|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
soreiketanpanman
Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Posts: 6
|
 Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:46 pm Post subject: Which schools have you been satisfied with? |
 |
|
Hey everyone,
This is my first post here. Nice to meet you all.
I'm a recent college graduate hoping to relocate to China--preferably Shanghai, Shenzhen/Guangzhou, or Beijing--sometime in 2010 (the earlier in the year, the better). I have a bachelors degree and four years of Mandarin under my belt. I've also had previous experience living in Shanghai.
As I research schools online, it'd seem as if there isn't a school in China that offers work which isn't completely exploitative and miserable. At the same time, asking for a generic list of "good schools" seems a little silly, since I'd imagine a "good school" is largely contextual.
So, to provide a little context:
I don't view teaching as a career path for me. I'd be joining a school with the intention of actively seeking more relevant work and leaving when I do (or when my contract expires). However, I'm not irresponsible. I have tutoring experience, like teaching, and would work hard for my students. I'm not looking for fun money...I just want a reliable, decent paycheck and a roof over my head without rats (I genuinely have a phobia).
Anyway, I'm curious to know which schools you've been satisfied with and why. You can PM me or post here, but I'm really interested to know where you've had good experiences.
Thanks for reading |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
alter ego
Joined: 24 Mar 2009
Posts: 209
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
Are you planning to take a teacher training course before you come? I highly recommend it, as a B.A. + TEFL/TESOL cert. would generally open up more job opportunities for you. Others here might disagree, but I think you should take a look at Wall Street English, maybe even EF, as they might hire you from "overseas" and give you a "soft" landing in China.
More and more recent college graduates these days are looking to teach English overseas for a year or two to pay off loans, travel, and figure out what they want to do with the "rest" of their lives. Even though the big language mills make you work long hours, wear name tags, follow dress codes and other corporate BS, they are generally safe places to work.
Be aware that many of the lesser-known and less-established schools and recruiters in China are often looking to exploit, in one way or another, the next wave of fresh and inexperienced college recruits.
Be careful, take your time, and consider all of your options before you sign a contract. Good luck!
Last edited by alter ego on Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:10 am; edited 2 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nobleignoramus
Joined: 17 Jul 2009
Posts: 208
Location: On the road
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
"...planning on seeking more relevant work..." (than teaching).
So you don't think teaching is 'relevant' work? It's as mundane as, say, shuffling office papers? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
soreiketanpanman
Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Posts: 6
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
| nobleignoramus wrote: |
"...planning on seeking more relevant work..." (than teaching).
So you don't think teaching is 'relevant' work? It's as mundane as, say, shuffling office papers? |
Relevant to me and my interests.
Go be The Internet somewhere else. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
soreiketanpanman
Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Posts: 6
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
| alter ego wrote: |
Are you planning to take a teacher training course before you come? I highly recommend it, as a B.A. + TEFL/TESOL cert. would generally open up more job opportunities for you. Others here might disagree, but I think you should take a look at Wall Street English, maybe even EF, as they might hire you from "overseas" and give you a "soft" landing in China.
More and more recent college graduates these days are looking to teach English overseas for a year or two to pay off loans, travel, and figure out what they want to do with the "rest" of their lives. Even though the big language mills make you work long hours, wear name tags, follow dress codes and other corporate BS, they are generally safe places to work.
Be aware that many of the lesser-known and less-established schools and recruiters in China are often looking to exploit, in one way or another, the next wave of fresh and inexperienced college recruits.
Be careful, take your time, and consider all of your options before you sign a contract. Good luck! |
Thanks so much, Alter Ego. Especially for enlightening me about the whole TEFL certificate thing. I mean, from what I've heard they're not totally necessary, but hey, if it helps me get into a big, impersonal, dull and reliable corporate mill, why not? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chinatwin88
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Peking
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
This is da�shiznit� of schools for those who dont plan to make this a "prolonged" stop on their way to success. More than likely you wont have to bother with that pesky certificate.
Kid Castle
English Fast
Sunny's English
Shane English Schools
Wanjie Zhaoyang School Boshan Economy and Technology Developing Zone Zibo City, Shandong Province
Yangzhou Vocational College of Environment and Resources, Yangzhou, PRC
Minibees English Training Center - Guangzhou, China!
Or try a recruiter
Alin Buuer aka Frank Zhang & tefl.cc
Huali Education based in Hefei, Anhui Province
Huapu Education Group; Xuhui District, Shanghai
William in Beijing powerit111 at yahoo.com
SYS Education" in Beijing, Yakup International; China Talents |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
alter ego
Joined: 24 Mar 2009
Posts: 209
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
I worked at a Wall Street center in China for a year and overall it was a pretty good experience. It wasn't as dull and impersonal as you might imagine (notice the word imagine, which means you don't have the experience to know what you're talking about), and it was a reliable place to earn 14K/month while learning and growing and improving as an EFL teacher. Regardless of what you've heard about TEFL certificates, they are necessary, and often required, to become a better teacher and to find good teaching jobs in China.
I can understand you snapping at nobleignoramus, but my reply? Wasn't it clear I was giving you positive advice and encouragement? What are they teaching you kids in college these days, anyway? 
Last edited by alter ego on Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
soreiketanpanman
Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Posts: 6
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
| alter ego wrote: |
My goodness, aren't you a fresh young wipper snapper! 
