Hi, I just want to ask if what are the best schools(cramschool,private or public) here in Taiwan for new teachers?
New World English, TES, NTU.
Good luck
EDIT: I misunderstood your post. Apologies.
Where you can teach depends on your educational level and any certifications you may have. Cram schools are for-profit businesses and are, for the most part, independently owned. So, even if you work at a chain school like Kid Castle or Giraffe your experience will really depend on how competent (or incompetent) the manager and owner is. Remember their #1 goal is make money and if that means screwing over staff (foreign or local) then they’ll do it even if it costs them more money in the long run. There are exceptions, but generally speaking this is their S.O.P. The minimum requirements for you are a 2 year degree from an accredited institution as well as some sort of TEFL certification. If you have a 4 year degree then that’s fine as well. And you need to come from a country where English is the primary language as recognized by the Taiwanese government.
Private or Public school elementary and high schools require at least 4 year degrees. Public schools may also require that you have a teaching license from your country. Private schools are a bit more flexible there. But, just as with cram schools, your experience will really depend on how competent or incompetent the people running the schools are.
As a new teacher your choices might be a bit limited and you’ll have to figure things out for yourself in the classroom. Some people suggest starting off at a place called HESS because they provide training for new teachers. But, they also pay less.
Do your research before signing any contract. Ask online about any schools, managers, or owners because there are some that you want to avoid. Avoid agents because most will not do what is best for you and they’ll take a large chunk of your pay if you sign up through them. Many schools will also give you a contract with illegal clauses so it’s important to understand what your rights are and what they are required to offer you (health insurance, labor insurance). This being Taiwan, it’s important to realize that many things are done that are not necessarily “legal”. Chabuduo, Meiguanxi, Sueibian are terms that are frequently used to gloss over details that may affect you. It’s up to you to decide when to put your foot down and when to “go with the flow”.
I am a BS in Biology graduate and a licensed professional teacher in the Philippines, but I don’t have a teaching experience because I focused on our family business when I was in the Philippines. Last week I went to public schools but they don’t have a job vacancy for foreign teachers. I will keep on searching for job hiring, hopefully by next week I can get a teaching job already
Thank you sir!
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Also, read the contract carefully. I prefer short contracts over the big ones.
Is it filled NDAs?
Does it say “you can’t work within two km of the school for two years”?
Does it require you to create a few musicals for the parents (without mentioning pay)?
Do they want you to be in the office, unpaid, for a ton of hours each day?
Does the school say “this unpaid work outside of teaching doesn’t apply to you” but refuses to remove it from the contract?
Are they repeating the same thing with different wording?