Your Inspector is McKnackered. This list of awful schools in China is far to long to list after only a single slug of fermented Yak's milk. The Inspector will return to this unexpected, laborious and lengthy task ASAP.
What on earth happened to Chop Suey? I used to think that was all there was to China.
THE SHAMED..........
Aojing International Ltd, China
Beijing Language and Culture University, China
San Jie Foreign Language School, China
XiSanQi Advanced Language School, FuLaiDe Advanced Language School, AoJing, FanZhiDu, China
Yakup International, China
Yanjing Overseas Chinese University, Oxbridge University Business School, China
Davis Language Training Company, China
Tianjin University of Commerce, China
Tianjin university of Finance and Commerce, China
Tianjin University of Science and Technology, China
E & A College, China
Hebei New Times International, China
Hengshui High School, China
Jingbei Foreign Language College, China
EF English First Taiyaun, China
John Gao's school, Number 2 foreign language school (AKA number 18 middle/high school), Modern English, People's Number Two Hospital, Shanxi university, China
Luliang Teachers College, China
O'Smart, China
Taiyuan Mercan School, China
Taiyuan Modern English School, China
Taiyuan Teachers' College, China
Tongliao Huanyu Private Exit and Entry Company Limited, aka Tongliao Huanyu Independent Consulting Services Ltd, China
Yingcai School, China
Yingcai School, China
Affiliated High School of Peking University, China
Aojing International Ltd, China
Beijing Language and Culture University, TMC China
XiSanQi Advanced Language School, FuLaiDe Advanced Language School, AoJing, FanZhiDu, China
Yakup International, China
Yanjing Overseas Chinese University, China
Yanjing Overseas Chinese University, Oxbridge University Business School, China
Columbia College, Columbia Kindergarten, China
English First Changchun (EF Changchun), China
Excel-World English Kindergarten, China
Jilin Province Star Education Consulting Co Ltd, China
Tianshuo, Tianyuan, Baidawei, Simon's language school, China
youngji middli school, China
Auqi Private English School, China
Columbia English College, China
Golden Bridge Language school, China
Harbin Joy Children's Language School, China
Harbin Normal University, China
Harbin Star Foreign Language College, China
Hengfeng Foreign Languages School, China
Highbird Internation School, China
Roy English Language Training Center, China
Boston Training Technologies, China
CHEERY ENGLISH, China
English First Shanghai (EF Shanghai), China
Enlighten / Enlightenment Consultants , China
Gold Apple Bilingual School, China
Kongjiang High School, China
Raffles Lasalle Shanghai, China
Shanghai Normal University, English First Shanghai (EF Shanghai), China
TEFL Jobs Consulting Ltd Company (TEFL.CC), China
Tonghu Consulting, Yuzhen Group Shanghai , China
Xuehui Science Kindergarten, China
Yucai Senior High School, China
English First Suzhou (EF Suzhou), China
Huai Yin Teacher College, China
ICON Language Center, China
Jiangsu Huaian Modern English, China
Nanjing Talent Academy,Talent Inc, China
Rayhua Bilingual School, China
Sino-Canada High School, China
Inspector McHammered of the Lard
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About Me
Welcome to the TEFL Blacklist. And, yes - it's black! In fact, this blog is for all you angry EFL teachers out there - and I know there must be a good number of you! If you've suffered at the hands of a rogue employer, a dodgy DOS, or a pain-in-the-arse Principal, then this is your chance to get your own back. If you have a story to tell post it briefly in the section marked NOMINATE A SCHOOL FOR BLACKLISTING. There should be a hyperlink at the bottom of most posts. Add your comments to whichever thread you happen to want to add a contribution and then simply copy and then paste it in the section entitled "Chronological Postings" as well. Don't forget to add a note explaining where the original was posted. That way people can, if they choose, simply read all the postings made to all the threads in chronological order.
Inspector McHammered of the Lard
Inspector McHammered of the Lard
The comedian Eddie Izzard is unique. "He is the first to admit that he gets well paid for talking total bollocks. The good pay is because, unlike the bollocks most of us talk, it's funny"
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Chronological postings
In response to a request from the redoubtable Alex Case here is your opportunity to hit a double whammy (so to speak). Add your comments to whichever thread you happen to want to add a contribution and then simply copy and then paste it in the section marked "chronological postings" as well. Don't forget to add a note explaining where the original was posted. That way people can, if they choose, simply read all the postings made to all the threads in chronological order.
