This is a training centre.
They advertised a summer camp for one month. They also advertised that visa status did not matter. This is incorrect for a start. We found out about this after.

Anyone else out there had any bad experiences with Aston schools?

I really don't want to generalise, as I have the feeling they are not bad employers, and I just ended up with an extremely unprofessional, bad-mannered, two-faced manager. Would love to hear if anyone else has any comments!!

On the personal side, I am happy to say that age my current age of 60 I have retired from earning my money by teaching abroad.

The woman setting this up is a Chinese national from Texas and using a shell company out of Guangzhou.

A new school can not employ foreign teachers in the first year and that's exactly what's happing here. When they renew their license next year is when the crap will hit the fan, assuming she gets it off the ground at all. Trust me, this one will PHAIL.

Edit: I did some more checking. Alan, the supposed DOS is having a difficult time getting his letter of invite.

HI,

Does anyone one know this place?  I am now working with a teacher who has just left here and is having a dreadful time leaving them.  Anyone know this place?

Tintinxmu

The accommodation is ok, they pay on time, they treat the foreign teachers like most other schools, which is ok, but be aware that you may get a contract for the No 1 High School, but have to teach most of your time at their linked Middle School, 14 and 15 year olds which is a 15 minute walk away.  If you are not a Middle school teacher, then make sure of your facts before you sign up.  Once signed up they will not release you from the contract unless you do a full term first.  You will get about 800 students a week.  They will be looking for someone to replace me. 

I am trying to keep my story short. However, this is my experience with and in China, as a foreign teacher.

I posted this today, in our China Alerts section on the public edition of TeachAbroadChina.com. Thought it might be of some interest to all of you.

Shijiazhuang Greemind Center - The China Teaching Web has recently received a detailed report about a recruiting agency called Greenmind Center and we urge prospective teachers to avoid these people as much as possible for the time being.

This is a large chain of schools around China that is headquartered in Shanghai. My comment is about the Dalian, Liaoning school. I am not sure if any of the other Web schools have similar issues or not. Web pays you well but in Dalian the owner/franchisee does not care about his staff. The center manager is a puppet of the owner and has no real power to do anything to help the situation. This school charges very high fees to students but doesn't treat their staff (Chinese and foreign) well.

I realize that this forum topic is all about bad schools to avoid, but I thought I'd throw in a recruiting service that I had the 'displeasure' to deal with. PELCC is a Shenzhen based recruiting service that lists alot of very attractive jobs on the web but when you go to meet with them, you find out that 1). those great jobs suddenly vanish and 2). you have to garnish 50% of your first month's wages to them and 50% of your first month's wage EVERY year you resign with the school.