Job Discussion Forums

[Shakey]

Check it out. Ryan Boundless on You Tube just posted this. Barry vs Japan.

Do Not Teach in Japan: Barry vs Japan

Everything he reports here is true. See, that's why you don't walk towards a master's degree in applied linguistics, etc., or a doctorate - you run.

That, or get licensed back home and then come over and teach at the lucrative Singapore American School, etc.

All of you people who come to Japan with anything less than teacher certification or a relevant master's degree are going to get violated working for Westgate, AEON, GEOS, NOVA, ECC, Winbe, etc.

If you choose to work in the underbelly of the Japanese TEFL industry, you will be abused. Expect it.

[mitsui]

People can get abused even at private secondary schools.
I have. Some bosses alternate between power harassment and by giving you the cold shoulder.


Eikaiwa schools can be bad, but it depends on which one.
The yen is about 123 to the dollar, so if it continues to fall, maybe some teachers will decide to get out of here in March.

[Lamarr]

That's quite a good summary of eikaiwa and ALT in general, and all the bad things that can happen to you. As I said on other threads, working at an eikaiwa or ALT job in Japan, you're generally a functioning/semi-functioning gimp, to be chewed up and spat out, so that the "Mr Bigs" behind these rackets can fleece as much money off people as possible. That probably won't be of much concern to you when you first come over, and you might (just) be able to have a decent enough time of it for a year or two. Beyond that though, you'll see more and more of the hard, harsh reality of it (if not sooner, as in this guy's case).

Like he says, it's described as "teaching" but it isn't. You're essentially a "professional talker/entertainer", or in ALT, a human CD, not a teacher.

The other stuff he said isn't unusual either, things like:

*"Bait and switch": telling/promising you certain pay, conditions and so on, then not giving it to you
*Exaggerating or even fabricating complaints about your work performance, attitude and so on, in order to bully you and keep you in line, not give you a pay increase (or cut it), or get rid of you
*Making empty threats against you, such as contacting immigration, having your visa revoked and getting deported: this is often done to intimidate you out of quitting and taking another job
*Playing on your ignorance of Japanese culture and laws: saying this, that or the other is happening/will happen because it's the "Japanese way", again, to try and keep you in line
*Managers just simply doing whatever they like to you: making you work more (or even less) hours, making you move branches and so on

I wouldn't say don't do it, just be aware of what can potentially happen to you and try and prepare yourself as best you can for it: essentially, make sure you have access to funds to keep you going if things go belly up, or get a ticket out of there; try and do as much research as you can on the net about all the different experiences people have; and get the address of your nearest Labor Standards Office, as they can give you some help and advice on queries or disputes with your contract, and they can provide an interpreter (all free of charge).

Apart from all that, you'll have a wonderful time. Enjoy yourself.

[fluffyhamster]

The biggest mistake that guy made was revealing how he felt about the company before he was actually ready to bail. And considering he was only there for 3 months, that nomikai where he spilled his guts must've been pretty early into his stint. Sure it sounds like a lousy company, but the one thing you don't do in Japan is stand up and explicitly say you're not fully on board or with the programme (you don't have to quite say you ARE, just NOT that you aren't. Silence, or at most 'Hai', is taken as golden). They (your bosses) tell you what time it is and when to sit up and take notice, not the other way around, and the worse the outfit the more they'll probably resent any employee who tries to turn the tables. And it's especially silly to do that in an eikaiwa (as opposed to say as an AET at any number of public schools), because it's much harder to get away from the people whose ear you've tried to bend.

[Lamarr]

[TokyoLiz]

Fluffy hit the nail on the head - this young guy talked too much and that's what sank him. The last people you ever complain to about job stuff is your coworkers.

The bit about free Japanese instruction gave me flashbacks. I was told the same thing at recruitment about language lessons only to find out they were not offered in my area. I was lucky to find that the prefectural international office had free lessons and I made friends that way.

His ranty bit about how bad life is here sounds like bitterness and lack of experience or direction.

He was poorly compensated for the job, so of course he had little disposable income.

He probably wasn't in his town long enough to learn the language, get to know people, or learn about local places to go. Even small communities in Kanto have live music and events to connect you with people. When you walk into small izakaya, greet everybody, smile, and wait for people to approach you.

And have goals. To thrive here, you really need a reason besides work to bring you here. Whether it is traditional arts or activities, or photography, journalism, travel in Japan, or music, you need something outside of work to make it worth it.

Some well adjusted friends did nihon buyo dance, shamisen, calligraphy and ink painting, and quite a few have rock bands that regularly perform in the Kanto region.

[Lamarr]

I think it literally took this guy a week or two to start realizing he'd gotten himself into a scam racket, not a teaching institution. After that, he probably figured "so what?" if he talked and bitched about the job to people. I don't think he really cared whether he stayed or not (he was maybe thinking of quitting anyway), and was likely seriously regretting ever signing the contract and wasting his time and money moving over to Japan.

There are lots of things written on this and other websites about the shady side of eikaiwa and "teaching" in Japan. There really is no excuse for not doing your research and not preparing yourself. This guy clearly didn't research or prepare properly, so he landed up in hot water very quickly.

Be warned.

[Lamarr]

[TokyoLiz]

Lamarr, so true.

There are so many sources out there that expose the eikaiwa industry, blacklists, and forums with old hands like this one.

Shakey says without a proper teaching diploma or degree here (CELTA and DipTESOL are the most basic qualifications) you're setting yourself up for edutainment jobs, and the companies will happily take advantage of your ignorance of Japanese labour standards and weak language skills. Until you have some fluency in the law, culture and language, you're at their mercy.

Same goes for ALT recruiting companies.

I've said it uncountable times here, if you're serious about learning Japanese culture and language, apply to The JET Program.

[Lamarr]

The only other kinds of places that may be worth a look at are the smaller, mom and pop-type eikaiwas, usually run by a gaijin native speaker and their Japanese spouse. I know a couple of guys that work at those sorts of places, and they seem happy enough with it. They can be better than your average eikaiwa. The ones I'm thinking of employ a mix of a core of "long termers" (which can be a sign that it's a better, more stable place to work), supplemented by people newer to Japan. They seem to have grown in the last few years, since the Nova and Geos crashes.

Of course, those places are smaller scale and not so noticeable, so you'd have to do your research to sniff them out. I think you tend to hear about them by word-of-mouth, once you've been in Japan for a bit and started to get to know people.

[mitsui]

Gossip and backstabbing.
So many petty people to deal with.

Every bad workplace is like a village. Anyone new is being watched.
It is like it was back in the Edo period. Neighbors would spy on each other
and rat people out.

What really bugs me is to be told that I didn't do something, but I was never TOLD to do something. This passive-aggressive behaviour really does my head in.

[kpjf]

Gimmeaflakeman's response:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25B2g9BxUJI

54 Minutes 2 seconds!!!

[steki47]

[mitsui]

It is just a lack of respect.
When fellow foreigners do the backstabbing, it is really bad.

In the hierarchy they look down on you.

Like when my classroom changed just once, and I didn't know and the students didn't know.
So I just decided to go to another room since my room was occupied.
And then the boss said she didn't know, she was busy, etc.
Just make excuses and pass the buck.
How pathetic.

That is bad. I was called gaijin a few times but no violence.
I can chew out kids in Japanese, but unfortunately I am so good at it that
people think I am a scary teacher.
Like when I supervise cleaning and the student refuses to clean or doesn't show up.
What annoys me is that Japanese teachers are allowed to be as strict as they like but not foreigners.

[steki47]