Police dog
- 2008-01-29
hello.
The very reason they dont give you the names of the foreign teachers working there is that they dont like you to get contact with them. for
they can say some shit about them.
I encounter this, working with a co filipino in a place. they dont let us see each other. reason, because they wanted to cheat me and her. but what i did.. I ask the TA( teacher assistant) to give her my phone number.
and worst comes to worst they didnt made her legal working in china. so,
I told her in advance whats going to happen. and tell her to go and get her pay at once.
Hope you understand why.
Dave
- 2008-01-06
Hi,
In my few years experience in China, I have yet to find a Chinese-owned language school or training centre that is as ignorant of their 'industry' as you seem to believe. It is very simple - if the school you refer to is refusing, point-blank, to give you contact information of their present or past foreign teachers, then they do not want you making contact with any of them - or maybe they have never employed foreign teachers before and don't want to admit it. They almost certainly have something to hide.
Either way, my advice to you is to tell them very firmly that you want contact information within, say, 24 hours or you will not work for them. If you then get that information, follow it through and be as careful as you know how. If you do not get the information then simply and quietly cease all further contact with them. You might also ask them in the same e-mail to confirm that they are authorised by their local Department of Foreign Affairs to directly employ foreign teachers. If you do not get an immediate, unequivocal "yes" to that question, then gather your skirts and run.
Remember that the school you choose to work for becomes your lifeline in China. They are supposed to pay you in full and on time. They are responsible for your housing, shelter, and comfort. They are also responsible for your general safety and well-being. They are also responsible - at their expense - to provide you with your legal status as a Foreign Expert and all that this entails. They may also be responsible for paying your fare home at the end of your contract. If you go to work for them and find you have made even a small mistake then you can find yourself in serious trouble.
If, therefore you are not SURE that they are a genuine outfit - give them a miss, as there are many teaching jobs on offer in China pretty much all the while. By asking the right questions and acting correctly on the answers you receive, you can - like I have - avoid the pitfalls that attend upon less than reputable establishments - and there are many of them.
Beware!
Dave
I find myself in a real pickle. I have applied for and been hired by what "seems" to be a very good school.
However, when I asked for the contact information of other teachers who worked there, I got no response. When I kept asking I got a resounding "no" with no explanation.
No, I know as everyone else doe's this is a big red flag. However in this case I am not really sure. The staff seem to know zero about ESL in China, and don't seem to be aware this is a pretty common request. The person I spoke to seemed genuinely offended, as if I did not trust her or something.
I believe there lack of help in this area is due more to personal feelings then them actually trying to hide something.
This is what shocks me though, that so many schools have no idea how their own industry works. They are totally in the dark about the needs and wants of their future Foreign teachers. They don't seem to have a clue as to what we want or why we want it.