employee should immediately resign from the job, and the Company is only responsible for his/her labor remuneration during employment without any additional compensation or benefits. 13.1.3 雇员若在在职最后一月内未履行完整月的职责的情况下离职或被辞退,工资应当按比例 扣除。 If the employee leaves this job without completely fulfilling the duties of the last month, the company will make a proportional deduction from the employee's salary. --- This sounds reasonable. --- 15 竞业禁止Non-Competition 15.1 雇员在终止与本公司协议后的一年内禁止有如下行为: The employees is banned from the following acts within one year after the termination of the Agreement 15.2 为了个人或其他人、公司和企业的目的直接或间接地在中华人民共和国从事与本公司或本公司的 办事处、分公司或分支机构或与本公司有关的个人或企业有竞争或构成竞争关系的商业活动; Directly or indirectly carrying out business activities in the People's Republic of China that form a competition with the Company or the Company's offices, branches or affiliates, or individual or business relating to the Company for personal purpose or purposes of other persons, companies and enterprises; 15.3 引诱、唆使或者蓄意引诱、唆使本公司以及本公司分支的职员离职,不论这些人离职或违背了 劳动合同与否; Luring or soliciting or deliberately inducing and instigating the Company and the Company's branch staff to leave their jobs, whether these peoples leave violates the labor contract or not; 15.4 雇佣持有本公司或本公司任何分支机构或分公司的商业信息、商业机密或客户资源的在职主管、 经理、服务人员或咨询顾问等职工;从与本公司有劳动关系的任何员工、企业、公司、机构或 客户处进行招商。 Hiring the on-duty supervisors, managers, service personnel, consultants or other staffs who hold the business information, trade secrets or customer resources of the Company or any of its affiliates or branches; or attracting investment from any employee, enterprises, companies, agencies or clients that have labor relations with the Company. 15.5 若雇员实施上述行为,则雇员视情况应当承担侵权或者违约责任。 In case the employee perform any act mentioned-above, the employee shall assume the infringement liabilities or breach liabilities as the case may be. --- Are non-compete clauses standard? This appears to be a very private institution. --- Schedule 工作职责描述Job Description of the Teaching Position All teachers shall be in charge of the delivery, assessment and evaluation and administration of the teaching modules being taught. Specifically, Employee should be responsible for: 提前5分钟到达教室; Be in the class five minutes before the class starts; 上班期间按照公司规定着装。不许穿背心、短裤、拖鞋等非职业化的服装; Abide by the Companys dress code during working time. The employee is not allowed to wear a ″vest, shorts, slippers and other unprofessional clothing; 根据《教师指南》备课; Prepare lessons well prior to teaching according to Teacher Guide; 每周提交教学计划给教学中心校长审查 Write teaching plan per week, which is examined periodically by the principal of teaching centers; 根据教学大纲教授各个模块的教学内容; Teach the teaching contents of each module according to the syllabus; 参与课下辅导; Tutor students during self-study period after class; 纪录学生的出勤率; Record student attendance; 每个模块都要做教学纪录。在模块教学结束后,雇员签署姓名和日期上交给教学中心校长; Keep all records relating to the module being taught. At the end of each module, the employee should sign and date each section of the Class Record and submit to the principal of teaching centers; 完成模块教学过程中的学生能力评估表。当最终教学成果和教学评估完成时, 填写日期并签名; Complete and sign the Competency Sign off Logs as the students progress through the module. When the final learning outcome and the learning criteria have been completed, the date is inserted and signed by the employee; 每个级别完成后,辅助教学中心校长准备学生能力测试清单; Assist the principal of teaching centers in the preparation of the Student Competency Checklist at the completion of each level; 提交能力测试结果,课堂记录和学生能力测试清单不能晚于教学模块完成之后的两周; Provide the principal of teaching centers with Competency Sign Off Logs, Class Record Book, and Student Competency Checklists no later than two weeks after the completion of module; 确认所有评估材料和清单完整准确; Ensure that all Sign Off Logs and Checklists are complete and accurate; 给学生提供适当的批注; Assess students work with appropriate comments; 提供给教学中心校长批改的作业样本; Provide the principal of teaching centers with samples of assessed student work as required for moderation purposes; 每周或月给教学中心校长提供每个模块中的教学优势和存在问题; Report of each module taught by Employee weekly or monthly required by the principal of teaching centers stating its strengths, concerns etc; 确认问题学生,填写缺勤表格并且在每次评估后提交给教学中心校长; Identify students who are deemed at risk, fill in the Non-attendance Form and submit to the principal of teaching centers after each assessment; 完成每个模块教学之后,提交教师评估报告给教学中心校长; Complete the Teacher Evaluation Report at the end of each module and submit to the principal of teaching centers; 参与公司员工例会,研讨会等学术讨论; Attend staff meetings and seminars arranged by the Company and participate in the academic discussion; 接受公司听课安排; Accept open class by the Company; 通读公司要求的材料; Read all the related materials required by the Company; 参与公司安排的培训; Attend the teacher training courses arranged by the Company; 在公司同意的情况下,雇员应该给学生提供必要的教学材料; With the consent of the Company, the employee shall provide students with necessary supplementary teaching materials; 在公司要求下,雇员需要参与PGA项目的宣传和招生活动,包括但不仅限于公开课,教学录像, 示范课,家长会等。