FAQ

Working with us

How many hours per week will I teach?

The maximum teaching hours per week is 30. Some days will be shorter, and if you choose to work overtime (fully paid), some work days may end up being longer than others. Overtime hours are up to you.

What time will I start and finish my teaching shift?

Regular teaching shifts are 9:30am-6:30pm. Centers are open until 7:30pm from Monday to Friday, so teachers are required to rotate on these shifts, meaning that twice per week teachers have to stay until 7:30pm.

What age range will I teach?

Monkey Tree’s students typically range from 3-12 years-old, with a large portion of our students being in the age range of about 3-7. If you love kids, Monkey Tree is a great place to get to teach, learn, play, and develop with the young children.

How much do I need to know about grammar?

If you speak English with native proficiency, you will have no limitations with your ability to teach grammar. With your TEFL course and the training you’ll receive at Monkey Tree, you’ll have no problem teaching English to your students.

How can I get to know my fellow teachers from other centers?

Monkey Tree has groups on Facebook that you will be added to in order to connect with other teachers. In addition, many teachers host events and do activities together which are great places to meet new friends from all over the world.

What are the career progression opportunities within the company?

Every center has a team of teachers, one of whom is a head teacher. Head teacher positions become available throughout the year and internal applications can be made by teachers to become head teachers. Monkey Tree has a growing team of curriculum designers, center liaisons, regional team leaders, and various other positions that become available on occasion. As you develop as a teacher and your skills become more and more well-rounded, you will have the opportunity to apply for certain positions that are appealing to you.

What will be my days off?

Every teacher gets 2 days off per week. Everybody in the company gets Sundays off, and your second day off will be allocated to you on one of the other days. As with your location in Hong Kong, we do accept requests for having a particular day off, but many factors are involved in this decision and we cannot always guarantee that you will get your exact desired day off.

Do you host social events (meet-and-greets) for teachers?

Monkey Tree has an annual summer party to which everyone is invited. Our English department hosts periodic meet and greets, and each center will also host periodic group events.

Where should I live?

There are basically 2 main options: rent a flat on your own or with a friend, or live the subsidized Monkey Tree housing with 2-3 other Monkey Tree teachers. All of our flats are conveniently located near MTR stations and have fixed room rental rates that are independent of how many people live there. If you live on your own, we’d suggest that you try to find a place that is centrally located and in the range of HK$5,500-8,000 per month. Good areas to search are Jordan, Mong Kok, and Prince Edward in Kowloon, and North Point and Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island. Check squarefoot to get a good idea of price points and sizes of flats.

Do you provide housing?

We offer subsidized housing that is managed, maintained, furnished, and professionally cleaned on a regular basis. There is no long-term commitment period, the flats are furnished, and the fully-refundable rental deposit is less than 25% of a regular rental deposit. Whether you want to live with us for 1 month while you search for your own flat or if you want to stay with us for the duration of your teaching contract, this option is fully flexible and makes your transition to Hong Kong convenient and easy.