Q U A L I T Y E N G L I S H E D U C A T I O N – T H E K E Y T O Y O U R F U T U R E

NEW TEACHERINFORMATION PACK

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Table of Contents

1. Welcome to Eagle Page 3

2. Core programs Page 4

3. Teacher expectations Page 5

4. Advancing through Eagle Page 6

5. Moving to China

The Internet

Culture shock and home sickness

Finances

Page 7

Page 8

Page 9

6. Visas

Applying from home

Applying from China

Page 10

Page 11

Page 12

7. Tax Page 13

8. Bonuses

Attendance

Hardworking

Page 14

9. Leave

Holidays

Leave

Page 15

Page 16

10. Your city

Page 7

11. Helpful hints Page 21

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Eagle Educational & Cultural Enterprises, Ltd. (EECE) was established in 1999 in Hsinchu,

Taiwan. Just as Hsin-Chu is leading Taiwan's technology industry into global competition, EECE

is leading Taiwan's English education in a new direction, encouraging innovation, pursuing

excellence, and helping to make Taiwan internationally competitive.

After five years of operation, EECE obtained exclusive rights from American publishing company

McGraw-Hill, to distribute the elementary textbook series “New Dimensions” in Asia. EECE also

established EECE Headquarters and EECE Publications, where a series of Eagle textbooks and

music CDs were created to support the curriculum.

Since 2010, EECE has expanded its market to include Mainland China. Now EECE has over 70

franchise Eagle schools across Asia, and continues to innovate and bring quality English education

to children.

Eagle’s programs are designed to foster children’s self-esteem, self-confidence, self-organization

skills, and sense of responsibility. At the same time, children acquire the English skills essential

for success as future global citizens. Our philosophy is based on the Chinese traditional values of,

“Treating children of others as if they were our own.” This is facilitated by meeting Early

Childhood Education standards and by providing outstanding, premium-quality English

education opportunities.

To provide quality English education to children in Asia and to raise their

English abilities to increase their competitive advantage in the global world.

1. Welcome to American Eagle

About

Our Mission

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2. Core Programs

Eagle Kindergarten

Bilingual Program International Program Summer/Winter Camp

Program

International Program: Offers an all-English

immersion style of learning on

a daily basis. Children learn

English through experience,

not translation.

Bilingual Program: Offers a half-day English

and half-day Chinese

immersion style of learning

on a daily basis.

Kinder Express Offers English education which encompasses a

wide range of topics such as English

conversation, phonics, math, science and art

classes. This program targets children age three

to six years of age who will either study abroad

or attend an International school in China.

Students learn English for up to 5 hours a

week.

Elementary Standard Program:

Offers effective English education

to children six to fifteen years of

age, focusing on all aspects of the

English language.

Students learn English up to 4.5

hours a week.

Eagle Educational Institute

Early Childhood

Keystone Offers English and Chinese Education which

focuses on the speaking, listening and social

skills of Children who are two to three years of

age. The program is targeted towards students

with little or no classroom experience and

prepares them for more structured English

programs in the future. Students learn English

for up to 10 hours a week.

Early Starter Program: Offers English education which focuses on

developing speaking and listening skills in

children three to six years of age. The program

is targeted towards children who already attend

a full-day kindergarten program outside of

Eagle.

Students learn English up to 3 hours a week.

Elementary Intensive Program:

Offers effective English education to

children six to fifteen years of age,

focusing on all aspects of the English

language.

Students learn English up to 6 hours a

week.

Summer/Winter

Camp Program Elementary Program

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3. Teacher expectations

Professional Responsibilities We expect our teachers to treat this job as they would a job anywhere else in the world. This

includes arriving on time and attending meeting, school activities and training sessions. Teachers

are expected to comply with and help to uphold the school rules as well as communicate with each

other as a team as well as with Chinese members of staff. Teachers are also expected to maintain

an appropriate and professional outlook and attire at all times.

Preparation and Teaching American Eagle teachers are required to prepare teaching materials and lesson plans. It is essential

they do this so they can teach in a fun and inspiring manner. American Eagle Teachers must

ensure that students have a positive experience in the classroom. Teachers are expected to follow

the teaching schedule and reach the expected outcomes for each class. Administrative tasks, such

as report cards, parent communication and marking should all be carried out in a timely and

professional fashion.

