Gold Star TEFL Recruitment has been assisting teachers secure the very best teaching jobs in China since 2009 and has close connections with China’s leading schools. For details on teaching jobs with EF Qingdao and other major language schools have a look through our website and submit an application today.
Read more interviews with teachers in China here.
An Interview with Ashleigh at English First Qingdao, China
What is it really like teaching English with English First in China? Ashleigh gives us an insight into her life and a review on her teaching experience so far.
GS: So, can you tell us a bit about how you first got into English teaching?
A: I was originally studying medicine, and then I realized that it wasn’t for me. I didn’t really have the passion and the drive needed to continue. So, after I left I didn’t know what to do with myself, until someone mentioned maybe trying ESL. This way I could travel, and take the time I needed to find my passion. And I discovered that teaching was my passion.
GS: Could you give some details about your dealings with Gold Star TEFL Recruitment?
A:Â I think Gold Star is a really effective way to find a job here in China. They are very friendly and very professional. They even emailed me a few weeks after all my interviews to ask how I got on with them.
GS: What advice do you have for people about the recruitment and interview process when looking for jobs teaching in China?
A:Â I think people need to have an idea of where they want to go and what they want to get out of the experience before the interview. They should also know some of the rules and laws about working in China. They might also want to speak some people who have worked, or are working in China.
GS: You are teaching in Qingdao at the moment, can you tell us about your impressions of the city? What do you like most about living there?
A: I love my city. It’s got such a wonderful atmosphere and is a great place to live. The coast is so refreshing, and the beach in the summer is always so much fun. I love going out to the beach with my friends and co-workers and just playing volleyball. Or going out to some of the many great bars and restaurants to just unwind.
GS: What do you like most about teaching English?
A: I love the moment when a child, who has been working hard and struggling with a concept finally understands. It’s like a light bulb has been turned on, and it gives them a whole new drive to learn and to show what else they can do. Being part of that journey is so fulfilling and always makes me want to improve my teaching to help the students learn.
GS: Can you tell us about your favourite class at the moment?
A: My favourite class is a class that I’ve had for over three years. When they started they were three years old and didn’t know much English at all. Now though, they have arguments in English and can’t wait to tell me about their day.
Over the last three years I have seen them all grow and change. I have also been a constant in their lives, and for that I feel blessed.
GS: Talk us through a typical day teaching English in China.
A:Â 
I teach such a wide variety of students. Most of my day is taken up with teaching young children, who always run in to say hello.
They then attack me with hugs and I’m nourished by their enthusiasm. I then have slightly older students who always have something to discuss with me.
GS: What are the teaching resources like there?
A:Â I have never felt that my school is lacking anything. The books are wonderfully sourced and the interactive material is very engaging. We also have anything you could want to help captivate students, including hula hoops and interactive white boards.
Realise your dreams of living and teaching English worldwide with INTESOL.
GS: How many teachers are there in your school?
A:Â There are six foreign teachers, from the UK, America and Canada, as well as four local teachers.
GS: China is full of surprises and unexpected adventures, tell us about one you have had recently.
A: Last May holiday I went to Xi’an with a friend and stayed in a really nice hostel. When we went to breakfast we ended up sitting across from two American guys, and after a while we all started talking. It turned out that they worked for the same franchise in another city, and we ended up comparing schools and taking about new courses. After that we ended up going out to bars, and having a great time. And I’m still in contact with them. You really do end up meeting some great friends working in China.
Read more interviews with teachers in China here.
Gold Star TEFL Recruitment has been assisting teachers secure the very best teaching jobs in China since 2009 and has close connections with China’s leading schools. For details on teaching jobs with EF Qingdao and other major language schools have a look through our website and submit an application today.
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Realise your dreams of living and teaching English worldwide with INTESOL.
