Sounds to me like they have just grabbed a well known name and tried to build a business around it, instead of creating a name for themselves.

The truth is that the school was named after the founder whose name is Dell. The business didn't try take a well known name, they simply used the name of the founder. No conspiracy involved.

This is the DELL ENGLISH SCHOOL in Beijing that operates as LONGMAN SCHOOLS. There are about 6 or 7 in Beijing now I think. They do say they have some in Shanghai but not sure if they have any in Songyang. don't even know where Songyang is to be open.

even if you have your own laptop, why would you want to wear it out doing the things a decent school should equip you with a computer to do?

Not all schools provide a modern pc, believe me, nothing personal, just saying. I've only been at one middle school in China where they gave a new pc in the ft's flats with 6 months left on the contract. I agree with turnoi on this, a FT needs his own net/notebook and internet access....no good depending on schools.

Good luck
Smgs

nuggets, is this Dells English School in Songyuan, Jilin. I was offered a contract today beginning @ 4400 (probation) subject to evaluation. Was sent powerpoint photo presentation to view. Casual dress, teachers using their laptops in class ; lesson plans prepared 2 days in advance at a desk. Any computer access? I don't have a laptop. And what is the teaching format at middle schools there And within Dells itself Although perhaps I shouldn't look any further And only say 'no'

As a request of some readers, I'm putting the whole thing together, as far as it's been posted. Note that it includes not everything, for that would take too much of my time, and just as much as I have written down so far.

Well, I would also, as Turnoi says, advice you to take your time and reading the entire thing, not only for this case but for all the threads about any school you might be applying for. This will at the very least give you an idea of what to expect, and in most cases you will have a good time reading the posts.
Follow the links if you want to check the comments.
If you want to see what moved me to speak in this forum, please check the following link
http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/review/index.pl?read=29689
Here we go...

Welcome to Dell English School, the school of the TOMORROW!! Where Everything Happens Tomorrow OR THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW.

Whatever you need and whatever they have to provide, they will say: well do it tomorrow. But most of the time tomorrow never comes.

I shared (more like invaded) an apartment with a good friend, despite that I had been promised my own apartment. After giving up of that, I decided that at we needed a decent internet connection, because of a slow connection (with a single cable) and two computers didnt work too well. Of course the answer was TOMORROW. Well, from October to February the sun hasn't set in Songyuan, because the connection didn't arrive. Lets go back to that apartment for a moment, In the entire apartment, you will find only two working electrical sockets, you will see power strips plugged into other power strips just to be able to even have the water heater working. if you look to your right you will see an empty kitchen and a fridge, the fridge doesn't work, the kitchen appliances will arrive tomorrow, with my final payment of over 12000RMB. Oh wait, the boss just told me that he owes me nothing because he had to bribe the government for a travel agency mistake, so I worked a month for rice.

You want to know more about this futuristic place owned by a foreigner, and completely managed Dongbei way?
Then come back next week same time, here at your favorite ESL Board, for another chapter of this Chinese soup opera school, involving love stories, bribery, forgery, backstabbing and a lot a lot of bullshit

http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/review/index.pl?read=29541

Hello again, dear and smart teachers who visit us today. Today I present you with the second chapter of this Chinese soup opera school. Sorry to keep you waiting, there were some technical issues. If this is the first time you are reading about Songyuan Dell English School, I invite you to read the previous chapter, and its consequences.

