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Ozesl
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:17 am Post subject: Westgate conditions and support |
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Does anyone one know what kind of support Westgate provides? Do they pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation? Do they help you out with opening a bank account?
Do they pay for travel costs to and from the University?
Is there an iron and ironing board in the apartments?
If someone could answer these questions that would be great. I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate? Are the classes difficult to teach? |
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slodziak
Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Posts: 143
Location: Tokyo
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passport220
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 117
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:23 am Post subject: Re: Westgate conditions and support |
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| Ozesl wrote: |
Does anyone one know what kind of support Westgate provides? Do they pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation? Do they help you out with opening a bank account?
Do they pay for travel costs to and from the University?
Is there an iron and ironing board in the apartments?
If someone could answer these questions that would be great. I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate? Are the classes difficult to teach? |
| Ozesl wrote: |
Does anyone one know what kind of support Westgate provides? Do they pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation? Do they help you out with opening a bank account?
Do they pay for travel costs to and from the University?
Is there an iron and ironing board in the apartments?
If someone could answer these questions that would be great. I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate? Are the classes difficult to teach? |
The way it worked for me�groups of teachers arrived on the same day at the Tokyo Airport and a team of Westgate representatives had a desk set up at the airport. Westgate paid to have two bags delivered from the airport to our apartments and we were given a train ticket to our apartment (with detailed directions and instructions on how to check-in to our apartment), some teachers had a Westgate employee escort to their place. Westgate also gives you a mobile phone on the day you arrive (it is pre set to only allow calls to Westgate support staff).
My Westgate "PC" went with me to open a bank account, apply for my foreigner registration card and health insurance paperwork I was given a pre paid train pass to my University to work every day.
My apartment is well equipped for day-to-day living however, no iron or ironing board (I brought my own iron with me from home and bought a little ironing board at the 100 yen shop for�as you may guess 100 yen).
Overall the support from Westgate has been outstanding. The classes are easy to teach with all the lesson plan support I could ask for. They give you a daily planner stating the goals for each day�s lesson and a recommend lesson plan but you are given the option to use your own ideas and material as long as you meet the stated goal.
For about 70% of the lessons I use the Westgate recommendations word for word�about 20% I use most of the Westgate plan with some of my own adjustments and material, about 10% of the time I rework the lesson from scratch to suit my style of teaching. |
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JohnC
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 47
Location: London
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: Westgate conditions and support |
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| passport220 wrote: |
| Ozesl wrote: |
Does anyone one know what kind of support Westgate provides? Do they pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation? Do they help you out with opening a bank account?
Do they pay for travel costs to and from the University?
Is there an iron and ironing board in the apartments?
If someone could answer these questions that would be great. I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate? Are the classes difficult to teach? |
| Ozesl wrote: |
Does anyone one know what kind of support Westgate provides? Do they pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation? Do they help you out with opening a bank account?
Do they pay for travel costs to and from the University?
Is there an iron and ironing board in the apartments?
If someone could answer these questions that would be great. I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate? Are the classes difficult to teach? |
The way it worked for me�groups of teachers arrived on the same day at the Tokyo Airport and a team of Westgate representatives had a desk set up at the airport. Westgate paid to have two bags delivered from the airport to our apartments and we were given a train ticket to our apartment (with detailed directions and instructions on how to check-in to our apartment), some teachers had a Westgate employee escort to their place. Westgate also gives you a mobile phone on the day you arrive (it is pre set to only allow calls to Westgate support staff).
My Westgate "PC" went with me to open a bank account, apply for my foreigner registration card and health insurance paperwork I was given a pre paid train pass to my University to work every day.
My apartment is well equipped for day-to-day living however, no iron or ironing board (I brought my own iron with me from home and bought a little ironing board at the 100 yen shop for�as you may guess 100 yen).
Overall the support from Westgate has been outstanding. The classes are easy to teach with all the lesson plan support I could ask for. They give you a daily planner stating the goals for each day�s lesson and a recommend lesson plan but you are given the option to use your own ideas and material as long as you meet the stated goal.
For about 70% of the lessons I use the Westgate recommendations word for word�about 20% I use most of the Westgate plan with some of my own adjustments and material, about 10% of the time I rework the lesson from scratch to suit my style of teaching. |
Um...
How long have you worked for them?
A month yet? |
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passport220
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 117
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| Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 5:59 am Post subject: Re: Westgate conditions and support |
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| JohnC wrote: |
| passport220 wrote: |
| Ozesl wrote: |
Does anyone one know what kind of support Westgate provides? Do they pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation? Do they help you out with opening a bank account?
Do they pay for travel costs to and from the University?
Is there an iron and ironing board in the apartments?
