Questions and Answers - BSK Academy and EF English First tkhodges - June 21, 2007 - 03:03 AM Post subject: BSK Academy and EF English First
Hello everybody. I am new here so I hope I am posting this in the right place. I have been offered a job with BSK Academy but I can only find limited info on this company. Has anyone have any info to share about this school? Whether or not it is a good school to work for?
Also EF English First. Can anyone share any info about this school. Both of them would be in Shanghai. I am really looking forward to teaching over there. However of course I want to make sure I go with the right school. I am working with Oxford Seminars. Which is where I got my TEFL cert. They have a job placement service. They have not worked with BSK. So I am a little concerned about that particular schhol. I know EF is pretty large and international. So any info you can share would be very beneficial.
Thanks
yu888 - June 21, 2007 - 04:40 PM Post subject:
You can post disussions about teachingat http://www.eslcafe.com/
I think its likely to get you more answers as its a specialty site.
Optimus - Oct 13, 2009 - 10:04 PM Post subject: BSK and EF
Not a lot of info about teaching here. I've heard bad things about both.
Here's a great link I found about teaching in Shanghai. And just do a search on the net for bsk academy shanghai and ef english first shanghai, you'll find lots. BSK sounds like they're doing some things not so legal. EF sounds legal, just like a bit of a horror company.
http://eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/review/index.pl?read=27535dr3x320 - Oct 13, 2009 - 11:05 PM Post subject:
Heh.. EF, good times, if you want to find a trick, theres plenty there. pay is still mediocre but better then average waiter salaries in the city. Be prepared to lose a few pounds while working there and assortment of other hellish routines.
paulinshanghai - Oct 13, 2009 - 11:32 PM Post subject:
BSK is a recruitment agency. They send you to junior/middle schools and other classes that have 40+ students a class. I know some past teachers who thought it was ok (but they knew they would just be here for 6 months then leave).
EF? Well all are franchised, so horses for courses. Just met some teachers with EF just out of Shanghai and they work up to 60hrs a week (only 24hrs teaching and a ridiculous amount of preparation work) for a fairly crappy salary. But, they have been there for a few years so cant be that bad.
ABSOLUTELY No need to use any TEFL recruitment offers. Spend a while doing your research about teaching in Shanghai etc. Both companies mentioned are fine but you can do better, even for your first year here.
Keys in a contract are:
1. Look for details re office hours
2. teaching hour details
3. Office hours.
Of all my experience I would highly advise AGAINST following any TEFL school job placements (they are nearly, if not always rubbish).
Sorry going through a bottle of red (and a few) so ignore any spelling/grammar mistakes Im posting!
Neville_Bartos - Oct 14, 2009 - 06:35 AM Post subject:
Try this thread ---> http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=64987Chrisse - Oct 14, 2009 - 06:45 AM Post subject: Re: BSK and EF
Optimus wrote:
... BSK sounds like they're doing some things not so legal. ...
I am fairly sure you can find many things that are illegal or not so legal in any school that you really investigate here in China.
But they probably pay to keep the government happy jeffinflorida - Oct 14, 2009 - 08:33 AM Post subject:
A friends son worked for BSK last year in Shanghai. he was young and inexperienced from Australia.
They said he spent a lot of unpaid time commuting around Shanghai, often commutes of one hour just to get to the school in the morning and then have to commute to a different school in the afternoon. Got paid for 4 hours of teaching and spent 3 hours or more for unpaid and usually unreimbursed commute time. They gave him something like 100 rmb a month for a travel allowance but he had to spend 16 rmb a day or more for bus and train fare. They also don't provide an apartment and give some ridiculously low allowance - like 1500 rmb a month - which doesn't go far in Shanghai.
And yes, he was farmed out to many different schools a week and had to prepare lessons for each class himself with no support from BSK. Also Saturday work was involved.
As far as legal goes, I don't think there are legal issues involved, they just work you very much for a very low salary.
And like most of these types of schools there is no retention, you are used until you quit then another fool comes to take your place when you leave.
