So, what exactly does a Teacher at DE do in a day? Teaching schedules are decided by the Operations Team, and from teacher to teacher, they vary greatly. Many things need to be considered when placing someone; availability, suitability, experience levels, and more.
We offer a variety of classes all across Hong Kong, and a normal day might see a teacher staying in one place, or perhaps moving around to several different locations, teaching a variety of students.
I move around quite a bit. Some days I work all day as a NET (Native English Teacher) in a Primary school in Ma On Shan, and then take a bus to Tsuen Wan on the other side of Hong Kong to teach an hour in a studio. Other days I will teach a 1.5 hour Drama Workshop in a Secondary school, then teach another hour Drama Workshop in a primary school. On Saturdays I work in a DE Studio teaching a variety of 1-2 hour classes. I might also do puppet performances, work on set, props, and costume designs, edit scripts, attend training, and do whatever else might come along.
-Roald
Since I have been in Hong Kong teaching I have been a full-time NET in schools, and also experienced being sent all over the place. Both have their benefits; when you are working as a full-time NET, you really become a part of the school you are at, with students coming to see you and other teachers asking for your help which really is great. However you do miss out on seeing some wonderful places in Hong Kong, and may not get to interact with many international teachers. Being sent to a few schools satisfies both of these things, as you get to meet many people from all over the world, work alongside them, as well as getting to know local colleagues.
-Alex
Gina with her primary students before rehearsal