@Tony
Not everyone shares your view of what "all" professionals want.
I know a lot of professionals [not only teachers] who take a pay cut to have better working conditions work hours, a more supportive team or other perks. Money is not all there is.
As I mentioned before look into the preschool sector. The problems, the demands [disregarding pay], and other factors play a big role. Even the age level of kids you are teaching in preschool matters.
Again check out the [Pre.] teachers quitting rates, burned out teachers, pay grades, all that stuff in Western countries, except most Scandinavian countries and look into why that is so.
Our school wants to step ahead rather than just follow the other schools and copy their ways and mistakes. Keep in mind that we are still using the same employment methods we used starting from the Industrial Revolution, completely neglecting the problems of the present.
I was teaching my gut out and made 20.000RMB a few years back but I never had time to spend it. When I got home it was evening, I had to carry home "a lot" of work, and even had to work on weekends. Even though I could have asked for money I let my contract end and left. I felt teaching is not assembly line work.
I was a subject and ESL teacher and actually still am. And yes I can ask or charge much more, as such.
Professional development is not just a little bit of training or giving a demo class.
It's more than that.
And what you said is not true there are many professionals with tons of experience still specializing and going to training courses, and why wouldn't they.
And if anyone rejects free training or development courses, it kinda shows the level of professionalism.
Those are the teachers we don't want and they bring a very bad attitude of 'know it all' into the workplace.
I am teaching for almost 16 years now. I have been through all school systems, all sort of subjects and courses, teacher development courses, and I am still happy if someone can show me something new.
Actually it's even nice to just get out of class to actually be the wiser after a good course or training.
The pay you mention in your school doesn't seem 'extremely' better, either.
15 contact hours plus the additional prep and office hours. More like 150ish . Plus your schools working hours are already exceptional and that is good. I am sincerely happy for you, coz having separation from your job is important.
But most schools demand you to stay there and kill time in the office, which is great if there is actually good management and people guide the teachers doing there job. But mostly they stuffed in an office and left alone without guidance just waiting for the time to go home.
But as I said I really and sincerely doubt that anyone here has 160 'working' hours per month and getting paid 150RMB/h to do so [as teachers].
I know a lot of teachers in Kunming and none of them makes more than 20.000RMB/ month salary [plus benefits].
Even KIA doesn't break the 20.000 RMB, at least not for the locally hired teachers.
Plus If you count in contact minutes, then our school has a good rate.
In our school you have to teach two 'must' periods of 30-35 minutes, the rest is snack time, play corners, learning centers etc.
So actual 'teaching' time is 60 -70 minutes/day total.
Plus keep in mind that I am looking for prospective applicants, and of course if there is a teacher that is an amazing talent with experience, and can stun me out of my shoes, perfect!
Then I can storm into HR and tell them to pay a whole lot more, coz then I can also lean back more and concentrate on other important things.
There is still a whole HR apparatus attached to it with negotiations and opportunities. 8000RMB is the base pay and as I said a very, very good teacher aware of the preschool system will probably know it's worth and instantly get that it's very good base salary for very few hours [in preschool] and then we can talk about it.
The guys who did HR or at least assisting at will know.