TaiShan International School

[George61]

There is a job here at Taishan International School.
4000Y per month. Dormitory room, all the usual amenities, etc...teaching Middle School and High School Kids.
They plan to advertise on "the Greasy Spoon". Our Head of International Dept., didn't ask us for alternatives..(so, why am I posting this, I ask myself)
They are floundering under the collected stupidity of 3 Headmasters, who are self-acknowledged experts in EVERYTHING.
Currently we only have around 300 students, so the job itself is pretty easy...small classes.
I am waiting for some indication of my future here...should be VERY interesting when they bring the matter up.
So, a good job awaits.

[George61]

They still don't have any foreign teachers, but don't sweat it...they don't deserve any. I could have stayed ...if I accepted a cut in salary to 4000...Yeah, like I am stupid!!
I tried to post a review of the school on nates board, but it and my computer don't get along, so Nate feel free to cut and paste.
Don't touch this school!
It could be a great place, but for the totally insane administration. 20 Chinese teachers have left this week, so it's not just me who is dissatisfied.
Example.... I spent part of the morning in my office, like a good boy. The FAO was nowhere to be seen. This evening I am phoned by my Seppo mate..."FAO is looking for you...She can't find you" ...she could have phoned me!...That explained the phone running hot in HIS room, next to mine.....Stupid cow had been phoning the wrong number.
They pay on time, and the workload is not great(due to the lack of students)....but they are totally hopeless!
So stay away from TaiShan International School.

[Raoul Duke]

Woof! A lot of what you write sounds like 99% of the schools in China..."collective stupidity", "totally insane", etc.....but when you see such a mass of the Chinese teachers leaving it tells me this place must REALLY be a disaster.
I do hope they advertise their jobs at Chez Fasciste!

BTW, if your computer isn't too cantankerous Nate's site comes highly recommended for school info! www.ChinaSchoolReview.com Of course, it's welcome here, too...

[George61]

I did actually write a longer review for Nate, but when I hit "submit" I got redirected to an ezyboard page telling me I left some fields blank. This always happens. Of course, I lost the lot an dgave up in a fit of pique.Sory nate...ezyboards stink!
I know it all sounds normal for China, but these people have to be experienced to be believed.

[con's fly is open]

You have to fill in the subject field. And good thing, too, in case I hit Reply to one subject when I really want to reply to another one.

[George61]

I fill in everything available, but it is a contrary bugger.

Randy and I are doing "Summer Foreign Teachers English Program" for 2 weeks. I only have 10 kids, Randy has 15.......we have them all day! There are two American-Chinese sisters over from LA to visit rellies, and they have been roped in as "volunteer Teaching Assistants" They are far bigger and heavier than their Chinese-Chinese counterparts.
We have no English speaking Chinese teachers to assist....they are spread all over Shandong recruiting teachers.
We are the actual Zoo. Parents of prospective students are being bussed in each day to tour the school, inspect the facilities, and look at "our foreign teachers"
Me, being an ever optimistic, cynical, mischief-maker, made it known that I wanted a bus at 9am yesterday to take my kids downtown, go shopping, play in the park, etc...stuff like all good summer programs should have.
Twas all OK....until 8.30....."Sorry, John, The headmasters won't allow it. A child might get lost!. You must not leave the campus"
Of course we must not leave the campus....if we did the parents may not get to see us.
quote..." The headmaster said."this is my school and you must follow the rules"
Took them for a walk down to the lake...newly-filled.....followed soon after by the FAO, acting on a phonecall from the headmaster.....and two security discreetly at a distance......"A child might fall into the water"
No sense worrying about it, so we are turning it into a huge joke. It's the only way.
We are off to the local TV studio this afternoon to help award the prizes for the recent English Cup....."What about our classes?"
"Duzzenmatta...they can play"
Worst thing is we have ANOTHER 2 week program starting straight after this one.....and I will be by myself. Randys contract is up and he is off to Korea.

[Nate M]

Hey George, if you want to write up a full review here, I could go post it over at my site for you.

I'm looking at sometime in the future moving over to phbb, which would be alot better. Problem is I need money to get web space that can accomodate it, (mine has problems with any sort of scripting), and that isn't anything I'll have anytime soon.

[Raoul Duke]

Nate said:

I'm looking at sometime in the future moving over to phbb, which would be alot better. Problem is I need money to get web space that can accomodate it, (mine has problems with any sort of scripting), and that isn't anything I'll have anytime soon.

Me too. I feel your pain, bro.

[George61]

Copy of an email I just sent to my brother.....well I don't want to write it twice. It's my Mum's 90th birthday tomorrow.

