Shane English School (夏恩英語)

[Dr Jellyfish]

Huh? I was only in my twenties. I am not prepared to do it at all, now. I could probably summon up the will for triple the hourly rate, as long as I had contractual assurances that no DOS, school owner, parent, cunty administrator etc would even meet my gaze, let alone talk to me.

During my entire teaching career of more than ten years, I never taught much over 20 hours. I only did 15 hours in the UK. I don't like working: it is boring and a waste of time and you have to be nice to everyone and tolerate bad people. I prefer to have lots of free time. In Taiwan, I liked going hiking and swimming and hotspringing, and drinking with my friends. I also never buy much stuff.

I can well understand that. It's hard to say how much I hated some of the things I had to do, like being forced to teach Kindergarten classes which involved singing and dancing around the class, pretending to be animals and smiling the whole way through ~ because if the parents weren't in the class observing, then they were outside the classroom with there faces pressed up against the glass (classroom was like a fish tank). When that class is over - bang straight to your next class, after that - bang again next class! It would take a special sort to voluntarily go back to that.

It was only when I left that system, that I actually started liking and even enjoying Taiwan, more importantly I actually had time to study Chinese.

None of you guys liked having fun with the kids? I personally think it's the best job in the world. Sure you don't have to use your brain much, but who cares. Get the sticky balls out!

The sticky balls, the lynchpin of the Shane teaching system

There was one memorable occasion when the school manageress asked me if I had my special Christmas party class prepared 10 mins before class time (she hadn't mentioned it to me before). This group of kids were about 9 - 11 (ish), anyway ~ all I could come up with was a brilliant game which involved a beach ball and an elasticated Santa beard, the kids had to throw the beach ball at each other (dodge-ball style); however, when hit with the ball they had to don the beard and say "Ho-ho-ho Merry Christmas", it was an instant classic - even the next class room's T.A. joined in.

[Tempo Gain]

I moved a couple of OT posts here: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=78946

[Dr Jellyfish]

The way I saw it (and perhaps others with CELTA or similar qualifications may), was that Shane and other large cram schools can provide you with the experience that you need to get a better job, after I finished with Shane I ended up working in Chinese Culture University's ILI (an evening school for adults). Quite a few of my old Shane colleagues also moved on to the better paying jobs which don't involve singing, dancing and being on stand by.

I never really saw the point of staying there any longer than I needed to, I mean hurling sticky balls and plastic fruit around is all good, but I recon being constantly stuck in the present simple, teaching the same stuff again and again can't really be all that good for everyone. I guess some people just aren't cut out for it, by the third time I had to teach the same textbook I felt bored sick!

With my adult classes (outside of Shane) it was completely different, my manageress showed me a lot of respect and even let me reduce textbook time from about 80% to 30% (she said if the students are happy and willing - then so is the school). We did all sorts, discussed news, did presentations, movie and book reviews they were a pretty advanced bunch... actually, they only ever gave me their advanced students so all I needed to do was set the right mood, get them talking and just step back and mostly listen... I'm having second thought about going back to the UK now.

[elliotzany]

I've been reading a lot about shitty cram schools and good schools, I'm hoping to c ome to Taiwan to teach.

has anybody ever worked in a Shane school or know what kind of reputation they have?

and are franchise schools better to work in?

I'll be moving to Taiwan from England so best to be as sure as i can about the school I'm going to be working in.

[elliotzany]

i just spoke to Shane school and they're going to e-mail me application forms.

they informed me that my monthly starting salary would be £890:00 around NZ$41:000, because i only had 6 months teaching experience and my salary would increase after 6 months and it would be performance related.

however, with Shane schools you are prohibited from doing any private teaching. Shane schools told me that they would never discriminate against a person because of their ethnicity but i may get a reaction from the students. i told Shane schools, that I'll will win them over with my personality :P

I've also contacted Hess schools, they've e-mailed me some application forms etc. looking at their website they seem like a good company to work for.

[BigJohn]

i just spoke to Shane school and they're going to e-mail me application forms.

they informed me that my monthly starting salary would be £890:00 around NZ$41:000, because i only had 6 months teaching experience and my salary would increase after 6 months and it would be performance related.

however, with Shane schools you are prohibited from doing any private teaching. Shane schools told me that they would never discriminate against a person because of their ethnicity but i may get a reaction from the students. i told Shane schools, that I'll will win them over with my personality :P

I've also contacted Hess schools, they've e-mailed me some application forms etc. looking at their website they seem like a good company to work for.

Sorry, but you are being sucked in by their image projection. 90% of the cram schools here are run in an unprofessional manner. Sometimes this is warm, happy un-professionalism, but sometimes it is nickle-and-diming dance foreign clown! type un-professionalism. The best strategy is to do one year at a chain school like Shane, Kojen or Hess, learning what you can about teaching and getting to know Taiwan. Keep your head down, don't lose your cool, and smile a lot. Then, at the end of your contract, move on to a better school, one you know is better because someone you trust works there.

[elliotzany]

looking through the website for Hess, it offers a better salary then Shane. and I don't like the idea of shane not allowing its teachers to do private tution.

thanks for your advice hun

p.s. on the Hess website, they have 25 hour contracts and 30 hour contracts, their hourly rate is reasonable as well, if i could get a 30 hour contract that would be fantastic.

[BlackAdder]

Unless you have an open work permit (which I doubt you will) you are not allowed to teach privates because it is against the law. When I say 'privates' I mean teaching in a coffee shop for cash in hand.

For a school to say 'you are allowed to teach privates' would be contrary to the law. But in reality, Shane and most other schools don't care one bit if you teach privates in your free time. Just don't: a) steal students from the school, b) talk about it at work, c) let it interfere with your job.

p.s. If you do your job properly a 30 hour week won't leave you much time/energy for privates anyway.

[elliotzany]

if i can get a 30 hour contract, I wouldn't need or want any private jobs

where do you teach hun?

[angelmae3995]

I have a friend who worked at shane for a short time and didn't like it. They required him to give the students at 96 or higher, and that if he did not, he would need to give that student a remedial without pay.

Not a school I would work for. I grade truthfully.

BTW this was a branch in Kaohsiung