Parent/Teacher Communication At American Eagle, we value our parents’ input in their children’s education. Parent-teacher

communication is of the utmost importance. Teachers should be available to parents in order to

facilitate open discussion about student progress. Teachers need to be available to parents in order

to address parental concerns and discuss any issues witnessed in the classroom. This means that

teachers should be attentive and aware of any and all events that occure in the classroom.

Teachers should be supportive or parents’ concerns and queries and maintain a professional

relationship with the parents.

Class Management Teachers are expected to provide and warm and stimulating environment for their students.

Students should be kept safe at all time and have personal needs attended to. Class rules should be

implemented and maintained throughout the entire school year. Good classroom management

standards should be maintained in order to facilitate a healthy learning environment for our

students.

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4. Advancing through Eagle

Head Teacher:

Head teachers continue their roles as teachers but also become a Head Teacher. Once this position

is accepted, you will not only continue your role as a teachers but become a mentor and trainer to

new teachers as well. Head Teachers are responsible for not only guiding and training new

teachers but also for managing a small team. They become an assistant to the principal and assist

with the continued day to day management of the foreign team. Head Teachers are employed in

smaller schools.

Program Managers:

Program Managers take on a much larger management role and are employed at larger schools.

School with 5 or more teachers require a Program Manager. Program Managers have various roles

but are over-all responsible for the foreign teachers. They see to the day to day operation of the

team and ensure that a high quality of teaching is upheld by the teachers. They conduct parent

interviews, assist with staffing the school and are responsible for the continuous training and

evaluation of the foreign teachers. Teachers who have been with Eagle for an extended period of

time and have a good understanding of the company are usually promoted to this position.

Headquarters:

Eagle also looks within the Eagle family to fill roles in headquarters. These include positions in

curriculum development, design, marketing, training and human resources. At American Eagle

there is always room for you to improve yourself and move upward.

Teachers

English Experts

Educators

Counselors

Head Teachers

English Experts

Educators

Trainers

Mentors

Program Managers

English Experts

Educators

Trainers

Mentors

Managers

Headquarters

Curriculum development

Marketing

Trainers

H.R.

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5. Moving to China

The Internet

The Internet in China is a source of frustration to most Westerners who move here.

The Golden Shield Project or The “Great Firewall of China” as it is commonly known, blocks a

range of sites and web services. These include Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Dropbox and other

blogging sites.

Thankfully there are ways around the firewall. One of the more popular and reliable methods is

using a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

These services are usually paid for and work well. There are also free services but they

periodically get shut down and restarted.

Tried and tested paid VPNs to research and install before moving to China are:

Astrill - www.astrill.com

Strong - www.strongvpn.com

Vypr - www.goldenfrog.com/vyprvpn

Free programs that work quite well are:

Freegate - freegate.en.softonic.com

Ultrasurf - ultrasurf.us

Psiphon - psiphon.en.uptodown.com

This is a great site that will help you see which of your favorite sites are currently blocked in

China

http://www.greatfirewallofchina.org

Don’t be alarmed if the fastest internet speed is much slower than you are accustomed too. It is

frustrating but when you realize how inexpensive internet and data fees are, it is a small price to

pay.

Adjusting to a new environment is always going to take some time and effort. China is vastly

different from anywhere else in the world and some find it much harder to adapt than others.

Here are some helpful tips to make your initial move to China, a much easier one!

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Culture Shock & Homesickness

Everybody suffers from culture shock to some degree. For some it can be just a mild

disorientation and occasional homesickness; for others it can be more traumatic. It also sets in at

different times and for different periods for different people. There are typically three main stages of

culture shock: enrapture, disillusionment, and finally, adaptation.

Upon arrival in a new country, everything is strange and wonderful. The food seems exotic, the

people are intriguing and everything is so different; it’s like an exciting adventure every day. This

is the first, "enraptured" stage.

Eventually, though, the novelty wears off. This is when culture shock can hit its hardest; the

"disillusioned" stage. When simply buying food becomes an ordeal it is very easy to become

frustrated and angry. What was fun for a while becomes a chore. The traffic is overbearing, the

weather is intense, nobody speaks your language, and there is so much you don’t understand.

