Tom
- 2011-02-17
"Like it or not, Training Centres have long been a part of the "ESL Industry" both in China and worldwide."
Well, Brad Dear Boy, Some of us accept Training Centres, others do not; however, what side of that argument you take is unimportant when we are deciding whether or not York is any cop. There are many thousands of private outfits[in China] which do not get any flack at all on these sites and only a comparative handful that do. Most out of that handful only get a little flack but York is right up there with the worst of the worst-why do you think that is? The odds of getting where York has must be nearly equivalent to winning the UK Lottery-their prize[Yorks] being condemnation, must be righteous condemnation, the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against any other reasonable conclusion.
Where is Steven these days? He appears to be resigned to defeat-hard work swimming against the tide of the bleeding obvious-perhaps he can see the world is indeed flat-about time too.
Dragonized
- 2011-02-05
We know enough suckups and weasels like you to justify telling anyone with a decent mind and an uncorrupt agenda TO NOT COME TO CHINA and work at these training centers, thank you very much.
Geoffrey
- 2011-02-04
If there is to be a list of crappy schools please temper that with a list of schools that do well in serving both the students and the teachers. Now before you say that is impossible realize that generalizations are not accurate and do not reveal the facts.
Thanks for your input, which is both logical and pertinent. That said, the words of generalizers like Dragonized, Turnoi and Silverboy should be largely ignored. They don't know the actual situation regarding training schools in China. Contrary to what they'd have us believe, there are some excellent training schools for kids and adults here.
Kevin
- 2011-02-04
These training schools give children the chance to interact with people outside their culture. They are presented with different ideas and help them to see the world outside of China. Their are bosses who recognize this, although that number might be low. The secret that these teachers impart is how to communicate in English not just pass a test, which more and more people are wanting.
A person can not deny that the regular proximity to a new idea, approach or belief will have a great impact on how people see the world. That is what training schools do, if they are effectively run and managed. That responsabilty falls squarely on the shoulders of the foreign teacher. They have the choice to work at a place or leave it. If the Chinese boss does not agree then obviously that place is not suitable for education and the individual themselves must walk away. However if there is a place that values the foreign teacher and contributes to the education of the students would it not be better to support that place instead of lumping it in with "all crappy schools".
I have had an chance to deal with foreign DOS's who tried to pull the wool over my eyes for their own benefit, and ultimately I walked away knowing that those type people will in the long run suffer from their avarice. I have also had the chance to work with some dedicated people who refuse to screw others over and I have stayed solely because their goals and mine matched.
If there is to be a list of crappy schools please temper that with a list of schools that do well in serving both the students and the teachers. Now before you say that is impossible realize that generalizations are not accurate and do not reveal the facts.
Dragonized
- 2011-02-04
The only existence of these schools is to fool local people in believing that they have a "western" style of teaching with a supposed "secret" to teaching kids to make them grow up and be successful people.
To be successful in life, you just can't go to school and get an education, you must trek out into the real world and find yourself. Having life experience is invaluable and is what makes each and every one of us unique.
Before I sound too much like a priest, I must say it's obvious that you're putting a lot of hope in the owners of training schools. I myself have met some foreigners who genuinely want to help better the education of China. Yet their continued insistence with putting their faith in the wrong types of people end up making their good intentions worth nothing in the end. Don't be one of those people.
Maz EF
- 2010-12-20
Brad you obviously have a biased agenda being the DOS at York. You need to practice some objectivity and self-realisation in assessing your school. York is NOT the best school in Fuzhou and is run by people who have no life experience and limited teaching ability. From what people have told me recently there is a lot of change happening within York at the moment which is directed towards making the school a better training centre. However, this is also creating tension and disatisfaction amongst the teachers with a high staff drop out rate as a result. A school is also a place of employment and York is increasingly getting a bad reputation in Fuzhou for the working atmosphere. There ARE BETTER schools in Fuzhou in terms of teaching English, having a nice working environment and I know this because of what former students of York and former employees who have gone to other schools have said...
Brad
- 2010-12-14
I have now read all I can bear.
There seems to be a strange culture existing on this board.
The basic premise seems to be that anyone who bashes on a school with little or no factual platform is using the forum correctly, whereas those who may have something positive to say are branded as "Grovelling Weasels" who are shamelessly looking to promote themselves within an organisation.
Like it or not, Training Centres have long been a part of the "ESL Industry" both in China and worldwide. There may well be a history of these places being money-making machines churning through both students and teachers with no regard for educational values or standards: This in no way should mean that all such establishments operate in this fashion in today's marketplace. Teachers without a specific teaching background other than going through (admittedly highly varied) TESOL qualifications to gain their employment certainly puts them on the back foot in the classroom initially. Given specific training, guidance and observation, an environment where others take their job seriously and encourage them to take their job seriously, and qualified teachers to impress upon them the many and varied teaching philosophies and ideologies to be gleaned from all manner of western countries there is no reason why an educationally impassioned individual cannot become a genuine educator over time.
We have all had, during our education (elementary, secondary, tertiary or otherwise) teachers who were fully qualified but unmotivated and lacking in true passion for education, and/or were of questionable temperament and generally disparaging toward students feelings and well being. They leave us with far less than what any student deserves in a classroom, and we will remember them for life for their shortcomings, whatever their specific nature.
I would urge anyone researching a position at a Training Centre/School to be thorough in their investigations, as taking any position in China's ESL market is a leap of faith to some extent. Please realise that horror stories occur in both the Chinese "school" system (all levels) as well as in Training Centres.
It is important to note and realise that some Training Schools are founded by individuals who are attempting to educate in a more western fashion, which is not possible to the same extent within the "school" system in China.
York School is one such school, and I feel that saying so does not diminish anything written above.
I am not saying that the goal has been achieved, merely that there is one, and it is sincere in its educational content.
Slinging mud backwards and forwards is a surefire way of leaving prospective teachers with little or misleading information for their efforts.
The ESL industry in China exists - be a part of it growing and developing toward a more educational future - don't grandstand and rake muck where there is none.
Brad