I think that you make some valid points particularly concerning the role of a Teaching Assistant. And indeed many of the assistants employed by Shane Kunming are relatively young and inexperienced. Therefore you are quite correct to assert that experienced teachers would (and should) feel that such people are not well qualified to make critical assessments of foreign teachers.

However the issue here is not one of ‘assessment’. The purpose of the information gathering fulfilled by the teaching assistants at Shane is to provide a level of feedback based on specifically identified criteria rather than on subjective opinion. In this respect it is reasonable to believe that university graduates are more than capable of fulfilling such a task, as opposed to providing a critique or an evaluation, which clearly they are not. Of course this information is fed to the Chinese management and where there is legitimate concern the situation is raised with the foreign management. Further formal observations may then be arranged, which are without exception conducted by experienced and qualified teaching personnel. If remedial action is required such as additional training for the teacher, this is then arranged. The intention at all times is to support the teacher in doing his / her job effectively, and to enhance the quality and reputation of the teaching product. It is also worth noting that the majority of foreign teachers employed by Shane Kunming are themselves rather inexperienced, and for some (like the writer of the complaining article) it is their first teaching job. Therefore the role performed by the teaching assistants in this respect is quite objective, and despite the expressed view of the writer, actually serves to protect the teacher from any unjust and unqualified criticism from students or (in the case of Shane Kunming) their parents. Regardless of what the writer of the original article assumes this procedure is not malicious, nor is it some kind of management stick to beat the teachers with.

It seems that you have misunderstood the objectives employed through the use of the teaching assistants at Shane. Therefore I believe that your assessment of the management at Shane is wrong and vicariously taken from the highly personal and subjective views of a disgruntled teacher.

It is an inescapable fact that observation and assessment play an integral role in the life of a teacher irrespective of whether they work in the private or the public sector. Indeed it would be both negligent and counterproductive for any schools’ management to ignore this. Having worked at Shane Kunming I can say that the vast majority of foreign teachers accept the TA’s role as being beneficial without feeling in any way threatened. Perhaps, like the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport it is usually those who have most to hide who attempt to criticize or discredit the system.

Certainly I would not recommend Shane Kunming if you are a teacher with no regard for your own teaching standards or for your students progress. If however you are serious about wanting to teach English and wish to develop your skills, and also enjoy plenty of free time whilst doing so then I am sure that the students, teachers and management at Shane will make you feel very welcome.