Hey all
I have read the threads and was wondering if I could get some info on one of the schools and the mastery system in particular Georgia and Armenia. (What are the school rep? Does Mastery seem to work? How long do people usually stay with QSI?)
Please post here or cdnteach @ gmail.com
Thank you in advance!
QSI: Worked or Work there
Reply
First, I would remove your email address. Bots do browse these forums and will spam you no end if you leave it up long.
QSI has a reputation, they are a very fundamental christian school and their philosophy and ethos and how it effects their management and business practices is an issue for many people. For some people who are parallel minded its not a problem, and if your use to a parochial school environment and you function well in it, you wont have a problem (usually). If very open fundamental christian ethos that permeates the environment bothers you, well its going to really bother you at QSI. Most people dont stay in QSI long, and the school system saves its most desirable school locations for people who stay as a reward.
About the only time I recommend QSI is someone who has a big family, as QSI will provide housing (usually).
QSI has a reputation, they are a very fundamental christian school and their philosophy and ethos and how it effects their management and business practices is an issue for many people. For some people who are parallel minded its not a problem, and if your use to a parochial school environment and you function well in it, you wont have a problem (usually). If very open fundamental christian ethos that permeates the environment bothers you, well its going to really bother you at QSI. Most people dont stay in QSI long, and the school system saves its most desirable school locations for people who stay as a reward.
About the only time I recommend QSI is someone who has a big family, as QSI will provide housing (usually).
My experience differs from Psyguy's comments. Certainly they make no bones about the organization being Christian based. If that is an issue then don't apply, however I never felt their values being pushed on me personally or through some agenda, hidden or otherwise, while on the job.
In the past I have judged the school harshly but as time goes on I really don't think it has any more issues than any other IS around the world. One area I don't necessarily agree with, or at least I found difficult to practice, was Mastery Learning. Everyone has to buy into the system and if they don't it doesn't work very well, particularly at the upper levels. Many times I felt as if I was just teaching lists of things as I rushed to get through the content so the students could "Master" the topics. Then there are the students who play the system, realizing that they can't earn anything less than a B and they get to retest if they don't do well.
Other people have issue with the size of the schools. If you have kids this will impact on what schools you may be willing to work at. I have worked at small schools and I know that it impacted on the families around me.
Other than that the organization provided brilliant housing, paid on time, the health benefits were good as were some of the secondary benefits that other schools don't provide. In the end, I know people that have worked for them for years and love it, and have benefited by being able to move around the in the system. I know others, like myself, who moved on to better paying jobs elsewhere.
In the past I have judged the school harshly but as time goes on I really don't think it has any more issues than any other IS around the world. One area I don't necessarily agree with, or at least I found difficult to practice, was Mastery Learning. Everyone has to buy into the system and if they don't it doesn't work very well, particularly at the upper levels. Many times I felt as if I was just teaching lists of things as I rushed to get through the content so the students could "Master" the topics. Then there are the students who play the system, realizing that they can't earn anything less than a B and they get to retest if they don't do well.
Other people have issue with the size of the schools. If you have kids this will impact on what schools you may be willing to work at. I have worked at small schools and I know that it impacted on the families around me.
Other than that the organization provided brilliant housing, paid on time, the health benefits were good as were some of the secondary benefits that other schools don't provide. In the end, I know people that have worked for them for years and love it, and have benefited by being able to move around the in the system. I know others, like myself, who moved on to better paying jobs elsewhere.
PsyGuy, do stick to talking about what you know.
My experience echoes Overhere's in some respects. The administration at QSI tends to be religious. That being said, the mission and ethos of the school is not and I have never felt pressured or even subtly pushed toward any religious agenda. Some of the staff attend church and Bible studies on the weekends. Most don't. No one here feels censured. It's not even a topic that comes up in discussions.
Mastery Learning is fantastic in elementary school. I thought the kids really benefited from it and I was able to really push them to challenge themselves. However, the system falls apart in secondary school. The idea is good; the practice could be improved.
I work at one of the bigger schools. We have a lot of resources at our disposal and many families leave the other schools in town to come here. This particular school has a good reputation in the city. I would not work at any of the really small schools.
Housing tends to be good. Benefits are great, including the maternity leave policy. The pay, once you factor in all the bonuses, is decent for your first overseas job. We've been able to pay down our loans, travel, and save a good chunk of change.