Suddenly you wish you were home. The most important thing to be aware of here is that many

things in China are different, but this doesn’t mean wrong. Many things will seem illogical, and

as frustration sets in, people often begin to criticize everything around them. Ideally, you will be

able to vent your frustrations to a friend, and come up with strategies to cope with your particular

problems. This is the final stage－“adaptation”.

At Eagle we are lucky to have a good support network to help each other to get through the hard

times. Talk to your fellow teachers and the Chinese staff. They have often faced the same

difficulties as you, or can offer advice or an explanation.

Finally, before you leave home, put systems in place that will allow you to have a decent support

structure should things get tough. Set up Skype so you can talk to your family and, get your

school’s mailing address and mail some creature comforts from home. Sending a care package

with snacks and cold a flu medication will make a world of difference when the weather starts to

turn and the days get shorter.

Finally, stick together. Your fellow Eagle teachers are probably experiencing the same thing you

are. Try to remain positive. Go out as a group and explore your city or get out of the city during

your time off. Having these shared experiences helps to build a family community within your

school structure that can be instrumental in dealing with culture shock and homesickness.

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Your Apartment:

While American Eagle will set you up in an apartment that has basic furnishings and will have all

the basic requirements that you will need to get on with daily living, setting up your home is an

important step in settling down.

If quickly sorting out your home is of great importance to you, make sure that you bring enough

funds with you in order to do so.

Things to pack that will not be provided on arrival are:

Towel

Toiletries

Adaptors and convertors

Utensils and cooking equipment

Your Phone & Internet

Many telephone companies lock phones. Before you leave, make sure that your phone will work

with a Chinese SIM card. Alternatively, bring enough money to buy one when you arrive. This

will require some research and depends on the kind of phone you wish to buy. A relatively basic

smart phone can cost as little as ¥500. Setting up a basic a phone package can cost as little ¥150.

The same can be said for the Internet. A whole year of Internet access can cost as little as ¥500 but

this is for a slower service.

Food and Social:

Teachers will be given 2 free meals a day while they are at school. Please make sure that you have

enough cash with you to finance breakfast, drinking water, meals during your time off and any

other social engagements you wish to take part in up until your first paycheck.

How much cash?

There is not a perfect answer to this question and it is very dependent on your personal expenses

and preference. It also depends on when in the month you will be starting work and whether or not

you will want to get everything set up straight away or are happy to settle in over time.

Another question to ask the school or HR department is, “Will I be required to do a visa run to

Hong Kong or Seoul?” While the schools cover the costs of these trips, most teachers use these

opportunities to explore and sightsee and therefore have additional expenses.

A very safe estimate is to budget ¥5000 for the month if you do not need to go to Hong Kong or

Seoul.

Financing your move

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Visa Documentation

New teachers will be required to supply the Chinese staff members with the following

documentation.

1. Your resume according to the template that is sent to you.

2. A scanned copy of your passport.

3. A scanned copy of the declaration of stating you have no criminal record.

4. A scanned copy of your health check.

5. Diplomas showing highest level of degree or professional qualification certificate.

6. Recommendation letter.

7. One photo of you with a white background 2 x 2 inch size

The faster these documents are submitted the faster your visa will be processed.

6. Visas There are two main methods that American Eagle follows in order to attain the correct

documentation for their foreign teachers. The documentation required is all the same, but there

steps are slightly different.

The first is to apply for a Z-visa from your home country. This is an ideal situation and helps

arriving teachers feel safe and secure.

The second is for the teacher to arrive on a tourist visa and then get sent to Hong Kong or Seoul to

do a visa run.

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¹ Cost covered by applicant ²Unofficial Contract, signed by school on behalf of ap-plicant ³Completed in China.

