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The Overseas Teacher Reviews
Updated 23 Jul 2023
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Found 38 of over 49 reviews
92% Recommend to a Friend
Found 38 of over 49 reviews
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Top Review Highlights by Sentiment
Excerpts from user reviews, not authored by Glassdoor
Pros
Cons
- "Even if it happened during the difficult COVID period the lack of honest communication dragged everything out when a refund and apology should have been given." (in 3 reviews)
- 5.08 Apr 2022Technical Operations ManagerCurrent Employee
Pros
The company took a chance on me. I had no previous experience, all I did was show them what I do. They understand if you can do your job by the action you take, not the past you have.
Cons
There are sometimes misunderstandings with the management, but these issues have been resolved in recent weeks.
1 - 3.023 May 2023Online English TeacherFormer Employee, less than 1 year
Pros
Some of the students were great and classes were fun
Cons
I worked there as a part time online teacher, while waiting on my visa to be processed through the same company. They continued to basically lie and say the visa would be processed soon, when it had pretty much forgotten about. Any communication on the issue was slow and dragged out with no updates unless I asked. Due to the Chinese government policy on online teaching all of us were let go on short notice with minor compensation. I am not sure if it actually met the UK standards. Around this time management restricted the communication software to prevent teachers from being able to message each other privately. I would never recommend them as either an employer or visa service. Even if it happened during the difficult COVID period the lack of honest communication dragged everything out when a refund and apology should have been given.
- 4.010 May 2022Online English TeacherFormer Employee, less than 1 year
Pros
The team was really nice and cared for their staff. Even though we were remote they went to the effort to organise socials and things. Overall I would work for them again and recommend them to other people. The kids were also really lovely and came out with some hilarious things.
Cons
The technology they used for the classrooms was terrible and crashed all the time which was frustrating. There was quite a lot of micromanagement but it’s also understandable because we all worked remotely and they wanted to uphold standards. When it came to feedback and reviews they also changed the way they scored it a few times in a short period and it felt like moving goalposts and was very subjective and changed a lot based on who was marking, so that was frustrating.
1 - 3.013 Sept 2021Online ESL TeacherFormer Employee, more than 1 yearManchester, England
Pros
1. The students were amazing. 2. Regular performance feedback and training. 3. Online ESL teaching in general is a lot of fun.
Cons
1. Management is insincere, appearing very friendly on the face of things until questions are raised about annual leave, payroll queries, etc. 2. There is a frustratingly cliquey atmosphere. Despite "perfect" feedback, it is often the same few personalities who get the praise and selective opportunities. Despite being one of the highest performing teachers (as well as others I've spoken to), opportunities are given out in secret to those whose faces fit. All teachers' contracts were terminated at the end of one project and a new project was set up in secret (discovered by teachers mistakenly referring to it in the Lark group chat.) 3. Though technically offered, annual leave is very difficult to negotiate.
1
The Overseas Teacher Response3yHello, Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences! It's great to hear that you enjoyed teaching your students. We agree, they are amazing!! They bring online lessons to life and seeing them progress each week is incredibly rewarding. It is also so much fun! I'm glad that you found our ongoing feedback and training to be beneficial. We believe that online teaching is a valued teaching practice and that in supporting continued development we can help teachers to become the best educators they can be and push the boundaries of the online classroom. It concerns me that you feel that management is insincere as it is always our aim to be as communicative and transparent with our teachers as we can. With regards to annual leave and payroll queries, we encourage teachers to reach out to management to answer any questions that you might have, our policies are clearly defined in our teacher handbook and explained throughout the interview and training process. There are occasions when we don't have answers and in these circumstances we work incredibly hard to get clarification and update the teaching team as promptly as we can, in the most direct way possible. Also, if questions are asked in main group chats relating to annual leave and pay we may not answer these due to the sensitive nature of the query and would prefer a direct call or message. Creating a community of teachers has always been encouraged at TOT and we feel that connecting online ESL teachers and giving them a platform to support each other is something that is an asset to our team. It's unfortunate that you found this atmosphere to be 'cliquey'. We do also organise monthly digital social events for our online teachers and basic Mandarin classes, however, attending is not compulsory and doesn't influence which teachers may be offered opportunities. Delivering praise and encouragement is something which management prioritises in daily notifications, team meetings, events, feedback and in the sharing of exceptional teaching examples. We are extremely proud of our team and it is frustrating that we can't offer opportunities to everyone who teaches consistently well. Unfortunately, we did need to terminate the contracts of the teachers on one of our programs due to recent educational policy reforms in China. This was beyond our control and something which we worked extremely hard to avoid. We delivered this information to the teaching team as soon as we had confirmation by live broadcast, in person. This was devastating for management and not an easy message to deliver, however, we can't commend the teaching team enough for being so understanding and supportive, given the circumstances. During our live broadcast we explained that due to the unexpected end of the