外教需要积极参与公司的听课,检查以及必要的研发工作; Under the requirement of the Company, the employee shall participate in activities regarding PGA propaganda and students enrollment, including but not limited to open class, teaching class recording, teaching demo and parents meeting. Foreign teachers should cooperate with the Companys attending class, inspection, and some necessary research work for schools, etc. 要求教师积极参与教研工作,发挥学科骨干带头作用。对于教学效果好,工作优异的外籍教师, 有机会活的骨干教师称号,并享受相应待遇。 Aggressively participate in teaching and research work, and give full play to the exemplary and leading role of discipline. The excellent foreign teachers with superior teaching effectiveness are available to obtain the title of backbone teacher and enjoy the appropriate treatment. --- Somehow the wording and specificity of these teaching principles scares me -- it looks like a system where I am a cog rather than a teacher. And the fact that I am at their whim on a tourist visa when I get there -- sounds like a trap. Back to top Non SequiturJoined: 23 May 2010Posts: 4724Location: China Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 6:02 pm Post subject: Your first job in China should have the least downside, rather than looking at all those dollars. The tourist visa approach is a major downside and for that reason should be a huge warning bell. As another poster has mentioned all the 'Party A and Party B' boilerplate is useless if there is no contract as is the case if you are here illegally. What are you going to do? Front the PSB or other agency and say 'I'm here illegally, but you have to help me'? Even though it is the off season for hiring, there will be legit jobs for start after Spring Break, so why not wait a month or so for these to be advertised. Back to top El MachoJoined: 30 Jan 2006Posts: 200 Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:53 pm Post subject: 14,800 is extremely low pay for a certified teacher. I would keep looking. Back to top Non SequiturJoined: 23 May 2010Posts: 4724Location: China Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:55 pm Post subject: But that pay level is certainly higher (although we don't know details of the 'package') than the average uni gig. Unless there are glowing testimonials from current and past FTs, I suggest look elsewhere. I agree that as a certified teacher with current registration in home country teaching at an international school here the base would be higher, plus there would be the other bells and whistles, such as accom, airfares. Back to top ChrisTeacherJoined: 14 Apr 2011Posts: 9Location: Philadelphia, PA Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 4:35 am Post subject: Got a prompt reply: 1) I am worried about travelling over and working on a tourist visa -- can we arrange a Z-visa in my passport before I arrive in Beijing? We will get you a work visa within a month after you arrive. Of course, we prefer to get you a work visa before you arrive here. However, it take about 50days to complete the whole process overseas which is too long for us. Our current substitute teacher is leaving 16th Nov. So, we hope you can arrive here around 20th. We will hire a visa agent to process your visa conversion which cost us about RMB3000. The company would like to bear the extra cost to meet the teaching schedule. --- There were better offers for certified teacher, which I didn't commit to, and I now regret -- I'm afraid I won't find anything for months if I refuse this offer now -- yes, I'm acting a bit hastily -- never been a good negotiator whatsoever. It's only to June -- which is 7 months. They seem to have missed the request for teacher e-mails who are there, I will ask again. Back to top Non SequiturJoined: 23 May 2010Posts: 4724Location: China Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 5:20 am Post subject: Without reading the contract I can't comment. No offense, but