| I have one of the greatest jobs in the
| |
| | I think you can train people to do many
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| world. I get paid to do what I love
| |
| | things. Isn't this complaint a tad picky?
|
| doing. I teach English in Japan. I have
| |
| | The person who wrote this comment seems
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| always enjoyed meeting and conversing
| |
| | to think people can't learn anything new.
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| with interesting people, only now I get
| |
| | 12. Some "eikaiwa" schools' sales pitch
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| paid for it.
| |
| | persuades students they can learn English
|
| Yet, teaching at English conversation
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| | in just one hour a week (or in some
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| schools ("Eikaiwa") seems to be a
| |
| | cases, half an hour). Unless a student is
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| much-maligned profession, especially on
| |
| | also studying elsewhere, this is totally
|
| certain websites. One of those is Arthur
| |
| | inadequate for learning anything.
|
| Caversham's The Truth About Shane and
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| | I think that it will take a very long
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| Nova Pages at
| |
| | time to learn that way. That is what we
|
| Let me examine some of his claims.
| |
| | tell students when we meet them for the
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| 1. "Eikaiwa" schools employ teachers with
| |
| | first time, and on our homepage in
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| no teaching experience.
| |
| | Japanese. We let them know that learning
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| So what? Some of the best teachers in the
| |
| | English is more akin to learning
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| world are like a diamond in the rough. If
| |
| | classical piano than like learning how to
|
| you hire people who have an aptitude for
| |
| | swim. Classical piano and English take a
|
| teaching, train them and help them along
| |
| | long time to master. Why hide that from
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| the way, they will be better teachers
| |
| | them? Some schools do hide that fact. I
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| than many teachers who have an advanced
| |
| | don't agree with that personally and
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| degree.
| |
| | don't follow that business practice. We
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| 2. "Eikaiwa" schools employ teachers with
| |
| | try to be honest with students about what
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| no teaching qualifications.
| |
| | they are up against. I think a lot of
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| Again, so what? Famous Japanese companies
| |
| | "eikaiwa" schools are like ours that way.
|
| do the same thing. They employ people
| |
| | 13. Shane's sales pitch persuades parents
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| with no specific qualifications and train
| |
| | to send children as young as two years
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| them to work in departments which have
| |
| | old to its English lessons.
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| nothing to do with their university
| |
| | Unsurprisingly, these poor kids learn
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| degrees. "Eikaiwa" schools have their own
| |
| | nothing.
|
| in-house training programs and they train
| |
| | I think that children this age can learn
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| their teachers, too.
| |
| | with the right teacher. Of course, the
|
| 3. "Eikaiwa" schools employ teachers with
| |
| | parents have to do their bit at home
|
| NEITHER teaching experience NOR teaching
| |
| | though. Unfortunately, few parents are
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| qualifications.
| |
| | willing to help out. Teachers also need
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| So do many other businesses in every
| |
| | to explain to the mothers when they come
|
| industry imaginable. Do you believe that
| |
| | with their children what they should do
|
| university training is the only thing
| |
| | at home to help their kids learn. The
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| that matters? Many successful people have
| |
| | school also needs to explain this.
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| no formal education beyond college, yet
| |
| | 14. Shane recruits teachers in England
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| they are now company presidents. Some of
| |
| | with the promise of providing them with
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| the worst teachers in the world have a
| |
| | company accommodation. In practice, Shane
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| PhD.
| |
| | provides sub-standard accommodation (e.g.
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| If the schools train them to teach, isn't
| |
| | apartments with neither shower nor hot
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| that sometimes better than a university
| |
| | water in the kitchen) at inflated prices.
|
| education that is full of theory and
| |
| | Shane leases apartments from landlords
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| sometimes a waste of time? Isn't
| |
| | and rents them to teachers at a profit.
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| practical on-the-job training sometimes
| |
| | Are these apartments furnished? I assume
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| on a par with or better than a university
| |
| | they are. We also provide furnished
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| education?
| |
| | apartments to our teachers and the cost
|
| 4. Some "eikaiawa" schools demand that
| |
| | of upkeep is astronomical. Shouldn't the
|
| students pay a huge amount of money
| |
| | teachers share in that cost if they are
|
| before beginning their lessons. This
| |
| | using the facilities? If they break the
|
| money is not refundable.
| |
| | TV, shouldn't they contribute to the
|
| Yes, but so do many other businesses.
| |
| | repair? The Shane apartments I have seen
|
| There are also many "eikaiwa" schools
| |
| | have had a bath. They were no worse than
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| that allow students to pay by the month.
| |
| | what Japanese nextdoor were living in.
|
| They don't pay up front. Most schools are
| |
| | They may charge more than the rent to
|
| run by trustworthy people. How do I know
| |
| | cover for damage to the furniture and
|
| this? Because if they weren't
| |
| | other utilities. The company shouldn't
|
| trustworthy, they couldn't stay in
| |
| | have to pay for damage.
|
| business for very long; the word would
| |
| | The alternative to this is having to
|
| get around that they are shady operators.
