Keats Chinese School

[Larry Language Lover]

Does anyone have any recent opinions, reviews or evaluations concerning Keats Chinese School? 

As a first-timer to China who knows almost nothing,  I like the idea of having everything there all in one place.

[abcdefg]

My experience is by now outdated, but I studied there a lot and always found the staff competent and helpful. An excellent school. 

 

On 6/22/2023 at 3:01 AM, Larry Language Lover said:

As a first-timer to China who knows almost nothing,  I like the idea of having everything there all in one place.

 

This cuts both ways. If you are resourceful and energetic, you will learn more practical "how to get along in China" stuff if you are out on your own. Being in a "sink or swim" situation, way out of your comfort zone, is very motivating.

 

Furthermore, my personal belief is that you should avoid hanging out with other expats and foreigners completely. Make Chinese friends instead. Preferably ones who don't know much or any English. Get out from under the school's maternal wing as soon as you can. 

 

[Flickserve]

On 6/25/2023 at 8:50 PM, abcdefg said:

Make Chinese friends instead.

To further elaborate, have some sort of hobby where you would be learning or doing a skill in a group of mandarin speakers. That would force interaction.

 

For example, learn table tennis with a club and also get personal table tennis coach. You get some exercise, interact with people who you normally would not have met, learn some new terminology (which is repeated a lot), use the language practically, go back and ask the Chinese tutor “what did the table tennis coach mean when he/she said…”

 

Actually, it doesn’t have to be a coach. I am sure there are plenty of retirees who get their daily exercise in the park or club. You can ask them for basic lessons for a small amount of remuneration. You could even take your Chinese tutor along for the first few times to act like a secretary picking up what are the most common phrases/vocabulary and noting them down.

 

Later in Chinese lessons, you can spend a bit of time drilling those vocabulary. It’s a great way to learn because you have fresh real life context and is useful straight away. The language reinforcement is really strong. Once you have a hold of the basics within that activity, you will be going to table tennis lessons on your own. 
 

 

Definitely explore outside the comfort zone of the school. 

[abcdefg]

On 6/25/2023 at 7:01 PM, Flickserve said:

To further elaborate, have some sort of hobby where you would be learning or doing a skill in a group of mandarin speakers. That would force interaction.

 

Yes, I could not agree more. "Doing things in Chinese" with native speakers is so much more beneficial than just sitting down and saying "let's have a conversation." I found Tai Chi to be great for meeting people, having fun, staying in shape. Plus the important words would be said over and over, so if I didn't understand first time around, I could usually figure it out eventually. Or, during a break, I could ask a fellow class member, "What did the teacher mean by xyz?" Good way to break the ice. 

 

At Keats, as at other schools, there were group activities. These often had an unfortunate tendency to revert to English, despite the best efforts of the staff. 

[FennySH]

Keats lost many excellent teachers because of Covid, they are recruiting new teachers.

However I need to tell the truth, as a Chinese teacher in Kunming here, they treat their teachers as nothing, no respect. It's actually a pretty small circle of people in Kunming, foreigner students and Chinese schools here, we know each other.

They don't have any full time teachers, which means they don't pay the insurance for teachers.

The tuition in Keats is the most expensive in Kunming, but you would never have guessed how much they give the teachers.

I never worked there, but many of my friends did, none of them worked there more than 1 year.

 

It's a good place for someone like you, they provide everything you need.

Once you live here more than 3 months, you will realize that you can totally live by yourself, with much lower cost of living and much more fun of different friends.

You can check GoKunming, and you will find Kunming is bigger than Keats.

[Jan Finster]

On 6/27/2023 at 3:32 AM, FennySH said:

They don't have any full time teachers, which means they don't pay the insurance for teachers.

The tuition in Keats is the most expensive in Kunming, but you would never have guessed how much they give the teachers.

I never worked there, but many of my friends did, none of them worked there more than 1 year.

 

It's a good place for someone like you, they provide everything you need.

Once you live here more than 3 months, you will realize that you can totally live by yourself, with much lower cost of living and much more fun of different friends.

Yes, this is the concern I have with schools. Obviously they offer something and the cost per lesson is obviousl higher than on Italki. But in order to be competitive, they probably pay teachers little. That means schools do not attract the good teachers, who can support

themselves independently.

 

Are you recommending finding indepedant teachers on GoKunming? If so, how would people know if they are any good? 

The problem with organising lessons in China yourself is likely that you would not get a student visa (?)

[PerpetualChange]

On 6/28/2023 at 12:45 PM, Jan Finster said:

The problem with organising lessons in China yourself is likely that you would not get a student visa (?)

This is what I would imagine. As many of us know, going to China as a Westerner (or, maybe especially, an American if that's what you are) is not so easy. You can't just go on a vacation, and IIRC unless you have a special visa, you will only get a short stay Visa before eventually being eligible for a longer one. 

 

If you can justify living in China a long time on a "student" Visa from one of these places, then maybe that's the ticket. I would hope that the classes aren't too demanding, and that you have a lot of flexibility to find your own life experiences outside the gate of the university. 

[FennySH]

On 6/29/2023 at 12:45 AM, Jan Finster said:

Are you recommending finding indepedant teachers on GoKunming? If so, how would people know if they are any good? 

The problem with organising lessons in China yourself is likely that you would not get a student visa (?)

I agree with your concern. 

I think the standard is that if the teacher can explain everything in a simple and vivid way, instead of making the class or the conversation seem profound.

Let's say i+1,  I really like the theory. i represents our current language level, 1 represents the gap between current level and next level. If you meet a new teacher, and the teacher could measure your current level and choose the right and understandable words to communicate at once, also Ta could give you 10%-15% new stuff, you would know Ta is a good teacher.

Only an experienced teacher can do that.

 

As for the visa, it's not up to us, sadly and helplessly.

But I really recommend that you can come to China with some working invitation. So far going to an university seems to be a appropriate choice, based on service and price, but to be honest I don't like the conservative atmosphere. I mean I'm not SO WILD, but I used to work there, one year is my limit to endure it.

Many positions here need foreigners, you can get well paid. Once you are here, you can search for more opportunities.

And it's easier to learn the language when you are involved in it, rather than  sitting in the classroom and listening to just teachers.