Job Discussion Forums

nightsintodreams · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558

JET is an excellent program, but be careful. Don't put all your eggs in one basket!

The application process can take up to a year and then you can be put on the back-up teacher list for another year. Before you know it, two years have been wasted in your home country waiting for JET and you didn't even get a chance to go to Japan.

Also, the number of JETs in Japan has been quickly decreasing since I arrived, replaced with teachers from dispatch companies. JET is getting very competetive from what I hear. The salary has also been reduced from what it once was.

So by all means, apply for JET but don't let it be your only option. Apply for some other jobs in Japan or China.

LongShiKong · Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: China

Has anyone working at Disney done the TEFL-C course?

Is it the standard training for all staff? Apparently, the course is provided by Disney's former academic manager in collaboration with NYC's Columbia U? It seems pretty intensive as this sample unit suggests. Given this former Pearson employee's declared ignorance of ELT testing, it wouldn't surprise me if it's all theory, entirely online (as one claim has it)--no observed practice teaching component. For those like myself arguing assessment is the Achilles' heel of ELT, this should come as no surprise.

disneyeric · Joined: 02 Jul 2014 Posts: 21

LongShiKong · Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: China

[quote="disneyeric"]

thechangling · Joined: 11 Apr 2013 Posts: 276

[quote="LongShiKong"]

Riff Raff · Joined: 09 Jun 2014 Posts: 85

weshh1 · Joined: 20 Oct 2013 Posts: 87

Well, here I am. 24 now, still in the US. I spent the last year as a substitute teacher, gained experience with all different age/grade levels but still have not scratched my itch for traveling abroad.

I didn't apply for the JET program, I started the application but didn't finish. I now have enough teaching experience to qualify for Disney English but I don't really know if that is something I want to do.

I am applying for Teach in Bhutan and possibly taking a CELTA course in Ecuador or Thailand.

Updates or advice of any sort will be appreciated! Smile

Riff Raff · Joined: 09 Jun 2014 Posts: 85

Disney-English is not cool or fun like working at Disney-Pixar. One treats you respect and encourages you to play with your talented imagination while striving for the best. The other works you like a dog without brains, to be strapped to a harness and driven.

Be it irony, hypocrisy, or the mistake that theory on paper easily equates to applied pedagogy, it's highly unlikely that those who developed the Disney-English work schedule would agree to work it themselves for a long period of time.

If you, dear reader, were well studied in Education and experienced in the field, then you would already know this.

weshh1 · Joined: 20 Oct 2013 Posts: 87

Any updates from people currently/recently working at disney english?

Larry Legend · Joined: 12 May 2014 Posts: 172 Location: China

Riff Raff · Joined: 09 Jun 2014 Posts: 85

Are you referring to me?

You don't know my age.

If you were in China before Disney English, then tell everyone here what were the standard hours on contracts? Compare that to what is standard in top schools? Compare that to other divisions of Disney. Now compare that to what was originally created by the founders of cooperation and exchange.

Disney has some great places to work. Their English schools abroad are not among them. My age is a straw man. Why not address the topic instead?

Are you employed by DE? What is good about them? Tell us.

I can say that they are more likely to pay you on time. As they grow as a franchise like EF or NO, they become subject to being owned and managed by less than honest people. As it stands, yes, DE sucks. If you like it, then better you than me. At least explain what is so great about it as opposed to making off-topic, unfounded personal attacks. You do not know my age, nor is my age relevant to the working conditions at DE.

DE, owned by Disney, is not a great place to work. I believe that do not appreciate the employees. DP gets respect, and the job conditions reflect that. Disney theme park jobs range from awful to great. Now let's go from comparing Disney jobs to comparing their Educational jobs to other schools:

Since Disney emerged, Chinese schools have followed their lead. Disney was able to get foreigners to agree to 40 hours a week of their time. A few Taiwan and Korean schools got this in the mainland prior to Disney. Most foreigners avoided it in favor of working a few classes, then leaving (either to teach more classes at another job or do something else). Be it China or USA, for me, I work a few classes, negotiate my pay and schedule, then go home, including at top schools. I have never needed to work 40 hours a week, and I use my personal time to advance my career.

I see little good in Disney English. In fact, I am disgusted by them and whoever developed their policies. If you have no clue about pedagogy whatsoever, by my guest, work for them. Their work schedule is designed for the clueless, people who are unlikely to be using their time to advance their professional careers.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Are DE schools company-owned or franchises, or a mixture?

weshh1 · Joined: 20 Oct 2013 Posts: 87

I think they are all owned and operated by wdw.

Larry Legend · Joined: 12 May 2014 Posts: 172 Location: China

parnett · Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 179 Location: China

I applied for a manager position at Disney English through a recruiter 3 years ago. I have many years of experience teaching university in the US, children in Turkey and both here in China. I have two M.A.s- one in languages and another in education. After four separate interviews, I was told by the last two clueless Disney interviewers that I was the strongest managerial candidate they had ever had at Disney, and to prepare to take the vacant manager's position in Hangzhou (where I was living). About a week later, I received an email stating that I wasn't a proper candidate for the job. Why? Because I was 56, and Disney wouldn't hire anyone over the age of 40. Through four interviews and countless phone calls/emails, the "company" had never checked my age!
I have now taught in China for four years and have signed up for a fifth. I have never encountered a school here in which disorganization/chaos wasn't rampant. Disney seems to fit this mold perfectly. You would be best served steering completely clear of the place.