What is it like to teach in HCMC Vietnam
Reply
Rennisance (RISS) is a bottom tier hole school. They are for profit in a big way. Admin acts more like managers then leaders, and their school is a revolving door of teachers. People only teach there who are desperate. Unfortunately their arent any real great schools in HCMC, Pearl and BIS are good solid tier 2 schools, and thats about it
HCMC is overall a nice city, people are usually very helpful and friendly. Their is a lot to do in the city and access to a lot of western conveniences. It can be especially rewarding and relaxing if you get out to the city as well.
HCMC is overall a nice city, people are usually very helpful and friendly. Their is a lot to do in the city and access to a lot of western conveniences. It can be especially rewarding and relaxing if you get out to the city as well.
Last edited by PsyGuy on Thu Apr 23, 2015 1:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
[quote="aridion"]What is so bad about RISS?[/quote]
Where to start?
2 years ago they replaced the whole of the English, Maths and Science departments and all heads of school.
Last year they replaced all of the HoD for science, Maths and English and most of the teachers, 1 English teacher stayed. They also replace head of secondary, Head of Primary and Head of school.
People get sacked overnight and staff are not told why.
The school has a 80% contact time rule that is very inflexible. If they cannot find you a class in your own subject then you will be forced to teach another subject to fill up your timetable. 1 teacher who had only a grade D in french gcse was made to teach a IGCSE French class.
The wages promised are not the wages paid. They tell you that VND is easy to exchange but the banks will not change your money and you have to go to back-street money changers.
Last year they sacked 3 teachers during the last week of term and then the IB coordinator was sacked during the summer holidays, they have just started paying staff a bounty for any teacher that they recomend.
If you look on the searce profile for the school you will see that they claim to be accredited by CIS. If you look on the school website you will see that they ahave just decided to apply for accreditation.
Where to start?
2 years ago they replaced the whole of the English, Maths and Science departments and all heads of school.
Last year they replaced all of the HoD for science, Maths and English and most of the teachers, 1 English teacher stayed. They also replace head of secondary, Head of Primary and Head of school.
People get sacked overnight and staff are not told why.
The school has a 80% contact time rule that is very inflexible. If they cannot find you a class in your own subject then you will be forced to teach another subject to fill up your timetable. 1 teacher who had only a grade D in french gcse was made to teach a IGCSE French class.
The wages promised are not the wages paid. They tell you that VND is easy to exchange but the banks will not change your money and you have to go to back-street money changers.
Last year they sacked 3 teachers during the last week of term and then the IB coordinator was sacked during the summer holidays, they have just started paying staff a bounty for any teacher that they recomend.
If you look on the searce profile for the school you will see that they claim to be accredited by CIS. If you look on the school website you will see that they ahave just decided to apply for accreditation.
-
calciodirigore
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:16 pm
- Location: Europe
Saigon is a wonderful place to spend a few years. It is interesting enough and the community quite a bit of fun, too.
The schools, however, are another story. You would be ok at BIS if you don't mind things overly British in the wrong context. Saigon South would also allow you to go through your day without cringing every few minutes.
ALL Saigon schools are for profit. Which for me means that none of them are long term placements.
Cheers and good luck.
The schools, however, are another story. You would be ok at BIS if you don't mind things overly British in the wrong context. Saigon South would also allow you to go through your day without cringing every few minutes.
ALL Saigon schools are for profit. Which for me means that none of them are long term placements.
Cheers and good luck.
-
calciodirigore
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:16 pm
- Location: Europe
BIS has been around for quite a bit and is located in the expat ghetto of town. It is probably the most respected school in the city. The majority of the students are expats with a significant number being western expats.
BVIS is a newer school from the BIS family of schools. It's a bilingual school for Vietnamese families and does not offer the DP (IGCSE's and A Levels). It is located in the southern suburbs (complete opposite direction of expat ghetto).
I know teachers there and although they feel that they are working at a language school, they are quite happy. The benefits are OK and they are treated pretty well.
However, as far as schools go, it is not in the same category as the original BIS.
BVIS is a newer school from the BIS family of schools. It's a bilingual school for Vietnamese families and does not offer the DP (IGCSE's and A Levels). It is located in the southern suburbs (complete opposite direction of expat ghetto).
I know teachers there and although they feel that they are working at a language school, they are quite happy. The benefits are OK and they are treated pretty well.
However, as far as schools go, it is not in the same category as the original BIS.