previous online teaching program that we would be working to create our own online program and that we would love to invite teachers to work with us again when it was ready to launch. We gave teachers a platform to register their interests and create a teacher profile. This is what we are working on currently. We do have a very small number of students and teachers completing trial classes on our new platform and we hope to expand this and invite more teachers when we are able to. Please be assured that teaching opportunities with this new program have not been kept secret because we don't want more teachers to be working with us, we just don't have a sufficient number of students to be able to offer a full schedule of teaching to anyone - even the teachers who are teaching trial classes. This is something that will take time and we hope that you can understand this. We will be incredibly excited when we are able to offer more teaching positions to our fantastic online team. Annual leave was difficult to negotiate on the recently closed teaching program as it's structure was built around teachers having the same students and a set schedule of teaching each week to mirror classroom teaching. This format had numerous benefits for teachers and students. Teachers were able to build great rapport with their students, guide them through their language learning journey while having a reliable schedule and stable income. Students could rely on their teacher to give them a stable learning environment where they could participate in class to the best of their ability. On the other hand, this did mean that taking leave throughout the teaching term was disruptive to the students learning and didn't meet the clients expectations of the program. We did advise against taking time off during term times unless absolutely necessary, encouraged teachers to take breaks between terms and consider their availability very carefully at the start of each term before submitting their desired schedule. The structure and expectations for the program are also clearly defined in our teacher handbook, explained throughout the interview and training process, as well as reminders being delivered in daily notifications, updates and team meetings. Finding a better system for annual leave is something that we are working on while we build our own program. At The Overseas Teacher, we want to create an online teaching program that provides teachers with stability and community and offers continuous feedback and further training opportunities. We would love to have the opportunity to discuss your concerns with you further so that we can better understand your experience and make improvements to the management of the program for future online teaching positions we offer. We would encourage you to contact us directly if possible and look forward to hearing from you. Thank you again for taking the time to write a review for us, it is greatly appreciated. Kind regards, TOT Team
- 5.07 Jun 2021Online TeacherCurrent Employee, less than 1 yearWarrington, North West England, England
Pros
1) How did your initial interview go with TOT team before you were offered the position? My interview was with James, from the first moment I met him (virtually) he made me feel instantly comfortable and confident which is something that I really struggle with especially when meeting new people in a professional environment. There was nothing too big or too small that he could do to help me. Even answering my messages late at night when I was worried or making sure that we could find a time to suit my schedule when things went wrong in my interview. 2) Do you feel the support to get you prepared for the interview with First Leap was helpful? I feel like I was fully supported in the interview process with First Leap – again it was James that I was working with, and he helped me from start to finish. Even answering the questions for me that others might find silly. He completely made me feel as though I wasn’t alone in the process, honestly for an interview for a job I wanted so badly – he made the process enjoyable. 3) Did the interview go as you expected? I think that the interview went better than I expected, as I was so prepared for the questions my interviewer asked and I had my answers ready. It helps that I have had online experience for the role for almost 12 months and I completely fell in love with the being a teacher. My passion for teaching also assisted me in the interview 4) Did you get support on looking at the offer letter to help you decide whether to accept the position? I believe that I had full support in looking at my offer letter, again this was with James, and we had a lengthy video call discussing all areas of the offer letter, feedback on the interview, what it would mean to accept, any other questions or queries I had been answered and he helped me to conclude that I wanted the role very quickly. We had worked on this together for a long time and this is what we were waiting for. 5) How are you enjoying the team comradery on Lark? This is the first company I have worked for where I really feel like I am part of a team, from the internal management to the people I work with daily, I have never felt more comfortable and more supported in any job I have ever had. The management team truly do care about you and your well-being, they will support you in any way that they can and there are always opportunities to do more within the company. This is truly the best job I have ever had; with the best people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. 6) Do you feel the visa prep assistance is going well? The visa prep assistance with the overseas teacher is incredible, I came into this feeling overwhelmed like I would never be able to understand what was expected of me, what I needed to do, where I needed to be, what document went where but then you meet Bella. Bella made it seem manageable, the way she organises the system for you, and you can see it happening and are updated step by step is amazing. She is always there to answer any questions you have and if she doesn't know the answer, she will find it for you. She truly supports you in every area and is somebody you need on your team. It is a pleasure to work with Bella. 7) Would I recommend The Overseas Teacher? 100% - I can assure you, there is no company out there like it. You would be lucky to work for them.
Cons
There are no cons to working for this company - honestly.
