I see that we have got a few interesting views here in response to my Warning on EF English First in China.
To JinChaFa YES it would be a great idea to notify the TESOL authorities as well as other such as TEFL, CELTA etc. That is a fabulous point. That way the EF English First in China (their management/employers) would try harder to improve the working environment in their Chinese EF centers and give more authorities to their foreign Directors of Studies.
To Jon, YES it is a good point NOT TO JUDGE EVERY EF ENGLISH FIRST IN CHINA BY TWO UNFORTUNATE EF CENTERS. However, if there are 60 EF centers in China and you join two bad ones out of those 60 in a span of three years, will you say DONT LET A COUPLE BAD APPLES SPOIL THE BARREL? Jon and everyone, have I hit the JACKPOT joining two bad EF centers in China?
To Jon again, you have said EF English First in China; THEIR MANAGEMENT IS CHINESE FOR THE CHINESE SIDE OF THINGS, and THEY ALSO HAVE WESTERN MANAGEMENT ON VARIOUS LEVELS. There are numerous structural confusions, and I have experienced them. There are EF centers in China that their Directors of Studies have to literally fight for their authorities (and many times they do not get them). Jon, would you like to manage foreign academic staff and product with your superior (the Center Manager) watching over your shoulder and directing you to do things the Chinese way? Jon, would you like to manage an EF centers academics, when your Academic Operations Manager from the EF Head Office does not have an interest to show up just once a year?
The point here is that the Directors of Studies of the EF English First centers are left alone on their jobs and they often have only two choices, one is to confront (risk loosing job) or to go with the flow and maybe kiss *ss a bit (to stay and keep the job). THE EMPLOYER IS ALWAYS A CHINESE AND THEYLL DO IT THEIR WAY.
I do not and I have not ever minded working for Chinese who are many times nice people, supportive and grateful, although one would expect from a FOREIGN FRANCHISE WITH A FOREIGN PRODUCT to control it much better than they do in China.
To Rain, you have made a fabulous point with regards to that that THE EF ENGLISH FIRST FRANCHISERS LOVE NAVE TEACHERS OUT OF THE SCHOOLS. I shall add that THEY ALSO LOVE NEWCOMERS WITH NO EF ENGLISH FIRST EXPERIENCE. The experienced EF English First teachers GO, because they have learnt the EF TRICKS and TRICKS OF THEIR EF CENTER MANAGERS who by the way often DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH ADEQUATELY AND HAVE LITTLE MANAGEMENT OR FOREIGN EXPERIENCE.
To MIC, you have made an excellent point in that OF THE POWER OF TEACHERS UNDER UNION IN UNITED STATES. Wouldnt that organize the disorganized EF English First in China?
Cheers and beers