21 comments:
There is a school in Zibo City China that we want to put on the blacklist.Yhe schools name is Global Language School.They have not lived up to there part of the contract and all the foregin teachers are getting very mad.So we want to warn other people of this school.
What did they do? Are we talking about bad attitudes? For example, I'm looking at some of the Normal universities up there and wondering what they did. The others, I assume, are mickey-mouse operations that didn't pay their teachers on time. What's the deal? Thanks! This will help me select my next job!
Fairness and ability to give both sides of an argument has been a traditional forum upon the internet.
However, I noticed that any accusation can be made without evidence and printed as a gullible fact upon your website without an ability to defend one's reputation.
I am all for free speech and giving us teachers warnings about bad places. Heck I would want a list of good places too. Normally, to get the really nice places, you have to been around a country to get hooked up in a good spot.
However, credibility of the truth should be allowed to be viewed by the audience.
As a teacher, I have used your site to avoid schools in the past, but I have seen a few schools that I have worked at that were ok when I worked there. I have also had a school that I am managing at come upon your site. "Disgruntled employee." I don't have problems with teachers venting their hostility because I believe in freedom of speech, and plus I would want to be warned about a bad school as a teacher. However, in all fairness, a school or administrator should be able to respond to accusations. I have searched your site for a search index and found accusations made a few years ago that I haven't been able to access or read. I would at least like to be able to read why a school is bad. There is not a single organization that doesn't have it's good and bad. People change. As for most teachers, they tend to work 1-2 years at a location then move on because they like to travel, live in a different country, and earn their income from an inherent talent of being able to speak English. This profile will fit at least 50% of the teachers that teach abroad. The friends and associates that I have made have been based around academics. However, do you honestly think that all the teachers are great teachers? Could you honestly say that all of the teachers who have sent you comments are 100% honest in their perspective of the story or do you think it might be biased in some cases. You have created a website that limits access to records to older comments and your site is designed mainly as a negative publishing vehicle. I know that you have a a section for nominating schools for both good and bad. Heck I want to see that list!!!! Design an information SQL/Hyperlink that allows the teacher to look at the manager or owner. Any organization changes policy and different managers have their own ways of doing things.
I have been working in China for the last 6-7 years. I have worked as a teacher and administrator at numerous locations. I normally can figure out if a school is a good one or bad one within the first 60 days. Of course I would prefer to know if it is good or bad before going there. However, I do want accurate information.
My advice to new teachers and old to follow these rules when selecting a school.
1. Ask for current teacher references, and permission to talk with teachers that are currently working there.
2. Find out about the management!! Many schools have chains. Trust me a good manager will make and break a school. One branch may have an awesome manager who is really cool, and another may have some shysty piece of fecal matter. They may both have the same school name but different locations. Teachers who have climbed the ranks to administrators tend to make better managers than people have never taught in a classroom before.
3. Find out if they are a legit. Can they get you a working visa. However, sometimes it is more convenient to come in on a tourist or F visa and check out if the school is for you. If the school is legit it will be able to handle the paperwork and get you settled with a legal visa status. Make sure you have the funds to leave country and get a new visa or pay some visa agency to do it.
4. Having a teaching certification helps, but experience in country is the best.
5. People skills are important and understanding the culture is important too.
6. Make sure they will put all promises in writing.
7. Usually, a Western based management runs things closer to the way you expect things to be.
8. Ask for a probationary period where either party can back out with proper notice within the first term of employment. Be willing to pick up incidental costs for your visa if you back out.
9. Make sure you have adequate funds to get yourself settled. Usually 2-3k USD is sufficient to get a new apartment and have enough living expenses until you find another job if the job you had come to look at wasn't what you expected.
Working in human resources, I have found that people tend to exaggerate their CVs and Resumes.
