Teacher Testimonials
When I first accepted the job teaching English in Taiwan, I was excited but nervous. I had very little travel experience, I had never been to Asia, I knew next to no Chinese, and I had never taught in a classroom before. The horror stories that I found on Taiwan themed message boards only heightened my apprehension. But when I arrived in Taiwan to start my new job at Wordsworth SC1, I was greeted by a professional, helpful, and understanding boss who did everything possible to make me feel welcomed. At Wordsworth, my fair wages have always been paid on time without discrepancy, I have never had trouble using my allotted vacation time, and my boss has been understanding of sickness and family emergencies. I have always been given the space and respect to teach in a style that works for me, while also being respectfully challenged to be the best teacher that I can be. Adapting to life in Taiwan was surprisingly easy, and Taipei quickly became my home. I fell in love with this beautiful country and its friendly people, and there’s nowhere in the world that I would rather be. I think, however, that if I had taken a job with another school which has a reputation for treating its employees like faceless drones, my experience in Taiwan would have been quite different.
What started as an apprehensive jump into the unknown quickly became the greatest experience of my life. My one-year teaching adventure has turned into an indefinite stay in Taiwan. I would recommend Wordsworth to new and experienced teachers alike. It is a company that truly looks after its employees.
Mike
Jaclyn
Being completely honest, Taiwan was not the first country I looked at when I decided to teach ESL. It was a small, unassuming island I didn’t even know existed until I researched more job opportunities. What made me come to this country was the vote of confidence I received about SC1. I had heard horror stories about people’s experiences with bad schools, but I was assured that SC1 was in a completely different league. That fact has been proven again and again throughout my time here. After two years of teaching at this school, I have no regrets. I was allowed the opportunity to grow as a teacher in an environment where I wouldn’t drown under the pressure. It has become a place I love to work. From my students to my employer and coworkers, I have been inspired to grow as an educator by the people I’m surrounded by at this school.
Speaking on the country itself, Taiwan is filled with culture, people, and nature too kind and beautiful to ignore. Though my skills at getting lost have progressed at an unimaginable rate, I have come to love it here all the same.
Mark
I was working in China when I went to Taiwan on holiday. Within the first afternoon, I'd decided I wanted to live there. As soon as I got back, I applied for many jobs and was lucky enough to get a few interviews. What really stood out about SC1 compared to other schools during my interviews was the friendliness of the people already there. It seemed like the school really cared about their teachers not only enjoying their jobs, but also making the most of being in Taiwan. When I arrived, this was all proved to be true. But while I was working at the school, something else stood out more than anything: organisation. Having worked in China and now in Italy, I can honestly say that SC1 is the most organised school I've ever come across. This made working there so much better because I could focus on teaching without any unwanted distractions. This extended outside the school. When it came to things like visas, finding an apartment, applying for tax rebates and the other stuff that can be a chore in a new country, I was amazed at how the school handled it all. What I came to realise throughout my time there was that the school was working so hard to make things comfortable because they really cared about the teachers, not just as employees but as people, as friends. They wanted us to take as much as possible from our experience in Taiwan, and, with their help and generosity, I certainly did. I left Taiwan to be closer to my family in England. Had I stayed, I wouldn't have considered working in a different school. I still miss the school, the people and the country to this day.
Jon
Taiwan was a wonderful and very rewarding experience. Taiwan has so much to offer – vibrant cities, lofty mountains, chilled out beaches, fascinating culture, amazing food and above all warm, friendly, welcoming people. The school is a great place to work. The management, teachers and admin staff are excellent and all very supportive and easy going, which made it a nice environment to work in. I taught a wide range of age groups and levels. The learners were good fun to teach and I miss them a lot! The staff room is well stocked with teaching materials and resources and the teachers were always sharing ideas with each other, which helped make it a professionally stimulating place to work. I loved my time working at the school and living in Taiwan and would recommend it to anyone.
Alexandra
I loved my time working at the SC1! During the three and a half years I worked there, I learned how to become a better teacher with the help of the owner, senior teachers, and colleagues. Everyone at SC1 works hard to make classes instructive, creative, and fun! Because of my wonderful experience there, I have decided to make teaching my career. I also enjoyed my time in Taiwan because of the beautiful landscape, the fantastic food, and the welcoming people. If anyone ever tells me they’re interested in teaching abroad, I always recommend Taiwan and especially SC1!