Hey, life here is fun! It's so m'kaying stupid, it has to be fun. Randy
and I went down to the village tonight for dinner.We discussed the days
events. We had to go to Tai'an TV to be part of the program presenting
prizes to the winners of the recent English Talent Contest.Given our
written instructions, scripts, etc....as I was going on stage, I had new
instructions...OK I can cope with that.I had to add that I was a teacher
at Taishan International school, to my prepared script. Not a
problem.....except, at dinner, Randy tells me the boss was complaining
that HE didn't say he was from TSIS.Apart from the fact he put his arm
around the hostess.Randy was all fired up to go against the prepared
script and improvise.....until the hostess came up before the show and
introduced herself....." Hi I'm Suzy...we will do this and that, blah,
blah, blah. Randy, whose brains are somewhat below his belt, suddenly
decided to follow instructions.
Before we went into the studio, we were asked about mobile phones...
Fair enough, nobody wants mobiles going off during the
performance.......Except for the Boss... He uses his mobile to call our
Foreign Affairs Officer, seated a few rows behind him to tell her to
complain to the TV people that the school photo was being obscured by
the performers, and could something be done about it.
No rehearsals, by the way...just go on stage and wing it... duzzenmatta
what the result is.
We were among the original judges, and were a tad overwhelmed when we
saw these kids we didn't even remember, getting prizes.....but they had
a Govt Auditor on hand to explain that everything was aboveboard and in
order.
Anyway, we get back to school, and are told that the kids are in the
classroom waiting for us. Our timetables showed us free for 1 hour, so
we adjourned to our office for coffee. Comes class time and there are no
kids.....they've all gone home for the weekend.
We are timetabled for 6 classes per day, 5 days per week for the next 2
weeks. I decided to have a showdown with the FAO and get it down to 4
classes per day. This is with the same group of 10 kids, mind
you....."Oh, they are having a good time, they told
me"................of course, they are having a good time, I am playing
games, letting them play on the computer, teaching them how to throw a
Frisbee, teaching them card games, etc, etc. But I can't do this for 3
weeks in a row!!!
I wasn't allowed to take them off-campus, to the shopping mall to do
some shopping....and learn some shopping English....."WE might let them
get lost, or they might run away"
" I want some of your Chinese English Teachers to help me"
"Our Chinese English Teachers are out recruiting new students"
"Send the Chinese Teachers out to recruit new students, and bring some
Chinese English Teachers back here"
"Our Chinese teachers aren't competent to recruit new students"
We will see what happens on Monday.
Thank God I only have a month and a half left.
The new school is in Tai'an City.Not far from the Taishan Brewery.Same
money as I am getting here...Maybe a few more classes, but most at the
same level, so I only have to prepare maybe 2 lessons, and repeat them.
OK I will try to phone Mother tomorrow....mid-morning... Have
fun...print this out and let everybody have a read.

Nate, feel free to copy and paste anything pertaining to TSIS. BTW, I think the salary being offered is now down to 3000 per month.

[George61]

OK, This is my OFFICIAL TaiShan International School warning. There is soo much more, but I don't want to be here all night.


Taishan International School
taishanis.com
This school is a complete disaster. Stay away from it. I have been here almost a year, and have, for the most part, enjoyed it. The students are great, the teachers, by and large, were terrific. The accommodation was in a dormitory, and was satisfactory.
BUT!!!! The Administration is PATHETIC!!!
Around 20 Chinese Teachers have left, dissatisfied with their treatment at the hands of the 3 Dictators. Many of the students have left. Considering that the school started with around 200 students one year ago, this is not a good omen.
The buildings, whilst looking impressive, do not stand up to close scrutiny. Already things are falling apart. Recent heavy rains led to flooding of an as yet unused Library. It was decided to dig up the offending, leaking steps and repair the leaks. The steps have now been reduced to a pile of rubble, and the downpours of the past 2 days have led to increased flooding in the Library, and flooding of the main foyer.
We have just finished the first week of The Summer English Program(not Summer Camp)
I have 10 Primary students, and my colleague has 13 High School students...not exactly a popular Program, is it?
We have these poor little buggers for 6 lessons each day!
Excursions?.....Forget it!! We might lose a student, or they might run away!!
So, we are confined to the Campus.
We have a newly-built lake. Very beautiful, and the recent rains have filled it up.BUT!!! It is dangerous, and we are not allowed to let the students near it! Security follows us like sheepdogs whenever we take them out of the classroom.
I like the Security blokes, and we get along fine, so I have no beef with them. The 3 Dictators should be running a prison.
Now, this is not a Cultural conflict, by any means, so don't read any of that crap into this post.These 3 would be total Idiots in any culture.I was discussing potential changes to the Summer camp(sorry, Program) with the International Affairs Director, and I noticed on her computer a draft of a new ad for Foreign Teachers.....salary now down to 3000 per month! I didn't say anything to her about it, but tried to sort out a new schedule for the next 2 weeks. Monday will show if I was successful or not.
We have a broken window in the Dining Hall...wind blew it out a few months ago.
We now have a new car for the 3 Headmasters to swan around in.
I succeeded in getting my own English Room, but I didn't get all the Audio-Visual aids that every other classroom has got. I didn't even get a Teachers desk!!
This school is going DOWN!!....1 year after it started.
I feel sorry for the students, and the parents.
The 3 Idiots running the place seem to think that they know best about EVERYTHING, and the teachers they hired are stupid. They also assume the parents are stupid also.
To sum up ..DON"T TOUCH THIS SCHOOL!
There are lots of other things I could add, but I think the above is enough to give you a general idea.