| |
| | furnish your own place. Believe me, that
|
| 5. Nova's pay and conditions for teachers
| |
| | isn't fun either. Apartments in Japan
|
| are among the worst in Japan; therefore
| |
| | come with nothing usually, sometimes not
|
| Nova teachers are usually so bad they
| |
| | even a light bulb. Our apartments are
|
| cannot find a job elsewhere. This is also
| |
| | very clean and average to above average
|
| why Nova advertises for teachers every
| |
| | when compared to Japanese apartments in
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| week in the Japan Times.
| |
| | general.
|
| Perhaps. Or maybe they have so many
| |
| | 15. Should a teacher, recruited 6,000
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| schools - over 500 now - that they
| |
| | miles a way, realize that Shane's methods
|
| constantly need new teachers. If Nova is
| |
| | of operation leave something to be
|
| so terrible, why would anyone choose to
| |
| | desired, the company requires three
|
| work there? Some Nova teachers would be
| |
| | months notice of resignation.
|
| hired anywhere. They are very good
| |
| | Recently, it has taken well over four
|
| teachers, they enjoy working for Nova and
| |
| | months to secure working visas for our
|
| they care about their students.
| |
| | last two teachers. Staff at Panache, a
|
| 6. Nova uses the same boring textbooks
| |
| | recruitment office for companies, report
|
| (American Streamline, available from most
| |
| | the same thing. Three months are not long
|
| bookshops) for every lesson.
| |
| | when you consider that it usually takes
|
| Some schools allow their teachers to
| |
| | over four months to get a working visa
|
| choose which textbook they use, others
| |
| | for the next teacher. You could only hire
|
| don't. For some teachers, choosing the
| |
| | people with a working holiday visa, or
|
| textbook for them is a good thing. For
| |
| | another proper visa but then it restricts
|
| others, giving them more freedom is
| |
| | your choice of teachers.
|
| better. It really depends on how
| |
| | In Vancouver, when I worked for Pitney
|
| independent the teacher is.
| |
| | Bowes in sales, I knew I wouldn't do it
|
| 7. Teachers are not given time to prepare
| |
| | forever. The job was not my cup of tea;
|
| for any lessons.
| |
| | yet I respected the fact that my
|
| Most schools do give their teachers time
| |
| | colleagues thought of it as a career. I
|
| to prepare. As a professional, you are
| |
| | never once uttered, "I'm only doing this
|
| expected to show up to work and give
| |
| | until I get a real job." I would never
|
| yourself enough time to prepare or to
| |
| | have thought to make such a crass
|
| prepare at home. This is similar to
| |
| | comment. It was a real job in spite of
|
| public school teachers in North America.
| |
| | the fact I didn't like it.
|
| 8. Nova teachers are not allowed to
| |
| | I think good English teachers make Japan
|
| prepare their own lessons for students.
| |
| | a little more open if only in a small
|
| For some Nova teachers, giving them a
| |
| | way. I have taught well over 2,000
|
| structure to follow, I'm sure, is a good
| |
| | Japanese. They meet me on the street with
|
| thing. For other teachers, allowing them
| |
| | a greeting. They tell me, "thank you, for
|
| the freedom to plan their own lessons is
| |
| | teaching my son, my granddaughter, my
|
| better. That is what we do at our
| |
| | husband." It is a nice feeling. I have
|
| schools.
| |
| | touched people's lives in a way I never
|
| 9. Nova teachers are not allowed to
| |
| | imagined. What started out as simply an
|
| fraternize with students outside the
| |
| | English class has grown to mean much more
|
| classroom.
| |
| | over the years.
|
| True. However, most schools have no
| |
| | Not everyone can catch a touchdown pass
|
| problem with students and teachers
| |
| | in the Super Bowl. Not everyone can teach
|
| becoming friends. I have never understood
| |
| | English in Japan. Good teachers are born.
|
| Nova's non-fraternization policy myself.
| |
| | It is a God-given gift. Sure, you can
|
| I like it if our teachers become friends
| |
| | refine it, but either you are or you
|
| with students. I feel it helps the
| |
| | aren't a good teacher. All the PhDs in
|
| school.
| |
| | the world can't change that fact if you
|
| 10. Some "eikaiwa" schools fire teachers
| |
| | are a lousy one.
|
| who talk too much in class.
| |
| | Good teachers are personable, caring,
|
| It isn't the teacher who is supposed to
| |
| | sensitive, intelligent, well-read,
|
| do the talking. The students are supposed
| |
| | curious and have a sense of adventure -
|
| to talk and the teacher is supposed to
| |
| | to name but a few characteristics. They
|
| listen and correct. Some experts suggest
| |
| | care about their students and want to
|
| the teacher should try for only 15%
| |
| | help them improve. If you have the gift,
|
| speaking time and allow the students to
| |
| | I encourage you to use it. By using it in
|
| speak 85% of the time. I think that is a
| |
| | Japan, you are making the world a better
|
| great goal for all teachers.
| |
| | place.
|
| 11. Some "eikaiwa" schools claim to
| |
| | The writer, a Canadian, is the owner of
|
| specialize in teaching English to
| |
| | Kevin's English Schools, The Canadian
|
| children, yet most of their teachers have
| |
| | Schools in Japan.
|
| no qualifications or background in
| |
| | There are four schools in Kanagawa.
|
| teaching children.
| |
| |
|
