Job Discussion Forums

ttrtaft · Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 17

I was wondering if anyone has any information on this LTC(Language Training Center)in Beihai?
Thanks,
Rachel

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

There were a raft of positive views on this outfit some time ago (around 2003 or 2003); I found out these posters were recruits from Yangshuo-based Buckland posted to Beihai.
BUckland's recruits normally give their employers well-deserved rave reviews. THere is nothing to be sceptical about except that when I once asked that Beihai training centre whether they get a work visa for their FTs I was told they send them to Nanning for that purpose.
I couldn't understand why the Nanning PSB would grant them work visas valid in Beihai but didn't press the point any further.
As for Beihai, this is a relatively lively, smallish town with interesting downtown area where old colonial and modern Beihai converge. I don't think I would last long there, but others might. If you like swimming in the sea then this is a good place.

Kilroy238 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 21 Location: Tianjin

Kilroy238 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 21 Location: Tianjin

First the bright spots. Although I feel screwed over by LTC and yes I am angry with Beth who really is LTC. I don't want to give people the impression this post is all sour grapes.

Beihai in southern is a wonderful city. The air is a pleasure to breath. The seafood is awesome. The street vendors are the best I have ever had. The city is very nice clean the people are friendly.

The other teachers are great a Canuck and an Aussie and 3 Chinese teachers who have excellent English skills. The assistant teachers at LTC rock. A great help and very friendly. The schedule was very nice. 1 night class 3 nights a week and on the weekends was rock and roll time. Private school Saturday and Sunday were the biggest days

Beth sometimes teacher and 24/7 manager of LTC as a person is a very nice lady. She showed me and another new teacher around town. Took us to some nice places to eat. She has been very helpful getting some stuff I shipped over here from the Philippines past the red tape of customs. I needed some hard to find medicine. She found it. As a manger of LTC that is another story.

I came to ltc under a verbal agreement the contact was to be taken care of after I arrived. I was told I would get what was on the job offer.
http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/china/index.cgi?read=15568
That was 16-18 hours a week 4000 RMB since I have NO EXPERIENCE. For One year. I told her several times I have no experience except for a 1 month winter camp in Korea. That was all. No Problem. We will help train you. We have other had other teachers with no experience.

Beth was in a pinch and needed someone ASAP. My first go at a teacher I wanted to show I could be a team player and help out when needed a good thing right?

I was living in the Philippines at the time so I packed up my stuff arranged for shipping and headed out. I arrived in Beihai on a Friday night at 11pm. I had already agreed to teach at 8am the next day since she was in a jam. She was nice enough to do 2 lesson plans for me that covered that weekend. Even with them she was not impressed. She was surprised that wow I was not a great teacher. I reminded her No Experience. No Problem. We will help train you. Here the other teachers offered help. The other teachers helped me and answered what ever questions I had. They said don't worry things will come along. You have no experience.

Cool OK so even though I can feel the point of Beth's sword of performance in my back I tried to stay relaxed and work on my technique. I tried to not let the total disorganization of the place worry me. The fact not all kids have books. The books I was given were different from the books the kids have. My teachers manual was in Chinese. Don't sweat the small stuff.

After 2 weeks I got a call to come in and talk about the contact.

To sum up the meeting. Well it's been a 2 weeks and you suck. I am changing around all your classes. I did have 16 hours at 4000 RMB changed to 8 hours a week at 2250 RMB. I was told to forget the year contract I would be given a 3 month contract and then we will see what we will see at the end of the term. Maybe you would be happy at a larger school where the have the time to train you. I asked her what about all the times she said they they would work with me on training. I got a laod of excuses.

Talk about a kick to the stomach. I spent the last of my cash getting my plane tickets and shipping my stuff over from the Philippines. OK I thought no worries at the end of the term I will be proficient and she will hire me on for the agreed on year.

