I am wondering if anybody has had this experience:
You go to a school that advertises that they use a ‘western-style’ or ‘american-style’ of education. This interestes you as a person who would like to improve your teaching ability. You apply, the interview goes well, the school hires you and you look forward to a new beginning. Within the first week you realize that it has all been lies. Get out the flashcards (if you have time to make them) the boring drill books and the throat lozenges.
How can I avoid making this mistake in the future?
Specifically, has anybody heard anything about the Happy Marian schools and the American Leader Program?
Happy Marian is a good school, in that it’s learning by doing, not drilling. The resources available at the school are hard to beat anywhere in Taiwan, there’s minimal prep as all the lessons are given to you at the beginning of each semester, and the kids spend down time with the foreign teachers (ie: meals/playtime), so you feel more like a person and less like a symbol. In my experience, I’d give Happy Marian a thumbs-up.
Try talking to other teachers at the school. I’ve accompanied friends to interview at children’s English schools, and I will usually try to catch one of the other teachers and ask for a run-down on the school. The three times I’ve done this, I’ve always gotten what I thought was a straight answer.