I just returned from an EF job in Beijing one week ago (August 30, 2008). I'm still traumatized but the pain is gradually subsiding.... There were 8 teachers in three schools when I arrived 4 1/2 months ago. At least 4 have left before the end of their year-long contracts, three of us before 5 months, and yet another told me as I was waiting for my flight home that he had resigned. I know that others are already looking for other schools in China because they can't stand EF, though there are EF freaks, like the DoSes, who believe EF is the best TEFL employer in the world. I know from experience that they are not. The level of bitterness in some resigning teachers says a lot about EF. EF is abusive in the extreme. I taught English in Japan for three years and never had such horrible experiences in the workplace, with policies, or even in the classroom. My state in Japan had almost 100 teachers and only 1 left before the year was up, due to health reasons. 1% versus 50%. That should tell you something about EF. I was pushed by a students and the CR, who acts as the course liaison between teachers and parents told the kid not to worry about it. That is not an isolated problem. The CRs get bonuses for student retention so it's not in their interest to back up teachers.

EF sells itself to teachers as the premier school with the best salary and best work environment in China. Bunk and rot. The foreign DoS of my school told the teachers that he expected us to never take the 11 sick days granted by EF because he believes if you're well enough to call in sick you're well enough to work. He was new but he wasn't kidding. I got sick when I first arrived in Beijing and his predecessor hounded me to come into work and tried to fire me when I couldn't. EF cares about money period. They will throw you under a bus if it helps them save money. Teachers are never in the right in a dispute. Management is the worst I've seen in twenty years of working and it's all designed to protect EF. Teachers are expected to work at least 45 hour workweeks and informally the DoS might cut you some slack but you cannot count on or trust EF. I tried to talk to the DoS about the problems I had at the school. He told me I should have researched EF better on the internet, so he made everything my fault. I had looked at this site before leaving for China but I didn't see this discussion. I decided to post to spare anyone my trauma. After I resigned, teachers came forward with leads to other schools with more money for half (!) the hours EF demands! But I was so fed up I left China altogether. I was getting 10,000 RMB per month salary but I strongly encouraged by my school to live nearby, in a very expensive area with rent of 4000 RMB a month. Other than that, I would have had to move over an hour away by bus, subway, subway and then again bus to the 'training center', EF's names for it's schools. After I resigned, I found other teachers who were planning to resign as well found jobs with salaries of 13,000 RMB per month with about 26 hours of work time a week.

BTW, don't do as some have suggested and use EF to get the work visa. Even though they knew I had a plane ticket and was genuinely leaving China, they cancelled my Foreign Expert's certificate and escorted me to the visa office to cancel my work visa under the threat that I would not be able to leave China until I did so, that I would be stopped at the airport and made to turn around and go back to cancel the visa and fined 4000 RMB by the government. I had a multi-entry visa so the only way the government would know that I wasn't planning to return would be if someone informed them. I pointed that out to my DoS who replied that unless I cancelled my visa I would be stopped at the airport and fined. What does that sound like to you? So I cancelled my visa and had to pay 940 RMB, over $100 USD, for a three day tourist visa that limited me to the environs of Beijing. That's suspicious because the ordinary tourist visa last 30 days. An EF employee told me the company must have requested it although the DoS blamed it on the Olympics. What did it matter to the government if I remained in China for 30 days like any there tourist? I don't buy it al all. And then they took back the flight allowance they had paid me out of my last paycheck, among other very unexpected charges! So EF is not a good guy or good deal to get to China and then change like someone suggested, not that I had any intention of that!

BTW, EF Kids Schools Beijing tries to say they are experiencing growing pains because they are new ( opened since late 2007 and because they are expanding so fast - up to four schools and more in the works to open soon) and the disorganization and demanding work schedule is not their usual way of being. After reading the other post here, I'm even less inclined to believe it, and I didn't really believe it after teaching and training in three of their four current schools. The problems are systemic and corporate and are not limited to particular schools. The corporate attitude is that EF comes first and it seems to me that they consider teachers the enemy. This is their second try in the Beijing market and so far it's crappy for teachers. Of course, with EF it's always the teachers' fault. I could tell sad tales but Im not that sort of person and also the feelings are to fresh to recount the stories.