Comments on: Joy Children’s Language School China

By: Rico

Rico — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:15:58 +0000

If you are asking for advice here, did you even bother reading the other comments? This chain was singled out for its bad treatment of teachers by US newspapers. And you are asking for advice on class size?? I think that will be the least of your worries.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:18:26 +0000

Hi I will be working for this school in September 2008 and I can’t wait! I have never taught in China so any advice on class size, age group’s, what the school looks for in a teacher, how the curriculum works and anything else that might help me and the children have a good experience is greatly appreciated. In my contract it say’s I may also be teaching adult’s which I have never done before and am quiet nervous about! Did you also teach adults? How difficult is it? What did you teach them? What methods did you use? HELP!!!

By: Christy

Christy — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 07:03:31 +0000

I’ve been offered a position by this school in Taichung. Has anyone heard anything about that branch?

By: tom

tom — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 17:31:31 +0000

I agree that the director shouldn’t have sent anyone around to his place with the threat of violence. That was completley wrong. However I think any reasonable person would agree that if a teacher is not upto scratch then they need to put in more hours to make sure they are at an acceptable level. The contract is there to protect both sides but when you hire someone over the phone it’s hard to know what you are getting so I have to say I side with the school on this. Anyhow, each to their own I guess.

By: chris

chris — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 03:50:34 +0000

Well the point is why the hell did 2 guys show up at his apartment and get violent that is completely unacceptable, working hours are set in the contract so there shouldint be an argument if its not in the contract he doesnt have to do that, if the director is responsible for hiring chinese goons to come and rough up the teacher then he deservesw to be put in jail.

By: John B

John B — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 06:02:14 +0000

I must say that I also taught in Joy school in Harbin with the Mr. Shaff.The problem with many foreigners who travel to Asia is that they expect a standard contract similar to what they would get at home. What they fail to take into account is that the entire world does not work on the same basis as the USA. Sometimes you just have to suck it up. By no stretch of the imagination were we ill treated or was the contract unfair. As for the office hours argument I would counter that any employer who is willing to pay for you to fly from the USA to China( payment when you complete your contract) deserves to get a competent teacher, those who are not competent are required to come to the school early for extra help. Of course this only works if you are not hostile to the fact that you are not good enough. Trust me when I say I have been in situations in Harbin when I feel utterly embarrassed by the bile and rubbish some foreigners spew, you almost wish the ground would open and swallow them up. DO NOT COME TO CHINA IF YOU WANT TO TRY TO CHANGE IT, MAKE IT WESTERN. Stay at home if you love the west so much, if not, open yourself upto an experience that will not all be roses but you will remember it for the rest of your life, for good or for bad.

By: andy

andy — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 10:15:15 +0000

http://www.teflwatch.org/forum.....507.0.html

Especially the one in Harbin. AP reported in the Houston Chronicle this:

John Shaff, a graduate from Florida State University, said everything went according to his English-language contract at Joy Language School in the northeastern city of Harbin â€” until a disagreement over his office hours erupted into a shouting match on the telephone with a school official.

A few hours later, several men led by Joy’s handyman showed up at his school-provided apartment, physically threatening him and cursing him in Chinese, said Shaff, 25. About 10 minutes later, they left, and soon, so did Shaff.

“They were all men who would have been formidable to fight,” Shaff said in a telephone interview from San Francisco, where he now lives. The manager of the Joy chain did not respond to interview requests.

By: olive

olive — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 09:19:56 +0000

Does this include their school in Harbin?