[George61]

As a little extra....Couple, three months ago, I bought a colour printer, to make teaching aids. I asked the School to laminate them for longevity's sake. They have a laminator, but no film.
I printed out some photos for the Laoban of the village restaurant, a couple of weeks ago. He has them laminated and stuck up on his wall.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, after 3 months this School still has no laminating film!

[Nate M]

So George, it looks like you figured out how to use my board over there. Did you ever figure out what was going wrong?

In any case, thanks for making the effort to participate.

[George61]

It's funny, Nate. I didn't do anything different...this time it just worked!

[George61]

Here we go again!!....NO WATER!! Fortunately, I was up early enough to have a shower this morning, but the results of last nights dinner are still floating in the toilet.
"M M M maybe tomorrow afternoon.....maybe Wednesday..."
Presumably everyone else got notice of this. There are only 20 kids here..(summer program) very few teachers, but still the full complement of security...a skeleton staff in the kitchen.
Stinkin hot and humid, of course. Health risk?? NAH! Gotta stick to our schedule!
m'kayERS!

[Lager]

George what did a printer cost?..I thought of this but don't want to get one for just one term...Fao has one and I asked about using it here and there over the summer ---save me some trouble in Sept...OH no we have a resource room for that--will be fine...It will be like Jinan---when it's working-1 day out of 10-they will be so backed up you can't use it...Then I get PO'ed and give up planning...A student who does nothing anyway will say something and I get a lecture on being unprepared...Happens all the time...

[George61]

Lager..I bought an EPSON Perfection 1670 scanner..which will scan negatives as well as hard copy, ..and an EPSON Photo R210 printer, for 3000Y.(total) I buy replacement cartridges, NIKKO for 60Y each instead of genuine Epson ones which would cost an arm and a leg. (I have only bought one set so far...5 colours and black.) The bloody things work like magic. I put a dust cover on them when not in use, which seems to me to be a sensible precaution. Randy, as well as being technologically illiterate, doesn't bother about collecting dust on his. He has problems.
You can get cheaper models, but I decided to go for these, after much research. For example, a scanner which can do Negs is good, cos I will be able to burn all my negs onto a CD. But if you only want something simple go for a cheaper model. I reckon Epson is good.
In China, where you are expected to teach without any materials, a computer with Internet connections, a paintShop Program, and a printer and scanner, will save your life many times over.

[George61]

AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION EXCHANGE CENTRE
TaiShan International School has just announced a major co-operation with this mob...
Here is their website.....
www.aieec.com



Forgot to tell you...I started the second Summer Program today....I have 4 Middle School girls...........and one Primary school boy......who says he is from....wait for it.............Chongqing!.......................1 kid comes all the way from bloody Chongqing in Sichuan...to TSIS in bloody Shandong, to attend a Summer Program? ? ? ?
This kid can't speak English!! He can't even .."repeat after me""....the 4 girls are competent...I just have to sharpen them up and expand their knowledge base.....but this poor bastard is going to get nothing but a lot of wasted time....He is the lone boy in the whole of the m'kaying school, for Chrissakes!!.................and the rest of the school consists of 4 girls!!..................and for the next 3 weeks!!

One more thing...They have been reasonably good about English translations for signage around the school...ask and ye shall receive, etc. Today, I noticed the warning signs around the new lake......"WATER DEEP STRICTIY FORBID TO CLIMB AND PLAY."...............
and, NO, that is not a typo in "strictly".
I mentioned this to Randy...he said he was asked last week to do the proper English, which he did.....and this is the result!!..They ignored him and went with the "experts"

[Raoul Duke]

OK, George, what about AIEEC? They advertise pretty heavily....