Some people stay with QSI for years. Other people do a few years and move on. No one leaving this year is leaving because they hate the school (though many are leaving because the city is horribly polluted and filthy). QSI provided us with a great opportunity to get our foot in the door. That being said, I am glad to be moving on at the end of this year.
My experience echoes Overhere's in some respects. The administration at QSI tends to be religious. That being said, the mission and ethos of the school is not and I have never felt pressured or even subtly pushed toward any religious agenda. Some of the staff attend church and Bible studies on the weekends. Most don't. No one here feels censured. It's not even a topic that comes up in discussions.
Mastery Learning is fantastic in elementary school. I thought the kids really benefited from it and I was able to really push them to challenge themselves. However, the system falls apart in secondary school. The idea is good; the practice could be improved.
I work at one of the bigger schools. We have a lot of resources at our disposal and many families leave the other schools in town to come here. This particular school has a good reputation in the city. I would not work at any of the really small schools.
Housing tends to be good. Benefits are great, including the maternity leave policy. The pay, once you factor in all the bonuses, is decent for your first overseas job. We've been able to pay down our loans, travel, and save a good chunk of change.
Some people stay with QSI for years. Other people do a few years and move on. No one leaving this year is leaving because they hate the school (though many are leaving because the city is horribly polluted and filthy). QSI provided us with a great opportunity to get our foot in the door. That being said, I am glad to be moving on at the end of this year.
I agree almost completely with what Sevarem and Overhere have said.
I spent 2 years in a Central Asian location and signed up for a 4th year in China next year. I am torn as to whether I will stick with QSI after next year or move on. I fear that another year here or a transfer within QSI will make me a lifer. The hard part is leaving QSI as it is difficult to transition into another school that will treat you as well. I think most QSI employees will agree that QSI goes out of its way to treat its employees well. Good pay, good medical, all transportation covered, insanely long but unpaid maternity is available (good for time with the new baby but bad if you want to make money too), housing has been amazing both places, etc...
The success or failure of mastery in the secondary depends entirely on your administration. If your admin is willing to let you bust the kids balls, you can jack up the rigor just like any other school. They have to be willing to enforce very strict and tedious procedures (formal requests, letters home, review panels, etc...) for retakes and then kids never want to go down that road. If they are softies, mastery in a secondary setting is horrible.
I have a friend that went to QSI Georgia. He came from a school in China and was appalled at the students in Georgia. He felt that the school was run by the local staff and the kids had never been held accountable. He is a really tough teacher and has been working hard to change the dynamic there. I am sure it is a work in progress.
Feel free to ask more specifics and several of us will try to fill you in.
I spent 2 years in a Central Asian location and signed up for a 4th year in China next year. I am torn as to whether I will stick with QSI after next year or move on. I fear that another year here or a transfer within QSI will make me a lifer. The hard part is leaving QSI as it is difficult to transition into another school that will treat you as well. I think most QSI employees will agree that QSI goes out of its way to treat its employees well. Good pay, good medical, all transportation covered, insanely long but unpaid maternity is available (good for time with the new baby but bad if you want to make money too), housing has been amazing both places, etc...
The success or failure of mastery in the secondary depends entirely on your administration. If your admin is willing to let you bust the kids balls, you can jack up the rigor just like any other school. They have to be willing to enforce very strict and tedious procedures (formal requests, letters home, review panels, etc...) for retakes and then kids never want to go down that road. If they are softies, mastery in a secondary setting is horrible.
I have a friend that went to QSI Georgia. He came from a school in China and was appalled at the students in Georgia. He felt that the school was run by the local staff and the kids had never been held accountable. He is a really tough teacher and has been working hard to change the dynamic there. I am sure it is a work in progress.
Feel free to ask more specifics and several of us will try to fill you in.
Question about QSI and transferring:
If you are certified for art, and only teach art . . when it's time to transfer to, say, somewhere in China, would you be almost guaranteed an art teaching position? Perhaps they could open up the position by having their uncertfied-for-art teacher go to another subject to make room for the certified art teacher?
I wouldn't mind teaching "some" art w/ English, but would want at least some art classes to keep on my resume.
