Job Discussion Forums

[TiaFix]

I got a private message asking for my experiences at Etonkids. A long time ago, I posted a request for info about the school, and said I'd follow up with how it went (cause i signed) for everyone's info later on.

So, the quick answer is that I've signed on for a 2nd year. I love my job and am very satisfied with the pay and lifestyle in Beijing that it affords me.

It's a montessori school. So, it's not traditional western style teaching. There are 3 other adults/teachers in a classroom with you. You follow the kids around and talk to them in english when they request it. You're kindof a highly paid personal tutor. There's lots of personal attachment with the children. Compensation comes timely and expected. They're sticklers for the contract, so don't assume anything that's not in writing, and consider how it is written and how it might be interpreted by a large company. Don't be afraid to negotiate. And when you arrive, don't be afraid to share positive improvement ideas with the company - I did, and i got the work and responsibility i was looking for.

positive attitude is important for working here. they demand a lot of hours out of you, versus, perhaps a university job - but the teaching hours aren't that long, just a lot of kid watching or training/professional development days that seem not so poignant (which is usually due to the presenter, not the school) - so... i think this job is best suited for those who really, really, really love working wtih children ... like, it's their life's mission. not just a means to an end (travelling through asia, making lots of cash, partying up weekdays and nights)... i'm not trying to be a prude, i'm just trying to share my experience. a lot of great teachers have come through, but the time committment has dragged down their lifestyle choices. working with kids this young and the type of teaching involved doesn't necessarily give the instant gratification as 'say, repeat, remember' western practices. it's more about having a bond with the kids, being a positive role model, demonstrating proper behavior, sharing your language with them - you'll spend up to 8hrs a day with the same kids for an entire year... they won't forget you! so, it's not something to take lightly. the co-workers i know who've shown the highest level of satisfaction from the job have been mom's themselves (i'm not, btw), or had education degrees (I dont), or just adore bonding and working with young children (i do). the kids are all under 6yrs.

one of the other issues about having a positive experience is being assigned to a classroom with a lead teacher that you can postively interact with. most of the dissatisfied teachers i've met said a large part was due to their lead teacher. it's hard to work cooperatively in a room with 3 other adults. everyone wants to do their best, but sometimes intentions clash. this can be a challenge to overcome. one can also apply to switch classrooms if things just aren't meshing. i definitely got frustrated as an english specialist with some of my lead teachers actions. i remember thinking, 'she's just not teaching anything. this is such a waste. im doing more teaching than her.' which, in hindsight, was really a terrible thing to think and illustrated my naivity and inexperience. afterall, she had a montessori degree - i didnt - i just didnt understand the montessori methods - which are seriously different than how i went to school, etc. - but now that i've taken to reading the books myself and incorporating it into my own methods, i'm way chiller. it's enjoyable. and honestly, i recommend montessori for all children under 6yrs - i think it's the best pre-school method imaginable. after 6? (or for a very advanced 4 or 5yr old?) i dunno, i'd go more western. just saying, montessori is all about self intitiative and independence and taking risks and open mindeness, and social/personal responsibility - which are hard concepts but brillaint ones to ingrain into a wee one's head.

okay, so, i've rambled on enough. what else can i add? here's a salary breakdown for the company - if you've got a degree and 1 year of teaching experience, you can prolly get 12,500RMB to start - this includes the housing allowance (which is 2000RMB pretty much standard - and requires you provide proof of your housing cost atleast 1x, and a fapio if they ever request, but they never have). if you have more experience and higher degrees or a degree specifically in education, you can get more, on up to 15,000RMB (again, this include the housing 2000rmb). they might throw in for airline tix. you get 50% health usually after the probation period which is usually 2 months (90% pay, not including housing during probation period). the vacation days are pretty darn good... but they may have shortened them with this years new hires. but i got a ton in comparison to my days teaching in korea. like 6 weeks of vacation time. i opted to work during the summer holiday and got double pay, so that was nice.

no problems with visa stuff - they have a dedicated department to handle such affairs. they're big and they have connections to make hard cases smooth. it still can be a rough business and lots of running about - but as long as you have your documents it goes fairly painless... if you call running to multiple locations and spending multiple hours in lines painless. but yeah, painless in comparison to something, i imagine, that could be worse.

as a final note, there are lots of international schools in beijing. try googling international school beijing. or just school beijing, and see what comes up. etonkids has locations spanning china now, so you could end up in another city, but they have like 13 campuses here, so chances are, you'll be here. but to get back to point, if you apply at other schools, they are just as good if not better in their compensation structures and administration prowess. so... if you're a fresh grad, have only 1 year experience, etonkids is a good choice - you migght not get a position at the other international schools with similar little experience - but hten again! you might! it's really all about who you know in this town.

i think that's all i can bare to write. i've put it all out there and am happy to answer pm's. i know etonkids is still looking for teachers, and there are some bad reviews out in the void from burnt teachers, but i'm perhaps unusually lucky, in that i've found a good place for me and i dont plan on leaving anytime soon. if anything about my experience resonates with you, feel free to get more info from them directly (jeremy and jea are the hiring people thesedays i think).

as a final note, if you do stay on long term with the company, they offer better rewards, but you gotta really haggle for it. it can be daunting. if they offer you 'x' and you reply, 'im not satisfied, i'd like more' but dont say explicitly what you want, you probably won't get anything different. be upfront, straight, tell them what you need to make yourself and your job happy and rewarding, and they'll likely play ball. my bf who worked for the company (but was one of the unhappy teachers), just signed on for more time... why? because he wanted to work a half-day, insead of 8hrs - and they agreed. he's now making more hourly than he did as a full-time teacher. the point being, is that all it takes is communication, a cool head, timing, and a little bit of luck.

good luck to you all,
tia
ps. im unique in my experience. don't take just my word. look around and decide for yourself, go with your gut feeling. that's always made me happiest. my gut said 'eton' and so i went for it, and it worked out well. rock on. >^,,^<

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

good stuff, and nice to read it vs. all the negative stuff that usually shows up on here.

[bnej]

thanks for this!

the positive experience definitely helps narrow school choices for newbie teachers like myself.