Do you think that there aren't any unqualified teachers that are currently teaching students? I can honestly say that 90% of my native speaking candidates cannot explain grammar without looking it up on the interent or reference book. TO PROVE MY POINT!! How many of you can explain, what a future perfect continuous/progressive verb tense is? Explain when we use it? Can you explain where we put a simple little noun in a sentence? How about explaining when we use an objective pronoun, or even better yet, what is an objective pronoun. I would bet that over 50-75% of any ESL teacher reading this couldn't do it off the top of their head. Do you honestly think that an answer of it sounds wrong or this is how we say it is a sufficient explanation to a student that doesn't have the native ability to know if it sounds wrong?
Another high percentage of current teachers in many Asian countries are backpackers on working vacations. They can do conversation classes with no problems but explaining the mechanics of English is a bit difficult for them. I know one organization that hires teachers just because the can drink. LOL they use them for their business English classes. I would be curious as to what percentage of teachers working in Asia are semi-alcoholics. I have seen a lot of them in Thailand and China. I have seen teachers try to back out of their contracts because they could get more money elsewhere. I have seen teachers try to renegotiate their contracts because they found out the other guy got a better deal. I have seen teachers blackmail their schools unless their demands were met. I have heard of teachers dating and having sexual relationships with their students. Yeah the question is what age is do you think it is ethical? A 18 year old in high school getting screwed by the teacher because they are of legal age? Do you think a school would fire that teacher for that reason officially or find some bullshyt excuse to get rid of that teacher. Heck I would like a teacher blacklist and whitelist too. Our school had 2 full time teachers extend their vacation without notice canceling classes and refunding students their tuition. They said that they were entitled to 2 weeks sick leave in their contract. Legally, they were, but if that was your employee what would you do with them? They still expected their monthly pay even though they only worked 1 week in the month and gave notice the weekend before they were supposed to show up. Technically are they in the right? 14 days of sick leave, but nearly bankrupted the school with all the unexpected cancelations. The school could barely pay the rent. Would you pay them if they were your employee or would you pay the rent on the business. The teacher said that we held their pay. It was true, wouldn't you? Don't you think that there were mitigating circumstances for this? However, it comes out on your website as a blacklisted school. Well I haven't had any negative comments from my teachers after that manager and her teachers left. Do you think it was the school or the employee that caused the ruckus.
What a good post. Well argued and a good case made.
If you give me the name of your school I will remove it from the TEFL Blacklist.
My English World Business Company in Tongliao, Inner Mongolia is a recruiter/school to really stay away from as well. They withhold the first 3 months pay as an incentive to finish your contract, then when your contract is up, you don't get your money. Pay is also at least 2 months late at any given time. I worked for them and they couldn't provide a Z visa, so they got me an F visa. The whole group of teachers were investigated by the Public Security Bureau and we were told that we had to lie and say that we didn't teach, but were writers of English Curriculum and website developers, or else we would be fired. I, along with 15 other foreigners were raked over the coals, and it was a nightmare. They employ mostly Filipinos and Africans because as the "Boss" put it, "They will put up with more and I don't have to pay them as much". That's just rotten. One year, we had to borrow money from Chinese friends for Christmas because the boss spent all of our salary money on gifts for school leaders and couldn't afford to pay us. English World Business Liability Company (the most recent name, no doubt changed due to the whole business "F" visa fiasco), a.k.a. My English World Business Company, Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, China is BAD NEWS!
The dreaded English World in Tongliao, Inner Mongolia has taken on a few more names. They are as follows and are all the same horrible company mentioned in my previous post: "England World Tongliao City Business Limited Liability Company", "My English World", "English World Business Limited Corporation", "English World Business Company Limited". They need to keep changing their name due to run-ins with the local public security bureau. Also, they are now affiliated with Tongliao Huanyu Private Exit and Entry Company Limited, who are on several online Blacklists, including the one on this site. Thanks.
My English World in Tongliao, China has changed its name yet again to avoid trouble with the local Public Security Bureau. It's now known as England World Tongliao Business Liability Company Limited. Watch out for these guys.
Could someone tell me why Tianjin University of Finance and Economics is on the blacklist? I'm considering an offer there.
I'm currently employed as DoS for English First Hefei. I've been here for 2 and a half years now, my first year as an English teacher.
As a DoS a lot of my time is spent with recruitment and as you can probably understand this can be difficult when the school is on a blacklist. I've had a look at the black list on your website and it doesn't give any reasons for the schools being listed. Why?
