ESF-Parents should know....

Due to budget cuts enforced by HDQ head teachers are being left with no choice now but to recruit graduate teachers with no experience. Is this what our children deserve from supposedly the 'Employer of choice' (for teachers) after an 8% fee rise and a further 8- 10 % increase next year? Maybe the question should be 'Is ESF still the parents choice'. As a parent I don't feel happy about the level of education that a graduate with no experience could offer my child. The bottom line is as a parent paying for private education I should be confident that I am getting value for money - high calibre, experienced teachers is what I expect and should be what I get.

But often the just graduated teachers are the ones with the most enthusiasm, the new interesting ideas, the willingness to give up there evenings and weekends for afterschool activites, and the ability to interact with the kids better. After having kids in school for the last 13 years and seeing all sorts of different teachers, there is definately a trait amongst older teachers to lack enthusiasm, and to have an attitude of been there done that. I remember a few years ago my daughter had a 50+ teacher, the kids were doing a project on something which included a trip to the museum to see a pottery exhibition. I suggested to the teacher that we gave the kids some of that self drying clay so they could design their own pots, he wasn't in the least bit interested as 'he'd already done that', but these kids hadn't. I even had to take some cookery lessons as he couldn't be bothered to do it. And nearly all the afterschool concerts, sports matches etc I go to involve the younger generation of teachers.

I sit on one of the ESF's school councils and i can tell you that the Prinicipal's and teachers aren't happy with the way the ESF is going, so may i suggest that you take your concerns up withe the PTA, Principal and School Council of your school and also take it up with ESF Centre (they have their head in the clouds and are as 'far from transparent' as can be. Just ask about ESF services.

I have not shared your experience but do not dispute the fact that some older teachers lack enthusiam, however, enthusiam needs to be balanced with experience but the determining factor has to be accountability. Whether a teacher is 20 or 50 years old it is about whether they are up to the job and the same rules of accountability should be applied across the board and that is the role of the head teacher. My experience is actually quite different, without doubt the most meaningful relationships that I have fostered with teachers were with those who were parents themselves, were understanding and had empathy for my child. Enthusiasm only goes so far and unfortunately some teachers are less enthusiastic than others because the system that they have been in is unsupportive and if you look at England in particular the behaviour of the children and parents are a determining factor. The heart and soul of an organisation like ESF is down to the teaching families who have moved here and have made a long term commitment to Hong Kong, newly qualified graduates however will only be interested in short term and whilst it is important to bring in 'new blood', as a fee paying parent I would like to ensure that any 'new blood' has at least had experience teaching elsewhere and have served an 'apprenticeship' I know first hand from University experience that drinking partying and academic achievement do not equate to being a 'qualified practioner' in the first week. If you were seeking professional advise from a Lawyer/Accountant etc would you want someone just out of University or would you want them to have had at least 12 months experience? I would go for experience over enthusiasm any day, so long as that 'experience' was held accountable....

My last post was obviously for CD not Totty.

Totty are all PTAs of a similar view, because as a parent I'm not aware of this and I only really hear about fundraising and raffles - is there any way that I can directly access this, because I think the more parents find out the more parents would be willing to confront these issues. We do not appear to be really in the loop...

As Chair of one of the PTA's i would thoroughly encourage parents to get involved with their PTA.


You can write to the PTA and becuase you have put something in writing it would have to be addressed at the said PTA, you could also CC the School Council too.


Whilst fundraising and raffles are a huge part of PTA it is not our be all and end all, so get involved, i'm sure they'd welcome it.


And as i said in another post about ESF, things won't change unless parents, teachers et al take a stance and do what other people in HK are good at and protest, this way Head Office would have to take notice.

In most large organisations statements are made without much substance. Lifeisforliving - where did you get this information? Certainly the new management structure does not leave heads with the only option being to recruit new graduates and can you let us know where you found out that fees were going up 8-10% next year?

100% direct from a School Council Chair last meeting so the story goes!!! I trust my source as reliable.

Most stories can filter back through the students themselves. My teenage daughter regularly lets us know about the current state of disputes between teachers and HQ as they're openly discussed with the students. While I understand the arguments, it does leave a bitter taste when disgruntled teachers leave kids fed up, uninspired, and claiming "what does it all matter as Mr..... says the whole place is going to the dogs anyway...." (true quote). I have never met so many kids (her peers) who want to give up right now, with just one year to go. It's heart-wrenching.

Couldn't agree more with you Cruz that an experienced business focused administrator should run ESF and the overall comments for need for new direction and leadership. However, you state that school fees have not increased at ESF schools, they have increased 8% and there will be a further 8-10% increase next year - the quality of teaching will be drawn into question if ESF continues to fail to attract experienced and quality staff because of the cost cutting measures, the bottom line is that our children will be the ultimate losers because of ESF's mistakes.

I must admitt when my son went into 2nd year of primary and had a graduate teacher I was really unhappy and worried. As it turned out she was the only teacher that recognised my child had severe learning difficulties which I had been battling with 'experienced educational professionals' and 'specialist doctors' for over 3 years. It turned out she was adapting his learning environment to help him in so many ways and had so much enthusiasm and care and love for what she was doing and the kids she was teaching it was inspirational ! Previous to that my son had had teachers with many many years of experience all who seemed to want to turn a blind eye to his problems. I am thankful for my sons graduate teacher, if he hadn't of been in her class we would still be going from one specialist to the next trying to get answers. Thanks to her he has been correctly diagnosed and we are not managing his AS Syndrome the right way ! So, if you can give these graduates a fair chance, a lot of people these days go into teaching for the love of learning and love of kids not the money so I think that is a good sign.