Ah yes, youre quite right to say it is down to personal experience. Of course it will depend on which branch you go to and of course it will depend on your perspective.
In the West, if something is broken we fix it, we take pride in our occupation and we each have a lot of responsibility. China is a bit different with such a large population and its quite difficult to determine who is responsible for what. Yes your point about working with the tools we have and making the most of what we're given is valid and quite obviously if a lesson plan is no good, we change it. The point I am making is why should foreign teachers further add to the problem by joining this company.
This particular company has computer software that is quite poor, Chinese students would be better off downloading Rosetta Stone software and seeking English teachers at coffee bars rather than paying a small fortune to study at NDI. You people are not appreciating that the students deserve so much more for their money. Yes it is their choice, but I can see how disappointed they are with NDI quite often. NDI leads the field, not because theyre the best, but because they are very good at recruiting and selling themselves and they will get students to sign a long term contract. But like I have said the computer software is rubbish and the lesson plans are not well thought out nor particularly relevant to Chinese students. Yes we can do something different within the parameters of the curriculum, but that not really the point is it.
I appreciate that this is a difference of opinion, but I have heard of and spoken to so many teachers who have had problems with this company, so it is quite obviously not a localized problem. Lots of teachers simply do not stay long at this company because they felt they were unfairly treated. Of course there will be those who are happy as fluffy bunnies and I am happy for you. But like I said if something is broken, fix it. NDI does not do this, they plod on with a poor system and do not update things nor reinvest profit into research and development to provide the best service to the students. Once again I say, Chinese students are paying a fortune, especially given the average salary in China and they deserve better. My experiences at NDI led me to believe that the private language schools are quite heartless and that students would be better off applying themselves to English study at University or school and seeking private lessons off English teachers.
As has been mentioned before by Kaibo and they were good points....yes esl centres certainly are not perfect and again I appreciate that it is the responsibility of the teacher to provide a good lesson and do their best to work with the tools they have. I certainly don't disagree with that. I'm just saying, why should more and more foreigners flock to a company that just doesn't care. There is too much evidence to support this I think.
It has been mentioned that there are differences with the culture or the person's mentality or attitude. Well yes of course, but then this is largely because most will not tolerate certain treatment and many are put into a difficult position by the company. I guess what Im saying is why join this company until they have got their act together and sorted themselves out. The more pressure that is put on them to improve the better things will be in the long run. Right now the owners are concerned only with profit (granted they are a business), not really with their service or their staff.
Just think about my points. I am sure the longer serving staff at NDI can argue many of my points, but this is a place for sharing experiences and maybe offering advice to potential teachers at these companies and I feel this company has earned itself a bad reputation from many. I would rather see this company sweat a little and have to improve conditions for foreign staff and students alike and then it might be worth taking the risk. As it stands now, why risk it. You would be wise to sacrifice salary and work for a real educational system with certain standards, like a University or college. No corporate rubbish, no business, just education and more freedom in your teaching methods. I would appreciate from readers, no personal attacks on my own teaching abilities, rather as I previously mentioned, read between the lines. Of course a teacher will change a lesson and make it better, but at NDI there are limitations on your lessons and sometimes you cannot help but have to teach the lessons they have devised.
There are many foreigners out here now and I think we have to be a bit careful about what we commit ourselves to and who we 'serve'. Interesting that two people have mentioned that we teachers are servants. That we serve a company. Well, perhaps it is the case that I am more careful about who I chose to serve and don't throw about my loyalty so easily. I would rather serve a company or educational institute that 'serves' it customers or students by providing a good service or useful curriculum. Think about that. I 'served' NDI for a time and they 'served' me little and used me for what I was worth. But now like so many teachers I moved on and have found a teaching job I am much happier with. For those of you who have spent some time studying or amassing the necessary skills to teach, why throw all that knowledge down the drain by joining a company like NDI, take your abilities to a proper school and actually 'serve' the Chinese people by teaching them something of worth!
Gosh.....he he