Last August, after meeting the boss (who from now on, I will call the computer guy), hanging out a few times and hearing the ideas about a new kind of school in China, I was offered to do some part time at his school. After meeting with the investor they decided they didnt want me part time but full time with them as soon as I finished my relation with my previous school, with which, at that time, had no problems yet.
Well, good ideas and everything, No Action leads nowhere, and the ideas stayed on paper. It takes time they will say. It takes guts, will I answer.
The school is managed by what the parents want; of course parents will be happy. I mean they can change the time of a class because one child cannot attend due to some change in his schools schedule. The whole class? Fine, understandable. Just one kid? No thanks.
We will see classes opening for 4 or 5 students, when there is already the very same class, 2 weeks old, with 4 or 5 kids too. Oh but how could parents allow their kids to join that class? Their kids are already happy and USED to the other 3 kids at the demo class, any change could disturb their little minds ~wuwu. And the great part of this, if a new class opens, it wont be on your schedule (hope you guys have fixed at least this problem), but say No, and you are a bad bad teacher. Haha.
I have to say I was too stupid to trust this place just based on a friendship, I had to learn the bad way that business is business. I never saw a copy of my contract, neither the other teachers until before I left. In fact, the contracts were written after we were working there for a while and on the mean time we just had an agreement with the computer guy, in which I was to work 6 MONTHS and if I wanted to quit before I just had to tell the school 3 weeks in advance.
I dont know how they made the other teachers' visas. As everybody who has been in China knows, to process a working visa and permit you need a legal contract, signed by both parts and stamped by the school and with a government folio. Somebody (to save time hahaha) should have signed that or perhaps someone got paid? I dont know. Thats not my case. MY VISA AND WORKING PERMIT WERE NEVER PROCESSED!!!
I worked for 6 months under my previous employers documents. What did Dell English school say when I got in trouble because of that?? It is my fault for not following up. And the guy behind everything is my previous employer, who has good reasons to hate the computer guy and some others in this crappy place. Come on, Grow up!! That is a breach to Chinas laws when hiring a foreigner.

Well, fellows, this is it for today. If you want to know more, or have a good laugh, keep checking for new posts every week (possibly every other day), here in your favorite ESL Board.
Have a good day gentlemen

P.S. You just had to apologize, Dell

http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/review/index.pl?read=29710

If you want to see what moved me to speak in this forum, please check the following link
http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/review/index.pl?read=29689

Jordan and Roger, I want you to know that I don't have anything at all against you, you two are two of my best friends and you just happened to work at the same school, there in Songyuan.
I know I don't need to tell you my story, you were there, you always knew how things were developing, but a job is job, so whether I'm wrong or right, I hope your boss is not childish to think you have anything to do with my blogs.
If you have felt threatened in any way by my posts, I offer you and all the other good people behind enemy lines (because a place can be full of good people and good ideas and still be shit if things are not done correctly ) an apology. This is not against any of you (the good people).

Second, but not least important, Dell, I told you why I decided to post. You spoke shit about my girlfriend. Nobody treats those I love that way. You owe her an apology. I demand an apology from you, for everything you did and said, from promising her 3000 a month and after she quits her job to come and work for you, you give her 1200, promising an apartment when she had to live in a closet size room at the school, without even a proper bathroom. Why speak about her in the way you have. That's unforgivable, as a person and as a man. If you are a man you will apologize to her, you are trying to get me by using an innocent person, and I'm here to defend her honor and to protect her.

I also think a public apology from Lisa to her would be right, she was the reason she quit your school, she was mistreated by her, and other staff, and she was not paid for her last weeks there either.

You all think I'm doing this because you didn't pay me "what I feel I should get". You know what? Take the 12000 in 1RMB notes, roll them up and... Well, keep it.

And now that we are on it, I would like Lisa to apologize to me, for insulting me, for threatening me (I have proof in a "beautiful" email I got from Dell), for talking shit about me to everybody, for attempting to kick me out of China, for telling lies to... what the heck, just apologize. (Have you read it carefully Dell? I think you should)
But to my lady the apology is a MUST.

Have a nice day gentleman

We were able to hang out and drink

Is that the way you are doing business and/or teach at your training center?

Well, it's easy to conclude from your post.

Folks like you should not be in the teaching business at all, you are a disgrace to the entire teaching profession!

Disgusting!

Where is this school? You say it's Dongbei but what city and province? So we know where this HORRIBLE school is