Teacher
So many cons of working for CISK or Canadian international school kunshan. During the interview process they promise teachers a salary. When you arrive on the first day they make teachers renegotiate (they do this while you're between visas so you can't refuse their offers).
The school will hire any forigners including those with no experience or no college level education. They do this through business and spouse visas. As a result the quality, professionalism and salary is low (similar to a training centre).
The school is known as a bottom feeder school taking in students with academic, behavioral and mental health problems from other schools in Shanghai and Suzhou. Disruption is common and unless you have experience with special education you will have difficulty teaching.
There are alot of management in the school but most are inexperienced and demand pointless meetings and paperwork resulting in a high workload (as much as 4 hours worth of meetings a week).
Staff turnover is high at about 70% a year. This figure would probably be higher but most teachers are forced to sign 2 year contracts. As a result if high turnover there are few resources and no solid curriculum meaning that you make things up as you go. Managements favourite lie about this is "you will build the department yourself".
To top things off the school withholds important documents from teachers when they leave the school (not sure of this is out of spite or lack of organisation), but this can affect your application for further jobs after your employment there.
Overall best avoided.
6 other reviews for Canadian International School Kunshan - (Reviews aren't verified )
Showing 5 reviews by parents and students.
Parent
I have had my children in CISK for the last 5 years (now grade 7 and grade 4) and there have been considerable changes in principals and staff over this time, which is normal for international schools, but from my experience the school continues to improve and get better. Before we were in the IB schooling system in Shanghai but the ridiculous school fees and rental prices made us relocated to Kunshan which is so much more affordable and CISK school fees being 60% cheaper than we used to pay. We have friends of our moving their children over from Shanghai later this year and we are super happy to be part of the growing CISK community.
Student
As a member of the school, I think this school is not bad, after all, it is the only school for foreign children in Kunshan, and the school has been developing in a good direction. The canteen supplier is Sodexo, the lunch is delicious, the teachers are very patient and friendly, and some history graduates have entered Harvard. The tuition fee is much cheaper than Shanghai Harrow, Dulwich, Wellington and other schools, and I am willing to continue to study here.
Parent
CISK is a good international school. IB system is very different from the school system of where I come from, it gives children room to grow, not just stuff all those knowledge from textbook to their mind, but to inspire them and allow them to develop in their own way, with appropriate and personalized guidance.
Parent
When we put our child in this school they tell us all teacher are qualified and 80% native speaker. Many teacher did not go to college. Even some forigner not have good English. When conplain about school the heads keep pass the blame to owners. Bullying and our child said he never learn anything and the teachers don't try to teach. Managers dont pay school fee but have private classes for their own kids. School has money difficultues but managers children have private class.
Parent
Expensive school with low quality. We remove our kids in January. CISK lose over 50 student in one year. New owner and principal every year. No facility and teachers for science. Lazy Teachers. No honesty.
