Hi! I’m a bit new to the workforce so please bear with me. I’ve been offered a job at Frobel Elementary School in Taoyuan through a recruiter and I don’t know much about it. All I’ve heard are horrible stories about Forest/Frobel American School in Qidu, Keelung. Are these two schools in any way related? And if not, is there anyone who knows anything about this particular school?
I’ve also got two other interviews slotted for when I arrive in Taiwan (I arrive on the 13th) and they want me to sign the contract before I even leave my country. I really want to check out the other two schools(and maybe more) in Taipei because my family lives there and I prefer staying with them. That, and I really love the city life. These other schools are offering less pay, but my main focus was stay in Taipei. But being an Asian American, I don’t know how likely I will come across my next job offer. I may be passing up a great chance at employment.
Should I pass up this opportunity and keep searching, or should I stop whining and just take the offer? Any advice for this newbie?
I know a couple of guys who work at the Frobel in NanKan and one who works at the Taoyuan branch. You need to be aware that it is a bilingual kindy, so do some research into teaching kindy before accepting the job.
They’re pretty bog standard kindies. No weekend work except for occasional marketing activities on Saturdays for which you will get paid 1000NTD. You’ll teach the under 6s from 9-4, then the older kids until 7.20 M, W and F, and 5.40 on T and Th. These kind of jobs are pretty mind-numbing, but don’t require much effort. If teaching EFL is just something you plan to do for a year or two then I think these places are OK, but if you feel that EFL might become a career then it’s probably best to look for something better.
The Frobel I’m talking about is a private elementary school that runs from 8-5, so I’ll be teaching elementary school students. I’ve got dual citizenship, so there shouldn’t be any legal complications, even in kindies. Teaching for one year IS the plan right now, and I really want to make the best of this experience. (ie living the city life, staying with family, studying Chinese, etc) But I’m also seriously considering making it a career, so I’m hoping this experience will help me make my career choice.
I never worked there, but I spent some time there, interviewing and watching classes. They SEEMED alright. I didn’t end up taking the job though, so I can’t give you much more than that.
Be prepared for all manner of evil from management, that is all I can say about those dodgy folks, without a vicious diatribe, of course.
I would be especially wary of being employed by them through an agent, as that will cause them to view one as even fresher meat than that which they already view their foreign workers.