Uncle Sam American School
Programs and Reviews
Uncle Sam American School is opening a new branch located in the Yingge district of New Taipei City. As this is a new, growing school, they are recruiting new foreign teachers to work there.
Programs Abroad
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Reviews
100%Overall
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90%Overall
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Whenever I am asked where I work by expats living abroad, I always give pause, a wry smile and say, 'Uncle Sam', with a bit of a chuckle. Although the school has a somewhat comical, if not unusual name, it is a very nice institution with great facilities. I work in the Banchiao office, and the management has been very helpful from day one. The facilities are nice, the building itself is conveniently located beside the MRT, and above all else, the children at the school are great. There isn't a bad egg in the bunch. I feel that one thing you learn while teaching English abroad, is that there is no such thing as an absolutely perfect school. Uncle Sam is no exception. Yet, putting faults aside, and realizing that work is work no matter where you are in the world, I feel that this school gives teachers, especially those with no prior experience, an excellent opportunity to learn the craft and earn a competitive wage.
80%Overall
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Uncle Sam was my very first teach-abroad experience after university, and I worked with them for a year. I spent my time at their Banqiao branch just outside the city center.
As far as the school and staff goes, I really could not ask for more supportive co-teachers. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, and the whole environment was family-like. The head teacher at my branch, Shirley, was so nice and responsive to the concerns of her foreign staff.
The amenities and teaching materials at the school were extensive and quite useful. We had plenty of toys and objects to use for games, and the school provided us with all the materials we would need for carrying out effective lessons. We were also allowed plenty of Internet access in the teacher's room to look for ideas. In addition, the school is extremely clean and quite high-tech compared to other places I've worked since then. Just walking in there, you will see an extensive PA and camera network, as well as video projectors, ridiculously good air conditioning, and massive stereo systems. There is even a phys. ed. room on the top floor.
One aspect of Uncle Sam that some might find difficult is how much work is required of their teachers. I found my job there to be quite demanding, starting at 8:30 and ending around 18:15 every day. Some days, we got long lunch breaks (2 hours), but others, we were busy with writing report cards, doing lesson plans, or participating in teacher meetings. Teachers are well-paid, but you are asked to take a very involved role in your teaching -- often writing evaluations, completing testing, and preparing students for competitions and big events. If you are looking for some serious teacher training and support, you will get it here, as well as a lot of practice with workshops and plenty of feedback from colleagues.
Once you settle into the school, however, a lot of this work comes more easily. If you are willing to put in the effort, you should be able to adjust to it. In addition, the students were fantastic and so lovely to teach. Overall, I learned a lot and had a really nice experience with my students and colleagues.
90%Overall
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I was working at Uncle Sam for almost a year and half and I ABSOLUTELY loved it.
The Chinese teachers are friendly and helpful and it is very easy to work with them. Jacky and Maureen ( the owners) did everything they could to make us feel welcome. The are very strict though and you need to comply with all kinds of rules, but you learn to live with that.I think most schools are a bit different than what we are used to.
The school facilities are very good and you work with a lot of other foreign teachers which makes life a lot easier. School hours were from 8 - 6 for me with a 2h break in the middle. Every month we had a themed birthday party where the kids played games and just had fun.
Another good thing teaching wise is that you have workshops for a specific topic ( i think it was every second week)and that was really a great way to learn from your fellow colleagues and to share ideas. You have to do weekly lesson plans and do report cards every second week which can get hectic, but it is also fun and actually a very easy job!!
The parents are particularly involved in your teaching. That is a big thing at Uncle Sam. All the classroom's have CCTV camera's and the parents can watch from home;-) That was very scary in the beginning, but you get used to it.
Overall I had an amazing experience at Uncle Sam!!!
I've looked at a lot of schools in Taiwan and Uncle Sam has been one of the best by far. The staff is friendly, the facilities are exceptional and the resources are about the same as you will find anywhere else.
Critical Feedback:
Living outside of downtown Taipei can be tough if you like to do a lot of night time activities (clubs, bars, etc.) since bus and subway lines shut down around midnight - which means taking taxis if you are out really late.