SIE TEACHERS LIFE IN CHINA:
Teaching high school in China? Honestly, it’s been the greatest adventure of my life. And I’ve gotta say, the whole amazing crew at SIE, Alicia, Jen, Allan, and Rhia, have been a huge part of why it’s been so amazing.
It’s wild to think I only landed here a year and a half ago. I had no idea how much this place would just click. Right from day one, SIE was there to help me figure everything out with all the tricky stuff that comes with moving to the other side of the world. They didn’t just find me a job; they really helped me get settled, bridging that gap between my old life and my new one, both culturally and professionally.
What’s so nice about teaching here is how much everyone encourages and helps, but without all the pressure. The support is just there. And the fun stuff? I’ve gotten to do it all: help coach the school football team, play in a local Chinese football league, and join in many events with other expats.
Hello! My name is Jessica, and for the past four years, SIE has been the reason my husband and I have been able to build a wonderful life here in China. It started when they guided us through the visa process during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our main contact, Jenny, was incredibly reassuring throughout the whole experience.
Because of that solid start, we were both set up with great teaching jobs at well-known high schools in Guangzhou. Since then, my career has really grown. I am currently in my 4th year, and in that time, I’ve gained expertise teaching AP Psychology, AP English Language, Literature, and test prep courses like TOEFL and IELTS. I’ve helped students prepare for everything from speech competitions to research essays, and I’m so proud of the relationships I’ve formed with students, many of whom have gone on to top universities.
With SIE’s ongoing support, I was even able to earn my PGCE while working full-time. I absolutely love my life here and hope to stay for a long time. Looking back, none of the career advancement, the qualifications, or the amazing experience would have been possible without SIE’s help from the very beginning.
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.
My name is Simon and I’m from Canada, I’m writing this testimonial to help my fellow teachers who are considering to join and work with SIE
I have been working with SIE since 2017 as ESL and Science teacher in school in Shenzhen, China
The most obvious fact about my work is , I’ve never had a job with any employer with more than 3 years in my past career, SIE is the first employer that I have been working with such a long time and every new colleague have asked me why I’ve stayed with one employer for more than 5 years while I had other opportunities to change my work.
The answer simply is, I have never found a right reason to move to another employer.
SIE has been very helpful and cooperative from the first day till now, from helping with my personal issues to visa and residence permit in China, contract, getting around China, etc.
SIE colleagues have been helpful, responsive and kind with my requests all the time, especially during 3 years Covid pandemic, arrangements and communication with the school I worked for to make sure smooth return from overseas travel.
SIE has always shown appreciation to my work and been encouraging me to work harder and considered promotion in my work.
At last, I definitely recommend SIE as a place to work for if you are looking for a stable work and you have passion to teaching.
Where are you from?
Manchester, United Kingdom
What is your job title?
Academic director
How long have you been teaching abroad? How long with SIE?
I have been teaching here in China for 5 years, and the last 3 years have been with SIE.
What has your living experience been like so far?
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 3 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.
What is your previous experience with teaching?
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.
What is your history like with SIE?
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 2 years, helping to build the reputation and maintain high standards within the institute.
Describe your experience from ESL teacher to academic director?
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.
What are your responsibilities as academic director?
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.
How has SIE supported your transition from ESL teacher to academic director?
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.
Where are you from?
Toronto, Canada
How has it been working with SIE?
So far, my relationship with SIE has been excellent. All the recruiters have been very supportive and helpful, especially Jenny, the HR manager who hired me.
Jenny has been amazingly helpful; she has supported me throughout the whole process, including visa application, hotel quarantine in China, and even house hunting in Guangzhou.
SIE is one the most reputable recruiting agencies in China; they will hire you and place you in the best schools across China. What I appreciate about SIE is that they really care about their teachers; they offer continuous support before and after you arrive in China.
For instance, after I landed in China during the pandemic, they called me almost every day to make sure I was safe, and they got me an interview with a high school and prepared me for my online interview with the school directors. In addition, SIE has been very supportive in helping me secure a teaching job in China.
Contrary to most recruiting agencies in China, which care only about their interests and put teachers’ interests second, SIE is very professional and supportive of their teachers.