Online Work Permit application

→ Resume

→ Passport

→ Photos

Work Permit

→ Resume

→ Passport

→ Photos

→ Online application form

→ Degree

→ Recommendation letter

→ Health Check¹

→ Criminal background affidavit

→ Chinese government contract²

Invitation Letter

→ Work permit

→ Passport

→ Photos

→ Recommendation

letter

→ Health Check

→ Chinese government

contract

Z-visa ApplicationDocuments are mailed to applicant and submitted by applicant at local visa office

Foreign Experts Certificate

→ Z-visa

Residence Permit

→ Chinese Health Check³

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Cost covered by school

Applying from your home country Z- Visa Application Process From Home

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Applying from China

Online Work Permit application

→ Resume

→ Passport

→ Photos

Work Permit

→ Resume

→ Passport

→ Photos

→ Online application form

→ Degree

→ Recommendation letter

→ Health Check¹

→ Criminal background affidavit

→ Chinese government contract²

Invitation Letter

→ Work permit

→ Passport

→ Photos

→ Recommendation

letter

→ Health Check

→ Chinese government

contract

→ Flight,

Accommodation, transport to/from visa office

Z-visa Application in Hong Kong or S. Korea

Foreign Experts Certificate

→ Z-visa

Residence Permit

→ Chinese Health Check³

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

¹ Cost covered by applicant if completed in home coun-try ²Unofficial Contract, signed by school on behalf of ap-plicant

Cost covered by school

Z- Visa Application Process

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7. Tax in China

According to the tax policy as released by the State Administration of Taxation, any individual

works and lives in China shall pay individual income tax on income from inside China in accord-

ance with the provisions of this law. The tax rate for teachers is generally 15-20% off of their

monthly taxable income. Your monthly taxable income is not the same as your salary.

There is no tax return in China. Four to five months after the end of the tax year, the government

will send the school a tax receipt. If teachers wish to have the receipt sent to their home country,

please consult manage

Wages and salaries are taxed on the basis of the balance of taxpayer' s monthly wages and salaries

after lump-sum deduction of expenses (¥3500 for mainland citizens, ¥4800 for foreigners) and by

applying the nine-grade progressive rates as shown in the table below.

Grade Monthly Taxable Income Tax Rate (%) Quick Deduction

1 ¥1500 or less 3 0

2 ¥1500~4500 10 105

3 ¥4500~9000 20 555

4 ¥9000~35000 25 1005

... ... ... ...

The formula for computing the amount of tax payable is:

Monthly taxable income = Monthly salary - (gas + electricity) - $4,800 RMB

Tax deducted from your salary = (Monthly taxable income x applicable tax rate) - Quick deduc-

tion

Example:

Monthly salary = $9,000 RMB Gas = $60 RMB Electricity = $100 RMB Monthly taxable income = 9,000 - (60+100) - 4,800 = 4,040 Tax deducted from your salary = (4,040 x 0.10) - 125 = $404 RMB

NOTE:

The school is obligated to deduct tax from the teacher’s monthly salary on his/her behalf.

General

Calculation

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Attendance Bonus

8. Bonuses

Each week, teachers will be entitled to a bonus of ¥150 for attendance. This amount is

accumulated to a total of up to ¥600 per month, and is added to your monthly salary. In order to

receive this bonus, teachers must be on time out of work every day.

If the employee misses clocking in/out of work, there will be an automatic deduction of ¥20/time

off of the employee’s monthly salary starting from the 3rd time.

Please follow the daily schedule that will be given to you by your manager. The record on your

time card will affect your attendance bonus. Your attendance bonus depends on being on time for

all classes and not taking any personal leave or sick leave. If you are late for the working day or

the class, it will be deducted from your paycheck, based on the following chart:

Late Arrival Penalty Absence Card

First 5 minutes No deduction, receive full attendance bonus

6 - 10 minutes ¥10 deduction, no attendance bonus

11 - 30 minutes 30-min deduction, no attendance bonus Fill in for a 30-min leave of absence

31 minutes or

longer

Deductions will be calculated at a 30-min inter-

val.

Ex. 31-60 min = 1 hour

61-90 min = 1.5 hours

Fill in for a 1-hour (or longer) of

personal leave time

Hardworking Bonus There is a Hardworking Evaluation for all teachers for a bonus of up to ¥400 per month. The

evaluation not only focuses on teachers’ overall teaching performance, but also their overall work

behavior during the month. The amount of the bonus received is based on a pass/fail system as

follows:

Total Percentage Score Pass Fail

70% or more ¥400RMB

60%~69% ¥280RMB

50%~59% ¥188RMB

Less than 50% No Hardworking Bonus

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9. Leave

Eagle follows the schedule for national holidays as announced by the government. If the holiday

falls on a weekend, there is no compensating day off.

