Job Discussion Forums

[Lisha]

Hey all! I just recently started a search for teaching English abroad and I've been trying to research the Buckland school, only to find mostly good and a couple of bad reviews. The bad reviews seemed to regard ethical issues with Buckland and are not that important to me. All I really want to know is if the salary I was quoted, which I broke down daily to the equivalent of USD $15 per day, is enough for basic comfort (ie food, hygiene products etc.) and recreational activities. Also, if the apartments provided are in an area where one would feel safe AND if there is someone available to help you if you should encounter a problem. I can use any help I can get in a search for a reputable company in which to teach through (in China or Japan). Thanks!

[Long ai gu]

Hello Lisha, Buckland is just a recuiting agency for the many schools in China. You will be working for the school and they are all different. Buckland should give you a choice of where and who you want to teach. Sounds like your getting about 3700RMB per month. Average wages here are 3000-6000 RMB per month. It depends how you spend your money. You can blow it all at expensive restaurants and bars or live quite cheap. I live cheap and it's no problem for me to save money. Some places are safer than others I suppose, but I've never had a problem with stealing or break and enter here. Some foreigners have. I like to teach college or university because they understand more English than the younger students. I taught middle school for a semester and vowed I would never do it again. It is very difficult to get Chinese students of any age to talk, so don't get discouraged when you first start teaching. Speak clear and separate your words when you speak, first they must understand you or you will lose them. Try to make them laugh and be totally honest with them about your life, tell them stories about yourself and your country etc. 99.9% of these students have never left their country and are very curious. You will be stared at on the street, take it with a sense of humour or it will drive you crazy. China has been a love/hate relationship for many foreigners. There's a million things I could say, but I'll stop here. If you have any questions please ask, maybe I'll remember to tune into to this posting--good luck and welcome to China...

[tofuman]

"The bad reviews seemed to regard ethical issues with Buckland and are not that important to me."

Lisha,
You might want to reconsider whether ethical issues have anything to do with you. If you happen to be affected by their ethical issues, it will have everything to do with you. It could make the difference between the best or worst experience of your life.

[nolefan]

a lot of the so called issues with buckland stem from misunderstandings and lack of communication. Those guys are business people and teachers tend to forget that sometimes. Also, they are not mind readers; they cannot know what you want if you don't tell them. Buckland is one of the only two recruiters that I would trust in China.

Double check on the salary as it seems a bit low should be at least 4000RMB/month for 16 to 18 periods teaching.

[andrew_gz]

"should be at least 4000RMB/month for 16 to 18 periods teaching."

It should be higher than that.
But as long as there are takers...

[clark.w.griswald]

From my understanding of things, many of the negative comments about Buckland come from one individual. In Owens reply to this guys continued harrassment, Owen suggests that the guy's complaint is largely based upon the fact that after working through Buckland the guy set up a recruitment firm in competition to Owen and failed. I think that this is borne out by this individuals continual complaints about the commission that Owen receives for placements, rather than complaints about the quality of the service offered.

More telling though is the fact that a number of teachers and ex-teachers have come out and said positive things about Owen and his team. We all know that most people are only too willing to make complaints but few are willing to take the time to say nice things about companies. The fact that a number of people took the time to post positive experiences about their dealings with Owen says a lot in my book.

Roger once questioned Owen about his business practices and I thought that Owens replies were pretty reasonable and honest.

For what it's worth, it seems that Buckland is more likely to place you well than most other recruiters, so if you are going through a recruiter then going through Buckland may not be such a bad idea.

[ChinaMovieMagic]

I haven't worked w/Buckland, but I will, starting in July in Yangshuo.
One key element...since he places/issues the Work PermitsContract etc. to the teachers in the Buckland affiliated schools, the teachers don't get STUCK in unethical schools. Owen tells his teachers "If the schools don't fulfill the contact, give them 48 hours notice. And then leave."

From the Website
www.bucklandgroup.org

Contract Benefits:
1. Monthly, after tax, salary of 4000 to 6000 Yuan RMB (except Yangshuo, Guilin and Hainan which are between 2500 and 4000)
2. International Airfare allowance of 4000 to 10000 Yuan RMB dependant on contract length (4000 for half school year contract, 8000-10000 for one school year. Reimbursed at the completion of contract.)
3. 2200 RMB travel bonus for completion of full academic year contract.
4. Up to 200 RMB per month utilities allowance.
5. Up to 15 days consecutive paid sick leave with note from doctor.
6. Paid public holidays, plus (for one school year contract) 30 days paid vacation.
7. Every teacher is given a private apartment complete with utilities (phone, air conditioner, stove, refrigerator, water heater, etc.).
8. Minor medical treatment is provided free of charge in the school clinic as provided to local teachers.
9. Free weekly Chinese language classes.
10. Free Orientation which covers awareness and preparation for culture shock and possible problems, and brief training courses for teaching Chinese students. (Free accommodation is provided during the teachers take this orientation in Yangshuo)
11. Residence Permit and Visa expenses covered.
12. Free use of bicycle.