OK so now I had a new group of younger kids. 3 classes used the same lesson plan. Another 2 classes used the same lesson plan. Cool. So my 3rd week I started over with new kids. I would now share every class with a Chinese teacher. I had them one day the Chinese teacher had the other. I was told follow their lead. They teach you review and then start on the next lesson a bit. Monday after 3rd weekend. She started giving me that get lost vibe again. Are you sure you like teaching? Are you happy here? etc etc etc.

Other teachers were like relax no big deal it is only your 3rd week teacher. You have all new kids. So the other teachers gave me tips on good lesson plans. On Thursday and Friday I spend a lot of time doing all my plans for the weekend. It helped a lot my Saturday classes all went better. The kids were laughing having a good time. The assistant teacher all told me I was doing better I was using a toy hammer that the other teachers use. It is a big funny looking blow up squeaking hammer with a small bell inside. A child's toy. The other guys had a lot of fun with their classes using it. You ask a question the Ss has 3 seconds to answer they miss the question the hammer falls. SQUEAK. Everyone laughs. I was feeling upbeat and positive.

On Sunday I felt bad when I woke up. Made it thru my first class that I had to be woken up for. New class I was given that they put on my schedule but then crossed it out then changed their minds again but didn't bother to tell me. Haul ass get there. Start to teach... Get kicked out class rooms are all screwed up. Go to another one 20 minutes later another teacher comes in and wants to know when I will be done his class was supposed to start in there 5 minutes ago. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Finished up had a 50 minute break. Lesson plans were done still felt bad. Got worse and worse over the next 50 minutes.started to get hot flashes. I was told there was a stomach thing going around. Great i thought. 5 minutes after the start of my 11am class I ran out of the room followed closely by my assistant teacher made it to the bathroom and spent the next 5 minutes puking. Missed the rest of Sunday. Still sick on Monday but feeling better swapped my Monday night class with my Chinese counterpart for his Wednesday class. No Problem.

Tuesday 28 Mar. Beth calls and finally asks how I am could I come in. Sure as I already had an idea what would happen on Tuesday anyhow. Sure enough I got fired.

However she did not mention me getting sick. A parent complained about the use of the toy hammer although nothing is going to be said to the other teachers to stop using the toys. Beth also said I scare some of the kids. I am a big guy and kinda loud. What can I say I am American. She couldn't tell me who though just some kids. Some of those kids I only got to see once since I didn't get to do Sunday. Although when they chased me around in the hall way and everyone was laughing in class I didn't see fear in any of their eyes.

She also mentioned that it was unfair on the other teacher that they are doing my lesson plans. I said and who is doing my lesson plans for me? She then reminded me about the 2 she did for me my first weekend when I bailed her out.

That right there sums up her managerial skills. As a person is a very nice and helpful. As a manager of LTC she needs to go back to teaching kindergarten which she says she loves and hire a manager but that is only my opinion.

She has been kind enough to still give me a 3 month visa so I don't have to leave the country. As well as 2 weeks more in my apt. I do appreciate that but I think I am owed at least at for all the crap she has put me thru.
I came on the decent and fair offer and got the shaft.

If you have experience you could be quite happy with LTC. The other teachers seem happy. However you could also have a nightmare like me.

All I can say if Beth is selling Caveat Emptor.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me or pm me.

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Wow! Kilroy, that's quite a story above.

Roger, you often are quite resourceful I must say.

Kilroy238 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 21 Location: Tianjin

Russell123 · Joined: 22 Sep 2005 Posts: 237

I've been working at LTC Beihai for 9 months now, and need to address a few of Kilroy's comments. There are two sides to every story, needless to say.

What happened to Kilroy was unfortunate. He was a decent guy, but I think at any other language school he would have been shown the door much sooner.

Anyway, he had numerous chances, and wasn't the only one who came to LTC without experience. I had no experience when I came, and was given lots of oppotunity to learn, mess up, and so on. All they wanted in return was an honest effort to learn and to take the job somewhat seriously. This is something Kilroy wasn't interested in doing despite numerous chances, and in the end Beth had to let him go. It's not somethiong she did lightly.