If you are certified for art, and only teach art . . when it's time to transfer to, say, somewhere in China, would you be almost guaranteed an art teaching position? Perhaps they could open up the position by having their uncertfied-for-art teacher go to another subject to make room for the certified art teacher?
I wouldn't mind teaching "some" art w/ English, but would want at least some art classes to keep on my resume.
@IAMBORG: Our experience at QSI certainly didn't seem to be viewed as unfavorable at the job fair. We had no problems securing interviews and no questions like "why in the world did you work there?" Mostly recruiters were interested in my husband's subject area and my MUN experience. We think we're moving onto a better school and it's in a region we've both been interested in for some time.
@btech: That's kind of an odd question. Why would you be *guaranteed* anything? You might get a transfer if there is an OPEN position available. Requesting a transfer doesn't automatically grant one and the administration is generally not in the habit of bumping someone out of their position so that someone else can come in and take it. That would engender some extreme resentment among the staff, with people constantly worrying about their jobs being taken from them.
ETA: As far as my current school is concerned, no one really cares if you're certified in art or not. Experience trumps certification in this case. One of our art teachers is not certified, but is AMAZING, has twenty years in the field, and several published books/pieces. So no, they wouldn't move this person for a certified art teacher. (They care about certification in many other subjects, but not art.)
@btech: That's kind of an odd question. Why would you be *guaranteed* anything? You might get a transfer if there is an OPEN position available. Requesting a transfer doesn't automatically grant one and the administration is generally not in the habit of bumping someone out of their position so that someone else can come in and take it. That would engender some extreme resentment among the staff, with people constantly worrying about their jobs being taken from them.
ETA: As far as my current school is concerned, no one really cares if you're certified in art or not. Experience trumps certification in this case. One of our art teachers is not certified, but is AMAZING, has twenty years in the field, and several published books/pieces. So no, they wouldn't move this person for a certified art teacher. (They care about certification in many other subjects, but not art.)
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Madeleine15
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 5:15 am
Re: QSI: Worked or Work there
Hi PsyGuy. Which QSI schools do you think are 'the most desirable' ones ?
Re: QSI: Worked or Work there
I can't speak through personal experience, but I have met people who like working for QSI and tend to transfer between different QSI schools instead of looking for different jobs at a totally different school each year. That I guess has to say something about working for them as an organization. My guess is that there will be some haters - but every school has them...
Unfortunately I can't comment on the quality of their education system as I don't know enough....
Unfortunately I can't comment on the quality of their education system as I don't know enough....
Re: QSI: Worked or Work there
I can't speak for Armenia, but I worked for the current Director in Georgia at another QSI school. First of all, he is NOT religious. QSI has a religious strain that comes down from the founder, but the level of religious environment really comes from the staff and the director. At the other QSI school that I worked at, there was a strong religious group and a strong NOT religious group. We worked side by side and no one had any major issues (job-wise). The current director in Georgia was definitely a member of the NOT religious group.
As far as he goes -- he is good for QSI. Solid individual, hard worker, and realizes the limitations of the mastery learning system. Even with this, you will still be bound by the system of mastery and all the bs that it entails that have been outlined by other posters.
QSI is a good starter school for your first IT experience or if you have a large family or trailing spouse. If you have lots of experience, I would look for something else. One final thing to say -- you don't have to worry about them screwing you. You will get what you are promised. It isn't a great contract or a lot of pay, but there are no problems with being paid on time, being renewed if you are doing your job, getting promised bonuses if you meet the requirements, etc. With all the shady schools out there you could do a lot worse.
As far as he goes -- he is good for QSI. Solid individual, hard worker, and realizes the limitations of the mastery learning system. Even with this, you will still be bound by the system of mastery and all the bs that it entails that have been outlined by other posters.
QSI is a good starter school for your first IT experience or if you have a large family or trailing spouse. If you have lots of experience, I would look for something else. One final thing to say -- you don't have to worry about them screwing you. You will get what you are promised. It isn't a great contract or a lot of pay, but there are no problems with being paid on time, being renewed if you are doing your job, getting promised bonuses if you meet the requirements, etc. With all the shady schools out there you could do a lot worse.
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kellysensei
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:04 pm
- Location: St. Paul, MN
Re: QSI: Worked or Work there
Does religion even come up in interviews? As an atheist, would I feel comfortable working there?