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ukazi
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Location: UK
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 Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 1:54 pm Post subject: English First Guangzhou |
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Hi everyone,
I've recently signed a contract to teach adult at English First in Guangzhou. I'll start in late January, so it's a couple of months away.
Before I go, I want to know about English First in Guangzhao, as well as daily life in the city.
Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated. |
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The_Kong
Joined: 15 Apr 2014
Posts: 349
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| Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:18 pm Post subject: Re: English First Guangzhou |
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| ukazi wrote: |
Hi everyone,
I've recently signed a contract to teach adult at English First in Guangzhou. I'll start in late January, so it's a couple of months away.
Before I go, I want to know about English First in Guangzhao, as well as daily life in the city.
Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated. |
Ummm...sorry if this is out of place but shouldn't you have asked these questions before signing the contract? |
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ukazi
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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You are correct. I've researched the institute and the city, but I want to know more about it.
So do continue with the opinions and comments |
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RW8677
Joined: 16 Sep 2014
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 3:05 am Post subject: |
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I am in my 6th year in GZ - I enjoy the city, but I live in the university town which is much quieter and cleaner than the city per se. Good city for eating and drinking. Plenty to do, HongKong, Shenzhen etc are easily accessible, I'm off to the waterworld in Zhuhai tomorrow -there is a lot to do around here.
English first has a shady rep China wide and I have met a few employees who were less than impressed, but I have no first hand experience. Long hours, operating in a fishbowl, pushy management seemed to be the main qualms. I had a chinese friend working there and she said, good money, incredibly long hours, ditto for the foreigners. Actually the salary is quite poor when worked out on an hourly basis, even more so when you deduct housing - most employers in China offer free housing. 12000 - 3000 for housing = 9000, my university pays more than that for 16 x 40 mins, whereas you will prob be on site 40 hours a week.
In short, GZ thumbs up, EF - run for the hills |
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ukazi
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:24 am Post subject: |
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Thank you for the informative reply RW8677.
I'm a recently qualified teacher with minimal experience. Are their reputable companies who will hire me? |
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RW8677
Joined: 16 Sep 2014
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| ukazi wrote: |
Thank you for the informative reply RW8677.
I'm a recently qualified teacher with minimal experience. Are their reputable companies who will hire me? |
Guangdong seems to be struggling to attract teachers these days and demand is growing - so, you should be able to find alternatives, although the lack of experience thing will rule you out of many jobs |
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Simon in Suzhou
Joined: 09 Aug 2011
Posts: 404
Location: GZ
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:54 am Post subject: |
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| RW8677 wrote: |
| ukazi wrote: |
Thank you for the informative reply RW8677.
I'm a recently qualified teacher with minimal experience. Are their reputable companies who will hire me? |
Guangdong seems to be struggling to attract teachers these days and demand is growing - so, you should be able to find alternatives, although the lack of experience thing will rule you out of many jobs |
Quite the opposite, actually. I know a couple of recruiters and they have told me that, without a doubt, Guangdong is the most difficult place for them to place applicants. GZ and Shenzhen (where a majority of the jobs are) are two of the best paying cities for ESL teachers in China, and decent jobs are very competitive. Although I wouldn't put EF in the category of decent jobs. |
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Dan123
Joined: 08 Jan 2014
Posts: 112
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:27 am Post subject: |
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I work for an EF Dongbei. It's true that the working hours are kinda long at times (during the intensive period, we had a shortage of teachers and I taught 26 hours one week. I'm down to ~18 now) and the pay isn't great compared to public schools, but I think it's a good school to get started in. They provide a lot of training and help to new teachers and it's a safe job to get settled into things. Most ex EF teachers here seem to say that EF is a perfect job to get experience for a year or two before moving onto something else, and I think I agree.
That said, the pay isn't *that* bad in my opinion. I get 7,500 a month + free accommodation in a nice, big apartment + bonuses that add up to 17,500 at the end of my contract. However, I am in a tier 3 city in the inhospitable Dongbei wastelands, so maybe they offer bigger incentives here than in other "better" cities though. |
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coldcucumber
Joined: 21 Dec 2012
Posts: 114
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:54 am Post subject: |
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| Dan123 wrote: |
I work for an EF Dongbei. It's true that the working hours are kinda long at times (during the intensive period, we had a shortage of teachers and I taught 26 hours one week. I'm down to ~18 now) and the pay isn't great compared to public schools, but I think it's a good school to get started in. They provide a lot of training and help to new teachers and it's a safe job to get settled into things. Most ex EF teachers here seem to say that EF is a perfect job to get experience for a year or two before moving onto something else, and I think I agree.
That said, the pay isn't *that* bad in my opinion. I get 7,500 a month + free accommodation in a nice, big apartment + bonuses that add up to 17,500 at the end of my contract. However, I am in a tier 3 city in the inhospitable Dongbei wastelands, so maybe they offer bigger incentives here than in other "better" cities though. |
Did you receive over time for these extra hours? Also, do you receive over time for intensive sessions? |
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RW8677
Joined: 16 Sep 2014
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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