Sam has lived in Taiwan for 10 fun-filled years, and could happily do 10 more. Having worked at a number of schools before joining Shane English School Taiwan, he has an excellent knowledge of the ESL industry, the challenges teachers face, and how to get the most out of what is already an extremely rewarding job. He now forms part of the Recruitment Department at SEST Head Office in Taipei.
What is your favorite travel memory?
One of the best parts about living in Taiwan is that traveling around the island couldn’t be easier. The public transport here is so cheap and easy so there’s really no excuse for not getting away for the weekend or even just the day!
As somebody who loves the beach, I’d have to pick Kenting as my ultimate getaway spot. White sand beaches, turquoise water, street bars, and an atmosphere that is just so relaxed it almost doesn’t feel like you’re in Taiwan anymore. It’s really incredible down there. There’s a music festival that happens once a year that pretty much takes over the whole of Kenting with live bands, beach parties, and just a sea of people having the time of their life for 3 days.
It should definitely be on the bucket list for anybody coming to teach in Taiwan!
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I think I’ve grown a lot in a professional sense since joining the Head Office team here at Shane English School Taiwan. The absolute passion of those in the Academic Department and the meticulous and professional approach of the Recruitment Department has been infectious.
I’ve also learned a lot more about the challenges some face when going abroad to teach. Before, I only had my personal experience to go on. But after working with so many teachers from different backgrounds during my 2 years in recruitment, I’ve really learned a lot about how certain situations and challenges affect teachers differently. It’s helped me broaden my knowledge and ultimately enabled me to improve what I do.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
As part of the Recruitment Department, I’m much more involved with the teachers than I am with the students, but hearing from a returning teacher is always an incredibly rewarding feeling.
The entire team here in Head Office works incredibly hard to ensure our teachers feel supported and have the best possible experience they can in Taiwan, and that comes from each department playing their part and doing it well. So when we speak to teachers towards the end of their contract and hear that they’re having a great time and would like to stay with us for another year, it really gives us a sense of accomplishment.
For me, it’s that feeling of team achievement that I really love.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
All our schools offer the same program, so I guess that would be my choice!
But what makes Shane English School Taiwan such a great choice is that everything is clearly laid out for the teachers, so there is really nothing to worry about other than giving your best in the classroom and enjoying Taiwan to its fullest outside of your teaching hours (which is only 20-25 hours per week). We’ve been in operation since 1995, so our system has been getting increasingly refined for 25 years now!
We provide almost everything a teacher who is new to Taiwan would be looking for: a complete orientation, teacher training, a structured curriculum, lesson guides, and loads of support from Head Office. So I guess I’d chose our program for the proven track record of the company and the structured system I’d be working within. It removes all the unnecessary stress and lets teachers focus on what's important.
Also, many of our teachers have gone on to take on higher positions, not only in Head Office but also in other academic institutions, which is a testament to the professional development offered through our program.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
I think what makes our company is my team.
At Shane English School Taiwan, everything is run through Head Office. Publishing, recruitment, training, marketing, everything. So it’s the control over every aspect, and the ability to improve each little aspect that makes us unique.
This summer we’ll be opening the doors to our new flagship school, which is undoubtedly the biggest milestone we’ve hit and certainly one of our proudest achievements!
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Ensuring that the people who make the company are happy and well taken care of is key. We understand that, without teachers, there are no schools, so we focus a lot on the well-being of our teachers. The longer our teachers stay, the better they get at teaching, which ultimately results in improved progress for our students. So ensuring our teachers are well supported and have the tools they need to become better teachers is a large part of what we strive for.
