|
Post by Missi on Jun 10, 2006 19:29:45 GMT 7
I'm thinking of starting a training school here in China.
Now that I've said that, where in the world would I start to get infromation on how to do it?
We have training schools here for infants to about 8 years old, but can't really stand the little ones. I would mainly try to target students from 10 to 20 and only over the summer and winter holiday. And I've got a whole year to plan it.
Where would I start? Is there a place on line that I can get this type of information?
Or have I gotten way over my head here?
|
|
nolefan
Barfly
Quod me nutrit, me destruit!
Posts: 686
|
Post by nolefan on Jun 10, 2006 23:42:08 GMT 7
check the spoon.. it's been talked about ad-nauseum over there.
|
|
Decurso
Barfly
Things you own end up owning you
Posts: 581
|
Post by Decurso on Jun 11, 2006 8:07:36 GMT 7
A word of caution..most training schools lie through their teeth.So if a school says you wont have to teach anyone under 10...it means very little in most cases.
|
|
woza17
SuperDuperBarfly!
Posts: 2,203
|
Post by woza17 on Jun 11, 2006 17:30:25 GMT 7
Misi If you are only running the lessons over the holidays I think that is quite different to opening a training centre all year round.
|
|
|
Post by Missi on Jun 11, 2006 20:09:29 GMT 7
Have any idea's you would like to pass this way?
|
|
|
Post by Mr Nobody on Jun 11, 2006 21:23:39 GMT 7
I would avoid it like the plague until I knew more about it. Actually, I am. I had that idea, looked a little into it, saw the worms writheing manically at the bottom of the can, and put the can back on the shelf until later.
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Jun 12, 2006 1:09:36 GMT 7
Hey, maybe if we can talk about it here then we won't have to send people over to Chez Fasciste. Yeesh. Can you tell us an overview of what you have in mind? "Training school" is a pretty nebulous term...how is what you want to do different from a private English school?
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Gonzo on Jun 12, 2006 2:50:45 GMT 7
Isn't there something about needing a Chinese partner to set up a venture like this? You'd certainly need someone trustworthy [!!!] to handle the language and legal side of things. And if you're setting up in opposition to existing centres who've already pay bribes, that could be difficult.
|
|
Loops
Barfly
Raoul, after a day reading the garbage we dump on his forum...
Posts: 389
|
Post by Loops on Jun 12, 2006 2:52:00 GMT 7
Just because I'm a spelling and grammar nazi, training is not spelled traning. You won't get many people coming to a "Traning" School. Sorry. I couldn't resist.
|
|
|
Post by Stil on Jun 12, 2006 9:14:30 GMT 7
Isn't there something about needing a Chinese partner to set up a venture like this? You'd certainly need someone trustworthy [!!!] to handle the language and legal side of things. And if you're setting up in opposition to existing centres who've already pay bribes, that could be difficult. Exactly right. it also depends how formally (re: legally) you want to do it. The initial cost outlay for a foreigner setting up a business (including permission) is quite daunting I hear. However a Chinese person can have 20 of their 'closest friends' to a party with tables and chairs and a blackboard over every day where you are also a guest. I did this last year with adults.
|
|
|
Post by Missi on Jun 12, 2006 11:11:33 GMT 7
I want to ONLY have it for holidays. Summer and Winter. For mainly high school students and students starting university. This the age group I work best with so I figure to start with them. If for some reason I am unable to have just this age group I would work with students aged 10 to 20.
This morning at breakfast, I've got my English teachers who would all like to help teach and assit in setting up. I would like to work with this adventure with my school, something along the lines of they set up the money, building licenses and such and I will run it and they will be the silent partner. This is where teaching with them is working in my favour. When it comes to planning, organizing and the actual doing of a project is what I do best.
And having someone who can translate honestly, is an easy thing for me here. Anyone of my teachers would be able to do the task in my grade.
The main reason I want to do this through the school is so none of the teachers (myself included) has to get the permission from the school to work.
To make the school I would like to open different from any other school, is that I would do my best to keep it honest. I know its not possible if you want to do buisness in China, but accept no bribes for putting students in a higher class or competitions. Seriously put the students first and listen to their advice for the operation of the school. I was even thinking of hiring a few students to teach (similar to the co-op programs back home). This is as far as I got in my day dream, but more ideas are still to come. I have eight months to put this day dream into real life.
If you all have any suggestions, I would welcome the thoughts.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Nobody on Jun 12, 2006 12:36:16 GMT 7
If you let me know how to do the thing, I would like to do the same thing. THere is apparently nothing much down this end like that. It could work. I have some of the things sorted this end - we have govt and pcb contacts and teachers and westerners coming out of our ears.
I was gunna pick woza's brains after she run hers.
So, yeah. lets talk about it here, and not go to Dave's La La land.
