I have been working for BSK for 4 years. I am the longest-running employee they have, second only to the freakin' owners. My name and email address are fairly well-known, so no, I'm not a troll.

Does the company have problems? Of course they do. Show me one in the world that doesn't. However, I have to laugh because MOST of things that people here are complaining about, are idiotic.

BSK teachers now have their hands held. They are given flashcards, materials, entire lesson plans and texts to follow. Copyright laws broken? Sure. Again, like everywhere else in China. But how does that affect YOU, the teacher? It doesn't. I get the book, I do my job, and I get paid. I get paid very well, actually, because I *do* my job, instead of moaning and complaining. If anyone is going to get in trouble over copyright laws, it is the COMPANY's problem, NOT yours. So please, do shut up about it.

Let's nail some concerns.

1. 15 percent withheld every month. Okay, fine - have that taken out of the contract before you sign it. Oh wait - I'm sorry, that implies you must READ it first, and I see how this can be a problem for so many people. And don't say it can't be written out - I and two other teachers currently under contract with BSK are living proof that they do rewrites.

The first 2 years they deducted that from my pay because I was staying in a BSK-paid apartment and that was the monthly deposit. What no one seems to post is that YOU GET IT ALL BACK at the end of the year. Plus a bonus if you're a lucky one.

Once I got my own place? Those pesky deductions? They STOPPED. Imagine that.

2. 2 rooms in back of a restaurant

Good call. I hated that too. So did they - that's why they now run out of converted school they bought and developed specifically to help BSK grow. The owners OWNED the restaurant, and it made for cheap rent for the company while they built BSK up.

4 years ago, they were all squeezed into a single room in an office building on Han Kou Lu. The restaurant had more space, but you whiners wouldn't know about that.

3.the clauses they put in their contracts leaves you wide open to what they deem is a good teacher. /quote

Oh please, cry me a river. You know, the teachers who work for BSK who have no complaints are the ones who are never late for classes, and don't call in sick every time they have a hangover. My SCHOOL demanded two teachers be fired because they were rude to their Chinese co-workers. Lets hear some proof please - what reasons did they state for your dismissal? 'Cause I'd lay even money I know why you got canned - and I don't sympathize with you one bit.

4. Badly designed website

To be honest, I've never seen the website. I don't care. I have my job, I do a damn good job at that, and my issues are handled by the company when I bring them up, provided I do so in a rational manner. So the website is poorly designed - most are. The people running the company are not web designers - they hire someone to create it and give them information they want shown. If you hate the website, SKIP IT. Contact the company directly - they'll be more then happy to put you into contact with me or any other teacher working here.

So this is it? These are your chief complaints? Give me a break. First off, this is NOT your home country - whatever rules you play by at home have no weight here. Unless you're Canadian. Joking. But you can't expect a Chinese company in a Chinese country to abide by YOUR country's standards. If you can't live with that, go somewhere else.

Frankly, it would make ME happy if you did. I am sick and tired of having to help train and deal with whining and moaning new teachers who are only here as a means of financing their travel plans and don't care about their kids. There was a former BSK employee who ranted about the company's unjust firing policies - and that particular teacher was late to class every single friggin' day for three straight months!! And no, that's not word-of-mouth I'm passing on.

Ask anyone - I'm the first person to spout off about this company. I have my own issues with them, but it has more to do with inter-office communication problems, and nothing to do with my teaching job. But new teachers whine and rant while THEY are HANDHELD through the whole process! I mentioned lesson plans and materials - you also get TA's to translate and make photocopies for you. The fact that people bitch about HORRENDOUS conditions - please, I've been there, done that and can trump ANY of you.

16 hour days? Worked it. 3+schools per week? Hello first year. 500+student? Yup. No materials? Gee, that sounds familiar. Money withheld? for two years. I talked to them, got it dealt with, and wow, wouldn't you know, this year I seem to have less problems then the years before. Funny how that works, a little communication in place of rampant bitching. Odd.

I won't put BSK on a high horse - they ain't perfect by any means. But the venom here against them is ridiculous, considering the source of it.

If you are considering working for BSK, feel free to contact me. I don't sugarcoat anything. I will tell you the pros and cons and you can make up your own mind.