View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Forbes
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 8
|
Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:35 am Post subject: WEB, Kai'en or Wall Street (Shanghai) |
|
|
Does anybody work for these guys and can provide some inside information? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898
|
Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
Have you tried the search button? There are quite a few threads on these companies. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Drizzt
Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 229 Location: Kyuushuu, Japan
|
Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Ok a quick breakdown for you.
Wall Street pays the most but you also work the most hours.
Web is middle ground in this respect.
Kai en pays the least of the three but from what I've heard they offer the most as far as professional development is concerned.
The only one I actually interviewed with was WEB (when I was in Shanghai), but ended up turning down the job. Although it pays well (like 9000 RMB plus 4K RMB for housing if I remember correctly), when you factor in all the hours you put in teaching per week it's not that great.
Just my two mao. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
prof
Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 741 Location: Boston/China
|
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:13 pm Post subject: Re: WEB, Kai'en or Wall Street (Shanghai) |
|
|
Forbes wrote: |
Does anybody work for these guys and can provide some inside information? |
All three are terrible.
(I heard Kai En was good for a few months in '97 when Brian was happy he found a new gf and his goodwill spread throughout the the building!)
But all three are "internet" schools, meaning they advertize on the net, offer a basic package, and are thus attractive to the "EFL jetset" because the whole thing is so 'easy.'
So thousands of teachers from Korea, Taiwan, and Japan come and go.
But if you are interested in staying in the City for a considerable period of time and developing roots and a high standard of living, these 3 are to be avoided like the plague. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Babala

Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 1303 Location: Henan
|
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
I've been teaching at Web for 3 years now. In a nutshell, here's the good and bad.
Good
-salary
-housing
-students
-environement
Bad
-vacation time
-hours |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Forbes
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 8
|
Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: WEB, Kai'en or Wall Street (Shanghai) |
|
|
Quote: |
But if you are interested in staying in the City for a considerable period of time and developing roots and a high standard of living, these 3 are to be avoided like the plague. |
My wife is Chinese so I'll be staying in China for a long time. These three schools (apart from international schools) are the best deals I can find. Where can better deals than these be found for a higher standard of living? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Babala

Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 1303 Location: Henan
|
Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
Forbes,
If you read my post again, you will see that I have worked at Web for 3 years. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
prof
Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 741 Location: Boston/China
|
Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 10:33 am Post subject: Re: WEB, Kai'en or Wall Street (Shanghai) |
|
|
Forbes wrote: |
Quote: |
But if you are interested in staying in the City for a considerable period of time and developing roots and a high standard of living, these 3 are to be avoided like the plague. |
My wife is Chinese so I'll be staying in China for a long time. These three schools (apart from international schools) are the best deals I can find. Where can better deals than these be found for a higher standard of living? |
baballa isn't in Shanghai. She doesn't know the scene at all.
It depends.
1. What are your qualifications?
2. Where is your wife from?
3. What are your long term plans?
As I stated previously, webbed, krap'en, and Shrill Street are not where you want to waste time at if you are serious about EFL and living in Shanghai long term.
They do internet hiring, have a revolving door of staff, terrible standards. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Forbes
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 8
|
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:37 am Post subject: Re: WEB, Kai'en or Wall Street (Shanghai) |
|
|
prof wrote: |
It depends.
1. What are your qualifications?
2. Where is your wife from?
3. What are your long term plans?
|
I have a BA plus a graduate diploma in education and an MA applied linguistics.
I have taught EFL at Shanghai Uni, and for Longre in shanghai. I've also taught mandarin here in Aust in the state school system.
My wife is from Zhejiang.
Long term plan is to teach EFL in china and get paid adequately for it. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Forbes
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 8
|
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
Babala wrote: |
Forbes,
If you read my post again, you will see that I have worked at Web for 3 years. |
What attracted me to web were the smaller class sizes. Are all of your classes four students or less? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Babala

Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 1303 Location: Henan
|
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
I always find it interesting when a poster assumes what you know and what you don't
Quote: |
baballa isn't in Shanghai. She doesn't know the scene at all.
|
I do know 5 teachers who have been working at Webs in Shanghai for several years now. Has prof ever worked at any of the schools he has cut down?
Forbes, the private classes are 4 people or less and a salon class is 10 students or less. Good luck with your job search. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
prof
Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 741 Location: Boston/China
|
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
Babala wrote: |
I
I do know 5 teachers who have been working at Webs in Shanghai for several years now. |
Do you know what hearsay means? Or are you just trying to look good for your branch manager? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Tessio

Joined: 31 May 2005 Posts: 140 Location: In a New York state of mind.
|
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I second Babala.
I now work at Wall Street, in Shanghai, in their Jin Mao Tower center. I am enjoying this "job" immensely. Although the hours/days are long, the salary is more than adequate. But, more importantly, the classroom experience is more than satisfying.
I enjoy the small classes in particular. The students are there to learn, and have paid dearly for it, unlike the pricks I taught at a university in Nanjing.
As for the Professors claims concerning "hearsay". I know for a fact that 3 regular teachers in the Jin Mao center have been here for more than 3 years. Other centers have a few longtimers as well.
I think it is a great place to work, albeit the tie, and recommend that you look into it.
If the Professor can help you get set up on your own, most likely roaming around town from job to job, enjoy the 20K!
If you do go with the Professor, you will be able to hang out at Park 97 with him on a Saturday night. Unfortunately, I have to work at 9am tomorrow.
Good Luck. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Tessio

Joined: 31 May 2005 Posts: 140 Location: In a New York state of mind.
|
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The Professor typed: "They do internet hiring, have a revolving door of staff, terrible standards."
As far as I know, from first hand experience, Wall St. only hires people who are already in China. So, Forbes, you will probably not get a job. But, exceptions can be made.
It's true, people come and go. I may be one of those who are entering/exiting through the revolving door, but Wall Street has alot of teachers who have been with the "company" for more than 1 year.
I wonder why they stay?
PS - I contacted them, not only because I believe in our system, which WEB and EF copied, but because I refused to be a "monkey" at a university, which most of the self-proclaimed "real" teachers" out there are.
Universities are for the weak, in my opinion.
I think that the Professor is a hustler. Good for him. But, don't listen to his slanted, "hearsay", opinions Forbes.
I'ld rather be a monkey for someone who paid me well!!
We are all monkeys!! But, some of US have more free time. - Paul E. D.
Except for .... |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Forbes
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 8
|
Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
Babala wrote: |
Forbes, the private classes are 4 people or less and a salon class is 10 students or less. Good luck with your job search. |
So how many do you teach of each, on average? More salons? More private classes? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|