Job Discussion Forums

legaleagle05 · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 10

There was an article before this forum was put up, in the old forum about an ex teacher leaving and writing up how the director was the best blah blah blah... I can tell you first hand that that letter was written by the then (now fired and demoted to teacher) director at Telfort because I recognized the BS and his personal email address.

But he was right to say that the Chinese staff and the GM there... are amazing... the best I have come across.....

The CEO, Bing is guttless and all talk.... and is a lacky of the his 2IC, Peter.

Chris_Crossley · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 2:35 pm Post subject: Nothing changes, does it?

Even four years ago, when I first came to China, Delter had a notorious reputation for treating their FTs like second-class citizens.

Plus ca change.........

ellen · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

My husband and I are on a mission to warn ESL teachers about Delter Telfort schools in China. You will be sorely disappointed by this school. Let me tell you all of our expereinces with this organization.

Our first day in Beijing, we were brought to our apartment and were horrified. The shower, toilet and sink didn't work! They offered to let us use the restroom in an apartment down the hall. This was totally unacceptable, yet we were confident that there was a misunderstaning. The following day, we were given the apartment next door but the kitchen sink was collapsing, it was coming off the wall and falling in. We complained about this and they promised that will be fixed. Still having some hope, we signed our contracts. Suddenly, they forgot about this broken counter top. When the snow melted and weather turned warmer, brown bugs and lizards crawled from the walls.

Neither my husband nor I worked at this school. We both had to work at partner schools. The second day my husband went to work, his wallet was stolen by a student! He had to borrow money to return home. That student never returned to class and then transferred. He also had extreme difficulty even getting to the school, he was kicked out of several taxis.

I started at a high school and also had to take a taxi. They school gave me wrong directions! I ended up an hour from campus with no way to find the high school or home. Telfort gave no explaination or apologies for this problem. They also sent me there with no materials. I was told the class would be conversational. There were only 2 students at this level, the others had only a few English lessons. When I was able to make it to this class, I would have to find books to make copies from so that the students had something to do for 2 hours. This should not be the ESL teachers responsibility.

Even more insulting, Telfort wanted to get a corporate job and sent us to do a trial class. We later learned that we were competing against each other for this job--only one of us will ultimately teach this class, the company will choose. This is not a good position to put a married couple. Oh, and we were sent there without materials. We didn't know what to do or say in front of a room of professionals, very embarassing for all parties involved.

We were told that Delter Telfort uses two names for "marketing purposes". We never understood that. We seem to think it's because of their reputation or for some other shady practices. We worked for Telfort, but my husband went to work for Delter--make sense to you? Not to us either.

Fearing this school will hold our passports, we didn't tell them we wanted to leave. We later were told by the director that they were spying on our emails and knew our intentions. He actually sent this in an email--I can fowarded it if anyone's interested. The day we got our passports, we booked the soonest flight out of there. Knowing that this school was spying on us only made our decision to leave that much more important. They will listen to your phone calls and read your emails. We never used them to mail letters, so we don't know if those are read as well.

Our biggest mistake was not searching postings about this school. Upon return from Beijing, we started our search and found this school has a repuation for being terrible. Please beware! This school has broken us. We spent too much for our flights to and from Beijing and that will never be returned to us. We left our careers behind for this. ESL teachers aren't kids who have nothing else to do, we wanted to go into this being legitimate teachers. We had lives before Telfort and rerouted them to be apart of this organization only to come back home with our lives in shambles.

Delter Telfort has taught us to never trust an ESL school. We are very sorry we worked for them. And you will be too.

The only upside to this tale is, we got to see Beijing. We enjoyed being in China very much. We are not sure if we can work there again, once burned it's hard to try again. We do encourage ESL teachers to try China, but please stay away from Delter Telfort.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Sadly you had such a bad experience BUT not all language schools are like this. I briefly worked for a charming little school called Dell International in Hangzhou last year. It was efficient, had plenty of teaching materials, and payday was on time (actually a couple days earlier). When I told them I accepted a job in Suzhou, it was well wishes all around and invites to come back if things didn't work out.

If you ever get a financial footing and want to try again, rest assured not ALL schools are like Delter. BUT there are many schools out there that are equally as shady - - it's best to try China with eyes wide open - - ask lots of questions, get things in writing (not always reliable, but it's better than nothing), etc. etc. ad naueseum. I don't mean to come down on Ellen, but it sounds like maybe, just maybe, you came over here too quickly without checking things out the best you possibly could before embarking. Or, maybe not!

I noticed this was your first posting at Davel's, so maybe you have been a lurker for awhile. There's generally all sorts of good info here and often (but not always) some decent feedback and advice. Hindsight is 20/20 I guess.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

tofuman · Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Posts: 937

Keen observation regarding the stigma attached to the position rather than the individual. Somewhat like being a male nurse.

The only solution is to treat the job and its proponents with more disdain that they treat you. Find something else to do in China besides teach English. Carefully choose the job offers that come your way, give them a try and if not to your liking, tell the people, in a manner of speaking, to "Go to hell."

A foreigner in a major city was recruited by the CEO of a company in a special economic zone to become a private tutor. The CEO almost immediately started treating the tutor like a lackey. The tutor terminated the relationship, cutting his losses and adamantly rejecting further enteaties to resume the relationship. He maintains his self respect and does not care at all whether the CEO ever learns English.

There are lots of opportunities in China and a fair share of decent Chinese people. But if you position yourself like a doormat, you will get stepped on.