If someone could answer these questions that would be great. I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate? Are the classes difficult to teach? |
| Ozesl wrote: |
Does anyone one know what kind of support Westgate provides? Do they pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation? Do they help you out with opening a bank account?
Do they pay for travel costs to and from the University?
Is there an iron and ironing board in the apartments?
If someone could answer these questions that would be great. I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate? Are the classes difficult to teach? |
The way it worked for me�groups of teachers arrived on the same day at the Tokyo Airport and a team of Westgate representatives had a desk set up at the airport. Westgate paid to have two bags delivered from the airport to our apartments and we were given a train ticket to our apartment (with detailed directions and instructions on how to check-in to our apartment), some teachers had a Westgate employee escort to their place. Westgate also gives you a mobile phone on the day you arrive (it is pre set to only allow calls to Westgate support staff).
My Westgate "PC" went with me to open a bank account, apply for my foreigner registration card and health insurance paperwork I was given a pre paid train pass to my University to work every day.
My apartment is well equipped for day-to-day living however, no iron or ironing board (I brought my own iron with me from home and bought a little ironing board at the 100 yen shop for�as you may guess 100 yen).
Overall the support from Westgate has been outstanding. The classes are easy to teach with all the lesson plan support I could ask for. They give you a daily planner stating the goals for each day�s lesson and a recommend lesson plan but you are given the option to use your own ideas and material as long as you meet the stated goal.
For about 70% of the lessons I use the Westgate recommendations word for word�about 20% I use most of the Westgate plan with some of my own adjustments and material, about 10% of the time I rework the lesson from scratch to suit my style of teaching. |
Um...
How long have you worked for them?
A month yet? |
Done with the 5th week of a 12 week contract (holiday period now...2 teaching days this week...2 next week). |
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Hoser
Joined: 19 Mar 2005
Posts: 694
Location: Toronto, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:56 pm Post subject: Re: Westgate conditions and support |
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| JohnC wrote: |
Um...
How long have you worked for them?
A month yet? |
Just out of curiosity JonC, how long do you need to work for a company before you feel qualified to answer whether or not they include an ironing board or whether or not they pay travel fare? |
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JohnC
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 47
Location: London
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| Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 1:55 am Post subject: Re: Westgate conditions and support |
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| Hoser wrote: |
| JohnC wrote: |
Um...
How long have you worked for them?
A month yet? |
Just out of curiosity JonC, how long do you need to work for a company before you feel qualified to answer whether or not they include an ironing board or whether or not they pay travel fare? |
Those were the only two questions, Hoser?
Or did the OP also ask "I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate?"
Furhtermore, did passport220 only answer the ironing board and travel fare questions, or did he/she provide a very opinioned post about westgate?
I strongly suspected that passport220 had only worked at westgate a short time.
And I was correct.
I'd bet his/her opinions will change soon. And I suggest the OP research this cafe and other forums rather than take the advice of someone with 5 weeks on the job! |
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sly1139
Joined: 29 Oct 2008
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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| so, John C. Can you tell us your experience... What do you think and why??? |
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passport220
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 117
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:02 am Post subject: Re: Westgate conditions and support |
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| JohnC wrote: |
| Hoser wrote: |
| JohnC wrote: |
Um...
How long have you worked for them?
A month yet? |
Just out of curiosity JonC, how long do you need to work for a company before you feel qualified to answer whether or not they include an ironing board or whether or not they pay travel fare? |
Those were the only two questions, Hoser?
Or did the OP also ask "I would also like to hear about what you think about Westgate?"
Furhtermore, did passport220 only answer the ironing board and travel fare questions, or did he/she provide a very opinioned post about westgate?
I strongly suspected that passport220 had only worked at westgate a short time.
And I was correct.
I'd bet his/her opinions will change soon. And I suggest the OP research this cafe and other forums rather than take the advice of someone with 5 weeks on the job! |
I researched Westgate Corp. carefully before I accepted my current teaching position with them. I found a lot of online posters who seemed to have an axe to grind because the Westgate system of short-term contract teachers put out a lot of teachers who would like to work at a university on a �full-boat� contract.
A lot of criticism are based on comparing a Westgate short-term contract with an industry standard full year contract. I never thought that was a valid comparison. I carefully read and understood the Westgate offer and contract. Westgate has fully met their commitments to me under our agreement every step of the way.
I am 6 weeks on the job, I am damn near half way done with the contract. Right now I feel like Westgate is offering a short-term deal that is head and shoulders above any other short-term contact in the ESL industry. What kind of problems did you specially experience that I look out for from big bad Westgate? |
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sly1139
Joined: 29 Oct 2008
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:31 am Post subject: |
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so, passport, I am considering a position for the spring time...