Marcus
I moved to Taiwan knowing very little about it. On arrival, I immediately realised that I’d made the right decision. My plan was to stay a year and move on. However, after living there for 14 years, I finally tore myself away with a very heavy heart in 2015.
Taiwan is a wonderful place with a wealth of variety, colours and opportunities. For those with a healthy mindset, there is an abundance of sporting and fitness options, from yoga to football, gyms to snorkeling, cycling to scuba diving and from marathons to surfing. For foodies, the options are innumerable and plentiful, while for those who more nightlife inclined, well, Taipei is truly a 24 hour city. There are beaches, temples, mountains, rice paddies, National Parks and outlying islands to visit. Taiwan has it all, and yet its biggest asset and draw is its people, who are more warm, welcoming and friendly than you could ever imagine.
As for the Sanchong 1 school, the students enjoy fun, creative and engaging lessons, delivered by the dedicated teachers and supported by the management and staff as a whole. You will be supported and guided by the staff, who are incredibly helpful and kind, and who have a wealth of experience. The school is run fantastically and you will find it easy to fit right in.
I’m sure you will enjoy your life in Taiwan both inside and outside of work!
Emily
I thoroughly enjoyed my one year working at Wordsworth English School in Sanchong. It was an amazing welcome to Taiwan, and I felt well and truly looked after throughout my entire time there. The school is very organized and well-run, with sufficient support from all the staff and fellow English teachers, so I felt I was equipped with everything I needed to teach with confidence from the start. All of the students I either taught or came into contact with were polite, interested and engaged and I felt that we both gained a lot from our time together at Wordsworth. I would absolutely recommend the school to both teachers and students, as the experience completely exceeded my expectations!
Andy
I started my first ESL job in late 2017 in Taiwan. Before researching where I wanted to teach I had never even heard of Taiwan. After getting some first-hand knowledge from teachers who were already here I knew this is where I wanted to go. I thought that it would be a bit of a worry moving to the other side of the world, to a country where I don’t speak any of the language and with no friends. After moving here I know it was 100% the best decision I could have made.
I love the country and the people and I have found that teaching is definitely my calling in life. I currently work at a Wordsworth school in Daya, Taichung. I love my school so much, everyone is so friendly and always checking that I am settling into the country fine and everything is going well for me. The school is only a small one so I know all of the kids personally which is so nice. The kids are the thing that make it such a great experience for me, they are always eager to learn and enjoy our lessons together.
If you are worrying about coming here with little experience then that is not an issue as Wordsworth has a full comprehensive training week when you first arrive. This will help you settle into teaching and show you what is expected for your next year with the company. I am very grateful to all of my colleagues at my school for making the experience so easy and for them being so welcoming to me. Taiwan is definitely a good country to start your first ESL job as everyone is so friendly, welcoming and laid back. You will love your time here and make friends and memories you will never forget.
Colby Ferland
I had an absolutely wonderful time living and working in Asia, and I attribute that successful experience to 2 smart/lucky moves I made.
I spent time traveling throughout East Asia, and Taiwan struck me as the most ideal place to work, study, and maintain a good quality of life. Smart move #1. It absolutely is. Taiwan offers the rare ability to have brunch in a trendy restaurant nestled in an affluent city neighborhood, go for an afternoon hike in the mountains and visit villages lost in time, and then return to a bustling Taipei night market packed with culture and good food before hitting the movie theater and returning home. It’s modern, it’s inexpensive, it’s cultural. All in a day’s work.
All that remained was the golden question: How to make a living? I applied around and found a job teaching at what is now Wordsworth SC2. Smart move #2.
Actually, probably more lucky than smart, as a first-time teacher it’s hard to really gauge a good employment contract/working experience not having worked for different schools to compare. I did spend some time subbing at various schools for extra cash, and wow, let me just say that I counted my blessings every time I did so. Apathy is cancerous in the cram school world. So many teachers and staff are just logging in the hours and getting their paychecks, it’s quite unfortunate. If teachers and staff don’t care, the students don’t care, and it just leads to a miserable work environment. This is NOT the case at SC2. The management is attentive, organized, and eager to offer advice and suggestions for their teaching staff. The TAs, on the whole, have been there for a long time and have developed a rapport with the students, which is integral for classroom management. The students are also clever and quite well behaved, mostly because they have structure and a staff that care.
