Job Discussion Forums

[markle]

It is often inevitable that the people you work with have habits, teaching styles, mannerisms that get right up your nose. Now I'm sure there are things that irritate the bejesus out of people I work with but here are some that set my teeth on edge.

1. Using Japanese in class unecessarily. I mean people who have only the most basic grasp of the language and but still ask kids "blah blah blah nan deska?" when a simple "What is it?" will do. Saying 'shokudai'(sp?) after I've been teaching and using 'homework' for months. I'm open to the use of L1 in class but I see way too much of it used pointlessly. Don't even get me started on teachers with poor Japanese pronunciation....

2. Using unnatural or broken English when speaking to students. Not simplified or clear English but just outright wrong sentence structure - Where do you go yesterday? or bad pronunciation - passu me za booku.

Anyone got any others they wanto get off their chest.

BTW JTEs are offlimits, they have their own seat reserved in Hell.

[Yawarakaijin]

I guess it's not so much limited to co-workers but bad pronunciation is surely one of my pet peeves. Japanese is NOT a difficult language in regards to pronuciation. I let slide the words with RYO or the small TSU but that's about it.

I pretty much work alone so I don't really have any good co-worker pet peeves.

[J.]

Gargling and spitting in the sink in the kitchen after every class on the premise that it will prevent colds.

Office staff gossiping loudly when you are trying to do lesson plans. In fact teachers loudly talking in the office space when others are trying to work. I'm talking about people shouting at each other across a one-metre space.

Smoking in common spaces.

Not co-workers but the boss thinking he can get native teachers at a bargain rate because they need the visa. And the government making that a reality.

[furiousmilksheikali]

I have no idea where to begin but this co-worker, let's call him "W" does all the things markle has mentioned and more.

W uses Japanese to impress people despite the fact his Japanese is miserably low. He uses Japanese words that he knows and the rest of his speech is lightning fast colloquial Australian. He speaks in this bizarre way to students and teachers not realizing that his English is not comprehended by anyone and his Japanese is plain rude. He's on a mission to teach everyone in the school "no worries, mate!" and it is a phrase he uses repeatedly when listening to or giving instructions.

Also, not only does he mispronounce Japanese names, he does it deliberately! For him, it is amusing to read the register to students referring to students named "Yuko" as "Yucko!" (hilarious ) and "Yumi" as "You my!" in front of bemused sea of faces.

Don't get me started on his giggling, simpering, nervous tics, obsessive/compulsive washing of his hands, illogical test questions, incompetence, gargling in the sink, writing his name on EVERYTHING he owns, muttering to himself and all round annoying behaviour.

[markle]

[leosmith]

[Quibby84]

Boss using silly manipulative tricks to get her way...well actually she has one trick, the Guilt trick. It doesn't matter what you ask from her she will always say that she is very busy doing the other thing you asked from her (even if the other thing you asked from her is more help to her). ARGHHH!

[jademonkey]

Idiot co-workers who, when they've been asked something by Japanese staff in polite yet halting English, get annoyed by the Japanese person's lack of English.

Emi: "Mr Paul, can you please...Mr Tanaka's file onegaishimasu."
Paul: "What?"
Emi: "Ah. Sorry. Mr Paul, can you please...etc."
Paul: "What are you talking about??"
Me: "She wants Mr Tanaka's file."
Paul: "Don't blame me if she can't speak English."
Me: "I don't. I blame you for being a jerk."

[gaijin4life]

Hmmm, where to start !! Pet peeve would be small-minded and petty co-workers who go for one-up-manship rather than focus on doing their job well.

From being a sole gaijin-teacher at a couple of places, I would have to say, `foreigner-envy` (if there is such a term..) would have to be another. - I`m over people with issues just because I happen to have chosen to travel and work, while others are feeling stuck and frustrated with where they are at and what they`re doing !