The Overseas Teacher Response3yHello, Thank you for leaving us such a graceful review. It reminds us why we love to do what we do. It is truly an honour to work with teachers like yourself. James, our head of recruitment, is extremely focused on making sure that each of our teachers, can create communication and dialogue at all time, precisely for this purpose. Himself and the team are overjoyed that you felt this way about our service. It is important for candidates to remember that we want each candidate to get the best jobs that fit their needs and requirements. Thus, we will ensure that we give the best assistance leading up to interviews for schools, as well as a follow-up chat after. In terms of team-building, we pursue to create an online community culture between our teachers. Whether that be online events such as pub quizzes, fitness classes or magic nights, we must make sure you feel part of the team, because you are what makes the TOT team. Finally, we can understand fully why you may have felt overwhelmed with the visa process, as this is a common perception. On the other hand, fortunately, we have Bella who has developed a key understanding of each stage of the visa process. Bella has also helped us create a description stage by stage visa process explanation, which will soon be on our website, podcast and articles. Furthermore, Bella will also assist teachers who wish to discuss queries with the visa process, to give you specific assistance. To conclude, thank you again for such an amazing review. We hope to work with you for many more years.
- 5.025 May 2021Technical Operations ManagerFormer Employee, more than 1 yearCanterbury, England
Pros
The management team truly demonstrated their interest in the Education and success of it's programs by providing extensive training to all teachers (both experienced and new to education) to ensure student satisfaction. The environment that TOT created through social nights and the casual interaction with teachers outside of lesson hours truly created an enjoyable place to work.
Cons
Can include long hours for management/non-teaching staff, which is expected of a new successful start-up.
The Overseas Teacher Response3yHello Nate, Thank you for your review, it was an honour to work with you. You have played a huge part in the success of TOT and we are truly grateful to have had you on the team. Your role as technical operations manager, allowed TOT to implement a online training programme that has been successful in creating teaching skills that result in successful academic terms back to back. We enjoyed every moment of socialising with you and creating a fun work environment and again, we thank you for all your hard work. The hours we invest into TOT are what secure us as one of the leading online education firms within the UK. We can understand that at times this demand may lead to certain personal sacrifices, but as we develop further, those sacrifices will be rewarded. Thank you for the time you invested in us. We will most certainly invest further into our technology solutions and platform to enhance the quality of teaching for students and teachers. We wish you the best of luck in the future. Kind regards, TOT Team
- 5.023 Jul 2021English TeacherCurrent Employee, more than 1 yearCanterbury, England
Pros
Incredible company to work for with flexible hours, great incentives and an very helpful team of teachers and managers that motivate and communicate effectively.
Cons
Software used for teaching not always too reliable but is working to be improved all the time so they should get there soon.
1The Overseas Teacher Response3yHello, Thank you for your review. We are truly honoured to work with teachers like yourself. Flexibility is a key ethos that is carried throughout The Overseas Teacher, as we believe in a modern way of working. Allowing our teachers to choose their working hours creates flexibility for other responsibilities such as university, family other jobs etc. Creating a community between management and teachers is also important at The Overseas Teacher, as we want to watch your journey as you develop as a teacher, and support you when you need it. We are glad that you feel part of this community and honoured to have you on the team. Software issues can be a nightmare at times and we can understand the stress this can cause teachers at times. We do strive to be better and our tech team are constantly communicating on how we can develop stronger software. Thank you for highlighting this however, we will keep the team updated on all updates we have with further development. Thank you again for your review. Kind regards, TOT Team
- 5.015 Sept 2021TeacherCurrent Employee, less than 1 year
Pros
Friendly team and great students
Cons
Sometimes the communication could be better
- 5.08 Jun 2021English TeacherCurrent Employee, less than 1 year
Pros
Brilliant management, always willing to help Once in a lifetime opportunity Good Money Supportive
Cons
You have to pay for work visa and other documents, etc before you go. But this can easily be paid off quickly once you start working.
The Overseas Teacher Response3yThank you for your review and we are flattered by your kind words. We are proud that you have found our management supportive during your process to get to China during this covid period. Thank you for your constant patience and resilience. We have worked tirelessly to get to a stage where teachers can finally start flying to China and it is slowly starting to pick up again, which is fab! In regards to payment for your initial docs, this is the only expense that teachers need to pay for, as we do not charge for our service. So paying for a visa and docs can be disappointing, however, we view this more as an initial investment which, as you mentioned, will shortly be paid back. Thank you for representing TOT so well. Kind regards, TOT Team
- 5.019 Jul 2021Head of Talent AcquisitionCurrent Employee
Pros
Great communication, support and career prospects
Cons
No cons working for this company
The Overseas Teacher Response3yThank you for your review. We strive to make a strong communication level with all our team members who represent TOT through our online communication platform Lark, which allows teachers and staff to constantly stay connected. Thank you for representing TOT so well
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The Overseas Teacher Reviews FAQs
The Overseas Teacher has an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5, based on over 49 reviews left anonymously by employees. 92% of employees would recommend working at The Overseas Teacher to a friend and 87% have a positive outlook for the business. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.
92% of The Overseas Teacher employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated The Overseas Teacher 4.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.7 for culture and values and 4.2 for career opportunities.