Landing the Wordsworth SC2 job was icing on the cake for me. If you’re motivated and capable, Wordsworth SC2 offers the stability and quality of life that is prized among expats. Count yourself lucky to find a position such as that, they are few and far between.
John Yacovelle
I still vividly remember the morning my flight from San Diego left for Taiwan back September of 2017. Sitting in the airport terminal thinking about how I have relatively no international travel experience nor have I ever lived so far away from home immediately engendered thoughts of apprehension. Even though I had studied some Chinese in college, I still became teary-eyed as I knew that I was about to venture into the unknown and my life would undergo drastic changes.
However, the second I arrived in Taiwan, these feelings began to subside as the people of Wordsworth Sanchong 2 understand that moving across the globe is not easy, and thus will be with you every step of the way as you make your transition from Western culture to Asian culture. Ultimately, this compassion for teachers then gets reflected on their compassion for the students as the teachers and staff of Wordsworth Sanchong 2 view their job as more than just a paycheck. Consequently, the students will respond to the positive environment they are in by showing an active interest in learning English, thus making the teacher’s job even easier. In fact, the relationships formed with the students easily became my favorite part of the job.
However, the one of the biggest positives of working at Wordsworth Sanchong 2 is definitely the management. Never have I ever wondered if my hours are correct or if I am not being paid the correct wages. The school is incredibly well organized and this is something that it takes pride in.
In conclusion, teaching English at Taiwan sounds like a daunting task, luckily Wordsworth Sanchong 2 understands this and because of that understanding, I thoroughly enjoyed my time teaching there. It was an amazing adventure that gave me memories that will last a lifetime. If you are interested in teaching abroad, you can’t go wrong with Wordsworth.
Olivia
After graduating from college, I knew that I wanted to live in Taiwan, study Chinese, and teach English. What I didn’t know was how to find a quality teaching job, having no prior experience. When I arrived in Taiwan, Wordsworth welcomed me and provided me with all of the resources I could’ve asked for. Not only did they help me find excellent housing, but they also helped me find my footing as an English teacher. Thanks to Wordsworth, I gained some really valuable career skills that I’ll be able to take with me outside of the classroom setting.
Throughout my year at Wordsworth, I was able to pursue my goals of studying Chinese, exploring the nature of Taiwan, and traveling around Asia. I never once felt overworked or under-compensated during my time there. My experience at Wordsworth was nothing short of life-changing, and I would recommend it to anyone who is seeking an EFL teaching environment that prioritizes professionalism and mutual respect.
Mike N
When I got on the plane to Taiwan, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to begin a new, fast paced life in a vibrant city like Taipei. I had always dreamed of walking down busy streets, with the smells of street food and incense flooding my senses. Working at Wordsworth made this dream become a reality. As soon as I arrived at the airport, someone from Wordsworth picked me up and helped me get to my hotel. From there, we went apartment hunting, and within two days, found a dream apartment in the heart of Taipei! Wordsworth also played a key role in helping me set up my bank account and cell phone plan, which was greatly appreciated given that I couldn’t speak a word of Mandarin!
As a school, Wordsworth was a great place to work. The management, staff and other teachers were very friendly when I got there, and I felt genuinely welcomed. I had heard about many horror stories about schools not paying their teachers on time, or overbearing management taking away teachers’ individual teaching styles. None of this was the case at Wordsworth, I was always paid on time and was treated very fairly. I grew close to my colleagues and ended up making some friends for life during my time at the school. I also had an amazing time with my students; seeing them going from hardly being able to speak a word of English to having full conversations with them was extremely rewarding.
Having a great place to work made my time in Taiwan an amazing experience. I was able to travel all around the island, as well as visit neighboring countries during my two year stay in Taiwan. I will always look back fondly at my time there and urge anyone who is thinking about teaching at Wordsworth to go for it!
