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anonymous
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Q: Does anyone have any experience working for Riverdeep Immersion Subject English (R.I.S.E.) schools?

There is very little information to be found about them on the internet yet I see they advertise on here quite often. Are they legit?

10 years 50 weeks ago in  Business & Jobs - China

 
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Governor

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YES. I used to work for a scumbag in Shenyang and personally, I hope the entire scam crumbles. You do not want to work for this organization unless you (perversely) enjoy very horrible arrangements of children's songs. Basically, RISE is franchised through individual owners, so the quality of the management would depend entirely, really, upon the quality of your boss. However, the learning techniques are ridiculous, and I hate my former boss to the extent that the best thing I could say about the school is that it has yet to invade Poland.

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10 years 40 weeks ago

Jay

 
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No, but if you've heard little about them than that could very well be a sign to stay away. I've noticed that too where a company will have many ads, but little is known about them. You have to be careful of the English schools here. Some are good some are bad it's hard to say about this one because there is so little info. on them. 

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10 years 50 weeks ago

There are cookies, bookies and too many rookies for me to sit here trying to be a hooky! Looky Looky don't call me a wooky. Touchy Touchy Feely Feely Spicy Spicy Nicey Nicey & that's what the doctor Ordered!!

 
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YES. I used to work for a scumbag in Shenyang and personally, I hope the entire scam crumbles. You do not want to work for this organization unless you (perversely) enjoy very horrible arrangements of children's songs. Basically, RISE is franchised through individual owners, so the quality of the management would depend entirely, really, upon the quality of your boss. However, the learning techniques are ridiculous, and I hate my former boss to the extent that the best thing I could say about the school is that it has yet to invade Poland.

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10 years 40 weeks ago

Jay

 
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Shifu

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They are another crappy, poorly-run training school for kids--and Subject Teaching is a terrible way to teach English. I haven't worked for them, personally, but several of my friends have, and it is not worth the grief.

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10 years 31 weeks ago
 
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  Yeh, I know that place, it's bollocks.

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10 years 31 weeks ago
 
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I would say Ballsdeep Immersion English is the best way to improve in a relatively short time.

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10 years 19 weeks ago
 
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I just saw this, and this is a warning to anybody thinking of signing on with rise (river deep immersion subject English in Shenyang (huanggu district). 

 

I have just had one of the most soul destroying six months of my tefl career working at this dump. Firstly, the so called "principal" Sue is a crook and a very vindictive woman. She has basically just forced me to pay around $1000 to be released from my contract early and now she is demanding another $100 from me to fix something in the designated school apartment for foreign teachers (which was in a terrible state when I arrived). A teacher before me wasn't paid for overtime that she had done. the principal did not appreciate being challenged about this and ended up firing this teacher, making up completely fabricated rumors of her being an unsatisfactory employee . This led to her being deported from China after events spiraled out of control.

 

Secondly, the lesson material itself is bland and dry. Teachers are given a designated lesson plan in the form of "software". They must teach according to this software at all times, being little more than a robot that clicks a button on a computer, asks a few questions then clicks again. The kids are bored and the schools retention rate is low. Any attempt by teachers to make classes more interesting by doing other activities are discouraged and could land you in trouble. The one good thing about this is because all lessons were pre-prepared, planning time was minimal but that didn't stop the school enforcing 42.5 office hours for all teachers, during which I'd usually be sat bored watching Youku movies! If you are the sort that might just want to travel for a bit and experience China without caring about the teaching then this setup may be for you but anyone who takes their teaching seriously and wants to develop their skills will become quickly frustrated.

 

Thirdly, you will constantly have your teaching ability questioned by people who have never set foot in the classroom in their life. The bone dry curriculum and constant book work will bore the kids and this will be your fault. Discipline a disruptive student and that parent complains to the school. That's your fault too. You'll receive absolutely no training on how to deliver the lessons and when you find yourself come unstuck in class that will be your fault too. The teaching assistants are trained to rat you out and anything you do in class that is outside the rise procedure or any negative comments you make about the school in the office will be reported back to the principal. It's a nest of vipers.

 

Finally, expect to spend your Friday afternoons sat bored in meetings for two hours whilst the management talk amongst themselves in Chinese. We had to sit through the whole damn thing!

For six months I suffered in this poisonous cauldron, the only joy being a couple of my colleagues and the kids themselves who were great. I only hope that anybody contacted about this job in future googles the school, sees this post and thinks twice. Shenyang is a cool city with some good opportunities. But stay away from this particular branch of rise unless you want a negative sterile experience of teaching English abroad with no opportunity to grow and develop as a teacher.

icnif77:

Enter 'SAFEA' in search above for address and contact no. of Lioning's Foreign Expert Bureau.