so many of these come onto the forum that I leave it to others. If you really believe it is an urgency thing that is giving cause to the tourist visa, then you may want to proceed with some input from another FT. Still the base salary is neither here nor there. It isn't a uni gig which would equate to RMB9-10K max with the housing, travel costed in. It isn't an international school offer either. My international school info is 10 years old but a senior registered primary/grade school teacher was earning 20K pm plus health, travel, accom then. The other FTs are the key I feel. Are you under pressure to get working? Back to top Banner41Joined: 04 Jan 2011Posts: 656Location: Shanghai Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:22 am Post subject: The medical exam is also a cost that should be carried by the school. It isn't much but it's worth you not having to pay for it. Back to top konaJoined: 17 Sep 2011Posts: 188Location: USA Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:34 am Post subject: A certified teacher of math with 2 years of experience is prime material for most IB international schools. You are in more demand than you think. If you don't have pressing financial issues, I'd say give this offer a pass, or make the Z visa a deal breaker at least. In fact, if you can stay put in philly for the next eight months (it's a long time, I admit), you could get on joyjobs.com, internationalschoosreviews.com, and/or tieonline.com and start making connections with international schools. Their benefits package will make that offer look like a stale hot dog in 7-11. Math and science teachers always seem to be in demand in the international school markets. But if you gotta get working sooner than later, then it's a whole different ball game... Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only) All times are GMTGoto page 1, 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved. Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group Teaching Jobs in China


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Listings in Chairs and Nonprofits
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subset: commoncrawl


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For the DV150F Dual-View Smart Camera, Samsung took two of its best point-and-shoot features and put them in one affordable camera.
On the outside, you'll find an LCD on back for framing and viewing your shots as well as a smaller LCD on front for self-portraits. This second screen can also be used to display a short animation to get the attention of a small child or possibly a pet as well as a countdown when using the self-timer.
Inside, there's a Wi-Fi radio for sending those self-portraits straight to a smartphone or tablet for instant uploading and sharing, or backing up on a computer or in cloud storage, or directly sending by e-mail or uploading to Facebook, among several other options.
Unfortunately, Samsung also put inside an inferior sensor to the backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS ones found in its slightly higher-end models, like the WB250F Smart Camera. The choice no doubt helped keep the price low, less than $150 in this case, but it also makes the DV150F less capable in low light without a flash.
But, if you do most of your shooting outdoors in good light, the DV150F's two fun features make this reasonably priced problem-solving camera worth considering.
Photo quality
Photo quality from the Samsung DV150F is good up to ISO 200. It's not a camera you'd want to use in low-light conditions or indoors without a flash. At ISO 400, a common sensitivity for well-lit indoor photos, subjects look soft, but are passable at small sizes. The photos get much worse above ISO 400, picking up a lot of noise and artifacts and losing detail to the point where subjects look smeared. (You can view this slide a little larger to get a better idea.)
Samsung DV150F Dual-View Smart Camera sample picturesSee all photos
Actually, noise and artifacts are a bit of a problem even at the camera's lowest ISO sensitivities when photos are viewed at full size; if you need to enlarge and heavily crop your photos, I wouldn't choose the DV150F. However, if you're considering this camera for its online-sharing capabilities and don't typically make large prints above 8x10s, the DV150F's shots are OK. You can read more about photo quality in the slideshow above.
