Job Discussion Forums

Karla · Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Posts: 15

Hiya All!

Have noticed a fair number of ads for teachers for Shane. Just wondering if it's a good organisation to begin with, or indeed stick? (In terms of dosh and gnrl treatment...) Or is there a more sensible launching pad into Japan?

Would appreciate any tips from you Japan vets!!

Take care,
Karla (in Poland currently)

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

Haven't worked there but had one of their top reps come to a seminar I was at a while back. He was there to present (for that read tout) the Saxoncourt kids tests that the company Shane/Saxoncourt produce.

He had plenty of glossy brochures and a nice tie. Apart from that, and despite being a senior member of the team who put the tests together, there simply wasn't any substance there.

I remember one particular moment when I asked the simple question, "Does this test test the past simple?" only to render him helpless as he leafed through piles of notes on his desk. In the end he said noncommittally "I think so, yes." A few minutes later, after going through the glossy handouts he had given out, I discovered that it did not.

I wonder if this glossy cover with no real substance underneath is typical of the whole company?

matador · Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 281

As a lot of people are finding out, Shane are the best English schools in Japan. They offer high quality lessons and they are very popular. They are the number one in quality for teachers and much better than NOVA and others. You make lots of money and the bosses are great. In fact the Japanese government use them for English training... They are not perfect..but who is. Give them a go!! Laughing

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

Didn't Shane used to be known as Shame? Or has their reputation and modus operandi changed in recent years?

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Matador

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

Matador I seem to remember you also posting about one school being the best in China. How much do you make if a teacher signs up to these schools? You haven't even been to my school. If you had, you know Shane wasn't the best Wink

Show us yer trousers mate

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Karla · Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Posts: 15

yeah, Shane does go the full length on the glossy bit. So, if Shane is no go, where does one look for the first step in to Japan?

PS I did run into a website about the Truth about SHAME school, perhaps it had more credibility than the anger that evidently motivated the writer...?

dthompson · Joined: 22 Apr 2003 Posts: 6 Location: United Arab Emirates

I worked for Shane from 1992 to 1995. It started out okay, but things became intolerable. I recall that the attrition rate for teachers at the time I left was very high. Since then I haven't heard anything good about it.

Most of the English schools are much the same though. Get a job with Nova, Aeon, Shane etc. get to know the country then look around for something else.

BenJ · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 209 Location: Nagoya

get a job with westgate if you want an intro into Japan - 3 month stint and they pay your airfare.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Karla,

Are you Polish, or are you a native English speaker living in Poland? It makes a difference.

Also, what are your qualifications? It's hard to give advice without knowing some basic information.

kovac · Joined: 12 Apr 2003 Posts: 78

BTW did any of you know that many of the big language schools have "snoops" who not only check message boards like this but also send their japanese staff to rival schools to snoop ?

I work for Shane....Tell you the truth it isnt that bad, but not that good either....I endevour to do my best in my school....and have had lots of positive feedback and progress from students which seems to be completely unnoticed by management....regretably and despite my performance....Im on a final warning for getting lost on 3 occasions in my first week, being sick once and missing a days training in 5 months....they do seem to be running a very tight ship in terms of not letting flaky elements into the company....in terms of standards...well Im not a battle hardened TEFL teacher..I came primarily for the language (JAPANESE not english) But schools qualities do vary from place to place...I suppose its like anywhere....some schools are no use...some are ok...

Why mark yourself by a companies performance when your own performance exceeds them ? As my pappa said "a good tradesman doesnt blame his tools"....

Management either ranges from either bullying, vindictive has been's or feckless, nervous wrecks...still as long as I get a wage...a room and students; its all I need...the rest is up to my inititive.....(incidentally the 1st 5 months of Shane employment can be tough paying off rental deposits, etc, roughly 34,000 yen a month)

Bottom line from meeting many other TEFL teachers in Japan...each is as bad as the other...

Shane - Shame, Insane , Some Half Assed Nogood Education, etc

AEON - American Employees Only (seem to only go for pretty boy types over qualifications)

GEOS - Good Example Of Slavery (had one teacher crying at me cos of her bad ordeals)

NOVA - NO Vacation (anybody else heard that the head honcho of Nova is
ALLEGEDLY involved in the Yakuza and Nova is basically a huge money laundering industry ??)

AYYY YEAH BLOODY RIPPER SCHOOL - Some Aussie daydreamer I met in
Tsudanama who reckoned he was being paid 400,000 yen a month to teach 3 hrs a day and "ahhhn caan bang as maeny jap chicks ays ee could mate"..

(hmmmm)

Anyway....probably said enough to get me fired in one fell swoop...most of the eikawa's seem to run thier companies on a culture of fear taking advantage where and when they can....hell...can you think of a foreign worker or minority in your own home country who isnt exploited !?

Only Company Ive NEVER heard bad reports from or for that matter met an employee of is ECC !?!? (Anybody who posts her work for them ???) I had been interviewed for them...but upon revealing I spoke japanese to the recuriter she looked like I had taken a dump in her handbag...

Me....? Shane ? Making the best of it....Like I say, Shane has pretty good holidays, the hours arent too exhaustive...there are some serupticious swindles and gaffs in the mix....but what company doesnt ? Some course materials are very good, some are very bad...still its just my opinion (problem is ; everybody has one) ...some fellow collegues are landed with arduous schedules and poor resources...Doing not too bad, but not doing brilliantly either...

DISCLAIMER : ALL VIEWS CONTAINED IN THIS MAIL ARE ALLEGED OPINIONS !

PS Just Saving my neck, watch out for the snoops folks !

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Shonai Ben · Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 617

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Glenski,

If you look on the history page of http://www.generalunion.org you will find that in a majority of the court cases brought against the large language schools regarding labor disputes there is hardly a single one where the school has come out victorious, withdrawn or they have settled out of court. Nichibei was in court for two years before they finally lost.

They may be big and monolithic but they do have weak and blind spots regarding their work policies and will often buckle under outside pressure.