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myesl
Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Posts: 307
Location: Luckily not in China.
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 Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:24 pm Post subject: Wall Street Institute info, please |
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I have searched in vain on this site for info on Wall Street Institute in Taiwan. Anyone worked for them? If not, do you at least know a guy whose cousin had a girlfriend who used to work there for a week?
I'm most interested in knowing a) if they are honest, and b) whether their curriculum is bogus crap like Kojen or at least suitable to teaching adults. Wall Street is an adults school, isn't it?
Many thanks! |
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TaoyuanSteve
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 1028
Location: Taoyuan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:27 am Post subject: |
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| Since you're open to a little hear-say, word has it they don't pay especially well. |
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Toe Save
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 202
Location: 'tween the pipes.........
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| Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:56 am Post subject: |
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| TaoyuanSteve wrote: |
| Since you're open to a little hear-say, word has it they don't pay especially well. |
Not completely sure what the "new look" WSI is like. But when I worked there 3 years or so ago, they paid well below the average for Adult Language Insts. You must wear a tie. You must follow their lame curriculum.
Recent events have seen the tossing of a very ineffectual manager (The Anti-Buddha we used to call him) and the actual termination of the owner (a nice guy, if not for being easily misguided) by WS Headquarters in Miami.
Overall, it is a scam. Students pay waaaay more than at other schools to sit in front of a computer and learn from v-books. They tout themselves as using the "natural approach", but the only thing natural about it is how easily the money slides outta the students pockets. They are constantly graduating students from their top level who can barely summon enough courage to have an "off-script" conversation.
On the plus side, you do get gauranteed hours and the "curriculum" is easy to use. There is no additional correcting to do either. 30 hours a week. 27 in class, 3 admin. I would warn against having any ambition and wanting to climb WSI's corporate ladder.
Most adult jobs out there are better than WSI. The one exception would be GV. |
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myesl
Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Posts: 307
Location: Luckily not in China.
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| Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you, Steve and Toe.
| Toe wrote: |
| Most adult jobs out there are better than WSI. The one exception would be GV. |
Funny, I was just going to ask you if they paid even worse than GV.
I haven't been back to Taiwan for four years and am looking to line up a job teaching adults or at least zero elementary classes. Any suggestions? I think I should make this a separate thread. Ok. Look for this as a separate thread! |
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Toe Save
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 202
Location: 'tween the pipes.........
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:42 am Post subject: |
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Granted, this info is 3 years old, but I highly doubt much has changed.
WSI pays 55 for 120/month
Mgmt gets 60 or 62 for 160/month
I make quite a bit more than that for 100/month (teaching only). And that's in 2 full days and 2 half days.
And I am lazy.
WSI is good for n00bs that have their wits about them. Stay for a year, get settled and get experience to move on to a test prep school in your 2nd year.
If you are at all nervous about teaching, don't try adults. They will eat you up. Spend your first year in a chain school for kids. Acclimatize to Taiwan first, then teaching, then teaching adults.....mmmkay? |
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MomCat
Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 297
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:52 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I haven't been back to Taiwan for four years and am looking to line up a job teaching adults or at least zero elementary classes. Any suggestions? |
Hi myesl, I say pretty much the same thing to anyone who says they're interested in teaching adults: Come to Hsinchu and look at the schools that have classes for the Science Park employees. I recently gave notice at my beloved place of employment and was able to line up another job quite easily. If you're at all qualified, you'll do well. If you have any business background, you'll be in demand.
The caveat, unfortunately, is that Hsinchu is not an exciting place to live. The young leave town on the weekend for the social life of Taipei.
The plus side is that most of the students are well educated, intelligent, interesting and motivated.
Cat |
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myesl
Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Posts: 307
Location: Luckily not in China.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 11:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Toe, thanks again. I have taught ESL in four foreign countries, including Taiwan where I lived twice for a total of two and half years. I taught adults only in Taiwan (well, a couple of teenage classes), Korea, and China; jr hs in Japan. Surprised you think adults are so scary. I started with them. I can't and won't teach kids. I did have a 12 year old private class for a couple of months. That was ok, though even then I felt very out of my element. Are you teaching adults now? We can't compare apples and oranges. Teaching ESL to kids gets more money everywhere. If you are teaching adults, please PM me. Thanks! |
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Toe Save
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 202
Location: 'tween the pipes.........
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:02 am Post subject: |
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| myesl wrote: |
| Toe, thanks again. I have taught ESL in four foreign countries, including Taiwan where I lived twice for a total of two and half years. I taught adults only in Taiwan (well, a couple of teenage classes), Korea, and China; jr hs in Japan. Surprised you think adults are so scary. I started with them. I can't and won't teach kids. I did have a 12 year old private class for a couple of months. That was ok, though even then I felt very out of my element. Are you teaching adults now? We can't compare apples and oranges. Teaching ESL to kids gets more money everywhere. If you are teaching adults, please PM me. Thanks! |
Dude, you misread what I wrote. I don't think adults are scary. They are pudding in my hands.
