Magister
- 2012-08-08
it was a 7 day summer camp.
I think that says it all.
Working these short term contracts isn't enjoyable but if you can stick it out then fingers crossed you get paid.
You shouldn't have taken the decision to swap classes. If you had a problem with the ages and resources you should've raised it before you started teaching. If the team leader then tells you sorry that's the way it is then you have two options. You can either just accept it, work the week collect your money and leave or you leave there and then before the classes begin. Don't take matters into your own hands with a situation like a 1 week position because as you just found out you are very expendable and you've just given them an excuse to get rid of you.
Magister
- 2012-08-08
By all means post them
The problem is that a lot of what is posted on this board is speculation and pure opinion but stated by posters as if it were fact. If we could make a list of schools that were for instance breaking the law, not paying teachers on time and to the full of amount or stiffing a teacher in any other way that is written into the SAEFA contracts then such a list would be useful because you can't argue about whether you were paid late or not, it's a fact! Otherwise you'll find that the list would become a debate based on individual teachers' prefrences. A good example would be a recent debate that raged on this board in regards posters opinions of working in public and private schools. What both sides of the argument boiled down to were the indviduals' prefrences for working in one sector or the other. I don't mean to say that opinions aren't important and shouldn't be shared on this board but when you're looking to define a school in the black and white way you are suggesting, ie. 'good' or 'bad' you need to be quite clear about how you're doing this and what the purpose is.
mark
- 2012-08-07
I have the names of some good schools to work for here in china, and the names of some bad ones, perhaps we should start a list.
mark
- 2012-08-07
oh yeah, a friend told me some very bad things when he worked for them.
Dragonized
- 2012-08-06
New Oriental sucks, period. No matter which outfit you go to wherever you go in china this company is notorious for a lot of things. Don't take some of the criticisms on this board that are directed at you too seriously. I have been there with the lying, cheating, and backstabbing and I hope you will be able to weather the storm.
Here is a list of the Top 10 Chain Schools to avoid:
1. EF (English First)
2. Aston English
3. Web English
4. Global IELTS English
5. Hampson English
6. Wall Street English
7. New Dynamic Institute
8. Shane English
9. New Oriental (there are both chain schools as well as International Public Middle and High Schools affiliated with this company, avoid both!)
10. Birmy English
Do not take any chances with the private sector really. Avoid the funny sounding, gimmicky names that some not so clever expat or local thought up to attract customers. Even in the public sector you should avoid teaching classes that are over 25 students per as that will wear you out quickly. As for universities do your research to see if there have been complaints levied towards them within the last 10 years at least. YES you read that right because FAO's and other Admin's at the universities keep their jobs for a long, long, long time. Generally speaking many public universities will offer crap housing that is not up to SAFEA standards. The most stress free job I have ever held in china was at a public high school but even there the housing wasn't up to standard but I only had to teach at most 16 hours a week with an average of 10 students per class. Your best bet is to work for a middle school or high school. This is from my personal experience. Peace.
San Migs
- 2012-08-06
This is just one reason NOT to work for these unprofessional cowboy outfits.
They know nothing about education, but only the modern day mantra of China,money, money, money!
I am sure the bosses of these places have Yuan symbols spinning round in their eyes, and the GW's work for them start to see them in their minds eye also, and lose themselves to avarice and decadence. Pathetic!!!
englishgibson
- 2012-08-06
Mark, you've got a taste of a country of abusive employers and poor legal system. Disgracing employees who want to help incapable employers is a routine around.
Good luck to your next job on mainland if you choose to stay
Well things went badly from the start. it was a 7 day summer camp.
I was promised 12 year old students (this i can do). when i turned up, i get 17-19 year old students.
I was told i would have books or something that would tell me what i should be teaching. I was given nothing.
work time, 8 hours a day (morning 3 hours, afternoon 3 hours evening 2 hours) (then you are free at 9pm)
so with an age group i know i can teach, and with nothing to teach them anyway, things were rocky on the first couple of days.
I was told to ask other teachers if i get stuck. i did this.
My self and a South African decided to switch 2 of our morning classes (I have photos and storys of the UK which help students to understand and learn more than they could out of a book) (also the SA was used to teaching UNI students, so we each had the others students who we are comfitable to teach)
so i do the first class, fine. geting ready to do the last class before heading back to my students to see what they learnt about SA.
Well, the team leader guy, who I did respect allot, walked into the classroom and shouted in front of 3/4 of the class of 12 year olds
"Who the F*** told you you could do this"
I replyed with "we did" (Im no used to people swearing in my classroom)
"Go back to your class, your starting to p*** me off"
well, Anyone who swears infront of a class of students instantly looses all respect from me, and as hes our team leader it let me know they have zero respect for their students.
So I head back to my hotel room and pack up (they dont care about the students so why should i? the students had already paid) (its a shared hotel room with a chinese guy who had been there for 31 days)
I tell my agent im leaving as it was out of order, she tells me to get fired as they have to pay if i get fired.
the team leader comes to my hotel and tells me im fired and that i have to get the .... out of the hotel NOW, also that i am to get zero pay for the 4 days i have done.
he marchs me down stairs then tells reception that i am paying for the hotel room.
the boss works it out at 5,000 rmb, he tells them if i dont pay to call the police. then he walks away.
the reception staff work out how long i was there for and then half it as i am sharing a room.
I pay the bill and go.
I am unsure what happened to the south african.
There are teachers there that have been there a while, I also heard that they tried to withhold pay from one of the experianced teachers. the teacher had to make a threat about leaving with all the other teachers to get it sorted out.
The school could be alright. they are very much into profit, but isnt every school here.
However as i had been told its ok to let your students go out and do activities outside and we were given no guidlines on whats acceptible and whats not. I assumed anything was alright (within reason)
The team leaders actions are the only thing that really annoye me.
if he had walked in and said "hey you cant do this, go back to your class we will talk later" then i would have felt guilty.
of he said "hey mate, sorry you can do this, can you go back to your classroom please" I would have been fine with it and then later gone and seen him to find out what else is not ok to do that they havent told us about.