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Gonzo on Jun 12, 2006 12:50:44 GMT 7
OK, so to clarify, its a holiday camp type set up at your current school, using school facilities, students and teachers. Your school would probably come at it if there's profit involved. All this is vastly different to setting up a "training centre" though, thus the confusion!
|
|
|
Post by Mr Nobody on Jun 12, 2006 13:38:09 GMT 7
Well, dunno if I would do it at this college. I could ask, though, I guess.
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Jun 13, 2006 2:55:44 GMT 7
I'm curious, Misi, Are you thinking of this as your sole means of support? You're gonna have a lot of people to pay...and a long time to live between sessions.
Another thing about a Chinese partner...not only are they virtually your only hope of getting through the bureaucracy alive, but if your company is majority foreign owned they will tax you until you bleed from the ears.
Be aware that few young students and fewer parents will give a rat's ass about the honesty of your program, nor will they necessarily see "their best interests" the same way you do. Failing even the lumpiest of students can have very real consequences.
I don't want to dissuade you from your admirable goals. I just hope you understand the waters you're sailing into here.
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Jun 13, 2006 3:00:26 GMT 7
By the way, sources of information...
Your best bet will be your friendly local government Bureaus- Education, Finance, Taxation, Foreign Affairs, etc.- which in turn are best visited with your local partner.
|
|
|
Post by Missi on Jun 13, 2006 6:16:18 GMT 7
Raoul, I know the murky waters of doing business in China, and have seen many people get lost in them.
This will not be my sole sorce of income. I still plan on teaching at the school for the school year but this is just for the long holidays.
We had a parent teacher day a few weeks ago and I was chatting to a few parents of some previous students and some current students parents and this was our topic, about how teenagers don't have the option of doing a hard core training session in English. This is pretty much where I got my idea from.
And on that note, I have to get going to work, I don't want to be late for breakfast and coffee in the office!
|
|
|
Post by Missi on Jun 14, 2006 5:35:03 GMT 7
To bring this topic up to speed...... Got out the emails and the letters to the local gov't offices yesterday afternoon. I've also got Lawyer Wu and Judge Eddie to find me all the tax laws regarding foreigners and businesses. And to get their opinions on the best way to do this. Remember this is only for the holidays. If I find anything about a year round training centre, I will still pass it along.
I have plans to have dinner with some of my students this week and next, and was thinking of asking their opinions on this adventure.
|
|
woza17
SuperDuperBarfly!
Posts: 2,203
|
Post by woza17 on Jun 14, 2006 16:13:42 GMT 7
OK Missi if it was me i would first find out who is my market. Would it be better to go with one age group that you can put into the same class or have differing levels where you may not get enough students and they are all promised a foreign teacher. I would start off small but selective make your product exclusive (because it will be ) If you can have classes of 20 students and perhaps you get 40 one more foreign teacher. Keep your costs low. Will the kids board or just come to class from home. These are the things that I would be thinking about I don't think the government gives a tinker's toss for the Summer camps in that regard but on the other hand I could be wrong and you will have to get george to put up bail
|
|
|
Post by Mr Nobody on Jun 14, 2006 16:27:45 GMT 7
I am following this with interest.
Oh, yeah, maybe teaching kung fu at a summer school for kung fu down here. Talking to them on the weekend. Pay is probably crap, but I have enough money.
|
|
|
Post by Missi on Jun 14, 2006 16:41:01 GMT 7
Excellent suggestion on the keeping the product exclusive. As of right now I plan to have no boarders. My students who live in Wuhan who come here during the year, tell me how much they love the summers and holidays as they get to see their parents in the mornings and most nights and that they say is the high light of their holidays.
Since I don't really plan to leave the school (unless our new headmaster is a real jerk) any time in the near future, I have a few summers to make this big. I want to keep it as small as possible the first year, so if I make any mistakes there will be a mess, but not one so huge that I have to tap into The Bank of George. I also want to keep the class size to a max of ten per class. It may not make a lot of money, but the level of learning would be huge!!!
I was also thinking of marketing it to the students who want to study English as their major while in university. Any ideas on this one? or is this just being too picky?
Any word of the interest level at The Bank of George? (I only know how to get a smilie here but if I could there would be a face with a HUGE grin!!!!!)
|
|
|
Post by Missi on Jun 14, 2006 16:43:41 GMT 7
I take it back. Not The Bank of George, but the BaNk of Mr. Nobody.
|
|
|
Post by George61 on Jun 14, 2006 17:40:50 GMT 7
Hmmph! In that case, the Bank of George has no interest!!
|
|
woza17
SuperDuperBarfly!
Posts: 2,203
|
Post by woza17 on Jun 14, 2006 17:52:51 GMT 7
Then darling I see no problem, profit is not your motive.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Nobody on Jun 14, 2006 18:08:47 GMT 7
I have just enough money to feed myself, wife, baby, turtle and stray bird, and plenty of holidays. I teach kung fu because I like it.
(actually, I do know people interested, perhaps, in various kinds of investments, including a school, but I have them on hold right now)
|
|