Job Discussion Forums

[MollyP]

Hi!

I'm currently negotiating a contract to work for a new DD Dragon English school and was wondering if anyone has worked or is working for DD Dragon. I'd just like to find out what they're like as an organisation and what the usual terms of employment are etc.

Any help would be great!

Thanks!
Emily

[tofit]

I worked for DD Dragon in Wenzhou as my first job in China. It was a good first job for the most part. The school was founded by a foreigner, and all the books and lesson plans are organized so that it only takes minimal preperation for a class. You only have to work evenings on the weekdays and then weekends. So you will have alot of time during the week to play. The apartment was nice, furnished with a computer, and the works...


I know people who have finished the 1 year contract with DD Dragon, and things went fairly well. They did have a problem at the end of the contract because the school didn't have a replacement teacher and didn't want him to leave. So he had to work an extra month to get his bonus.


If you go to work anywhere in china you need to be firm with your boss in terms of your contract. Review your contract carefully and make sure that it protects you as much as it does them. They sometimes try to break the contract in some ways (payday) or (Visa) Hold them to it 100%, threaten to leave if they don't. Many of the schools are franchises that are individually owned. Some of the bosses may try to pinch your pay, don't let them. Be sure to negotiate on your contract, don't go unless you see it first. They paid me 7500 mo + 500 for perfect attendence. If you have a business or tourist visa, they aren't legally paying taxes on you, so make sure your pay is tax free. Also they paid on the 15th of the month for the last month you worked. You end up working 1 and 1/2 months to get your full months pay. They do that in case you quit you loose part of your salary. They make you work 25 class hours a week but each class is 1.5 hours long. I would try to negotiate to 20hrs I was told that 20 - 45 minute classes is the law for foreign teachers here. They also tried to put a trial peroid in the contract for 1 month, and said that the pay is only 5500 for the first month. Then it says that it could be extended if your classes arent good. Make sure to fight that... its a trap they tried to use that on me but I got it removed from the contract.


Send me a message if you want to know more.

[vikuk]

[Shan-Shan]