ESF Schools - Hong Kong

[nkraai]

There isn't much info out there that I have found on these schools. Anybody have experience working with ESF? Do they hire Americans or just England and their commonwealths? How is the comp/benefits package?

[wrldtrvlr123]

[quote="nkraai"]There isn't much info out there that I have found on these schools. Anybody have experience working with ESF? Do they hire Americans or just England and their commonwealths? How is the comp/benefits package?[/quote]
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No experience working with ESF but have interviewed with them several times and was even offered a position with them once (which I ended up declining for various reasons).

I'm American, so that wasn't enough of a turn off to get me shortlisted/receive an offer, but I am in a bit of a specialized field (SPED).

The reality is though that the vast majority of their teachers and admin are from the UK (90+%) so Americans are facing longer odds. Difficult, but not impossible and certainly worth the effort to apply.

Package seemed good but not great due to the high cost of living in HK and the very modest housing allowance (around 1/3 to 1/2 of what a nice apt. would run you).

[nkraai]

@wrldtrvlr123 Thanks for the info. They have positions open for my wife and I. However; we are both Americans and it did seem decidedly British. We've been contacted by HKIS as well, but not sure which would be better.

[wrldtrvlr123]

[quote="nkraai"]@wrldtrvlr123 Thanks for the info. They have positions open for my wife and I. However; we are both Americans and it did seem decidedly British. We've been contacted by HKIS as well, but not sure which would be better.[/quote]
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Also interviewed with HKIS several times (and came very close to an offer, or so they led me to believe :S).

I guess it would come down to whether you would feel more comfortable with the British factor at ESF or the religious factor at HKIS. I wasn't all that comfortable with the religious aspect of HKIS but faked my way through it at the interview (well, or so I thought. I guess he does work in mysterious ways).

Also, ESF=IB and HKIS is Amercian style curriculum with an int'l flavor. So, you would probably more familiar with HKIS, but ESF would be a great new experience that would make you more marketable down the road.

Apply to both. As a teaching couple you couldn't go wrong with either, really.

[hallier]

The big turn off for me is that the class sizes are big (30+). Met a pyp teacher at a workshop who had 32 kids in her 3rd grade class.

[fine dude]

Anyone has any idea about high school IB class sizes at Discovery College in HK? Do they have 30 students as well?

[sequin]

From my past experience, a lot of teachers at ESF are from Australia and New Zealand, there does seem to be a wide mixture. I don't think nationality would stop anyone from being hired, more to do with experience and what people can offer.