Video quality is good enough for Web use at small sizes, but nothing you'd want to view at larger sizes on an HDTV. Panning the camera will create judder that's typical of the video from most compact cameras. The zoom lens does function during recording, but Samsung applies a noise filter while it's moving, which muffles the audio overall. It is reasonably quick to focus and adjust exposure. Also, you may notice some vertical smear when shooting with bright light sources; this is common with consumer CCD sensors. All in all, the DV150F is fine for short clips in good lighting.
Shooting performance
Editors' note: We recently updated our testing methodology to provide slightly more real-world performance information, so the results aren't necessarily comparable with previous testing. Until we're finished refining our procedures, we will not be posting comparative performance charts.
This camera is generally too slow for pictures of active kids and pets. Yes, you can always get lucky and if you are really good at anticipating action, you'll be able to get clean shots -- especially in full sun. The time from off to first shot isn't bad at 1.8 seconds. However, its shutter lag -- the time it takes from pressing the shutter release to capture without prefocusing -- is 0.5 second in bright lighting and 0.6 second in dim, which is enough to miss the shot you were after. From shot to shot, you'll be waiting about 1.9 seconds on average and 2.5 seconds if you're shooting with the flash.
The camera does have a continuous shooting setting that will capture at up to 0.7 frame per second. Focus and exposure are set with the first shot, though, so if the subject is moving fast, it might not be in focus very long.


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« Santorum: Oops, I Voted the Wrong Way on NCLB | Main | A Conversation With Arne Duncan »
Duncan: It's Time to Create Race to Top for Districts
Flush with $550 million in new Race to the Top money, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said he intends to use the vast majority of it to design a new competition just for school districts.
In an interview with Education Week yesterday, Duncan for the first time foreshadowed what the department's next Race to the Top competition will look like.
"I think we'll use it for the districts," he said. "You can do different things. You can do early childhood as a piece of that, or STEM as a piece of that. ... I don't want to commit, but the bulk of the money will go through districts...what we'll be asking of districts is still very much up for consideration."
Duncan, in a 30-minute, wide-ranging interview, also addressed what he sees as the strength of his department's waiver plan, the weaknesses of congressional attempts to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and his desire to stay on as secretary through a second term if President Barack Obama is re-elected.
In the fiscal year 2012 budget deal, Congress late last year awarded the department another $550 million to extend Race to the Top—Obama's signature education initiative—and this time allowed the money to be awarded directly to school districts, and not just to states.
It's clear that Duncan sees the potential of investing a half-billion dollars in districts, especially in states that are, as he calls them, "less functional" and haven't won any other competitive grants.
"I love that we played at the state level. I love that we played in the early childhood space," said Duncan, who is expected to talk about the new Race to the Top in a speech before the nation's mayors in Washington today. "But I'm really really pleased now to have a chance to participate with districts, and there's a huge appetite there."
Besides hammering out the details of what a new Race to the Top competition for districts would look like, Duncan's most immediate task is overseeing an ambitious new plan to grant states waivers from many of the core components of the No Child Left Behind Act—his answer to Congress' inability, so far, to formally rewrite the law. Already, 11 states have applied in the first round, with a second wave of applications due Feb. 21.
Given the choice between sticking with his waiver strategy or having to live with one of the proposed versions of a new ESEA Act offered by the House and Senate, he said the choice is clear.
"No question the waivers are a stronger plan," he said. "I hope that changes. I hope at some point next month, six months from now, or next year that we get a strong bipartisan bill; unfortunately that's not reality."
For the first time, Duncan telegraphed how tough he plans to be on states that win a waiver. It's the same kind of tough talk he engaged in before and during the original $4 billion Race to the Top competition for states.
"I'm not promising anyone we're going to bat 1,000. We may grant a waiver to a state that makes its commitments in good faith but doesn't keep them," he said. "And just to be very clear, and just as in Race to the Top, if we need to revoke the waiver six months from now, a year from now, two years from now, because folks can't deliver on what they said, we're more than prepared to do that."
