I worked in Omeida for 6 months in 2010, and I have just received my Z visa invite to head over for another contract beginning Oct 2011.
Omeida is one of the biggest/busiest training centres operating in Yangshuo, and is geared towards teaching adult students in small classes. The contract states class sizes can be up to 12 students, but in my time there from December - June 2010, the average was more like 6 per class. Its likely to be closer to 12 in the summer months though I would think.
Omeida run classes from complete beginner up to advanced students, with Chinese teachers taking classes up to the Pre-Int level. FTs takes those and above. All classes run for 90 minutes, with the standard time table running from 8.30am until 16.10 with the usual loooong lunch/sleep time at midday. No classes at weekends, no classes in the evenings. The only additional duties are being expected to attend a 'social night' once a week, where activities can range from KTV/Games/Speechs/Free talks/BBQ nights with free beer and peanuts laid on. Teachers are also asked to attend a lunchtime meeting once a fortnight to dicuss moving students between grades, problems and any related issues. This is normally a 30 minute meeting and is conducted in English.
As mentioned, the timetable is 3x90 min lessons per day. FT contracts offer options of taking 2 classes, or 3 classes per day. Taking the 2 class option (as I did) means getting a rotating schedule (this is advised each friday for the following week) and may mean a split shift one or two days per week (lesson 1 = 8.30 am start, Lesson 3 = 14.30 start), and afternoon or two off per week, or a lesson before lunch and one after. These two lessons per day will be with two different levels of student. I normally had class 2 - Pre Int - and class 3 - Int. Lessons are generally oral in their nature but if you are creative you can bring other skills to the fore.
Class contact time is high. You teach each class for 5 x 90 min lessons per week, and may have the same student for up to 6 weeks until they move up a level. This offers advantages, but also some serious disadvantages as it requires a lot of material.
Material is there. They stock New Interchange books and have lots of different stuff on the database which is free to use, but you dont teach to a syllabus. If you dont have your own resources, are not experienced in teaching, and are not used to lesson planning, it can be tough.
As with all adult students, they can be demanding. New teachers, those with little apptitude to teaching, or those who have come from very undemanding Uni settings can be given a rough ride with frequent student complaints. By the same token, the same adult students are able to recognise someone who is keen to teach, keen to befriend students, and keen to make a genuine effort to help them. The admin team and management are normally very fair to teaching staff, are not hire and fire, but will listen to continual student complaints, conduct observations if required, and reduce teaching schedules or swap classes if required.
Despite that 'cloud' that could hang over some teachers, adult students are great. They are normally fairly affluent so happy to join and pay their way for dinners and drinks. The social side of things is pretty good there, as it is throughout Yangshou really.
The owner, Odar is a very genuine guy, honoured every part of my contract without any dispute and allowed me to break my contract early to return to the UK for personal reasons. He was also very supportive to another teacher whose wife had a baby in Yangshuo, and to my room-mates who had family illnesses to take care off back home too.
Housing is provided, this is in shared accomodation normally. I 'think' there is an option to take an allowance, but Im not 100% sure as I didnt take it. I had a private lockable room in a shared apartment which is an arrangement I have been happy with so far. It might not suit everyone though, and I guess you could get unlucky and share with a loon!
Salaries are on the low side, but I think thats par for the course for Yangshuo. Im not going to list them here as I am returning there soon and posting wages might be a contract no-no. Not 100% sure on that, but if anyone is interested in Omeida I think they show their wages on their website. It probably ISNT a job for someone with debts back home, a family in China, or an urgent need to save, but its a good fit for me due to class sizes, teaching adults, and not being in a big dirty Chinese city (which I would hate!)
Postives - Small adult classes, low teaching hours workload, nice schedules, no nonsense admin and employers, and a positive social life both in and out of school. Apartment provided with utilities paid...oh, and subsidised meals at school.
Negatives - Frequent class contact time means lots of material and planning needed. Students can be demanding, Shared accomodation not to everyones taste. Low salaries compared to many big city jobs.