Personal Recommendations

Work Teaching English in Taiwan
1

[i][Edit: the original title of this thread was “Best Way to Get a Job.” I’ve changed the title to be more clear about what I’m asking.

I’ve already read a lot of the information comparing Hess and Kojen, the pros and cons of big chain schools vs smaller schools, and nice places to live in Taiwan.

What I’m asking is if any of you liked your experience at either Hess or Kojen enough that you recommend the branch you work(ed) at.

By “liked” I mean: your coworkers were friendly; management was supportive or at least respectful/professional; the school was conveniently located near the MRT and good restaurants/shopping/parks/museums; the classroom was big enough, well-ventilated, had carpeting, toy area, books, blackboard, tv, vcr, etc; you felt like you got enough hours and there was the potential to do more if you wanted to.

In short, I want to know if there is something exceptional about your branch. Did it offer anything more than the basics?

I understand Hess and Kojen may not have the best curriculum, but I more concerned with the general atmosphere at particular branches.][/i]

Hi Everyone,

[color=red]I’m going to start my big adventure in Taiwan in just two months! [/color]

People here are starting to ask me if I’m nervous about going…
I wasn’t…until recently. I was…AM…very excited :bouncy: !

But… :ponder:

Now that I’ve been asked so many times, [color=blue]I’m starting to wonder if maybe I’m making my adventure a little too much of an adventure[/color].

My plan was to follow the advice to just arrive and look for a job. Budget-wise, however, I cannot afford to be without a job for very long. So, now I’m planning to fill out the online applications for both Hess and Kojen and see what they offer me in terms of [color=darkred]pay, class size, age group, schedule and location[/color] (not that I really know where in Taipei I want to live yet).

My questions are:

  1. Do you think applying to those two is enough? Or should I apply to a few more chains?

  2. Is the job search process once I arrive in Taipei much different from what I’m doing now, looking up schools online? I mean, do schools usually advertise on the internet, or do prospective teachers just walk into any school that looks interesting and ask if they have an opening?

  3. It is my understanding that both Kojen and Hess offer assistance in helping teachers to locate housing near their schools. Does anyone have a recommendation for a particular Hess or Kojen site that is in a fairly cheap, not-too-far-away (meaning: accessible by public transportation) suburb of Taipei City? Ideally, I’d like to be within 30 minutes of the school and no more than 45 minutes from the heart of Taipei City, but far enough away to enjoy quieter, greener, residential life. I’d also prefer a place with fewer English-speakers as I assume such a place will be less costly and force me to work on my Chinese. So far, I’ve liked what I’ve heard about Muzha and Tainan.

  4. Do you think there is anyway I could apply to Hess and Kojen and ask to visit their schools in both Taipei and Kaohsiung before signing the contract? I know it sounds crazy, but I’m curious (and scared I’m not going to like the colder weather and higher living costs in Taipei).

My goals for my stay in Taiwan are:

  1. Survive in a completely foreign environment, knowing almost no one before I get there. I want to challenge myself to trust strangers, be more spontaneous, and become more aware of the needs of others.
  2. Get some classroom teaching experience before applying to grad school (ultimate goal: Ph.D. in Educational Policy).
  3. Thoroughly get to know the island of Taiwan: sights, sounds, culture, economics, history, etc.
  4. Learn how to run a school.

[color=violet]All comments will be greatly appreciated.[/color]

2

Sorry to be a pain in the ass Persephone, but do some searches through Forumosa. All the answers to your questions have been written down many many times.

3

There is so much information on this site that it is overwhelming. I’ve been reading about Hess and Kojen for months now and I’m still unsure of the specifics. I understand that they don’t offer the highest pay or the best curriculum. I have been impressed by the fact that they do offer a curriculum and sense of security for a newbie like me. I’ve read that Kojen #4 is bad and that the site in Taichung is hard to get into because it is so often requested.

From what I’ve read, I’ve been lead to believe that whether or not I have a good experience at such a school depends on the details. I haven’t found those yet. Maybe I’m using the wrong search words. If you want to point me to a particular discussion, I’d be grateful.

To everyone else: thank you for taking the time to repeat your answers to me.

4

Hey Persephone, I will do some digging for you, and hopefully come up with some good answers for you. :smiley:

5

TomHill, what a man!

HG

6

There is no true quiet residential life in Taiwan as you know it. :slight_smile:

Muzha is nice enough and a short train ride into the city. Tainan however is going to take you a bit longer to get into Taipei…as it’s uhm, way down in the south of Taiwan. :slight_smile:

7

Thanks :notworthy:

To JD: I know Tainan’s a bit far off, but I can’t seem to help wondering about those rumored warm, dry southern spots. :wink:
I really am listening to all of you who keep telling me that residential, small town life in Taiwan isn’t the same as here…

Sometimes, though, I just think that if I ask the question the right way…

See how much I need to practice being open to adventure :smiley:

8

I worked for Hess. It’s not a bad way to start out here. If you’re new to teaching you’ll find the structure they give you comforting.

But in my experience the place is bureaucratic and their curriculum outside of kindergarten needs to be reworked. On the whole Hess is very average. But it is a secure way to go. I’d suggest that route at least for your first year.

9

Thanks :notworthy:

To JD: I know Tainan’s a bit far off, but I can’t seem to help wondering about those rumored warm, dry southern spots. :wink:
I really am listening to all of you who keep telling me that residential, small town life in Taiwan isn’t the same as here…

Sometimes, though, I just think that if I ask the question the right way…

See how much I need to practice being open to adventure :smiley:[/quote]

I had to visit Tainan last year several times on business and found it very nice. It does get some kinda hot there, but it seemed ok to me. People were friendly and the downscale nightmarket life seemed fun and the upscale restaurants did not disappoint.

PM Tainan Cowboy. He’s a good source of all sorts of stuff.

10

Kojen, school 1 and school 4: foreign coworkers were fine; Taiwanese coworkers varied from intolerable to OK as long as you couldn’t understand what they were saying in Chinese
Management was pretty good, except for the dragon lady running the children’s department at school 4.
Convenient locations.
Classrooms had no amenities at all - uncomfortable desks and noisy airconditioners that didn’t work half the time, yes; but no TVs or carpet.
Getting enough work was a problem for teachers in the adult department, but not in the kids’ department.

11

I didn’t have any problems in Tucheng or Banqiao branches of Hess. There were some coworkers who were really helpful and would work with you, and then there were some that were real pains. These places aren’t very scenic, but they are cheaper than in Taipei and you can get into the city quickly.

One thing you have to keep in mind is that the turnover rate is very high. I’m sure half the people who were there before won’t be there now.

12

Why? For a new employee who can understand coworkers’ Chinese, would you recommend “playing dumb”?

13

Let them find out you speak Chinese (even if you don’t!) - then you can tell whether they’re being rude about you by whether they switch into Taiwanese :wink:

14

[quote=“ploor”][quote=“bababa”]
Taiwanese coworkers varied from intolerable to OK as long as you couldn’t understand what they were saying in Chinese
[/quote]

Why? For a new employee who can understand coworkers’ Chinese, would you recommend “playing dumb”?[/quote]
I meant they seemed friendly, until you realized they were complaining to the boss about class, or were talking about you in Chinese right in front of you.
Looking back, I would have made it obvious from the first day that I knew some Chinese, and would have seized all opportunities to practice chatting with them.