Dial them, and ask for help and advice. There's a fluent Chinese English speaker answering the phone.

8 years 39 weeks ago
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8 years 39 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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good luck lmao

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8 years 38 weeks ago
 
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I have heard so many bad things locally about this school from former students, their parents and foreign teachers, that I'm amazed the Huanggu branch is still open!

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8 years 38 weeks ago
 
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This is just for anybody that is thinking of working with this school in the future.

 

While, I have no experience with them personally... I have heard plenty of bad stories. Almost EVERY training center in China turns very sour at some point. The trick is to get it while the center is new and the management is open to suggestions and excited.

 

Also, they treat foreigners with more respect and value when a center is usually new. As time goes on, they will realize they can cheat foreigners and the foreigners just keep on showing up at their doorstep.

 

Anyway... related to this particular training center... it is a young children's training center for learning English. Lots of the children are far too young to learn English properly and dealing with the children's parents is a huge NIGHTMARE. A lot of tuhao put their children into RISE's classes and if ANYTHING happens to their children... they get insanely defensive as if their child and their whole family is being picked on because they were farmers or something.... and bullied in the past (now-it's-their-turn-and-they are-NOT-going-to-take it... on LSD and steroids type of attitude)

 

My buddy had his passport held and not returned for three months after the visa was finished. He had to threaten to call his embassy and the PSB to get it back. The employer stole some of his pay, sometimes didn't pay him on time... and generally used their "friendship" as a means to manipulate my buddy. The employer would almost try to use guilt trips and say that my buddy was ruining their relationships by making threats (cause he had no other choice).

 

They also hire foreigners illegally thus adding to the instability of the chain. Most of these training centers are owned and operated by individuals that are just greedy and have no respect for their students, teachers or you.

 

Disney English crushes them and I hear is reasonably better in terms of management... but it is a training center in China afterall.... you can't expect too much.

 

 

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8 years 38 weeks ago
 
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Hi there, I realize this answer is coming late, but to anyone who is considering working at this school in the future, I just let there in July and STRONGLY advise you not to consider the position.

 

I have never been treated so poorly by employers, and can honestly say I will have trouble respecting the Chinese in the future do to the actions of this school. I became very ill this July and had to have some emergency procedures/surgery. I felt more confident in the hospitals in Singapore, and after being strongly advised by my family, I went there for a week to manage my health. Singapore has the best health care, and is extremely affordable. After missing two days of work, RISE, (shenyang, shifu square), did not process my paycheck, (they claim they were afraid I wasn't coming back. In the western world this would be considered stealing). I wound up without enough money to pay my medical bills and unable to afford a ticket to return. They argued they wouldn't pay me until I returned, leaving me high and dry in the most difficult time of my life. 

 

I am currently working with the State Department, they will be banned from entering the US as of SEPT 15, 2015. This will greatly affect their business because they are respected for their frequent visits to CA schools. 

 

This is just one injustice of many, amounting in close to 3,000 dollars that was stolen from me. I advise you, do not trust this school. George, the owner has a daughter who currently lives in the US. She is my age, and imagine if someone here were to treat her so poorly. How could he be so inhumane? I am still dealing with navigating this disaster, and know I will certainly never return to this part of greedy China. 

 

-Megan

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7 years 30 weeks ago
 
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Hi there, I realize this answer is coming late, but to anyone who is considering working at this school in the future, I just let there in July and STRONGLY advise you not to consider the position.

 

I have never been treated so poorly by employers, and can honestly say I will have trouble respecting the Chinese in the future do to the actions of this school. I became very ill this July and had to have some emergency procedures/surgery. I felt more confident in the hospitals in Singapore, and after being strongly advised by my family, I went there for a week to manage my health. Singapore has the best health care, and is extremely affordable. After missing two days of work, RISE, (shenyang, shifu square), did not process my paycheck, (they claim they were afraid I wasn't coming back. In the western world this would be considered stealing). I wound up without enough money to pay my medical bills and unable to afford a ticket to return. They argued they wouldn't pay me until I returned, leaving me high and dry in the most difficult time of my life. 

 

I am currently working with the State Department, they will be banned from entering the US as of SEPT 15, 2015. This will greatly affect their business because they are respected for their frequent visits to CA schools. 

