Reilly
- 2017-04-02
"HR is a big PROBLEM - no experience, no competence, wrong visas, questionable contracts, hold onto the foreign expert certificate as if they own it and take your passport constantly to have you tied down - some teachers sneak away in the middle of the night to avoid the fallout"
With the exception of the first two it seems that in large part these problems are the fault of the foreign teacher. A few minutes of research would have shown the foreign teacher that it is illegal to teach in China except on a Z visa. Then obtain the Z visa in your passport BEFORE you leave your home country and you are good to go. As for the "questionable contracts" again this should all have been taken care BEFORE you leave. Any questionable clauses should be either explained to your satisfaction or removed. If they refuse to do this start looking for another school. Regarding the foreign expert certificate why not sit down with your school and politely but firmly request it back? If the school is at all decent (something you should have been able to determine from your contact with them before you left) you should be able to hammer out a compromise of some kind. As for the passport refuse to let it out of your possession (with the exception of handing it to the immigration official to get the visa. Politely but firmly inform them that is illegal to give to anyone else. If they need to make a copy of it for some reason, go with them and as soon as the copy is finished take the passport back. If they say they need to keep it overnight, smile and say "sorry, that can't be done. My passport stays with me." Other than that refuse to discuss the issue with them. Once again the only person/people with the right to take your passport(for a limited period of time) are Immigration officials. I have followed these simple guidelines and while everything has not been perfect at my workplaces (who's are?) they have been more than satisfactory from my perspective.
mamabear1712
- 2017-03-18
WOW They still have this problem! Sad to say it but their principal/director/superintendent/head master just doesn't get it. When you even bring up the issue of teacher turnover they just respond with "that does not affect me or concern us." Probably because they know someone will always be there to fill the needs and teach there. I am actually surprised that I only found one thread, AND that again in their second year there is visa problems?!?! wrong visas! the need to have your passport! no international framework! I am surprised though about the comment about Jody, she was the one who would stand up for the rights of foreign staff - even those not in her department!
My "supervisor" barely spoke English, the principal has NO bachelor degree in Education - just a masters degree which any smart person would know means they never learned coined phrases that are important to a school like "age appropriate" or better yet SCHOOL SUPPLIES!!
I was physically harmed by the head of my department!! Lucky for them, it was not caught on film because of where they were standing.
HFM, Measles, Chicken Pox run rampant and the pool was always closed due to contagious diseases.
Curriculum NOT suited for the students there who are NOT American and CANNOT relate to texts! Oh and the entrance exams are a joke. Admitting students with ZERO English and expecting teachers to give them grades they didn't earn because the work is all in English and they understand NOTHING.
Chinese teachers who are MORONS and don't know how to teach, have NO classroom management skills, and think a teacher is just supposed to be their friend and let them do whatever they want.
Parents are finally getting upset at the turnover rate, and the amount of teachers their students have had in such a short time that the school has been open! I just hope they become brave enough to speak up to the school rather than to their child's former teachers. We can't do anything about it, but parents can if they would just stick up for their kids!!
STAY AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL OR YOU WILL REGRET IT!!!!!!!!
VERY HIGH TURNOVER AND YOU KNOW WHY?
- Administration is CHAOTIC - no vision, no educational goals, just a business. This is a Taiwanese school running a bilingual program with lots of foreign teachers but no international framework.
- HR is a big PROBLEM - no experience, no competence, wrong visas, questionable contracts, hold onto the foreign expert certificate as if they own it and take your passport constantly to have you tied down - some teachers sneak away in the middle of the night to avoid the fallout.
- Teachers learn 'to play the game' and get offered leadership positions with no experience or competence. Teachers who don't play the game are constantly harassed for documents not filed, dress code, or even low grades.
- Jody Jennings, the director, runs a rumor mill in her office and treats people according to opinions of 'trusted informants' or self-seeking inexperienced incompetent golden children. Her leadership skills are non-existent but her parenting style is dangerous because she favors the manipulating children who cry every time mommy does not give them the lollipop.