Job Discussion Forums

trent_5150 · Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 2

Hey fallon77
I worked for EF Nanshan in Shenzhen a few years ago. It was a pretty good school. All the teacher's got along really well with the CM. There are little problems with all EF schools as I've worked at 4 different one's.
Thank you

Trent

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

Trent good on you for posting despite the anti-EF sentiments held by some people on this board. I think that it is pretty clear by now that as a chain school some EF schools are better than others and now we can likely consider Nanshan and Huizhou to be worth a closer look. Any comments about the other EF's that you worked for?

You will no doubt be subjected the to normal 'he must have a vested interest in saying something nice' which seems to be the standard catch cry against people who post anything remotely positive about a school. This is counterproductive in my book as it discourages people with positive experiences from posting here. Funny considering the fact that those people who complain are also the ones who claim that they just want the truth to come out.

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

so lets try a new one - folks when you go to that buxiban site you will see on the right hand side of the page a banner (along with various others) for EF - now I'm not knocking this - but ya know on an independant site like this impartiality - even when threatened from the shadows - might be worth protecting.

By the way Clark if your so enamoured with EF why not get a job with them, and then you can actually give us some first hand info - I personally would but those make up hours (to get ya 40) of office and admin chores have made me have second thougts - of course along with the shared accomodation - and the starting rate of 5000RMB/40hrs/week=31.5RMB/hour Laughing

Paul Barufaldi · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 271 Location: Beijing

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

trent_5150 · Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 2

sorry for all the nonsense, the next time somebody asks about ef i'll just keep my mouth closed

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

whats immature about complaining about low wages for high work hours (school + office = 40 hours) - be it EF or any other school I think they deserve a red warning light!! They also reflect a standard by which other employers can operate - EF gets away with paying a pittance, so why can't they.

But Trent if you enjoy EF then good on you, but you just have to accept that if others don't enjoy how they operate - and there seems to be plenty of people who don't in many different forums - then they have a right to voice their feelings - just as you have done here.

foreignDevil · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 580

Am I the only person who thinks Trent is a Chinese-national manager/owner of some EF branch?

And whether he is or he isn't.... he needs to be schooled on the use of the apostrophe.

foreignDevil · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 580

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

If you just include the 20 hours teaching we come to grand total of - 63RMB/hour - and thats minus class prep time and travel Exclamation

What riches Laughing

Voldermort · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 597

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Regarding those placement tests, that’s a really good point above.
Then, don’t forget that “White Monkey Shows” when needed to advertise all not inclusive that 20 teaching hours.

OP, you’ve worked for 4 EF centers, but have only provided some “unspecific”, “un-detailed” info about that EF Shenzhen center.

China.Pete · Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Posts: 547

Having worked for language schools for varying periods of time in and out of China, I can say that I prefer other teaching jobs more. I can also say that, on balance, the language schools in China can be harder to work for than others. Management is not my biggest gripe (though I could come up with plenty to winge about if I set my mind to it!). Often students have no idea how English should be taught, and may fully expect that no effort or even much participation should be required of them. Therefore, schools that actively promote good teaching stand to lose a good number of students for that reason alone. That being said, I have always been paid the agreed amount for my work, even when scheduling issues meant I didn't actually teach some of the classes.

I have no direct experience with EF, like most of the posters on this thread. So, I wonder, why do some feel this need to trash a particular school/chain for low advertised wages, requisite working hours, etc.? Wouldn't just not working there be a better option? But for those like the OP, and others who are perhaps just getting started in this business, language schools can be a great way to build up some real-world teaching experience. Rather than just going after the OP, why not direct job-seekers to a better chain, if such exist in China? But if you're saying that no language school is worth working for, then aren't you cutting off a lot of FTs from the job market who are not presently suitable for, or perhaps just not interested in, university or K-12 positions?