 

This is just one injustice of many, amounting in close to 3,000 dollars that was stolen from me. I advise you, do not trust this school. George, the owner has a daughter who currently lives in the US. She is my age, and imagine if someone here were to treat her so poorly. How could he be so inhumane? I am still dealing with navigating this disaster, and know I will certainly never return to this part of greedy China. 

 

-Megan

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7 years 30 weeks ago
 
Posts: 4

General

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Hi there, I realize this answer is coming late, but to anyone who is considering working at this school in the future, I just let there in July and STRONGLY advise you not to consider the position.

 

I have never been treated so poorly by employers, and can honestly say I will have trouble respecting the Chinese in the future do to the actions of this school. I became very ill this July and had to have some emergency procedures/surgery. I felt more confident in the hospitals in Singapore, and after being strongly advised by my family, I went there for a week to manage my health. Singapore has the best health care, and is extremely affordable. After missing two days of work, RISE, (shenyang, shifu square), did not process my paycheck, (they claim they were afraid I wasn't coming back. In the western world this would be considered stealing). I wound up without enough money to pay my medical bills and unable to afford a ticket to return. They argued they wouldn't pay me until I returned, leaving me high and dry in the most difficult time of my life. 

 

I am currently working with the State Department, they will be banned from entering the US as of SEPT 15, 2015. This will greatly affect their business because they are respected for their frequent visits to CA schools. 

 

This is just one injustice of many, amounting in close to 3,000 dollars that was stolen from me. I advise you, do not trust this school. George, the owner has a daughter who currently lives in the US. She is my age, and imagine if someone here were to treat her so poorly. How could he be so inhumane? I am still dealing with navigating this disaster, and know I will certainly never return to this part of greedy China. 

 

-Megan

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7 years 30 weeks ago
 
Posts: 4

General

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Hi there, I realize this answer is coming late, but to anyone who is considering working at this school in the future, I just let there in July and STRONGLY advise you not to consider the position.

 

I have never been treated so poorly by employers, and can honestly say I will have trouble respecting the Chinese in the future do to the actions of this school. I became very ill this July and had to have some emergency procedures/surgery. I felt more confident in the hospitals in Singapore, and after being strongly advised by my family, I went there for a week to manage my health. Singapore has the best health care, and is extremely affordable. After missing two days of work, RISE, (shenyang, shifu square), did not process my paycheck, (they claim they were afraid I wasn't coming back. In the western world this would be considered stealing). I wound up without enough money to pay my medical bills and unable to afford a ticket to return. They argued they wouldn't pay me until I returned, leaving me high and dry in the most difficult time of my life. 

 

I am currently working with the State Department, they will be banned from entering the US as of SEPT 15, 2015. This will greatly affect their business because they are respected for their frequent visits to CA schools. 

 

This is just one injustice of many, amounting in close to 3,000 dollars that was stolen from me. I advise you, do not trust this school. George, the owner has a daughter who currently lives in the US. She is my age, and imagine if someone here were to treat her so poorly. How could he be so inhumane? I am still dealing with navigating this disaster, and know I will certainly never return to this part of greedy China. 

 

-Megan

icnif77:

You could (also) seek help out of Chinese Gov. Contact Foreign Expert Bureau, or 'SAFEA' in the Province/city you worked with them, and ask for help and advice.

 

Enter 'safea' in search above for address and contact no. in your Province.

7 years 30 weeks ago
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Stiggs:

I'm not defending them here, or saying it would be a good place to work or anything like that because I'm sure it wouldn't be.

 

But, in their defense (sort of) I can see them not paying you. I'm sure they thought you weren't coming back, and that would probably be based on previous experiences they had.

 

It's not a very ethical industry they're in, and a school like RISE would see their fair share of teachers doing midnight runs. You were basically asking (probably) untrustworthy people to put their trust in you while they were most likely assuming the worst of you and thinking you were trying to rip them off..

7 years 30 weeks ago
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7 years 30 weeks ago
 
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Answer of the DayMORE >>
A:  "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "S
A: "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "Shenzhen agent can connect you with an employer, who's authorized to hire waigouren ... and can sponsor Z visa." It's not like every 10th person you meet in Shenzhen's hood can sponsor work visa ...  The only way to change student visa to labourer one is just a regular way by: 1. Finding an employer, who'll apply for an Invitation letter; 2. Exit China and apply for Z visa in your home country's Chinese embassy; 3. Enter China in 30-days after Z visa was stamped into your travelling instrument ...As I am aware, you won't be able to switch to Working permit by remaining in China....,so make ready for a return to your home .... -- icnif77