Nick
Working and teaching at Wordsworth was the best job I have ever had. I feel very fortunate to have been surrounded by experienced teachers who were always patient, encouraging and willing to share their knowledge. As I became more experienced, I did my best to pass on the kindness that had been shown to me, and my effort and input were respected and appreciated. In addition to the positive environment, I was afforded the luxury of always feeling secure. I have heard a lot of stories from friends over the years about financial disputes with employers. I was always given enough hours to live comfortably, and I was always paid on time and in full. I was always treated more than fairly.
What really stands out in my mind, though, is the support I received that I didn’t expect. Even though it was a place of work, I was made to feel almost as if I were part of a family. If this had not been the case, I cannot imagine how different my experience of moving more than 7,000 miles from home would have been. I felt valued as an employee, but I felt valued even more as a person. Teachers at Wordsworth are expected to be professional and work hard, but there is also a strong emphasis on helping teachers have a great experience in Taiwan. I received a lot of help over the years with things such as finding an apartment, banking, navigating immigration and labor red tape, filing taxes, and, in tougher times, dealing with insurance after hospital visits. I am in no way a special case, as I have seen these same courtesies extended to every teacher.
I eventually moved on to another job as my priorities and responsibilities changed, but it was really hard to leave. As time passes, I appreciate the time I had at Wordsworth more and more. It’s not only a great place to start off in Taiwan, it’s a place that people want to stay.
Logan
Making the move to Taiwan and working at Wordsworth English was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Packing my life in a suitcase and leaving for an unknown culture was not easy but Wordsworth helped make the transition as smooth as possible. Not only was I assisted with finding housing, but a member of staff also helped me complete my health check, obtain my residency card, and set up a bank account. The support from the staff was consistent and always available.
Once in the classroom, I was pleasantly surprised with how well-mannered and energetic the students were to be learning English. Class sizes were always reasonable which allowed me to build rapport and get to know my students better. Supplementary resources were readily available and the SMART boards were excellent for incorporating technology into the lessons. Whenever I reached a time where I was unsure of what to do or how to approach a lesson, I received support from my fellow teachers who would always offer useful advice. The supportive environment made me feel comfortable when I was lacking confidence in myself.
I will always look back at my four years at Wordsworth fondly as it was a growing experience for me as a teacher, as well as a person. The relationships I have built there have stayed strong and I still receive support from the staff when needed. Even though I have left Wordsworth, I still feel like a member of the Wordsworth family and am very grateful for the opportunity they provided and the support they still offer me today.
Conrad
I came to Wordsworth as an experienced teacher, having taught at various types of schools in several different countries. I’ve had mostly positive experiences over the years but I can honestly say that Wordsworth is one of the few places where I felt fully supported and like part of a family. I was warmly welcomed to the company before I even started working and I quickly felt like I was a valued member of the team. I wasn’t treated like just another replaceable employee. In fact, the management team immediately recognized my knowledge and experience and made sure to find the proper role for me. Over time, I came to learn that every employee is made to feel welcome and appreciated at Wordsworth. This was refreshing to find out.
Although I came in with experience, I still received comprehensive training before I started teaching and also additional training when needed. This made it so that I always knew what was expected of me. At the same time, I was consistently encouraged to incorporate my own ideas and teaching style into my lessons. With this structure, things usually went smoothly. However, when the inevitable conflict or issue did arise, it was always handled with kindness and professionalism. It was an extremely healthy work environment and my colleagues and I often shared our appreciation for it.
Along with the support at school, I also received assistance on matters outside of work. The local staff was always willing to help me with any difficult or complicated situations I faced. This included finding a new apartment as well as many other things that came up. The local staff understand that teachers who are new to Taiwan might have trouble navigating life in a new country so they are proactive in helping with all kinds of anticipated and unanticipated difficulties. I will always be grateful to them for all the help and guidance I received.
Not every school has such a positive and nurturing environment so I feel lucky to have been a member of the Wordsworth team. It was definitely one of the most low-stress jobs I have ever had and I am thankful for all the fond memories and lifelong friends I made there.
Alex
“I’m so glad I had the opportunity to teach at Wordsworth. As a new ESL teacher, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I felt very supported here. Working at Wordsworth has been fulfilling and enjoyable. I grew as a teacher and made lifelong friends with my co-teachers. “