Since China is large and it takes a long time to travel from one province to the other, the govern-

ment tends to put together 3-day weekends as much as it can in order to accommodate the people

who work far away from their home town. To give those people a chance to return home, the gov-

ernment will swap work days with weekends to put together a longer weekend. Please refer to the

following chart.

There is no compensating day off if

a holiday lands on a Saturday.

When this happens, the government

often gives everyone a 4-day week,

and then a 6-day week, with a 3-day

weekend in between.

This is essentially the same as swap-

ping a Friday work day with a Satur-

day day-off.

Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat. Sun.

Work day Day off

holiday

Day off

Day off Day off

3-day weekend 4-day work week

6-day work week

National Holidays Date Legal Holidays

Moon Festival / Mid Autumn Day August/September

Varies from year to year 1 day

National Day October 1 3 days

New Year’s Day January 1 1 day

Spring Festival January/February

Varies from year to year 3 days

Qingming Festival / Tomb Sweeping Day April 4 or 5 1 day

May Day May 1 1 day

Dragon Boat Festival May/June

Varies from year to year 1 day

The following is a chart which shows the legal holidays in China. These are the paid legal holi-

days and there are 11 days in total. Please note that a lot of Chinese holidays are based on the lu-

nar calendar, and therefore change in time every year.

Holidays

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Teachers are allowed 21 hours of sick leave at half-pay. Taking a sick day means that you forfeit

your attendance bonus for that week. They are also allowed another 4 hours of sick leave without

pay, but exceeding those hours will result in a ¥100 deduction from the Contract Completion bo-

nus per sick day. Please notify your managers at least 2 hours before workday begins, and fill out

your absence card upon return, with a doctor’s note or a pharmacist’s note. Note that the unit for

sick leave is by the hour. For example, both 25 and 40 minutes will be counted as 1 hour.

If there are matters that must be handled personally, you may be given up to 14 hours of personal

leave without pay, and without attendance bonus. Exceeding the first 14 hours will result in a

¥100 deduction from the Contract Completion bonus per day. The absence needs to be approved

at least 2 weeks in advance. Personal days are given at the discretion of management and based

largely upon the availability of other teachers as substitutes. Fill out the Absence Card and make

sure your managers have a written record of your reason of absence. Personal leave cannot be tak-

en in lieu of sick leave. Lesson plans need to be submitted. Note that the unit for personal leave is

by the half hour. For example, 15 minutes will be counted as half an hour.

0 - 21 hours 22 - 25 hours 26 hours or more 1/2 pay, no bonus No pay, no bonus No pay, no bonus, ¥100 deduction

0 - 14 hours 15 hours or more No pay, no bonus No pay, no bonus, ¥100 deduction

Sick Leave

Personal Leave

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10. Your City

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest Chinese city by population and the largest city proper by population in the

world. It is one of the four direct-controlled municipalities in China, with a population of more

than 24 million as of 2013. It is a global financial center, and a transport hub with the world's

busiest container port. Located in the Yangtze River Delta in East China, Shanghai sits at the

mouth of the Yangtze in the middle portion of the Chinese coast.

Shanghai is a popular tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as The

Bund, the City God Temple and Yu Garden, as well as the extensive Lujiazui skyline and major

museums including the Shanghai Museum and the China Art Museum. It has been described as the

"showpiece" of the booming economy of Mainland China

Some helpful expat websites to check out: www.shanghaiist.com

www.shanghaiexpat.com

www.smartshanghai.com

www.timeoutshanghai.com

Nanjing

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu province in eastern China and has a prominent place in Chinese

history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions. Its present name means

"Southern Capital" and was widely romanized as Nankin and Nanking.

Some helpful expat websites to check out: www.nanjingexpat.com

www.hellonanjing.net

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Shenzhen Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China’s Guangdong Province, situated

immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China’s first, and one of the most successful,

Special Economic Zones. Shenzhen had a population of approximately 15 million as of 2012.

