Moving to China to teach English with enthusiastic 11 year old Daughter

[krs18]

I am planning to move to China this May/June to teach English from Canada. I am a young single mother of an 11 year daughter who is very very excited to go. I am having a hard time finding info about schooling for her. There is no way I could afford international school on a teachers income. Especially with no experience. And I am not really sure of what my other options are. We do "plan" on staying in Asia for a good couple of years and possibly longer. What are affordable options I can look into? I definitely want her to learn the language but I would like English as well. I have considered correspondence from Canada but I would also want her in a class room setting.

Any Ideas, options and advice for us would be greatly appreciated. Not just education but living in china as well. I know it will be different having an 11 year old but keep in mind she is almost 12 and very independent and has a strong sense of adventure, and adapts well in all situations.

I have plenty options for cities to chose from. Still trying to decide on the best fit for us.

Thanks for any advice

[HarryCallahan]

I would think your options are international or home schooling.

As for normal public schools... imagine dropping an 11 year old Chinese kid with no English ability into a Canadian classroom. They'll need a lot more than enthusiasm.

It's common for expats to start single and move back home because the kids they've brought into the world need an education. Attempting the inverse manoeuvre does seem rather ambitious.

[anonymoose]

Edit: Misinformed post. Mod please delete.

[Cat Jones]

If you get a position teaching at an international school they might enrol your daughter and waive the fees. I've seen a few positions where school fees are included in the salary package.

[ChTTay]

I know someone who enrolled their child in a distance/online school then hired a fairly recent graduate who was working in China to be the childs tutor as well. Essentially went over any problems, checked their understanding and also helped with homework and stuff.

Just an idea if you planned to home school but didn't want to do it all yourself. I think this "online school" had classes over the internet but not sure...

[HedgePig]

Anonymoose, are you certain that foreign kids can't attend govt schools? I thought in Shanghai at least that had changed several years ago. I do know that there are local private schools that foreign kids can attend and these can be much, much cheaper than the International Schools. Some local schools also have foreign divisions which, while not cheap, may be half the price of the more expensive International schools.

Having said that a local school might be a possibility, I I would still agree that dropping an 11 year old into a local (govt or private) school would at the very least be extremely challenging. I wouldn't expect the school to give much help in the way of catching up and style of schooling would be very different and generally in way that most Weaterners wouldn't like. There is a lot of rote learning and huge amounts of homework. Your daughter would simply be expected to adapt.

[Angelina]

Why did you emphasize how enthusiastic the child is? Children, unfortunately, aren't aware that international schools are really expensive and that studying at local schools is challenging even for Chinese students. There is a similar thread somewhere on the forum.

[anonymoose]

Anonymoose, are you certain that foreign kids can't attend govt schools?

It's what I had heard, but maybe things have changed. Now that you mention it, though, I do seem to recall seeing some foreign kids wearing Chinese school uniforms, so maybe...

[roddy]

Krs18, did you make the move? How did it go?