121 Tutor schools off the beaten track

[Ed Log]

I am looking for a well run 121 tutor school for a couple of weeks in the summer.

Not particularly interested in centres in the tourist friendly cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou. really looking for something a little bit different but still a nice town - No suggestions of Donggaaun please!

Your thoughts

[abcdefg]

Not particularly interested in centres in the tourist friendly cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou. really looking for something a little bit different but still a nice town

For only a couple weeks of instruction, your best bet might well be to just hire a tutor informally in your desired location instead of seeking out a school.

I've had good luck in doing this by approaching young English teachers working at private training schools. They often want some extra income and will take a student on the side who wants to brush up or learn some Mandarin. Don't go through school administration.

[pancake]

How about Harbin? I can highly recommend this school.

[whereishunter]

You dont need to go to a school for a couple of weeks. Just hire a teacher yourself, it will be a lot easier and cheaper!!

I think Dalian or Qingdao would be good places to go to.

[Ed Log]

A school also offers people to meet for a coffee. grab a beer etc. So would prefer a 121 school.

[roddy]

How off the beaten track? You don't have to go very far off track before there just aren't any schools. Qingdao, Dalian, Harbin, maybe Xiamen, Chengdu, Tianjin spring to mind, but these are hardly hidden gems.

For what it's worth, I suspect if you try and find someone yourself you'll end up spending a fair chunk of your two weeks finding someone decent to teach you.

You could always go and check out Konall for us if you fancy Shijiazhuang.

[edelweis]

@pancake:

would you mind describing your experience at 1on1mandarinworkshop ?

For instance, did you do the 4 hours a day 1 on 1 "class" ?

What were your class hours? (all in the morning or ...)

What was the cost of your program?

Did you have a choice of textbooks?

What was your level? How long did you study with them?

How was the class structured (grammar, conversation, special topics?)

Did you stay at the accommodations provided by that school? If so what can you tell us about that?

Did the teachers or staff speak any English at all?

Any specific good and bad points that could interest us ?

Please?

[roddy]

Perhaps in a new topic in the Harbin subforum . ..

[abcdefg]

would you mind describing your experience at 1on1mandarinworkshop ?

@edelweis -- I will tell you my experience in the Harbin subforum.

[abcdefg]

Re: 121 Tutor schools off the beaten track

How about Harbin? I can highly recommend this school. http://1to1mandarinworkshop.com/

@pancake, would you please post your experience with this school in the Harbin subforum when you have a chance. I would like to see if it has changed since I was there in the summer of 2008. Thanks.