Of course I'm fully in support of teachers giving details of their own personal experiences as I myself will also be relying on others when the time comes to move on. There does seem to be a more popular market on websites for negative comments and it's virtually impossible for a school to defend itself. I was made aware of our school being blacklisted from a potential teacher whom I'd interviewed, she referred to an article written about the school on http://www.abroadchina.org/html/article10.htm. I've done my best to find out who this teacher was and for the life of me cannot find a single teacher who matches the details given in this article. The piece was written on 01/01/2004. The school was barely open a year at this stage and I have managed to find just one teacher who was fired during this time. The reason for his dismissal was gross misconduct (9 accounts!) in July 2003 but I've been assured that his salary was not withheld. He was however dismissed and in accordance with the law in China, reported to the PSB.
I have two detailed written accounts here, one from the teacher and one from the DoS at the time and it sounds like the person in question was unmanageable.
I've been working very hard as had my previous DoS, who was an excellent guy, to give the school the good name and reputation it deserves and would be most grateful if you could offer me some help.
Could you please let me know why our school has been blacklisted on your website and how we can can be removed if possible.
I can supply a long list of references with e-mail addresses from current and past teacher's for you to evaluate if you so wish.
My personal experiences at the school have been nothing but good. They encourage teacher development, are always willing to negotiate and compromise with teachers, supply decent apartments and since I've been employed here 9 foreign teachers extended their contracts. This, as you can appreciate, is quite a high number for a language school in a city such as Hefei.
I plan to stay here until the new year and before I leave would love to clear this school's name as I feel any of the teachers I've worked with here as a teacher and a DoS would give the school a glowing reference.
I'd appreciate any help you can offer.
SeanOg
Dear Administrator,
I wonder if you could at all e-mail me personally with regards to my post on July 18th? I would really appreciate knowing why our school has been blacklisted here.
I haven't received any feedback yet and I feel it is a simple request.
Many thanks again
SeanOg
The Inspector doesn't "do" emails for obvious reasons.
You are correct in that you were on list of named and shamed at http://www.abroadchina.org/html/article10.htm. The articles about different schools sound credible to me however the blacklisting has been removed and you have been given the benefit of the doubt for writing such a well worded and vigorous defence of your school.
Dear Administrator
With regards to my previous post I wish to inform you that your source from which you originally blacklisted our school is by no means credible.
During a teacher's meeting I asked our current teachers, if they so wished, to post their own experiences and opinions on the website about working here.
Many tried but none succeeded! From the 5 people who did try to post something there isn't a single one on the website now. This was well over a month ago.
Either the website no longer has an administrator or they are not willing to post positive comments.
The original post from the anonymous teacher was written almost 4 years ago. Will this school always be associated with the blacklist now, no matter what we try to do? Try typing our school's name along with blacklist into a popular search engine and see which page comes up second.
I would really appreciate if you could post this comment as freedom of speech is one of the only ways our school can defend itself.
Thank you
All your comments are listed above.
I haven't rejected any comments from any teachers so I can only assume they have either put them in the wrong section or didn't do it. I wasn't aware there was a whole article devoted to "Bluniverse, Hefei China" abut did remove it from the general list. Ask them to post again this time under "Bluniverse, Hefei China"
I've seen some pretty horrendous press about your school but will always delist a school if the criticism is unfounded.
This list is to warn people.
Persuade me that the comments aren't true and you'll be removed.
And yes, what a stupid comment questioning whether there is an administrator. Who do you think writes these comments?
That sort of idiocy hardly endears you to any potential teacher.
Dear Administrator,
I'm afraid you've miss understood me. I made it pretty clear in my first post dated July 18th 2008 that I work for English First, not Bluniverse.
The website (source) I was referring to in my September 8th post was not yours but the website I had also mentioned in my first post www.abroadchina.org
On July 22th 2008 you wrote that the articles on the website www.abroadchina.org sounded credible. The whole reason I posted my September 8th comment is to inform you that the website is not a credible source. It doesn't seem to have an administrator. It is this website (not yours) that we have been trying to contact.
Of course I am aware that your website has an administrator as it is you who I have been writing to.
