From worst to least worst:
* EF Management will not keep their word. I worked there for 9 months then put in my two months notice and even have screenshots of my DoS saying my work visa would be transferred to my new school. EF waited until my last week to tell me they, and the investors, were refusing to transfer my work visa and I’d have to return to the USA in a few days or I’d be in the country illegally and face jail time. I am now in the US.
* EF will go behind your back and cancel your permits without your consent or knowledge but inform you last minute.
* You aren’t actually trained but are instructed to observe a fellow teacher and after a week begin co- teaching then receive the classes from the teacher who left before you. I went without a Senior Teacher observing me ever for 8 months and received no feedback.
* The curriculum is very slow moving and poorly planned. Students in Small Stars (whether in Blue, A,B, or C) will learn to parrot questions and answers but aren’t actually learning how to have a conversation. It’s almost as if the authors of the curriculum spread out a course book over several courses and levels. Students in Small Stars, version 2.0 or 3.0, will learn the “what is it? It’s a ___” structure and really only two other structures which are “do you like____? Yes I do / no I don’t” and “how many___? 3 ___”. They can’t actually ask a native English speaker about themselves but they can ask “what time do you go home in the evening?” Even after going from Small Stars Blue through Small Stars C. It’s not conducive to interacting with native English speakers or foreigners.
* The schedule for the following week will be made Sunday evening or even Monday of that week.
* Newest teachers will be assigned Marketing Events due to their free schedule. Marketing at EF Jiaxing was a nightmare where I would speak to someone a week prior about an event I was assigned to only to be told nothing was needed of me except my attendance and participation. Come the day of the marketing team member would frantically ask me to prepare something like a report to read students or flash cards for a recent holiday then tell me the event isn’t 30 minutes as on my schedule but two hours. Also it isn’t in the center anymore it’s at a library on a stage.
* The weekly workshops at EF Jiaxing contain no development or educational value. They are workshops for 3 hours that contain menial tasks corporate didn’t want to bother with and handed them down the ladder.
