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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 2:55 am Post subject: American Eagle School and Seasame Street Question |
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Does anyone know anything about either of these schools, good, bad? I want to come to Taiwan, right now I'm in China, once SARS settles down and am looking for a reputable school to work at.
Thanks |
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Aristotle
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan
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Felix
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 34
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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In regard to American Eagle School: the Director is impossible to deal with.
She is an older woman who will bad-mouth you behind your back in an instant - within a month of working there, she was letting the new teachers know of her distaste for the owners of American Eagle school. Kind of like, "trust me, they're idiots, I'm on your side". In no time she was doing the same to me though, and I saw her true colors - not a woman to be trusted. "Very manipulative" to quote a fellow teacher. |
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Felix
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 34
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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...for what it's worth, American Eagle School isn't paying as much as they did last year. They used to pay 56,000 NT a month (base), and now the base pay is 53,000.
As far as the housing/utilities goes, they provide it - last year the cost was 2500 a month, this year it's 3500. |
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Pop Fly
Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 429
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2003 3:08 am Post subject: AES |
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Felix, are you talking about JB? If so, then I would agree with you that she is a menace and has zero management skills. Another one to watch out for there is the head teacher of the kindy...even though the foreign teachers were greatly resposible for the riot that happened there 3 years ago, effective management could have diffused the situation....but instead, these self-styled gifts to teaching fanned the flames of dissent to the point that all but one of the original teachers left after 6 months
I have said in the past that this is a good school to work for and I'll stand by that...I was hoping that the above mentioned people had moved on by now, but if they haven't, then you should think twice about working in their kindy department....
As for the owner and the Taiwanese staff go, they are helpful, friendly and kind....the school is modern and clean and we always got paid on time....
As for the pay descrepancy, I think it still works out to 65,000NT a month with the extra buxiban work....the rooms are small dorm rooms, but clean and quiet....you can find yourself a place in Hsin Chu for a little more money, but if convenience is your thing, I lived 14 steps from my classroom...not something I would do again, but it was quite cool at the time. We are talking about a negligible amount of money here....
To summarize...If Jerry and Kyle are gone, I would even consider going back...okay...no I wouldn't...but it would be a fine school to work for if you're ok with working with kids....I have moved on to teaching only adults and am loving it...
Good Luck |
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khmerhit
Joined: 31 May 2003 Posts: 1874 Location: Reverse Culture Shock Unit
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2003 3:11 pm Post subject: kindergarten cakewalk |
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[b]Popfly wrote
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Another one to watch out for there is the head teacher of the kindy...even though the foreign teachers were greatly resposible for the riot that happened there 3 years ago, effective management could have diffused the situation. |
Who said Kindergarten was a cakewalk?
Popfly, can you tell us anything more about the riot?!! |
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Pop Fly
Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 429
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2003 4:02 pm Post subject: Re: kindergarten cakewalk |
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khmerhit wrote: |
[b]Popfly wrote
Quote: |
Another one to watch out for there is the head teacher of the kindy...even though the foreign teachers were greatly resposible for the riot that happened there 3 years ago, effective management could have diffused the situation. |
Who said Kindergarten was a cakewalk?
Popfly, can you tell us anything more about the riot?!! |
It's been covered to death in other threads...see aristotle's links above...
But to rehash....at the behest of the head teacher, or rather with him egging them on, the majority of teachers (not me) decided to try to renegotiate our contract 2-3 months into it....naturally, the ownership didn't want anything to do with that and the defecation hit the rotating oscillator....the director ( old american woman) did nothing but spread malicious rumours about the teachers to the management and vice versa.....
One teacher, after getting no satisfaction (no kidding) from her hostile actions (threatening strike, etc) started beeyatchin' to the parents....naturally, she was fired immediately after showing the contract to some parents...I would have done the same thing....
By CNY, all but 1 teacher had done the midnight move....including me...and as I have previously stated...I have regretted it ever since.....my situation was beyond my control and had little to do with the uproar at AES....but I still regret leaving AES in such a lurch...they are good people and deserved better than what they got....
As I said...beware the old American woman who does the hiring and the CBC guy who is the head teacher....if they are gone, I would highly recommend AES as one of the best choices for a newbie teacher in Taiwan. |
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khmerhit
Joined: 31 May 2003 Posts: 1874 Location: Reverse Culture Shock Unit
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2003 5:08 pm Post subject: lock-out |
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Thanks Popfly. Sounds like a lesson learned.
Around the same time (three years ago) I was in Cambodia and seriously toying with the idea of striking. A little birdie put the idea in my head, saying You're being ******* by a Cambodian! (meaning the school's owner). And he had a point.
But it was clear that a strike would be opposed by half the teachers, a few of whom had families, and that it would lead nowhere. Except to instant unemployment!
For everything there is a season.... |
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Felix
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 34
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2003 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, Pop Fly, that's the Director I'm talking about - and she's still there.
The head teacher you mentioned has moved to another branch they opened in downtown Hsin-Chu. I never really worked directly with him, though I hung out with him a few times.
[At the end of the month I was paid 56,000 NT before taxes. That figure will drop to 53,000 for this coming year. Add to those figures the elementary bonus (about 10,000 a month), and do the math. PLUS, be sure to take out the extra 1000 they're charging for housing]
I have to say that in regard to the pay decrease - which you seemed to think was minimal - is quite substantial. It's 4000 NT less in your pocket each month. That's works out to over $1300 USD a year!
The bottom line is that you work LONG hours for them - and I wouldn't do it for less than they paid the teachers last year.
[/quote] |
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Pop Fly
Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 429
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2003 5:47 am Post subject: |
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According to their most recent advert....they have included the missing 2K as an attendance bonus....that was paid over and above the base of 55K when I was there....the extra 500 a day for evening classes was a result of the fight that I have already discussed....so you still take home 65K a month (b4 taxes of course)
That said, I am making 55K now and I only work 27 hours a week in the most pleasant of conditions and I have no prep, correcting or final reports to do....hourly I could do better, but why bother...quality in sacrifice of quantity....PM me if you want more info...
And yes...the housing fee has gone up from 2500 to 3500....
It's too bad they are trying to cheap out...they could be an excellent school if they would just get their heads out of their bankbooks....they are the most expensive school in HsinChu and maybe even Taiwan...tehy should reflect this by offering a decent wage to their staff...then maybe they could keep some teachers beyond a year (if they even last that long)
But as long as the American Hag is still there, I would steer clear of them...too bad too...cuz I really like the owner and chinese staff....
Last edited by Pop Fly on Sun Aug 31, 2003 8:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Felix
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 34
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2003 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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I agree that the Chinese staff is tops - I can only say good things about them.
...and I certainly would've considered staying on another year had it not been for the director. I wouldn't work under her again for any amount of money. |
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Felix
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 34
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2003 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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I agree that the Chinese staff is tops - I can only say good things about them.
...and I certainly would've considered staying on another year had it not been for the director. I wouldn't work under her again for any amount of money. |
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