Personally, I don't see where the confusion stems from but hopefully this will clear it up.
Many thanks again for providing this facility and removing our school's name from your blacklist. My main concern is your sources, are they credible?
I'm afraid you've miss understood me. I made it pretty clear in my first post dated July 18th 2008 that I work for English First, not Bluniverse.
I have to tell you that English First is mentioned a fair bit on The TEFL Backlist as a poor organization.
I can only repeat what I wrote earlier in that I have NOT deleted any comments from teachers so ask them to post again.
Neither can I see that EF is mentioned. Ask your teachers to repost those comments in this section, enlighten me as to where your school is mentioned on The TEFL Blacklist (there are so many) and I'll remove the entry.
As for the credibility of my sources. It's always a sticky one but I get quite a few postings from school owners pretending that they are Mother Theresa.
Read the posting on EF Oxford and tell me that it doesn't sound true? Sorry but your school is part of English First and some of the centres are stinkers.
We're going no-where with this. Please read my previous posts and your responses before you read this and things might become clearer.
Our teacher's have NOT tried to post anything on your website but rather a different website which you, to quote your good self, said "sounds credible".
Nowhere in my previous posts have I stated that our teacher's have tried to post comments on your website. I thought I cleared that up in my previous post. When referring to abroadchina.org I wrote; "It is this website (not yours) that we have been trying to contact"
On July 22nd you wrote:
"You are correct in that you were on list of named and shamed at http://www.abroadchina.org/html/article10.htm. The articles about different schools sound credible to me however the blacklisting has been removed and you have been given the benefit of the doubt for writing such a well worded and vigorous defense of your school"
You removed our school's name from your blacklist and for this I thank you.
I then went on to argue that www.abroadchina.org is an old website which is no longer (if it ever was) credible.
You then responded by saying I worked for Bluniverse in Hefei and how awful the school is. ????????
Again, where do you get your sources?
I've never worked for Bluniverse and I don't really care about them to be honest. Nor do I have time for getting into lengthy debates (like this one) about other schools which have nothing to do with ours.
To put things very simply:
There is a very negative comment about our school on www.abroadchina.org from 4 years ago.
Our teachers tried to post positive comments on this website over a month ago. Still no joy!
The reason I'm informing you of this is because you previously mentioned it as being a credible source.
People, bloggers, jobhunters etc. should be aware that it isn't wouldn't you agree?
I would advise anyone looking to work in any school to research it firsthand and request e-mail addresses of current teachers before signing any contract.
Inspector, thanks for all your help with this. It has been a little frustrating at times but I hope we have at last reached a bit of clarity. I wish you the very best of luck with the future of your website.
AMIO INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH QINGDAO CHINA
You should watch this school my experience was they did not honnor my contract. They canceled the contract 1 month before the contract ended, so they did not have pay the airfare or any other money due, Their turnover of staff is incrediable. If you do choose this school read the contract, you get paid for teaching time but not for working time, work that one out, the contracts are usually 40 hrs with 20hr or 25hr teaching you get paid for teaching but for the remainder of time it is like you work that for free. If you work at one of their schools out of qingdao you do not get paid for travel time. and that can be 4hr travel Plus per day. Qingdao is a great city to live and there are far better schools here just not this one.
I have also heard some bad comments about Amio International English Plaza. They breached my girlfriends contract, still owing her around the 13000.rmb and that only happened because their student numbers dropped, and they thought they could save some money by ending her contract early, and in turn breached their own contract rules, but would not honnor their breach, I wouldnt work for a dodgy school like this.
I have also heard some bad comments about Amio International English Plaza. They breached my girlfriends contract, still owing her around the 13000.rmb and that only happened because their student numbers dropped, and they thought they could save some money by ending her contract early, and in turn breached their own contract rules, but would not honnor their breach, I wouldnt work for a dodgy school like this.
Hi! could you please tell me why do you put Star College of Harbin Normal University into the blacklist? who knows? is it school really bad? and why? I want to know ASAP, for I am going to work for this school.
thank you.
Hi! could you please tell me why do you put Star College of Harbin Normal University into the blacklist? who knows? is it school really bad? and why? I want to know ASAP, for I am going to work for this school.
thank you.
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