Job Discussion Forums

[JimmyJam]

anybody who can share something about these two schools/companies? I'm starting a thread hoping to gather some infos about them... i've met some FTs here in Changchun who told me that these schools/companies hold your passports and other documents just to let you teach for them though against your will... they are agents and not schools i guess. Good and bad points about them will be appreciated. thanks.

[Captain Yossarian]

JimmyJam,

Tianyuan is legendary in Changchun. SO many people have been treated badly by them. Two of the foreign owned schools in Changchun were set up by Americans who had such a bad experience at Tianyuan that they decided to do something better. I know at least 6 people who have worked there and not one of them has a good word to say. The main complaints were the usual mixture of broken promises, contracted work (no classes in school), documents detained etc.

Tianshuo is less well-known but is an agency that farms teachers out and is building a bad reputation (along with 'Simon's' teaching agency). Considering that Changchun's Baidawei and Aston schools have such a good reputation with parents and teachers' I would suggest looking into those schools or applying at a university before approaching Tianyuan or Tianshuo.

Hope this helps,

Captain

[JimmyJam]

[Voldermort]

As far as Tianshuo goes, I have so much to say about them. But at this moment in time I am affraid to do so. I will say however that most of the rumours are true. Inparticular the salary, 3200RMB is what the average filipino teacher will recieve, I know some teachers there that earn only 2500RMB for full time work.

As for the contracts with the schools, all true. If a school likes you, they will tell the agency they want you teach there full time. But the agency will then up the price, so of course the school is going to refuse. But to make things worse, the agency will then tell you that you are a bad teacher, and as a result of this, they will not pay you the full salary.

Be warned.

I will give you the full story within a few weeks, but like I said earlier, at the moment I really cannot do so.

[ironlady]

Yes, I agree to all your comments about these agencies in Changchun. I have a friend who was about to sign a contract with Tian Shuo but was warned by teachers who are already employed there, so thanks GOD she did not become another victim of these agencies. Tian Shuo charges very high salaries from the schools and gives very low salaries especially to Fiipino teachers, 2500 yuan per month. They don't care for the teachers anymore once they have sent these teachers to the schools.

Be warned! Don't go to these agencies.

[JimmyJam]

Indeed, i've heard that TianShuo offers 2,500 rmb to Filipino Teachers given the fact that they are non-native speakers... but I have a Filipino friend who has been asked by the same company to teach in a city where they were just beginning to establish connections. He was paid 150rmb per hour. He worked 4 hours per day which made him earn 600rmb per day.. he only worked three days per week and was paid on time every two weeks. they were satisfied with his work so all his demands were given to him.. but he refused to come back coz the primary school is two hours away from Changchun.. pollution and cold weather made him a bit sick...
The said company has a contact in the Philippines.. just like a sending recruiter who works illegally and collects an agent's fee (1,000 to 2,000 usd) from applicants who are promised sure work and good living conditions etc.. but when they arrive in changchun, they have to wait and wait and wait.. they share apartments.. plus some of them have their documents submitted to the company who in turn won't release them if they refuse to work... duh.. what could possibly be done to stop these people?

[Voldermort]

Something had to be done about these agents, not only do they completely screw us over, but when we do manage to get away from them we have such a bad name. This leaves us with very few options.

Recently I managed to break free of TianShuo, I can tell you it was not easy. As far as I am concerned I did everything the right way, by western standards at any rate. But this was not good enough for them. As a result I had to leave the country which was not cheap.

Currently, I am still in Changchun but due to the bad name and the time of year I am finding it extremely difficult to find work, legal or not. I will give the full story just as soon as I have a new contract and legal status here. Before that I fear that things could be made worse for me. The agent told me "If you say anything bas about us behind our backs we will punish you", Like no salary, home and near deportation was not a punishment enough.

I warn anybody that thinks of going to these 'reputable companies', on your own head be it.

[JimmyJam]

Nobody seems to challenge these two companies... they have a solid connection with someBODY up and beyond...

I guess, the only thing which can be done is to warn others through our posts here at Dave's and other ESL websites..