He was almost as tough on states that don't apply for a waiver—such as California—and decide to stick it out with the current NCLB requirements. Though he said it wasn't his first choice, he said he was prepared to withhold Title I money to states, if needed.
"It is the law, so I think we have an obligation to enforce the law," Duncan said. "If it was warranted ... absolutely." (Chief of Staff Joanne Weiss added that any money withheld likely would be state administrative money, and not the Title I dollars that go directly to benefit students.)
In Race to the Top, Duncan is starting to live up to that tough talk, most recently by putting Hawaii on "high-risk" grant status and threatening to take away its $75 million award. Although the state has made progress in the last several days by reaching a tentative contract deal with teachers, which was a major stumbling block for Race to the Top, he said it's too early to tell if Hawaii is out of the woods. And the same goes for New York, which he said he's monitoring closely as that state also stumbles on its Race to the Top promises.
As for his future, Duncan—a former Chicago schools' chief—made clear that if Obama is re-elected, he wants to stay on for another four years.
"I'll have to see if he's sick of me first," Duncan said of the president. "I'd love to stay."
He cited all the work that's left to do, such as bringing down "unacceptable" high school dropout rates, and raising the country's college graduation rate.
"This work takes a long time. I said repeatedly I desperately wanted to do 10 years in Chicago. I did 7½, and literally this was the only job in the world that I would have left Chicago for," he said. "And I don't think there's a job in the world that I would leave this for. You gotta stick with this work, stick with it for the long long haul. I know how far we have to go."
Photo: U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is interviewed at his office in Washington on Jan. 17. (Stephen Voss for Education Week)


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January 2012 Litigation Calendar
Dear Valued Client:
Dye & Durham is pleased to provide the first of the Litigation Calendars for 2012, a quick and easy way to see what's happening in Court for the month of January.
Our calendar provides important information including:
– Trial submission dates;
– Dates on which Judges/Masters are NOT available;
– Website links to relevant other legal sites and new directives;
– Trial Scheduling telephone information.
To access this month's litigation calendar, please click on the link below:
This month's calendar covers Supreme Courts within the Lower Mainland and Victoria, and is colour coded to distinguish between registries.
Please be advised: The registry has limited storage capacity and has started discarding Application Records and Petition Records. It is recommended that counsel collect their binders immediately after the application has concluded. In order to facilitate the filing of your Application Record, please provide a filed copy of your Notice of Application or Notice of Hearing on the cover of the record (Practice Directive 28). The cover page of Application/Petition Records must include information of both lawyers; date, place & duration of application; and who the application record is being filed by (Administrative Notice 1).
Trial Division will only accept the following documents for filing at the counter: Trial Certificates, Jury Notices and Application materials set for the next day. All other documents will be submitted to the registry and will be returned within 2 – 3 days depending on volume at the registry.
Requires an original plus three copies of the Notice of Application and/or Notice of Hearing for filing. Requires that Requisitions to reset chambers applications have a FILED copy of the Notice of Application attached as well as noted the time estimate, whether the application is set before a judge or master and if by consent. Requires that the Jurat on Affidavits be clearly written or stamped with commissioner information. Affidavits which are unclear will be rejected by the registry. When submitting affidavits the filing statement should be scanned separately from the affidavit and a filing statement is also required when filing financial statements, again scanned separately from the document. All Consent Orders require a Requisition (Form 31) to be filed with them (original plus one (1) copy.
Court Services Online is not currently designed to accept documents from one court registry to be submitted into an alternate registry. In such cases, please submit documents manually. Where possible, please convert documents from Word to PDF before uploading to your ETRAY work order. When scanning your documents to PDF, each document must be scanned separately. The CSO system has a limit on files sizes of 8MB. When submitting an Affidavit for electronic filing, each Affidavit submitted must be accompanied by a Form 119 – Electronic Filing Statement. Financial Statements being filed electronically also require a Form 119 for filing. Electronic filing statements must include action number, registry and style of cause.