a good teacher in Shanghai?

[rose~]

I am looking for a teacher of Chinese who could tutor me once or twice a week in Shanghai.(I am not looking for language exchange as I do not have time to commit to my "side" of the deal.)

I have had problems so far with putting out adverts as for the most part I got language exchange requests and reqests for me to work as an English teacher. Also many people replied who are students or just graduated so teaching is not their profession. This wouldn't be a problem normally, but I am specifically looking for someone to teach me writing.

I really need a professional teacher who is comfortable around foreigners. For example, I met with one student from Fudan who wanted to tutor me and she kept on discussing how foreigners faces are different to Chinese people's faces. I don't mind that, but it's not an interesting subject to me, and it wasn't part of the lesson. I don't want to pay to waste my own time talking about such silly things.

Also, I found that younger, inexperienced tutors may suggest that there is no need for a foreigner to learn to write, and I find myself explaining why I do need to write at all to the teacher!

I do appreciate these arguments, but I hope that a true vocational teacher of Chinese would be enthusiastic about teaching writing and that it would not be the first time they had encountered a foreigner learning to write.

I think that I need someone who has studied 对外汉语教学 or a closely related subject such as linguistics so that they will be able to explain written Chinese grammar well.

My final problem with people doing tutoring as a byline is that they have no idea how to guide the learning process. I need sombody who can give a well-planned lesson, not someone who will turn up and ask me "what questions do you have about Chinese?" and almost seem to expect me to lead the lesson.

Basically, I feel that although some language exchanges and student tutors may be great sometimes, that I don't have time any more to waste in finding the right one, as I have not made much progress since coming to Shanghai. I feel like a real teacher would be a safer bet.

I don't know if others can empathize at all.

Any suggestions are very welcome!

EDIT: Also, a Shanghai-specific problem. The private language schools here cater overwhelmingly to expat spouses and business people who just arrived. They are not what I am looking for. They seem to have no experience with someone past low intermediate level, they are overpriced. Also I whilst I have been looking for a teacher online, I have run into their adverts (in Chinese) for teachers and I see that they not only pay their teachers poorly, but that they have low standards for recuitment generally as well.

[dalaowai]

I suggest that you go to a University such as JiaoTong University and ask if a professor can teach you. Professors usually charge between 60 and 100 RMB per hour, but will recommend which books you should be following based on what you need. (i.e. HSK)

They know their teaching material and quite a few of them offer tutoring. If you think that it's pricey, you might be able to discount if you contact the teachers directly, instead of through the school. Wait around campus, you can ask foreign students about their teachers, which one is good and find out if someone has their phone number or e-mail.

Good luck!

[Crivens200]

I think that's a great question and highlights that it really is very difficult to find a good teacher anywhere in China. I lived in Shanghai for 6 months in 2003 and found it impossible to find a teacher who would guide the learning process. It's even more difficult finding a teacher where I live now in deepest jiangsu province.

I would keep trying a few teachers until you find someone who suits you, and don't be afraid to stop a teacher if you don't like their style.

I think the trick is to keep plugging away in your own time - there's no substitution for hard graft.

[rose~]

Thanks for the ideas.

Finding a good University Professor is a good idea, I am not sure how to approach them though. Maybe email them directly?

The private language schools here do not seem to be as good as the ones in Beijing- they hardly offer courses above beginner's level from what I have seen so far, and are very expensive. From what I remember in Beijing there were some quite advanced classes going on, but here they only have a few classes at advanced or high intermediate level, and they are advertised but not actally running- they don't have enough students to run the class. Also they offer the usual "reading the textbook and talking about it", which I don't think will help me with writing.

If anyone can recommend a language school though and prove me wrong that would be really welcome- ideally on subway line 2.

This sounds mean but I am glad I am not the only person who found this problem!

[davin]

Hi Rose,

This is an old thread, but since I am now living in Shanghai and facing the same problem of finding a decent tutor at a reasonable price (which seemed quite easy when I lived in Beijing), I thought I'd see if you ever found a good tutor/teacher option? Anyone you could recommend?

Thanks!