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Lack
Joined: 10 Aug 2011
Posts: 252
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 Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:03 am Post subject: |
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| Just do it the Asian way, as someone mentioned. You're leaving soon. There's not much they can do to you. You could keep quiet about it until you leave, and right before you leave, make sure you have contact info for your current students or that they have yours. Just try to eliminate the employer from any dealings or even knowledge of your next move. Make it entirely between you and the students. I never have any sympathy for Asian employers; they're typically a bunch of idiots, but doing things the Asian way certainly makes it easier. |
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Solar Strength
Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 557
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
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| Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Lack wrote: |
| Just do it the Asian way, as someone mentioned. You're leaving soon. There's not much they can do to you. You could keep quiet about it until you leave, and right before you leave, make sure you have contact info for your current students or that they have yours. Just try to eliminate the employer from any dealings or even knowledge of your next move. Make it entirely between you and the students. I never have any sympathy for Asian employers; they're typically a bunch of idiots, but doing things the Asian way certainly makes it easier. |
Smile, say, "Yes, okay", and then just do what you want, albeit discretely.
I recall years ago Nova firing teachers who met students outside of the eikaiwa. The intimidation and fear were so bad that teachers were even afraid to walk to the station with students after the day was done.
One evening, I remember a couple of students hanging back for us to catch up with them and an Irish teacher looking at me and saying, "No way. I'm not getting fired" and turning around and waiting until we were gone.
I think that Nova's anti-socialization with students policy was eventually challenged successfully by the union in the courts. |
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Jagariko
Joined: 14 Oct 2013
Posts: 40
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| Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:12 am Post subject: |
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| Is it legal for the company to say I can't tell my students what I'll be doing in the future? |
I was in a similar position about 10 years ago. I was leaving a small eikaiwa and starting various other part-time jobs and intending to increase the number of private lessons I taught. I didn't intend to open my own business and was moving to another part of town but I strongly suspected some students would "follow" me.
I was a bit sneakier than you, I said to the students that I was leaving to work part-time in a college and teach privately. I gave my email address to those who had requested it. Several students asked me, "Could you teach me privately?" or explained they were thinking of quitting this school at the end of their contract but would I be able to teach them. I was vague but made sure the meaning was understood. Yes I could but they should contact me after I had left.
About 10 students didn't renew their contract and I taught them privately for the next 3 years or so. That was probably about 20% of the schools students. It was a small school!
About six months later I had to go back to get a letter of visa release which they had refused to post to me. The manager was fine but the assistant manager said how I had "stolen" students. I just said that it was the students choice where they studied.
I don't think enforceable legality comes into telling your students. Ethics, of course does but there is a world of difference between saying, "I'm opening up a school. Come and study with me!" And "I'm opening up my own English school."
Would the school take action against you? The chances are not at all although you may get bad-mouthed or the rumour started that you were fired or something. Unless you live in a small town with only one English school, I doubt anything will come of it.
I'd tell the ones you are more than 80% sure would follow you. However, remember that a lot of students choose a school for more than just the teachers or learning English. There were those I knew would never leave the school for my private lessons because there would be no monthly event or sense of community. |
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