Shenzhen’s modern cityscape is the result of the vibrant economy made possible by rapid foreign

investment since 1979, before which it was only a small village. Shenzhen is now considered one

of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Being southern mainland China’s major financial center,

Shenzhen is home to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange as well as the headquarters of numerous high-

tech companies. Shenzhen is also one of the busiest container ports in the world. Some helpful

expat websites to check out:

www.shenzhenparty.com

www.shenzhenstuff.com

Dongguan

Dongguan has a long history that can be traced back to the Neolithic Age of 5,000 years ago.

During its long history, the city gave birth to the culture of the southern Guangdong Province that

also made it a famous city with splendid history and culture.

Some helpful expat websites to check out: www.dongguantoday.com

www.heredg.com

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Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province, is the third biggest city in China after Beijing

and Shanghai with a population of more than 12 million. Founded in 214 BC, the city has been a

springboard for trading, cultural exchanges, many revolutions and reforms, making it top

destination for many tourist who wish to better understand what shapes modern China.

Some helpful expat websites to check out:

guangzhou.asiaxpat.com

www.gzstuff.com

www.guangzhouexpatservicecenter.com

Xiamen

Xiamen is a coastal city in Fujian Province in China. It has been an important port for centuries

and became one of China's earliest Special Economic Zones in the 1980s. The name Xiamen

means "door to the house", referring to the city's centuries-old role as a gateway to China.

Some helpful expat websites to check out:

www.xiamenexpat.com

www.xiamenguide.com

www.whatsonxiamen.com

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Chengdu

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. Chengdu is the fourth most

populous city in mainland China. Chengdu is one of the most important economic, transportation,

and communication centers in Western China. The fertile Chengdu Plain, on which Chengdu is

located, is also known as the "Country of Heaven" a phrase also often translated as "The Land of

Abundance". It is also known as the City of Hibiscus, The Brocade City and The Turtle City.

Some helpful expat websites to check out: chengduexpat.com

www.chengduliving.com

www.chengdutime.com

www.gochengdoo.com/en

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Useful Chinese Phrases

11. Helpful Hints If you are concerned go to your local travel clinic and get vaccinated against Hepatitis, Typhoid,

Tetanus-diphtheria.

English Chinese

Pinyin Characters Phonetic

Hello Nǐ hǎo 你好 Knee-howw

Do you speak English? Nǐ huì shuō yīngwén

ma? 你会说英语吗？ Knee kway-sshorr

ing-wen mah?

Thank you Xiè xie 谢谢 sshyeah sshyeah

You’re welcome Bú kèqi 不客气 Boo ke chee

No thanks Bú yòng xièxie 不用谢谢 Boo-yong, sshyeah

sshyeah

I am sorry Duì bù qǐ 对不起 Dway-boo-chee

I don’t understand Wǒ ting bù dǒng 我听不懂 Wor ting boo-dong

I want to go… Wǒ yào qù 我要去 Wor yaoww chyoo

I want… Wǒ yào … 我要… Wor yaoww

Help me please Bāngmáng wǒ 帮忙我 Bung-mung wor

How much? (money) Duō shǎo qián? 多少钱 Dwor-sshaoww chy-

en

Too expensive! Tài guì le 太贵 Tie gway luh

Where is the bath-

room?

Cèsuǒ zài nǎli? 厕所在哪里？ Tssis-sore dzeye nah

-lee

I like... Wo xihuan…… 我喜欢。。。 Wor sshee-hwan

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Items difficult to buy in China

Specific feminine hygiene products (one brand of tampon available)

Razor blades (very selective brands)

Deodorant stick/roll on (aerosol is available but expensive)

Clothing/shoes (larger sizes)

Underwear. (Large bra sizes and non-padded bras)

Medication (Western comforts such as cold and flu medicine, prescriptions.)

Ladies

Specific male hygiene products.

Men’s razor blades (only limited brands)

Deodorant stick/roll on (aerosol is available. Limited brands and expensive)

Clothing/shoes (large sizes)

Medication (Western comforts such as cold and flu medicine, prescriptions)

Gentlemen.

www.eagletw.com