Even after all this, Beth went out of her way to help him, so he wouldn't be stuck. She spent days helping him navigate an nedless beurocratic nightmare in order to get his belongings out of customs, let him stay for free in the apartment, helped him get his medications, etc.

Like I said, there are two sides to every story. There are lots of current and former teachers at LTC who would gladly vouch for the school.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

so, as usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

7969

Voldermort · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 597

I find it a little unusual that there are 2 months between the posts, and that the reply is at the same time or just before the school would be looking for new teachers. I'm not saying that either of the posts are disshonest or missleading. I have seen this tactic, and been asked to do the same, by many schools and agencies in the past.

As always, the best way to determine if a school is honest, contact the past and present teachers. Things said in the form of an e-mail or PM will vary to those written on a message board.

Russell123 · Joined: 22 Sep 2005 Posts: 237

Voldemort - i don't like seeing a reputation being smeared in a place where it can and will affect the business. I haven't been on Dave's in a long time - and if you check the dates of my posts you will see that. no one asked me to defend the school, but you are right, the best way to learn about any school is to talk to the past and present FT's. Very foolish not to.

Voldermort · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 597

Russell,

It's nothing agianst you, and I agree with you, it's no good for a good school to gain a bad rep from a bad FT. But the fact that you have not been on Daves for lengthy period doesn't do much justice.

As an example for anybody, do a google search for the infamous Tianshuo of Changchun. After reading both the positive and negative feedback from the FT's it should become clear where the positive comments are really coming from.

Russell123 · Joined: 22 Sep 2005 Posts: 237

Well, I agree with you there. It doesn't actually prove anything. What can I say? There's the story from both angles, and if anyone's thinking of heading to Beihai they can decide for themselves, email other teachers, head to Harbin, whatever...

Malsol · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1976 Location: Lanzhou

Ask any China old hand -

This story (both sides) is totally believable simply because it is so old and oft repeated.

Kilroy238 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 21 Location: Tianjin

Yeah two sides to every story considering this guy did all kinds of "private bitching" to me about the school AFTER I got to there. When I sent him an email asking about the school he said all is great. Wonderful come on down.

I do notice there Russel you say she did so much to help me on a personal level and as I said in my report all that was true.

She let me stay in my apt 2 extra weeks after she fired me.
My meds she sent a staff member once to the hospital after that I did it.
She helped me get my stuff out of customs. Yeah that was the ONE thing agreed to before I came that she did so lets not make Beth out to be Mother Theresa.

What about professional help. What did I get in the way of that none except when I asked yall's advice. You say I wasn't interested in being a good teacher and taking the job seriously I call you a d@mn liar.

How many numerous chances did I get in my what 5 weeks? Considering all the promises of training were a lie. How many times did we talk about the problems of lack of feedback until not knowing there is a problem until boom I am in her office with her telling me Sorry I know I promised you a contract and other things but I changed my mind. I got off a flight and was at work 8 hours later and I was not serious.

I said to you several times man I think Beth has it out for me. I heard the SAME THING from you every time. Man your new she will give you a chance and you will get better just like I did. Funny how you don't mention in your letter all the times you me and Adam talked about what a lousy manager she was.

I also think it is funny that you write your little reply months AFTER I left Beihai. I told you about it the day I did it. Sent you the URL to read it. If everything was so happy and great and this was my fault why wait so long?

I know my reply is overdue here I just found what you posted and it made me mad enough to want to reply to it. Mmmm I notice you posted your reply in May. That was about the time you were planning on leaving. Let me guess no replacement you can't leave?

Again I have talked to others and they have been happy there. Beth had some personal problem against me. I don't know what or why. So again you might go to this school and be really happy. If Beth doesn't like you everything she said is out the window.

Radhagrrl · Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 5:41 am Post subject:

Just for the record, LTC has had no problem finding replacement teachers. There are three new FTs here, of which I am one. It's disorganized and things change with short notice, like any school I've worked in China. Beihai is a great city, Beth has been very accomodating, and the other teachers, both FTs and Chinese, have been helpful. Then again, I'm a professional. I plan my lessons and I take teaching seriously.