SIE - Succeed in Education

My current title is Academic director, I have been teaching here in China for 8 years, and the last 6 years have been with SIE. Living in China is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It has been nothing less than an amazing experience. I first lived in Shenzhen for 2 years and then moved to Guangzhou for these 6 years. Shenzhen is a modern metropolis and if you’re interested in a fast-paced city then that is the place for you. Guangzhou is a more historical and culturally fascinating city. It’s still a vibrant city like Shenzhen, but if you are about traditional commodities like food and customs, then Guangzhou is more suitable. I began my teaching journey straight after finishing university. My degree is in English Literature which helped me secure a position at a primary school as a teaching assistant. I was given an abundance of varied responsibilities such as coordinating advanced level programs for higher level students to support with 11+ examinations to establishing and guiding support programs for lower level students. I quickly progressed to teacher status, giving myself plenty of experience in education. I stayed at this school for 5 years until I made the decision to move to China to develop and enhance my teaching career further. When I arrived to China in 2018, I was working for another agency at the time. After 2 years, I was looking for a change. I heard of SIE through friends which recommended it to me and as I valued their opinions, their positive comments were reassuring. I started as an ESL teacher in a middle school for a year. After the initial year and my previous experience, SIE given me the opportunity to become an academic director and to take charge of a new bilingual school in Guangzhou. I have now been at the school for 5 years, helping to build the reputation and maintain high standards within the institute. Being an ESL teacher is the vital foundation needed in order to progress. I was lucky to have quite a few years of experience in different countries to build my teaching experience. I learnt many valuable skills and techniques working in different environments. It’s crucial to have gone through the ESL teacher process to be an effective academic director. It was a natural and smooth transition to become academic director as I just used my existing skillset and applied them to the new role. As academic director, I still teach and develop my teaching skills every day. This is useful when directing the team as I am aware of the teaching environment in the school and can give guidance where needed. Being aware of the workload as an ESL teacher, I was able to adjust my time management to fit in the additional responsibilities that the new role requires. Working in different educational environments has given me experience working with many different people, useful when wanting to effectively lead and guide a team. The institution is new and has a small group of 4 foreign teachers. As the school is expanding and more teachers join the team every year. My main responsibilities include managing the foreign teachers, making sure they are maintaining teaching standards, according to school regulations and protocols, and guiding and advising the team when needed. I am the main point of contact for the school, so I am responsible for relaying information back and forth to the foreign teachers. I also handle any questions the school or teachers may have. I organize lesson observations and give feedback on a monthly basis to ensure school standards are upheld. I also attend meetings and keep up to date on daily school briefings. I coordinate with the school to help promote school demo classes and open days. Also, I work closely with the school’s management team to establish an unique and effective curriculum for the foreign teachers. SIE has given me lots of opportunities teaching in many different educational institutes. SIE gave me a kindergarten summer camp position, ESL teacher position in a public school, teacher training sessions, teacher observations amongst other things. This led myself to gain enough knowledge to be suitable for academic director. SIE saw this and thus gave me the opportunity. I am grateful to SIE for seeing the potential in their employees and giving them the chance to excel and thrive in their field. They have connections with the educational bureau and government entities which help organize teaching events and give valuable guidance. SIE is always willing to provide support when needed. SIE management team is friendly and readily available to help. They are very experienced and knowledgeable about all aspects of teaching in China.

Throughout my time in China, SIE have offered strong support, particularly during my initial arrival. They would assist me with accommodation, visa processes and various day-to-day challenges, always providing guidance when I was unsure how to proceed. Their teacher training and ongoing support helped make the transition into both teaching and living in China much smoother.

Greetings my name is Jorge from the United States. I have had the privilege of teaching English in China for over 11 years, working closely with children of all ages and language levels. Throughout my time living and working in China, I have gained a deep appreciation for the culture, the students, and the passion that young learners bring into the classroom every day. During my teaching journey, I have worked with a variety of schools and programs, but my experience with SIE over the past three years has truly been the most rewarding and fulfilling. SIE stands out as an organization that genuinely values both its teachers and its students. The academic support, professional environment, and strong sense of community have made teaching not just a job, but a meaningful and enjoyable experience. Working with children has always been at the heart of my teaching philosophy. I strive to create engaging, supportive, and energetic lessons that help students build confidence, develop strong communication skills, and enjoy learning English. Seeing students grow—from shy beginners to confident speakers—is the most rewarding part of my work, and SIE provides the ideal environment for that growth to happen. After more than a decade of teaching in China, I can confidently say that my time at SIE has been the highlight of my career here. It represents the best of what teaching and living in China can offer: professional growth, cultural exchange, and the joy of helping young learners succeed.