Job Discussion Forums

theuniverse · Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 2 Location: China

In case anyone comes wondering if they should take a job with EF...

I've just returned from a year and five months with them, and I have acute anxiety and "burnout." Thanks, EF!

Money and numbers-oriented. As a teacher, I was constantly being bossed and pushed around by the sales staff. Our Center Director seemed wholly unconcerned with staff welfare (until I landed into him in a meeting) and academics- all he wanted were higher sales and retention.

Too many students, too many classes, 10-hour days on weekends, constant progress updates on those too-many-students. I had co-workers who spent a good portion of their off time planning lessons (because there wasn't enough non-teaching time in which to do it). And the push to create more classes, thereby increasing an already too-demanding workload, was relentless!

The curriculum has its moments, but overall is like the rest- way too much. You're expected to teach a group of 8 year olds, new to English, vocab, grammar, functions, phonics, writing and reading IN ONE LESSON. Very few students could follow. Most of them just got lost and remained lost as they "graduated" from level to level. (This "graduation" is insisted upon, despite the kids' lack of progress, because of the fear of losing customers.)

I loved my kids, and most of my co-workers, but I was a salesperson for EF, not a teacher. If you're interested in a sales position, teach for EF- it's very easy to get a job with them! But if you really want to teach, I'd look elsewhere.

CNexpatesl · Joined: 27 May 2015 Posts: 194

Which city?

theuniverse · Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 2 Location: China

Foshan.

lugubregondola · Joined: 01 Sep 2016 Posts: 92

how much? free accommodation?

Dan123 · Joined: 08 Jan 2014 Posts: 112

EF is a franchise school and varies a lot from city to city. I used to work for EF in Changchun during my first year in China, and it honestly wasn't bad on the whole (excluding the teaching hours, which could get kinda brutal when there was a shortage of teachers). I've heard plenty of horror stories about centres in other cities though.

My advice - try to find somebody who has worked for EF in a particular city and talk to them. Ex-employees are obviously the best, since they have no reason to lie, but some regular teachers in a low position would probably be fine too.