Yo Turnoi, I hear your criticism of Aston and it's brethren, but I wouldn't go so far as to say, as you have, that one shouldn't hire a teacher who's had the misfortune of working in such environments. Working for a poorly run school doesn't mean a teacher runs a poor class or is under qualified. I've worked at Aston and ultimately left because of the greed, corruption, incompetence and all-around ugliness of the local boss-man. However, I don't think the idea behind the kind of education Aston provides, or the way it is intended to be implemented is bad. In fact, I'm sure I could run a successful Aston school myself. Why the Chinese bosses and managers always lose the forest for the trees while they snap jiao in two with pincer's grip is a bit of a mystery. Don't business schools or sources for business training teach anything about taking a wider view and not just ripping off anyone and everyone for small amounts of money and in so doing undercutting the possibility of the lasting success that is built on quality of teaching, camaraderie, and a sense of a dignified purpose?

Ah well, the point is, the teachers aren't to blame for getting saddled with a shitty, morally and spiritually bankrupt excuse for boss, with his beak clamped hard on the nearest 5 mao note. There just to be blames for coddling such a despicable creature, and sacrificing successive ranks of good people to toil under the fold of P-rickdom.

I've met several really good Aston teachers, and I wouldn't hesitate to hire someone with Aston or EF on their record, because they probably had to bust there asses, make their classes very entertaining, teach kids just out of diapers while parents watched on, and otherwise have their teaching metal tested. The Aston books are actually quite good, and a teacher could learn a lot about the communicative method, etc., just from teaching with them.

I'd rather hire a teacher with significant experience in the hell of private schools, then hire someone who just went through the motions in a public school without ever having to really teach in an intensive environment.

Private schools ideally are a good idea, with small classes, a wide range of levels, and quality materials. Unfortunately, they take teachers for granted and often treat them like shit.