- Additional Benefits:

1. Full time 24 hour support.
2. Official letter of invitation and sponsorship for visas and permits.
4. Local sightseeing tour during vacations.
5. Pick-up at Guilin airport.

[Sinobear]

With an income of 4K THERE IS NO TAX PAYABLE. Big deal. Abroadchina.org can get you the exact same position at double the salary.
With your L visa, you won't be getting a Z visa, and THEREFORE HAVE NO HOPE OF COMPLETING MORE THAN 3 MONTHS with a school. Bye bye bonuses!
Utilities are normally covered when you live on campus anyhoo...no biggie there.
Up to 3 consecutive sick days, thereafter, you'll be turfed by the school.
Concerning holidays, you won't get a one-year contract, so you won't be paid for this time.
Residence Permit and Visa expenses would be covered, if it were possible to convert a L visa to a Z, but it's not.
Free use of bicycle while the school admin whizzes by you in a Mercedes that you directly help him/her to fund. Whee!

Blah, blah, blah...what would be expected of any host school.

Great deal.

What I want to know is...where are the Buckland teachers on this forum who have been with his organization for two years plus? If he/it is so great...why are the only Buckland supporters on this forum either short timers, or more laughably, not even employed through him?

Cheers!

[oprah]

To chinamovie: This information from Buckland is standard in China. If you have been offered 4,000 rmb, you may find they will deduct 200 rmb for hydro, then they will deduct 300 rmb for food, which will reduce your take home pay///

[Roger]

You can safely ignore grumpy cynobabe's comments - half of his "observations" are nonsense, the rest is opinionatedness.

For instance, BUckland's partners routinely manage to get a work visa for people arriving on a tourist visa.

There is a school in BEIHAI, Guangxi A.R., that has for years recruited FTs from Buckland. Buckland also sends teachers to provinces in the NE; not all takers are reputable, to be sure; however, once a school is in breach of agreements Buckland will look after your interests.
This includes the offer of housing (for free) at their Yangshuo headquarters as long as you are idle, at full pay. They endeavour to place you in a new school without further disruption to your life. Now where is the CHinese employer that houses youonce he deems you redundant?

[clark.w.griswald]

[Sinobear]

Roger: name calling really helps support your argument, doesn't it. I wonder how you manage to look up words in the dictionary whilst eating Swiss cheese on French bread. Try an English muffin.
Clark: As I mentioned in my post,

[Roger]

No, cynobear, you are not looking for BALANCE; you are looking for something else - maybe to discredit some posters (CMM, myself). you have made this abundantly clear in a number of your posts.
If "balance" was what you were trying to create then why not accept positive feedback from people who actually know Buckland and its owners?
Just throwing aspersions on Owen, CMM and me is disingenious. You are entitled to your scepticism but to have a contrarian opinion without knowing the recruiter is having bad faith. It would be more honest for you to keep your prejudices to yourself. What you are doing is to bad-mouth Buckland and some posters here - not that this could possibly raise your own profile here.

[kellyb]

well, i am working for Buckland at the moment and i cant recommend them highly enough. I know many other teachers also employed with Owen at the moment who feel the same as me. Owen has been a real help and the schools he sends you to have to meet certain standards for you to work there.
We were sent to a pretty rough place (not a buckland partnership school) but after 48 hours of misery we contacted Owen and he said come back to yasngshou no problem and we'll sort something. We stayed in Yangshou and were paid for the time we were not working. Excellent. Now we are at a brilliant school where the living and working conditions are excellent.
Owen and his representative in our province are always available for a chat and some advice , when needed. They will try to place you in a school to fit your requirements, however you must remember the schools will also have an idea of what type of teacher they want, so be prepared to be a little flexible. Hope this was of some help.

[Lisha]

I appreciate everybody's input, even Sinobear, though it is not what I wanted to hear. Anyway, Buckland is still ahead in my score keeper. My new concern is this, I first sent a casual email inquiring about the program, then sent in my resume, cover, etc., and only two days later I recieved an email saying they are going to send me a sample contract. I had expected to get something more like, "We'll screen your application and contact you soon, bla bla bla..." It just seems too easy. Is this par for the course? I'm nervous about going through the trouble of getting out there and not getting a job. BTW, the pay is 4000RMB/month.