Are you at a university??? Where abouts, and what kind of commute do you have??? What are your classes like and maybe a typical day??? |
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passport220
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 117
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 12:18 am Post subject: |
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| sly1139 wrote: |
so, passport, I am considering a position for the spring time...
Are you at a university??? Where abouts, and what kind of commute do you have??? What are your classes like and maybe a typical day??? |
I am part of the university extra-curricular program (the most popular program at Westgate). All or most of the contracts Westgate has right now are in the Tokyo area. I work at a small university just North of Tokyo that focuses on training engineering students. I live in housing arranged by Westgate. My apartment is clean, efficient and modern�but VERY small. It is about a 5 min. walk to the nearest train station. I take a train for a little over 20 minutes and then a university shuttle bus to my office. In all it is about 45 to 50 mins. �door-to-door� home to work.
I teach six 40 minute conversation English classes each day and one �English Challenge� period (open time to meet with students for them to practice speaking on any subject). I have a roster of about 40 students but some have never turned up. I have about 20 regular students and another 5 or so who come from time to time. Class sizes are usually 3 to 5 students per. The students are polite and generally motivated to learn. Most have taken a Westgate course in the past and are comfortable with the pace and format of classes. It is a communicative based program and the students are expected to speak and they know it.
You will generally teach the same class 6 times a day. It takes about 1 hour to prepare the day�s class (about 40 mins general prep, and 20 mins preparing material or writing something up). The students are nice and class can range from cool and fun to kind of boring. It just depends on the material, my mood and the mood of the students.
There is a Japanese coordinator who is assigned to work with me. He has been nothing but helpful. He came to visit the school twice. Once during the first week and once when I ask him for help to solve a problem with the computer at school. We contact each other by phone or email about once per week. I understand he also contacts some students from time to time to ask how they feel about how the course is going and to keep attendance up.
I received my first paycheck in good order as a direct deposit to my JP Post savings account. If by the end of my contract Westgate continues to follow through as they have to date�I will give them nothing by top marks.
If you have any specific questions, let me know.
Good luck |
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JohnC
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 47
Location: London
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 3:03 am Post subject: Re: Westgate conditions and support |
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| passport220 wrote: |
| big bad Westgate? |
Don't be overly dramatic. It's not "big and bad." It's only 'below average.'
For some this is a good thing. People with only a Bachelor degree in something non-TEFL related (economics, etc.) can get a few months of college or uniiversity work. And (gasp) they do pay on time for those not accustomed to such things.
However, with WG you're on a very short contract and a very short leash. You are working for a dispatch/outsourcing company and the key to success is not to cause any problems, showing up, and then leaving when your time is done.
There's a reason why WG is flooding various websites with job ads.
Those wanting more information can send me a PM. Searching Daves is also a great resource.
For more information, I suggest reading the debate on whether or not Westgate is even a legal entity:
http://www.debito.org/?p=1396
GLENSKI: I still say they (Westgate) operate illegally because of what one of the General Union links I provided says about HAKEN and ININ types of organizations.
And some other posts about conditions:
http://www.bigdaikon.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=111948
| Quote: |
| I did Westgate. I worked a nine hour day, teaching seven or eight 40 minute classes. My commute was 90 minutes door to door. So I was getting up at 6.30 am and getting home at 8pm or so. As you can imagine, I didn't enjoy the experience very much. If you do Westgate, organize your own accomodation close to the university you'll be working at. As for the job, I found the days fairly long, tiring and boring |
Of course, each to their own. Due to Westgate's current need of teachers, you might even wiggle into a longer term gig if you assist in their recruiting. |
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passport220
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 117
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 3:37 am Post subject: Re: Westgate conditions and support |
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| JohnC wrote: |
...However, with WG you're on a very short contract and a very short leash. ...the key to success is not to cause any problems, showing up, and then leaving when your time is done. |
It is that simple. It is a 12 week contract. I am not sure why people try to hold Westgate to a different standard. They clearly and fairly lay out what is expected from you and what you can expect from them.
| JohnC wrote: |
| ..due to Westgate's current need of teachers, you might even wiggle into a longer term gig if you assist in their recruiting. |
My advice is to the opposite. Do not try to �wiggle� anything. Carefully read and understand their offer and contract. They have a staff with excellent English skills if you have any questions. Don�t try to �wiggle� or compare Westgate to what you WISH it might be, but take it for what it is.
If Westgate is "below avg." please do tell where a better short term ESL contract can be found. |
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JohnC
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 47
Location: London
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:35 am Post subject: |
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Westgate is great for those with Bachelor degrees in Economics.
You get 3 months of teaching work...just follow the plan. And leave without making mess...you're done, bye.
Hey, you were a University professor! Without tenure, benefits, a real contract or all those silly things.
And the WG job ads keep being posted....Anyone can be a Professor!
Qualifications and legalities don't matter. |
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