Job Discussion Forums

seklarwia · Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:45 pm Post subject:

Professional dress is a big thing in Japan. So perhaps they might complain about the appearance of the teacher: Not dressed smart enough or hasn't bothered ironing their shirt, trousers, skirt, etc.

Leaning against things or perching on the edge of tables/desks is often seen as unprofessional, too.

Not sure it's such a cultural difference but I read about one person (not at GABA) who tried using Japanese in a class which didn't go down well. They thought it would help them in understanding the activity, but a student complained that they didn't pay to listen to Japanese. Don't know if many students would make this complaint, but using English to aid in the learning of a foreign language back home is so normal that students would complain that they didn't understand anything if the teacher was unable to explain in English.

EDIT: Forgot the clevage/excessive skin on display and skirt length for appearence.

mushroomyakuza · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 140

Thanks Aspara and Seklarwia, both useful. Can you think of any ways in which the content of lessons would be unsatisfactory though? In terms of what you actually teach?

seklarwia · Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 1:43 pm Post subject:

Complaints about content due to cultural differences? That's difficult...

I don't know how much freedom you might have with lesson planning at GABA, but maybe deciding you want to have a debate/discussion and choosing highly sensitive or controversial topics to focus on like 'abortion' or 'should Japan apologise to China for Nanjing?'

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

The pay is not fantastic and it is not guaranteed, but for someone working 8 hours or so a day 5 days a week who has built up a student base, it is easily comparable to a mid range ALT job these days. You teach as many or as few classes as you like, no one has to teach a lot of classes.

I'm not sure what you mean by worker's rights, but if you mean benefits like paid holidays, then no, instructors are on a consultant's contract. I have the same kind of contract for teaching my yoga classes (unrelated to Gaba of course) which means no paid holidays, no travel reimbursement, but I'm not complaining.

The conditions of employment are all laid out when you first go there, so if someone starts working for Gaba and then complains that they don't get paid holidays, they don't have a leg to stand on really.

Someone who wants/needs a full-time job with guaranteed pay, fixed schedule etc simply should not work for Gaba, there are plenty of other companies which offer that.

I'm also not what you mean by "hassle with long-term foreigners"?- you mean problems for people who have been in Japan several years? I know guys working there who have been in Japan 10 years or more, and I also know Japanese citizens who are native English speakers that have worked there a long time. Continuing to work there for a long time is not an issue as far as the company is concerned, they're more than happy for people to keep working there as long as they don't get a lot of complaints.

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826