I worked at a Wall Street center in China for a year and overall it was a pretty good experience. It wasn't as dull and impersonal as you might imagine (notice the word, imagine, which means you have zero experience to know what you're talking about), and it was a reliable place to earn 14K/month while learning and growing and improving as an EFL teacher. Regardless of what you've heard about TEFL certificates, they are necessary, and often required, to become a better teacher and to find good teaching jobs in China.
I can understand you snapping at nobleignoramus, but my reply? Wasn't it clear that I was giving you positive advice and encouragement? What are they teaching you kids in college these days, anyway? |
No! No! No!
I really am grateful, Alter Ego. I read about Wall Street English a few weeks ago and made a note of it. Now that you've singled it out I've revisited in the site and began going over the application requirements. I was just being tongue in cheek. It's hard to convey intonation over the internet. Please don't take it the wrong way. I'm really thankful for your advice. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
alter ego
Joined: 24 Mar 2009
Posts: 209
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Hey, no worries, that's good to know. I was editing my reply, because it was a bit of an inflammatory remark, so I'm sorry you saw it and for calling you a whippersnapper. I see the humor, and yes, it's hard to convey it online. FYI, be prepared for a comeback from nobleignoramus, as this sort of thing is common here. A lot of us are career EFL teachers, expats young and old who make a living, and a way of life, teaching English in China. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kev7161
Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 5880
Location: Suzhou, China
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I really enjoy my school, been there 4 years. Good pay, good people, good perks. I'd recommend you not come here though because they always look for those that enjoy teaching and have some experience with it (oh yeah, along with good degrees as well). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
soreiketanpanman
Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Posts: 6
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| vikeologist wrote: |
I work for a branch of EF, and its a decent enough place, (the school I work in, I can't speak for all EF schools in China) but I think that it could be a fairly bad experience if you turned out not to enjoy ESL teaching as it can be pretty hard work. (If anybody knows of a good pace where its not hard work, please feel free to let me know of any openings). Also, most chains would expect you to commit to a length of contract (typically at least 10 months, usually a year) and there can be problems if you want to hand in your notice before the end of the contract but want to stay in China.
My personal view is that chains expect a lot of you, but (at their best) give a lot back to you, are supportive and comitted to you. But your message makes you sound quite uncommitted and that you're bringing too little to the table. As I say, my EF branch is ok, but then again they wouldn't employ you because you have no relevant qualifications or experience, and even if they did, the government would refuse to give you the paperwork. Can you get a job somewhere else? probably. You may be a geat bloke, and you may come here and be a great teacher. I'm very well qualified (much better qualified and with a lot more experience than my fellow teachers) but honestly the most important things by a long shot are the right personality and a willingness to learn and improve. More important than qualifications IMHO.
However most teachers with what I will pompously refer to as proper qualifications (CELTA or TESOL) take about a year to become good teachers. If you have the wrong attitude (and you really did come across that way to me) you may not have a very pleasant experience for a whole host of reasons. |
Hey Vikeologist. Thank you for the more sobering advice. Reading over my original post, my phrasing might have made me sound a less professional than I am (i.e., I would not simply break contract if another opportunity arose), but you're right, I may have the wrong attitude. Then again, I may not. I'm not opposed to teaching--it's just not what I think of when I imagine myself ten years down the road. But my former adviser has sent plenty of former students to Wuhan for first-time teaching jobs and many of them have wound up loving it, so how can I discount the same thing from happening to me? Like I said, I have had some experience tutoring English, and I guess, as a language student myself, I'm pretty warm to the idea of being able to "give back" after what I've learned. But then again, maybe you're right and this isn't enough. I'll think about what you've written.
But thank you. I appreciate you took the time to actually give me your honest opinion instead of just farting off some petty and self-satisfied comment. Because as I pursue work in China, I'd like to be able to tae in as many perspectives as possible, and you just gave me another to consider. So again, thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sww
Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 8
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:42 pm Post subject: kev7161 |
|
|
| Would you be willing to send me the name of your school or a similar one that you are familiar with? I am tenured at a college in the US and have taught for two years and a summer in China in the past, but think I might want to teach long term in China again. My email address is swwall2003yahoo.com. Thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
The Great Wall of Whiner
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Posts: 4946
Location: Blabbing
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I want to give you some advice, but it might sound a little blunt. I hate stepping on peoples' toes, so if you welcome any constructive critisism, I could keep it private and send you a PM if you like. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
A'Moo
Joined: 21 Jan 2007
Posts: 1067
Location: a supermarket that sells cheese
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| soreiketanpanman wrote: |
| nobleignoramus wrote: |
"...planning on seeking more relevant work..." (than teaching).
So you don't think teaching is 'relevant' work? It's as mundane as, say, shuffling office papers? |
Relevant to me and my interests.
Go be The Internet somewhere else. |
Check out the top of the page.
"The internets meeting place for teachers"
I find your ambitions here to be irrelevant, as well as highly improbable... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IT2006
Joined: 17 Jan 2009
Posts: 91
Location: Wichita, KS, and westward.
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:34 pm Post subject: Re: kev7161 |
|
|
| sww wrote: |
| Would you be willing to send me the name of your school or a similar one that you are familiar with? I am tenured at a college in the US and have taught for two years and a summer in China in the past, but think I might want to teach long term in China again. My email address is swwall2003yahoo.com. Thanks. |
SWW: Are you planning to take a sabbatical in China, then return to the U.S.? If not, why would you give up a tenured position?
OP: If your foreign language requirement was mandarin, is your BA "more relevant" to an occupation other than teaching in China? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
