Shane English Schools Ningbo (SESN) now has expanded to three campuses throughout the city. Each campus is fully equipped with computers, projectors, and large whiteboards in every classroom as well as other educational materials. Our brand new location in the Haishu District is currently also experimenting with large touch screen televisions in all of its classrooms.
SESN emphasizes teacher satisfaction and many teachers stay for a second or third year. Some stay longer. We pride ourselves on teacher development and support and provide a month of hands-on teacher training to all new teachers. We also do as much as we can to help new teachers adjust and get comfortable with life in China. SESN offers ongoing teacher development through class observations, workshops, team teaching and a supportive environment. We continually develop new material and teaching techniques for our students.
Beginning level classes have a maximum of 10 students and advanced classes have a maximum of 8. Every class has a Chinese teaching assistant (foreign teachers do not speak Chinese in the classroom).
SESN has its own a Foreign Teacher Welfare Officer who is responsible for maximizing teachers’ quality of life. For example, the Welfare Officer provides assistance with getting to know the city, apartment hunting, turning on utilities, finding places to shop, renewing visas, getting airplane reservations, and the dozens of little things to make life better, such as where to buy a bicycle, where to get a decent hair cut, which is most convenient Wal-Mart, how to find a good dentist, and so forth.
SESN teachers have a very well-rounded experience in their time here. We encourage teachers to explore the local culture and to visit other parts of China and Asia. Teachers often travel during vacations. We want our teachers to learn as well as to teach, and we support their efforts to understand China. We strongly encourage teachers to learn Mandarin and recommend Mandarin language instructors to those who are interested. Many of our teachers have very rewarding lives outside the classroom. Current staff members enjoy a variety of recreational activities, such as playing the violin and guitar, producing music, practising yoga, kayaking, calligraphy classes, going to the gym, and getting out to the beach.
Our management team is staffed by teachers who have grown with the company and moved up into a variety of roles, such as teacher management, teacher training, teacher recruitment, student recruitment, marketing, and sales.