The picture used in this article is from another story about organ donation which was recently reported. Images of this nature should not be treated as clipart. Full Comment>>

Although I do agree that the employers should bear the brunt of fines when an institution is busted, I don't agree that those working illegally are always passive victims. Ignorance is no defense, nor is stupidity: if you are going to take the word of an employer over information that is clearly displayed on ... Full Comment>>

The teachers from China are going to the UK as advisers to a number of "centers of excellence" which Gove/Truss want to set up to help develop maths teaching in the UK. The spur for the initial ridiculous idea (why yes, another pointless initiative rather than a revision of school funding based on real ... Full Comment>>

Coming from Michael Gove's Ministry, does this surprise you? Startling headline grabbing policy with absolutley nothing of practical substance behind it. "Free Schools" comes to mind... Full Comment>>

Michael Gove is an idiot and Elizabeth Truss is his prophet. The reasons Shanghai schools perform well in maths is because they are well resourced (teachers in Shanghai spend a huge amount of time doing in-service training and are very well paid compared to other places in China), have a positive demographic bias in ... Full Comment>>

I have a thing for aircraft so I took a sniff at some past incident reports involving this one and good lord is it awful: the accidents repeatedly involve the undercarriage. Again and again. And they have become more frequent over time. That shows scent regard for safety and I can see why NZ banned this aircraft ... Full Comment>>

It's a little dated but the "Education Statistics Yearbook of China 2005-2008" notes that in 2008 there were a little over 50,000 overseas students studying at undergraduate level in China and a bit over 10,000 at postgraduate level with a further 45,000 students studying non-degree language courses. This ... Full Comment>>

Google translate bu hao. Wo ting bu dong. :( Full Comment>>

This is the second "silly money" story regarding real estate companies in Henan which has hit the news in recent weeks. Another firm in Zhengzhou held a press conference to show off how much it was giving its staff in bonuses - which in some cases topped two million a time. Call me crazy, but I don't think ... Full Comment>>

Five years might look rutted but it's handy if you want to do a longitudinal study of undergraduate language learners. That's the kind of thing that ensures your time in China is useful and looks good on a CV. I used to do consultancy work for private colleges in the UK, including recruitment, and the fact is that ... Full Comment>>

No I won't have to explain myself on those terms because I don't do that and I'd never do that. Again though, why would you work in a kindie if you don't want to have a career in early years education? Sure, experience doesn't readily transfer to unrelated areas but it's your problem if you're not working in your ... Full Comment>>

If this is a sample of "Whichoffshore's" expert advice then I certainly wouldn't pay for it. Full Comment>>

EFL experience in China isn't useless if you want to be a pre-sessional EAP tutor. EFL experience in China isn't useless if you want to work in International Student Recruitment. EFL experience in China isn't useless if you want to work in specialist educational language support in places like London. EFL experience ... Full Comment>>

If they can afford to fly to Saipan to give birth then they're not exactly down at heel: give me your smooth, your moneyed, your middle classes yearning to buy designer handbags. The internationally mobile engine of an Asian led global economy. Full Comment>>

Studying or publishing is important but I don't agree that experience in China is time wasted when it comes to working in education. I am sure we could toss anecdotes back and forth and not come to a objective conclusion on this point though. Full Comment>>

A ten year audit of the TCM related research publish in the "Chinese Medical Journal" concluded that: "The majority of the research reports described preliminary findings and very few controlled clinical trials in human subjects were reported. Further applied studies will be required to demonstrate ... Full Comment>>

Staying in a nice place is good advice but it's not always possible. People can want something different for a range of reasons and sometimes better opportunities do come up elsewhere. I have moved twice and am still batting three for three with decent jobs. I would say that going to an in-person interview is ... Full Comment>>

JayKnox is the Byron of the expat world: a new Romantic hero, only he has the strength and sensibility to look directly into the darkness that lies within every laowai's soul. Maddened by a lack of protein, he wanders a bleak and ashy wilderness, forever cursed to search for an ever elusive beauty. His voice, a ... Full Comment>>

There's nothing wrong with being positive about one's life and work, or even about China - I am guilty of that crime myself, with aggravation - but could we at least pretend that punctuation is more than just a means of decorating tweets? I know this is a blog post but come along now: "He talked about how ... Full Comment>>

"I am young and dumb compared to what I will one day become." This aphorism shines like the accidental quarter in a washing machine's lint filter. Full Comment>>

International schools are so varied (from set-up-yesterday by the local Bo Daguanxi to internationally accredited IB hothouses) that I think this article's comparison is facile. Full Comment>>

Law is one thing, practice is another. Although the gap between legislation and reality is narrowing, and I like the direction of the new legislation, I feel obliged to point out that homosexuality was classified as a mental illness in China until 2003 and despite the fact that it has been removed from the official ... Full Comment>>

I skimmed her article - I have no intention of actually reading such bloggy tripe properly - and the only thing which struck me was that she has developed an antipathy towards recruiters and employment agents as well. No surprise given that she also doesn't meet the published requirements for a work visa, but it is ... Full Comment>>

6525 / 42 = 155. That's alot of police for a single business. I know there was a meth village in Guangdong which was shut down with hundreds of riot police the other month - and that seemed pretty justified - but if the numbers are correct then this is just headline grabbing. Full Comment>>

No hutong house in Beijing is 700 years old and the city doesn't experience much of a summer "monsoon". If you want a "real China" experience then come and live in a small city in Anhui or Henan - it's real because it's brash, concrete, has more money than culture and although you might be able ... Full Comment>>