Job Discussion Forums

[jamessn]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking into this one small english language school in Sanyoonoda-shi, Japan called the British English & New Dance Academy, run by a man named Ted Nutton.

The contract seems decent enough, and I like the idea of a smaller work environment, and a boss who clearly speaks English himself (already spoken to him in interview).

The main concern I currently have is simply that I can find any real information or outside reviews about them anywhere. Now this may be normal as they only have about 6 ESL teachers at any point, but the school has been around since the 80's or 90's depending on the business profiles I look up.

Also, because I've been told that sometimes ESL schools with a bad reputation might just change their name to avoid all the bad internet buzz, I did a more general search of schools in the area and found a recent posting for Anglo English School (A.E.S), owned by the same guy, and all the facebook posts and pictures are the same for both schools. He did mention that there were two locations, but didn't mention that they had different names, so It's a little confusing and putting me a bit at unease.

I guess what I'm asking is if anyone has heard of either of these schools before, worked for them, or know someone who has, because the most recent info on them from this forum dates back to 2007.

Thanks everyone!!!!

[fredyis42]

Hi. I found a site for BENDA and I also looked at their Facebook page.

http://bendaacademy.jimdo.com/ Only in Japanese.

I don't know a lot about them but here is what I do know. I am a man and I applied for a job with them. Didn't get a response at all and I
wondered why until I found their site and saw that all of the "teachers" are women. No, problem but as as I man I do have to ask why. I think it is because women are seen are more arty and dancy. Sorry I know those two words don't exist but that is what BENDA stands for. The British English and New Dance Academy. They really focus in dance using English as a draw card. Well that is my impression. The Facebook page also gives the same impression with focus on music and dance and the arts in some way.

As for Anglo English. It really does sound like the name of a school. If I was Japanese I would know that I can go here and learn British English. I don't know anything about this school. I did find a site, all in Japanese and again a lot of the teachers if not all of them are women. Why? You can only wonder.

What I do know about BENDA is that every month they adverstise in O-Hayo Sensai. The question is why? I think if you saw an ad in the paper all the time you would wonder why. You would think people go through the mill a lot or that the company is really fussy. Good luck and I hope it helps. Personally I wouldn't waste my time with BENDA or ANGLO ENGLISH. They may seem friendly but the owner who is a man may not be the one wearing the pants at these schools and since the owner is a man and if there is a high turn around does that mean there is hanky panky going on since all of the teachers are women.

[Pitarou]

[rxk22]

[Pitarou]

[Lady Optima]

I would imagine the reason that they are always advertising is because Sanyoonoda is *truly* the sticks.

It might be difficult to get a teacher to want to go there and then to get a teacher to stay.

Take that into consideration before you agree to a contract, if you want to live in the middle of nowhere.

Closest "big" city is Shimonoseki which is nice and all, (Ube isn't too far but it is smaller) but Sanyoonoda is chirping crickets and croaking frogs but I am sure for the locals and the nature lovers it is not without its charms.

I was there last weekend.

[rxk22]

Well, as it normally is male English teachers outnumber the women a good 4 to 1 or so. So being all women is def something that would make me wonder about what is going on.



Had to google it but yes Sanyoonoda is a small town. Well nothing big is going to be in Yamaguchi anyways. It is also pretty far from any real city save Fukuoka. So getting a gaijin out there might be tough.

[Pitarou]

[rxk22]

[piglet44]

I am a female teacher and they never replied to me, I am now thinking perhaps because I am not young and nubile?

[Lamarr]

The name BENDA would put me off straight away. Why would a native English-speaking owner call their school a name like that? Even more, is his name a mickey-take as well? Ted Nutton, for goodness sake?

The fact that it's out in the sticks in Fukuoka raises alarm bells too. Not saying this guy is one of them, but there've been stories of dodgy pervert English teachers in that neck of the woods on and off for years now. Those things in themselves would put me off and make me look elsewhere.

That said, ask Mr. Know-it-all Taikibansei about it. I'm surprised he hasn't chimed in with his vast, superior knowledge of these things. He knows everything there is to know about English teaching the world over, unlike frauds such as myself.

[taikibansei]

[TokyoLiz]

Wow, Lamar, that's a nasty comment. Taikibansei and other veterans have taken the time to post thoughtful, well-informed responses so many times. He's one of the go-to people here.

Add to Taikibansei's list Sweetsee, who used to contribute here.

Back to the topic - when I was hiring English teachers (ALTs and ESL specialties) it was extremely hard to find women candidates, which schools frequently requested. Some schools want to have gender balance in their foreign staff, others want to avoid issues with guys who skirt-chase (their prejudice, not mine).

There are many schools that incorporate movement or dance in their curriculum. Early childhood education specialists, dancers, etc. are more likely to be female.

It's not surprising that the school struggles to retain women teachers at a rural school.

Pitarou, women TESOL teachers with experience and a qualification can get proper jobs here. Many of my women teacher colleagues are TESOL MA or K-12 educators. They work in international schools, private high schools with returnee or accelerated English programs, or universities.

If you don't have teacher education, sure, you're looking at eikaiwa and ALT work, not academic programs.

[Lamarr]

He was very rude to me on here some time ago, so if you want to look for the original source of any nasty comments and the reasons for them, take it up with him. I proffered some information based on what I knew, and he went absolutely berserk. Maybe he was just having a bad day.

[taikibansei]