Job Discussion Forums

[newbie26]

Hi,

Just would like to know if anyone has taught at the Ivy English school in Jiamusi Heilongjiang China and also has anyone been through the agency called "academicsinasia". Please advise.

Thanks.

[vikeologist]

There's some info here.

http://raoulschinasaloon.com/index.php?topic=7297.0

It does sound like a place where some people will be happy and some won't, so when you talk to people who work there or have done, you'll have to be careful to analyse whether they're like you, and whether you'll feel the same way.

To me it sounds as though the place is awful, but this Paloma Blanca seems to like it. It's a pity that she maybe lost interest in the Saloon because of the way that people (including me) responded.

[muffintop]

You didn't drive anyone away. The account was not real.

Even the app was bull. He/she said they hoped to find a new job after their contract at that school ended.....then in that thread stated how he/she will renew with that same school.

I didn't believe that post when I read it a while ago and I don't believe it now.

Seems to be a school worth staying FAR away from if you are a functioning adult and value privacy.

[newbie26]

Thanks guys for your valuable input. I have taken a look at that link and the post made by Paloma Blanca and it does seem a bit far fetched. I guess now I have to do a bit more research on other schools before I take this huge step in leaving my country to teach abroad.

[muffintop]

[thechangling]

The general rule of thumb is to go Public (Uni, Middle or Primary school with low hours) and don't work for a Training centre as your main job. Work for a training centre part-time in addition to your public school/Uni job. You tend to get less problems that way and you can withdraw yourself from the training centre if it's no good cos your residence permit is with the first job.

[vikeologist]

Muffintop is right that schools can change very quickly, and I can attest to good schools going to crap because of management changes. (Unfortunately I am the new manager that made everything go to crap )

So I think that maybe schools can change for the better as well.

People want different things. Once a colleague and I were applying to new schools. He decided he didn't want to work at a school because they wanted him to do a demo class. I probably wouldn't want to work at a school unless they wanted to find out if I was a good teacher. I had an interview (of sorts) at one school and thought they were an unprofessional joke, but told my colleague about them (both the good and bad impressions) in case he was interested.

Also, you can't make a judgement based on one review. My current place has just one (positive) review on the whole internet as far as I can tell; mine.

I recently took out some of the positive things that are no longer true, but as I still work there, you shouldn't really trust me too much.

When applying to any school you should probably get two opinions.

Incidentally, because of the new stricter regulations, I wouldn't personally recommend working 'illegally' on the side at a training centre. Other threads have covered this in more detail.

[BlueBlood]