2013-14 Kidcastle Xi'an Experience BE CAREFUL GUYS

I’m Ade a 29 year old English teacher from the UK. I’ve been a member of Raoul China Saloon for 16 monthish now. The members are great on this site; it’s really informative. So let me try and contribute.

In February 2013, I received an offer to teach English in China from a lady called Celeste. It was from an organisation called Kidcastle in Xi’an. After doing a month’s worth of research, I decided to ignore the incredibly bad reputation that Kidcastle Xi’an had, for a learning in China.
I agreed 8,000rmb/mth for first two months then 6400rmb/mth for 10 months = 12 months, air conditioning, modern flat, 25+ classes a week, Chinese lessons and they would pay everything else apart from my electricity, internet, and gas bills.

So, I arrived in China expecting the before PROMISED bus to pick me up…no bus just two guys came to get on a normal bus with me. We arrived at the apartment…no air con (was installed six months later), no curtain, the bed was 2 mattresses lol, the floor was cleaner than the walls. I was soon notified that I HAD TO PAY for the water, heating and maintenance bills. So I was thinking wtf but I quickly decided to just suck it up and have a good experience. I’d manage somehow.

Got to a Kidcastle school for the first time, where I was informed I had no classes in fact I had no students or school ahaha, great! Cut the long story short I had to help to build a new Kidcastle school from scratch. We recruited over 400 kids and working with my manager and colleagues was a joy in most part. I struggled during the 12 months with typical China struggles like the lack of common sense of some people, rapidly changing schedules, ignorance and the language barrier. But overall it was a great experience there are many great people there in Xian. It’s a lovely city. Take the good and the bad, this is China lmao.

The worst thing to happen was that my salary changed somehow to 4500rmb/month for first two months and then 5000/month for 10 months…I was tricked into signing this new contract on my arrival. BE VERY CAREFUL TO GET ALL AGREEMENTS ON PAPER before you go. Don’t sign another contract over there.
 
After my contract ended they gave me my bonuses and airfare…which was all there. WOW! Thanks to my manager I think.
Oh yeah this is why I felt compelled to make this thread…I found another job in Guangzhou/Shenzhen with a company called Canadian International Educational Organisation, seems like a good company.  They needed a FEC cancellation form and recommendation letter but Celeste refused to issue them to me. After increased pressure by me and a few agents working for the new school she issued them to me.
 
The Recommendation Letter read: “Ade worked in my school and completed the assigned work in accordance with the basic requirements and his teaching ability needs to be improved. He is very concerned about personal feelings and needs to enhance the skills to get along with colleagues”.

Not for the first time, SHE SCREWED ME OVER. I admit I'm not the greatest teacher but I'm dedicated. Anyway my manager AMY seemed to think was a good teacher and offered me a much improved contract which I declined. I, only had 2 sick days off in 12 months, always punctual to class and did all the prep. and paper work in advance, always did the work required, don’t take drugs, hardly drink, used MY OWN MONEY to buy teaching materials, sweets, stickers and presents for the kids EVERY DAY, the parents cried and complained when I left Kidcastle. Some kids are still threatening to leave unless I come back, I helped to send flyers and clean classrooms for free, parents always invited me for dinner and lunch and I helped to co host school events for FREE. It was my own fault for not taking the advice of wise counsel on this forum.

My manager doesn’t know that the Recruitment manager Celeste has written these things about me in the Recommendation letter. Celeste has never seen and heard me teach even one class. After all the bullshit I took she screwed over me at end. Is there any point of working at Kidcastle Xian? I’m not the only one who has had problems with Celeste.

http://www.xianteachers.com/schools/kid-castle/
http://lustforlike.livejournal.com/238535.html
http://community.travelchinaguide.com/review2.asp?i=948

I’m not really complaining now just given some insight to those wanting to work in Kidcastle Xi’an in the future.
I hope this helps someone.

Thanks for your review adewale. Actually I think Kidcastle Xian is probably in the top 3 schools for bad reputation in China, so your review is probably the best review they've ever had.

I think if, at the end of your contract, you leave the school for a direct competitor, they may often screw you over. They may see it as disloyal on your part. Certainly it may be a mistake to ever overestimate how loyal and appreciative our employers are going to be towards us when we leave.

When taking on new teachers, references and impressions should be useful, but they're really not. Sometimes schools say bad things about good teachers because they're pissed at them. Sometimes they say nice things about awful teachers, because they don't want the embarrassment of having to having to say they don't want them for another year, or more commonly, they have no idea that they were bad.

It sounds as though you've emerged with some positive experiences, so well done. I hope this next chapter pays off for you.

It sounds as though you've emerged with some positive experiences, so well done. I hope this next chapter pays off for you.

I hope so, learning to speak the language is one of the key things I need to do this year.