Job Discussion Forums

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Hi all
After working for two EF English First centers in China I have observed or experienced hostilities that are tough to deal with for example; some of my former EF coworkers, ESL acquaintances from other schools and I are not allowed to speak to each other (if in the same city, but not the same school), ending your Contract you are "adviced" to leave the town, your former students in the town are lied to that you have left to your home country even though you are still in the same town, your former employer creates all forms of obstacles for you not to be able to obtain/extand your work permit in the same town, your former employer spreads unsubstantiated allegations and bad rumors about you in town if you are there, and so on and on. It gives me the feeling of "having been a PRODUCT of the school" so nobody else can "use me" (in the same city). "Copyright on my a..?" Sorry, I just want to raise a legal issue as well as that "moral" issue in China. Have you had such experiences in China? How have you dealt with experiences like the ones of mine above? I thank you in advance for reading my concerns and feelings about China as well as I thank you in advance for contributing your own part in.
Cheers

journeyeast · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:00 pm Post subject:

Anyone looking to start a career teachin in China or hoping to reside in China for more than one contrat term should avoid EF (English First) I would be happy to talk with anyone off list about our experiences with several EF franchises.

+1 860-974-9988

Norman Bethune · Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Posts: 731

What Dave's China Forums need are Stickies just about EF.

What the OP describes of tactics used by EF against teachers staying in the same city after they left the schools seems to be standard operating procedure for that organization.

I know of several former employees who have undergone the same kind of treatment.

It would have been beneficial for all here if the OP had mentioned the schools location. Forewarned is forearmed.

tom selleck · Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 4:31 am Post subject:

I agree Norman, forewarned is forearmed. We all have an upper hand over the no good, stinky vassals of EF.

It's called the internet. Why we don't utilize this valuable tool for much needed information is utterly beyond me in year of our lord 2005.

I would even go further to add, this is your responsibility as an overseas Tefl teacher. To warn others which schools treat teachers like fly sh'it and which don't.

Yes, OP, I've also served for 2 English First franchises. The original one in Urumqi and Chengdu. This quaint custom of slagging all former teachers was the custom at both schools as well.

If they had confidence in their ability to provide teachers with a positive experience, and deal with them fairly, I doubt this would be the prevalent
corporate culture.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I have been told by others that EF reserve the right to include in your contract a clause formally forbidding you from working for a competitor in the same locale. I don't really think this is totally unusual. Whether slagging you and lieing to students about your new whereabouts is legitimate is another matter, of course; but try to see your problem from the school's point of view; I am sure you can understand it.

Norman Bethune · Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Posts: 731

journeyeast · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:26 am Post subject:

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

I do not think that any Employment Contracts for English Teachers or their academic management staff in China do have a clause of restrictions of working for other schools after Contracts’ expiries. It is the “slagging”, “lieing to students” and so on and on that matters. Roger, trying to understand the issue from the school’s point of view “How will the students feel about a school, when they meet the teacher out in the city after being told that the teacher has left for his/her homeland?” Further: “What should that teacher tell them (the students), after being told OHH I THOUGHT YOU WENT HOME?” I understand that the schools’ students are the only reason why the schools exist and when the students disappear, the sales disappear with them. Now I believe that the schools should do everything to keep their academic staff members should they wish to stay in the same location. Except the EF schools from my experience do not make that extra effort and rather “dispose” of their employees. Their academic staff members are treated as “foreign travelers” temporarily in. Once you get in, you are “stamped” EF PRODUCT and once you get out you are “stamped” UNWELCOME (in the city). Journeyeast might be right with his input with regards to not opting for an EF center in case of wanting to reside in one location for longer period of time. However there are more “Stickies” like ours needed to come to such conclusions. To avoid any subjective information that might carry unsubstantiated evidence or to avoid being compromised because of some negative “Stickies” we should expand on our communications as “tefl teachers” as well as on our responsibilities which Tom Selleck has mentioned through our personal email and not here on eslcafe forum. So Tom or any others that are interested in issues of my EF experiences and have some of their own I would be glad to read and answer your emails. Further more I totally agree with the approach of Journeyeast. “Click on my profile to get my email address!” “FORWARNED AND FOREARMED!”