But in the hands of someone who may not have game, adults would be anathema. Seriously, when you first arrived on the ESL scene, could you effectively answer a question about gerunds or modals?
Look, this is a service industry. Adults want to be there, and as a result, have higher expectations. With kids, your customer (the parent) is once removed. As long as the kid doesn't kvetch about you and can memorize a few sentence patterns, a foreign kidcare worker can be as dynamic as a doorknob and still make money. With adults, it's more direct. More demanding. And if you want to get those big hours, or that lucrative package deal, you have to not only be competent enough to handle all inquiries, you have to stand out above the rest of the foreigners. It's a very competitive business and the more popular an English leader/coach is, the more successful they will be.
Fading wallflowers need not apply. That was my point. |
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myesl
Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Posts: 307
Location: Luckily not in China.
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| Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Perhaps you would care to answer my question, Toe Save? |
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Toe Save
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 202
Location: 'tween the pipes.........
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:54 am Post subject: |
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| myesl wrote: |
| Perhaps you would care to answer my question, Toe Save? |
What question: Am I teaching adults? I guess, imo, it isn't germane to the discussion. But yes, I coach adults. I don't babysit kids. 
Sorry SC, couldn't resist.
Or did you mean this:
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| "So my question is, how much TP do you use? Too much, too little? Cutting back now that you're in Taiwan?" |
I use 2 pieces to wipe. I wipe twice and flush. I repeat as neccessary.
I use 3 sheets for, erm.....other needs.  |
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BigWally
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 765
Location: Ottawa, CAN (prev. Kaohsiung "the Dirty South")
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:48 am Post subject: |
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| Toe Save wrote: |
I use 2 pieces to wipe. I wipe twice and flush. I repeat as neccessary.
I use 3 sheets for, erm.....other needs. |
IyO!!!!  |
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TaoyuanSteve
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 1028
Location: Taoyuan
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 5:56 am Post subject: |
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| Interesting. The prevailing viewpoint is that teaching adults is somehow more difficult or only the territory of the experienced. It hasn't been my experience at all. I started out in adult teaching and found it to be really tame. I, personally, find that teaching kids classes (teaching them well at any rate) is more demanding. Walk into a kids' beginner class in a small town in Taiwan without a coteacher. It takes experience and talent to be able to make that work well. |
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SanChong
Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 335
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:51 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Interesting. The prevailing viewpoint is that teaching adults is somehow more difficult or only the territory of the experienced. It hasn't been my experience at all. I started out in adult teaching and found it to be really tame. I, personally, find that teaching kids classes (teaching them well at any rate) is more demanding. Walk into a kids' beginner class in a small town in Taiwan without a coteacher. It takes experience and talent to be able to make that work well. |
I think it just really depends on the individual. Really enthusiastic, energetic people with little experience/right out of college, will likely have an easier time teaching kids. They might have a hard time teaching business people and other older adults who might be interested in different topics than they are. I think Toe is spot on with his comments there. On the other hand someone in their 30s/40s+ with a lot of "real world" experience, but no experience with kids, will likely have a much easier time teaching adults. Walking into a classroom full of 7 year olds might be VERY tough for them.
Of course, the above is a generalization. It's certainly not true for everyone, but I think it likely applies to the majority of people
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What question: Am I teaching adults? I guess, imo, it isn't germane to the discussion. But yes, I coach adults. I don't babysit kids. Wink
Sorry SC, couldn't resist. |
Ha, I'm not offended... effective jab. I have truly grown to look forward to reading your posts. They are original and entertaining. Wait, was that too friendly for the forums!? Just in case: How DARE you Toe! I hate you and the Toe that you perpetually try to save... I hope you are stuck in a class of 4 year olds forever!! |
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BigWally
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 765
Location: Ottawa, CAN (prev. Kaohsiung "the Dirty South")
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| Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| SanChong wrote: |
Ha, I'm not offended... effective jab. I have truly grown to look forward to reading your posts. They are original and entertaining. Wait, was that too friendly for the forums!? Just in case: How DARE you Toe! I hate you and the Toe that you perpetually try to save... I hope you are stuck in a class of 4 year olds forever!! |
Thats right SC stick it to him!!  |
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Toe Save
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 202
Location: 'tween the pipes.........
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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I'd say "Ouch!", if it weren't for my current blissfull ensconcement in a quaint little village on the south end of Koh Chang in Thailand enjoying the finest things the sea, the sky and the earth have to offer. 
All I can manage is a hearty "Wish you were here!"
In fact, I am listening to that as I type...
Margs and tiger prawns the size of your head are calling to me....
See ya.........
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