Do you like your position, your work environment, and your SIE coworkers?
I love my position and my work environment. I feel fortunate to be placed by SIE in this school. The school’s staff has welcomed me and helped me settle into my new position. They offered me all the necessary teaching materials I needed to succeed in class. Also, the students are very well mannered and willing to learn, which makes me happier.
Yes, I work with 3 other SIE teachers; we are all subject teachers at an international school in Guangzhou. We are all supportive of one another and even meet sometimes for social events such as soccer games, dinners, drinks, or even to chat and catch up.
My experience with SIE Shenzhen has been excellent. They got me a PU letter, flew me to China, and helped me secure a great position as a high school math teacher in Guangzhou.
Do you enjoy your life?
Yes, I love my life. Guangzhou is a great city that has a lot to offer. I live 5 minutes from the school I teach at, and everything is very convenient for me. In addition, I found the people in Guangzhou very kind and welcoming. I have been living here for only four months, but I already feel like Guangzhou has been my home for years.
Do you have any tips for teachers due to arrive in China soon?
- Please do not listen to anyone who tells you that SIE is not a good company; they are a GREAT and HONEST company. Before signing my contract with them, I read a lot of comments on Reddit about SIE. Trust me, most of them are fake written by their competitors. My experience has been excellent with them.
- Do your own research and discuss with teachers that are actually working with SIE. For instance, you can ask any SIE HR managers to provide you with other teachers so you can ask them questions about their experiences with SIE.
- If you have any questions or concerns, discuss them with SIE staff, they will do their best to accommodate you if they can. For instance, if you have questions about your salary, contract, or even location, ask SIE staff. They will do whatever they can to make you happy.
- Be open-minded and be friendly; sometimes, SIE might offer you a different position from what you have discussed during your interview. Initially, I was supposed to be teaching English in Shenzhen, and Jenny, the HR manager, offered me a different position in Guangzhou which turns out to be an excellent teaching position for me. If I was not open-minded, I would have missed this position.
- When choosing a recruiting agency to work for in China, look for a company that communicates well with you, responds promptly, and cares about you and your wellbeing. SIE staff are very responsive and supportive. For example, I remember sending Jenny, my HR manager from SIE, a message on Saturday around 5:00 pm Toronto time (5:00 am China time); I was pleasantly surprised that she replied within 5 minutes. She was also with me during my flight from Toronto, Canada, to Shanghai, China.
SIE is great. They found an amazing school for me and helped me every step of the way to start my life in China. Whenever I need something I just send a message to Yuki or Lena and they always personally help out or provide helpful advice. SIE is always there to support you, whatever issues or change of circumstances occur they will have your back and go above and beyond to assist you.
I am so glad to have found SIE when coming to China! Having the support and help when navigating a new country and culture has been incredibly helpful and i can’t imagine having done it without them. Thanks to SIE for helping me find a job I like and supporting me through the process!
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.
I have been teaching in China for a year and a half now, and my experience has been very positive. SIE played a key role in making this journey smooth and successful.
SIE was extremely helpful in all aspects of the process, from my initial application to settling into my teaching position. One area where SIE truly stood out was their support with documentation. They guided me step by step through all the required paperwork, visas, and procedures, making what could have been a stressful process feel clear and manageable.
Throughout my time teaching in China, SIE has remained supportive, professional, and responsive whenever I needed assistance or advice. Thanks to their help, I was able to focus on my teaching and enjoy living and working in China with confidence and peace of mind.
I am very grateful for the support I received from SIE and would gladly recommend them to anyone considering teaching in China.
“I began my teaching journey in China a year ago. I feel very lucky to have found SIE. They have been reliable and very supportive through my entire experience in China. They have come through for me in difficult situations. Looking back, I would never have wanted to take on this adventure without them.”
SIE have given me great support in all aspects; from organising documents prior to arriving in China, to support during the arrival process and further support with any assistance I have needed during my time in China. Their support allows teachers to focus on both teaching and enjoying their free time, resulting in a great experience with a good work-life balance.
During my time in China, SIE have provided me with teacher training and great assistance with day to day life in China, involving helping me sort accommodation as well as assisting with all visa and other logistical matters. Thank you SIE!
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