Job Discussion Forums

[ExpatLuke]

Just curious to hear from anyone who is working or has worked at American Academy. I hear they have 4 locations in Hanoi, HCMC, Vung Tau, and Da Lat.

I have an interview coming up with them, and I'd like to get some impressions first.

[d8sconz]

AMA is (or was) Cleverlearn. They seem to be going through some rebranding exercise. I don't know if there has been any change of ownership. I have worked for Cleverlearn for the last three years but, typically, none of these changes have been communicated to the teaching staff.

[ExpatLuke]

Ah, that would explain why I'm having trouble finding information about them. Thanks a lot. Anyways, it sounds like you have a lot of experience with them, but doesn't sound like like you're too thrilled about how things are run. Would they be a place you would recommend working at? Feel free to PM me if you don't want to answer here.

[d8sconz]

I don't have a lot of experience with other schools, but my impression with talking to other teachers is that Cleverlearn is pretty much the same as any other school. Vietnam has been described as the land that logic forgot. A typical story: a teacher asked the owner of the school why she never held meetings with the staff. She thought this was a highly amusing concept. "you're not staff" she laughed, " you're only the English teachers". Go figure. Cleverlearn, like any workplace, is made of the people in it, and they have been great. If you can avoid the owners and managers all will be well.

[sigmoid]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Cleverlearn a franchise?

And aren't the schools in other cities and also the District 7 Phu My Hung Cleverlearn all separately owned? Have they become AMA, too?

Didn't Cleverlearn Dist 3 undergo a change of ownership from foreign (Singaporean?) to local around 2005/06, but still managed to retain the Cleverlearn brandname?

Anyway, I assume that something similar has happened recently, either a change of ownership or loss of franchise or both? Do they also have the Phu Nuan branch? Is that still Cleverlearn or AMA?

As for working for them, yes that quote sums up their view of the teachers, but that attitude can be found throughout many language schools in VN. They may be a good option for a few hours temporarily while you look for other work.

[VietCanada]

Isn't Cleverlearn in HCM two schools? AMA and something else. One of them sends teachers to public schools and the other offers in house classes. The offices for each 'school' are located in the other 'schools' buildings. Separate paycheques as well.

I like the branch that sends me out to schools and have filled in my free time with their offerings. A couple are within 15 minutes of my home. The other school (in house) was bizarre and we parted ways. They were quite gracious about it. Teachers who were there when I started were still there when I left so it wasn't some big issue affecting everyone. Hint- office hours isn't a magic word that makes me work for free.

The pay was pretty basic but perhaps appropriate for the work. I met some 2 and 3 year people who were quite happy. If you haven't worked here before it may be one of those places that's good for getting your feet wet. Unless of course you have a B.Ed. and experience teaching at home. That's a different market entirely.

Just MHO for what it's worth.

[DNK]

Not sure about these office hours. I've never had to work for free at AMA. There are "admin hours", which are lower paid and optional.

Otherwise, VC hits it on the head. To add, they're currently forcing teachers to pay to get a WP or else, so that's an additional $1000 issue for joining the school. I think that changes the benefits of starting teaching there: before, the low pay was made up for by the ease of teaching and low responsibilities and general lack of meaningful oversight/observation -it made for a good opportunity to "get your feet wet" indeed- but now it's a fairly costly opportunity...

[The Mad Hatter]

I don't know where the figure of $1000 comes from with regard to obtaining a WP. Assuming the school supplies the stamped mau so 4 and the notarised copy of their trading license, I can't see beyond the normal charges.

I also assume the school has someone to submit the completed docs.

Seems straightforward to me.

[Mattingly]

[ExpatLuke]

[Mattingly]

[Nim Chimsky]

Hi Teachers

I was told from a Vietnamese manager at cleverlearn that the school wants to eliminate the franchise agreement with cleverlearn during the next two years so it doesnt have to pay royalties. and is trying to market AMA now

Dont know if this is true but he got upset when I called the school neverlearn
and told me to in a indirect clever manner never say it again. I said that I would never never call cleverlearn neverlearn again. He did not get the joke.

Best regards

Nim Chimsky

[Nim Chimsky]

Hi Teachers

I was told from a Vietnamese manager at cleverlearn that the school wants to eliminate the franchise agreement with cleverlearn during the next two years so it doesnt have to pay royalties. and is trying to market AMA now

Dont know if this is true but he got upset when I called the school neverlearn
and told me to in a indirect clever manner never say it again. I said that I would never never call cleverlearn neverlearn again. He did not get the joke.

Best regards

Nim Chimsky

[Andy123]

It amazes me that even though they have been around for many years with multiple managers they continue to tow the same party line. Students run the show in everyway.[i]

I taught IELTs and TOEFL ibt for them and with the exception of one teacher, no one had a clue what they were doing. The staff simply viewed these classes as advanced English classes.

I taught several Viet teachers at Neverlearn and it was always a nightmare. The students wanted to be taught using the same old crap lexical approaches i.e. apply Viet principles to learning.

I ended up spending valuable classroom time addressing incorrect grammar and structure. I kid you not, they were taught and believed that a thesis statement was not needed for their essays in both IELTS and TOEFL ibt. I will not even address what they were taught regarding the usage of conjunctions.

Neverlearn is an ideal place for people who do not care about their students� welfare.

[LettersAthruZ]