Job Discussion Forums

[Ludwig]

'TEAM_PAPUA', I for one do not doubt you or your story. Indeed, as I stated in my original post, some of what I have been told about EF on the Mainland has been superlative. Two of my friends who work at one of the EF training centres in Shenzhen are more than happy with their conditions. To put that into perspective, both have experience of teaching at a British Council centre in Indonesia.

However, as you seem to be aware, there is a reason why 'they need you more than you need them'. The factors that make your centre what it is, are most likely the very same factors that produce the seemingly unending stream of (documented) EF-related horror stories - (some of which would part your hair) - namely, centre/franchise autonomy.

I am glad that you have found one of the better centres. However, as we all know, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Unfortunately, on the Mainland, EF has some very weak links indeed. (In fact, many are not so much mere weak links, as more gaping holes.)

[RVN]

Mr Ludwig, real hours ohhhh, then why didn't you say so? Of course if you did less than 15 minutes per class for preparation then it could be for both. Before anyone says it, no I don't do this and I in no way condone the blah blah blah blah etc.

[TEAM_PAPUA]

Ludwig, i am in total agreement. It is my strong belief that i am in such a fortunate position simply due to the fact that our school is relatively new & that the DOS has quite a lot of say regarding the running of things. It is evident that the owner is taking more of an interest in things & I can see things rolling down hill over the next few years. I am making the best of it while it lasts & will be leaving at the end of my contract - back to Indonesia I'm hoping.

Another problem I have noticed is that Shanghai EF will employ anybody on condition they can speak english. We had one guy sent to us from the UK who couldn't form a spoken sentence let alone hold a conversation or teach. He was fired after 2 months (long time but there was no one else to replace him). Point is, he paid for a course in the UK, EF passed & gave hime certification, and he was sent out here via Shanghai. The instructor in the UK should be fired for passing him in the first place, and also for wasting this poor kid's time, money & effort. Not to mention the students who were paying the same fees to be taught by him as they were paying to be taught by an experienced teacher - irresponsible.

EF are a joke - but as I've stated in my posts above, we are all here as we know each other from past jobs, and we're doing what we want when we want to - but we know that it can't last, so we're all leaving at the end of the year

[deezy]

Team-Papua, I'm with you on this one. I'm also at a new school, and we're all pretty happy here....in fact, one of my teachers visited another EF last week and came back even happier, as the teachers there have far more hours than he does, plus they get sent out to public schools to teach. I'm quite happy for the teachers to spend their days doing whatever they want, as long as it doesn't affect the quality of their lessons. I tried getting them to be in school for the full 40 hours but it seemed stupid logic to me unless there was something useful to do.

They know they are on a good wicket. But then I'm a pretty laissez faire sort of person, believe that people should be able to be responsible for themselves, shouldn't need micro-managing.

Guess things will hot up eventually and then the pressure will be on but at the moment no one's complaining. I shan't be here for ever, either.

I too would advocate emailing some teachers who already work at the centre. That's what I did; worked for me!

As for the EF Shanghai crowd, when I went there recently I got to know a lot of them, and I actually found them a great bunch of people. Understaffed though. Thing is, that once a franchise is purchased, they don't have a great deal of control over what happens...they're a support function. (I don't think they are as powerful as MacDonalds... - I do wish they'd remove that reference from their website! ). As for recruitment, it is incumbent upon them to replace a teacher who doesn't cut the mustard. Two of my teachers were trained at EF in Manchester, and they're really good teachers, so the training can't all be bad.

[Mister Al]

Giantbudwiser

EF in Chongqing now has a new DoS. Don't know when your Canadian friend worked there but I'm sure that that kind of thing wouldn't happen now. I've made a few posts on this subject. It's simple really. It all depends on the DoS and to a lesser extent the franchisee/School directors. Anyone thinking of signing a contract with any school, EF or otherwise, should get the e-mail addresses of a few current teachers and write to them before committing.

[tom selleck]

Dude from Sask:
I think the length of the string you just generated speaks volumes.
No other organization produces as much response in the ESL community.
I don't buy the "They used to be bad, but their better now" crap. If someone opened a hardware store in your town in Saskatchewan, and generated this amount of ill will, how long would they still be in business?
They'd be bankrupt so fast the receivers would be stretching their hamstrings getting ready for the one hundred yard dash.
But EF not only remains in business, but thrives. As P.T Barnum once said, "There's one born every minute". Don't ascribe to the greater fool theory. As one of the posters wisely mentioned, You won't have any time to experience China. You may as well teach in Saskatoon, the air's cleaner.
I was one of the greater fools. I served at not one, but two EF's in two different cities. I'm kinda ashamed to actually admit to it. But just like a recovering alcohalic, I feel compelled to share the experience, so that others may profit from my losses. So when young, idealistic newbys go off making their own irrational choice, based on all the facts that are available, it seems that my 2 1/2 years were in vain. And P.T was a wise old sage.
I also don't buy the "Our dos is a great guy" nonsense. What if the guy's contract is soon to expire? What if he/she gets hit by a bus, has an illness
in the family, and must return home? What if he/she gets fired, for sticking up for the teachers? And if he/she's that great, Shanghai will scoop 'em up in a heartbeat. They need warm bodies at Head Office.What if, What if?
That Chongqing horror story should be enough.I have my own, but that one surely tops it. The best advice is; bring dough. You can put Canadian dollars on deposit in the Bank of China, and airline tickets aren't that expensive compared to what they used to be. With money, no one can push you around. That poor girl got abused partly because the rotters knew she was broke.