Job Discussion Forums

[kosmo]

Hi everyone,

I'm coming to Taiwan this Fall to teach for a year. I've heard a lot of negative feedback regarding chain schools such as Hess and Gloria, so I'm just wondering if anyone knows any individual schools that are good, legitimate ones to work for. I've seen tons of adds for schools looking for teachers, but I get a sense they are pretty sketchy. I don't want to wind up in some deserted shack of a school where no one else speaks English! Please let me know what you think. Thanx!

[clark.w.griswald]

[kosmo]

Specifically I've heard both good and bad things about chain schools in Taiwan. The bad being things such as they only care about maknig money, they aren't very good with providing hours, they tell you exactly what to do and monitor how you do it... But I've heard good things too, about job security and reliability. I am not ruling them out - I've already applied to a few! I just want to know what my options are, and if anyone knows any good non0chain schools to check out. Thank you!

[markholmes]

All schools are about making money. Almost all are businesses, so get over that.

I think most chain schools are fairly good at providing hours, although each school will be different. You might find a non-chain school has trouble providing hours too.

You sound like you haven't taught before, so you probably want an environment where you will be told what to do and be monitored to see if you can improve, right? People who complain about being told what to do are usually people who have developed their own teaching style over a couple years and are ready to move on from the rigidity of a chain school.
Once they see that you are competent and have control of the class most chains will allow you to just get on with it anyway.

Chain schools usually have a set ciriculum with plenty for materials to help you prepare for class.

They can be a good place to learn the ESL trade, then when you are ready, move on to something omore challenging.

[clark.w.griswald]

I think that Mark has covered it, but here is my take anyway.

I kind of expected that you had developed the mixed opinion that you presented in your last post. It�s not your fault of course as you will get mixed messages when you read a forum such as this one. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but what strikes me is the fact that the people who recommend against chain schools have never actually explained why!

Yes chain schools care about making money, but then so does every school that you are likely to work for in Taiwan. All buxibans are private businesses and as such they exist for the sole purpose of making money. A good buxiban will make money but not at the expense of the students. I am not sure that these schools can be defined as either chain schools or independents as I am sure that there are examples of both. It would be wrong however to assume that just because it is a chain school that money is their only concern.

As far as hours, well again I don�t think that this is clearly defined as a chain vs. non-chain issue. If it were however, then I would tend to think that you are more likely to get more hours at a chain if you do a good job. A chain school often has more than one foreign teacher, and the school is obviously going to give new classes to a) the teacher that is reliable and co-operative; and b) the teacher that the students like. If you suck at your job or have an attitude with the staff or the students then you are likely to passed over for these hours as the school will have a choice of teachers to give these hours to. Theoretically you may be the only teacher at an independent school and therefore you are the teacher who will get all the hours, but often these schools have fewer overall hours to offer than a chain school. At the end of the day, and all things considered, I think that a good teacher can probably get more hours at a chain school than a small independent.

It is true that chain schools have a way of doing things and that they will provide you with the support, training, and curriculum to achieve their objectives. Independents on the other hand may hand you a mass produced text or no text at all and ask you to teach however and whatever you like. It comes down to personal preference I guess, but I agree with Mark that most new teachers, and teachers new to Taiwan, are probably best getting the guidance that a chain has to offer as going it alone can prove difficult especially if you have none of your own teaching materials and don�t know where to get these locally.

For me the only bad thing about chain schools is the relatively low starting pay. However, factoring in the fact that you generally get a good number of hours, all materials and texts supplied, free training, and you know that everything is done to get your visa arranged, I think that it is hard to beat.

Independents can possibly offer a higher pay rate per hour, and in some cases you could get lucky and find a cosy little school with a great bunch of students and good staff to go with it, but the risks seem to much to me considering a newbie would have no idea which school is a cozy little one, and which one is just a nightmare.