Job Discussion Forums

[Zakaria Hussein]

[LongShiKong]

[milkweedma]

What a load of nonsense. An apologist for a form of work that systamatically takes advantage of it's employees rights, terms and conditions of work has no credibility at all. There are screeds of posts (my own included) where blatant disregard for any educational outcome that wasn't motivated by power and greed and systemic lunacy are detailed on this and several other ESL forums pertaining to a host of asian countries including South Korea, China and Taiwan.

[LongShiKong]

[Non Sequitur]

At least one post so far from someone who actually works for Disney!
At the rate Disney is expanding who knows there could be a DoS or management role down the track for you.
The Disney learning materials are a helluva lot better than some of the stuff the public sector schools expect us to use.
My only question is whether it is a Disney owned school or a franchise outlet? As I understand it the interview comes before you are offered (or assigned) an actual school. May pay to check once you know the actual school.

[LongShiKong]

I actually checked out a Disney near the Beijing Olympic site. As for appearance, I'd put it up there with RYB (Red-Yellow-Blue (Scholastics in Beijing). Longman Schools (for kids only) still looked like and retained the name of the adult center it used to be (Dell English)--virtually no resources other than smartboards and, oh yes, the glove puppet of one of the ebook's characters.

One other difference I'm sure you're all aware of--Disney does have a dress code (semi-cas polo shirt and khaki pants provided) but for the record, it doesn't include mouse ears.

Makes sense. At Longman, there was one FT who deliberately dressed down (old, dirty T-shirt and jeans) just to test what I referred to as the unspoken mission statement: 'Whatever!'

[shenzhenbound]

[jppu]

I'm actually turning in my 3 month resignation today with a heavy heart. There are things about DE that I love and I will miss, especially the children whom I have seen grow tremendously in the 7 months I've been here.

Unfortunately, it's corporate America hands down so the atmosphere is just that chilly. In other words, everybody words hard - not smart. Personally, I am just not physically up to the pace that they require. It's just not for me, even though I am a much better teacher today than I was seven months ago, hands down. Their methodology, though far from perfect, when it's good it's wonderful.

Besides the physicality of the job as FT, I'm leaving is because I have accepted a position that is much more suitable for me in a city that is more laid back than Shanghai and this new position starts a month before my DE contract ends. And in between I must go back to the USA for a 2-3 weeks. So I have no hard feelings against DE in spite of the absolute arrogance and pride (negative aspect of pride) of the corporate heads. the bottom line is that I will miss Disney English and bringing joy into the lives of the children who, at least that I can see, may not get it elsewhere.

[LongShiKong]

As long as they slow the curriculum enough so that even the worst teacher with the most difficult class can reasonably succeed in teaching the target language then everyone's happy. Disney is American after all and this is America's education system--no child left behind (when no child advances).

[LongShiKong]

Disney's been around for years. Why don't people there report on the working conditions? Same reason that most teachers at privates don't. They're backpackers. There's none or little expectations other than the proverbial random degree req'd for such positions.