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Q: Is there a website which tells you what the good schools to teach at are?
I've found a few websites that say the bad schools, but I can't seem to find any talking about the good ones. Is there a website with recommendations on good schools to teach at are? Or does anyone have any suggestions/stories?
10 years 43 weeks ago in Business & Jobs - China
Unfortunately, the websites you're talking about are just about all you'll find. The vitriolic spewings of people over the internet would make one think that working ANYWHERE in China is awful. Don't put too much faith in them. Much better to send off your CV and make sure you talk with current foreign employees before accepting a position. If they say you can't do this, don't take the job.
www.middlekingdomlife.com has loads of useful information about what to look for/life in China.
That's a shame! Thanks for your help. When applying for a job, is there certain questions I should be sure to ask?
Tell you what, this is the company I work for: Youwell Pumpkin International. It's a language training school for ages 3-12. Being a native speaker with a degree is all you need, although qualifications help. The starting salary is 6,500 per month (8,500 in Xinjiang) plus 1000 toward accommodation costs. After three months that goes up by 1000 and another 1000 after six. You also get 3000 in flight bonus money every six months. They have their good points and their bad, but overall one of the better centres to work for.
yian:
Always looking for staff. New schools coming online all this year. It's a new company and expanding fast. Been here since November last year and have generally been treated fine, just the normal expat complaints (mostly).
scarlett.hu@pumpkids.net is the person you want to get in touch with
Following on from Yian's post... What are the schools anyone else works at (if you do)? And would you recommend them?
The school I work at is decent. It's a vocational college. They follow the contract, although they are a little late at paying the salary, which has not bothered me since I basically save all of it. The pay is low, but so are the hours: 16 class "hours," which is 12 real hours, all in the morning. The flight reimbursement is good, and there's the regular travel pay you get per semester. And of course, you get off a whole month at Spring Festival, not to mention other holidays and random days. They don't ask you to run English corner, although you should probably attend. They rarely ask me to do extra things, and there are no office hours. You don't have to go to any meetings. The apartment is old, so not very good quality, but it's big and close to the school. If I have a problem, there is always someone to help me, and the people here are nice. They had someone pick me up at the airport in Shanghai and drive me to the school, along with a nice meal. Someone will drive me back to Shanghai for my flight home. The city is nice but small, fairly clean, no air pollution that I can see. There are very few expats here. I don't think this city is convenient for travel. It's in Zhejiang province, 7 hours by bus or train to Shanghai. As far as I know, they haven't found somebody to replace me yet.
McC, I work in a language centre, and if you're considering one, there are LOTS of questions you should ask; starting with, but not by any means limited to:
What is the monthly salary? Is there a probation period? How long are your contract periods?
What are the total working hours per week?
What are the maximum CLASSROOM hours per week?
What age/ability level are the students? If they're kids, will I have an assistant?
Do I still get paid the whole salary if, for reasons not my fault, I work less than the maximum contact hours?
Will you give me a housing allowance or will you hire a flat directly for me?
How close will said flat be to the school?
Is the flat fully furnished? Does this include the kitchen?
Will the flat have running water? (I shit you not, here, assume NOTHING!)
Does my bedroom have a mattress? (see above)
Will the flat have heating? Who pays? (highly important anywhere north of about Chengdu, where government-supplied heating is usually built into rental contracts)
How many other FTs are there at the school?
How many students to a class?
Will I have to give demo classes or lead English corners? How much of a financial reward will you give me for doing this pointless dancing-monkey-work?
Flight allowance?
Bonus?
If I need to leave early, what is the financial penalty?
Do you have a competent western manager/DOS I can rely on for assistance?
What marketing events will you expect me to participate in?
WIll I work split shifts? Will I get consecutive days off?
How many holidays will I get per year?
And, here's the absolutely vital one: Can you give the the details of a teacher currently working in the centre you will be sending me to? This is the clincher; all their answers mean nothing if they can't supply at least one other foreigner in the office you're going to, saying they more or less keep their promises.
mcc337:
Thanks MissA, thats a lot of help. I would never had thought to ask about the running water question haha.. I would have just assumed it was supplied
And remember, you can expect the contract to be tinkered with a little, even under the best of circumstances.
Yes, please ask them any question what you want to ask., BEFORE SIGN any paper,
And DON'T BE shy for that.
Afterwards (advise from one chinese friend), raise your voice to read
the contract and confirn with them what you are reading paragraph by paragraph, read again and confirm again untill to the end. May it's look stupid, but is NOT !
Don't rely on them!.
