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Open Thread: GEOS Scuttlebutt
Discussion about GEOS continues here. Two recent developments within GEOS appear to be the sale of three schools in the UK and the planned closure of 84 schools in Japan between May and November.
News of the sale of the UK schools is here:
From Thursday April 1st 2010, the three GEOS UK schools in London, Brighton and Eastbourne plus ELS Paris are no longer part of the GEOS network. The four schools have been bought from GEOS Corporation in a management buy out by Wendy Teraoka (previously Regional Director, GEOS Europe) and Paul Clark (previously Principal of GEOS-LTC Eastbourne).
We will shortly be rebranding our three schools. ELS Paris will remain Executive Language Services (ELS).
The 3 UK schools will be Language Teaching Centres UK:
- LTC London
- LTC Brighton
- LTC Eastbourne
The announcement of school closures in Japan can be found here. It appears that the pace of GEOS's restructuring has quickened as they plan to scale back to 185 schools.
Comments
This post from the old thread needs to be put up again:
Where are you, GEOS Manager who denies everything???
* GEOS Australia...Bankrupt and closed
* GEOS NZ gone...bought out.
* GEOS Cape Town...seems to be bought out, not GEOS, gone...
* GEOS in England, gone...bought out...not part of GEOS network anymore...Dublin toast.
* GEOS Paris to be re-branded and gone from GEOS
* GEOS Canada bleeding money...Calgary's survival in question...others too.
* 84 confirmed GEOS schools closing in Japan...
* Insert next GEOS school closing here _________________________________________________
WHERE ARE YOU, GEOS SCHOOL MANAGER WHO POSTED REPEATEDLY ON HERE THAT IS WAS ALL "RIDICULOUS SPECULATION AND WHINING"??? Conveniently disappeared, haven't you?
Shawn, not "scuttlebutt" but reality now. GEOS is gone. I am following some inside GEOS NA info. Hope to have it confirmed and up on here soon. Stay tuned.
On the same Korean board as the UK letter...
http://www.wegouk.co.kr/swboard/view.php?bcode=5&key=&key_value=&page=&n...
All I can translate is that it looks like the old GEOS UK schools, now under LTC, are offering similar discounts...10 weeks plus 2 free. I might be wrong, so if anyone can add a translation it would be helpful.
Interesting to see if the Korean agents actually trust them and see them as separate from the GEOS debacle. Might be hard...
My mistake...Last link is actually an old posting from the former GEOS UK. Their specials at the time, which are inline with other areas.
So far I have heard GEOS Canada is offering FREE weeks of school, with as little as 4 weeks tuition, 15% off tuition, long-term study pre-payment discounts, etc. Any others? What are the April specials?
Epitath: GEOS. Conversation and entertainment English Conversation school in Japan. Made money from the need of Japanese citizens to have save 'foreigner' experience. Got carried away with success and poured profits into chain of international English schools. Never made any real money internationally, especially when early losses and opportunity cost of capital considered. Business practices were always dodgy - in Japan and overseas - goodwill of individual staff members aside. Had no strategy overseas except copy normal practices in each country and outbid competitors for business. When Japan stopped making money, weakness of internationals exposed and they made a quick retreat / collapse back to Japan. Told lies. (End?) Ultimately got away with closing down without major scandal or accountability?. Australians cleaned up the mess in Aus and moved on without redress?
An interesting story about the lovely Wendy.
http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/SICK-WORKER-GETS-THE-SACK.1071544.jp
Very interesting indeed....seems to me to be as heartless as Special K. So what she should add to her letter is "Staff what can you expect from us?.......Sacking if you're sick!"
What position does Melanie hold who wrote the letter to teachers?
"The basic details from the Japanese email below explains that in order to make GEOS in a better condition it will consist of 185 schools across Japan. This means the closing of 84 schools during the period of May thru November. The list of the closing schools was included in the Japanese email"
Is she the same person who wrote the letter in Dcember saying that 'everything is fine and thanking agents for their loyalty and that GEOS is in a restructuring phase?
Seriously Melanie, whomever you are, do you really believe that this will make 'GEOS in a better condition?'
Your letter should have read "Dear XXXXX GEOS is F^^^$%%$#$#&$#&$#D"
How about you people in Head Office tell the truth for once...just for once!!! You surely must realise by now that whatever statement is released is void of any credibility? Your beloved GEOS is in shreds....realise it, come to terms with it and just be truthful! And be truthful to your paying customers
Will Domino 10 be GEOS Canada? Something is up since we have not heard from the usual GEOS troll on here. Maybe even the managers in Canada haven't got a clue as to what will happen to them. False promises from Special K.
Ms. Rita Chen, GEOS NA Regional Marketing manager out of the Montreal office, seems to be missing in action. Any word on her status?
Dear Melanie.......as you seem to be the spokesperson and seem to know about 'improving the condition of GEOS', perhaps you would like to deal with the below email from a big agent. I have deleted names for obvious reasons. Also to the skeptics who think GEOS Cape Town is alive and well, perhaps this email will convince you that GEOS Cape Town is dead and buried and in DEBT! (But please don't tell students, Melanie would not like this!!!!)
i am writing this email in regards to the GEOS issue.
We got two students study in GEOS South Africa already pay 1 year school fees, as you know GEOS now is not running and I hear from the students that another education provider take over the GEOS South Africa campus to continue the business.
The key point is they need our student to pay for the school fees again that they already pay before, if they don't do so, they will send they back to xxxxxx
I am following some inside GEOS NA info. Hope to have it confirmed and up on here soon. Stay tuned.
WE'RE ALL TUNED IN!!!!!!!
Just do not expect anything yet about GEOS NA. Heard they are tightening the hatches of communication given this board (it was mentioned directly!) and a certain someone's think top position in Canada) vanity. After all, a certain someone has been recently on this board denying everything about GEOS collapse. Conveniently not posting today. ;-)
To he person that made the big announcement originally: maybe you can help out on the GEOS NA/ Canada front. I only have unsubstantiated info right now, so I do not want to post yet.
All the following comments are speculative, but here goes.
Surely this man is not going to buy out 'profitable' schools in GEOS NA? With drained fees in advance, nasty personal guarantees on leases, possible IRS nasty stuff - yurk! Also a certain amount of anti-GEOS prejudice will also taint the mini-neo-GEOSes. If even 50% of agents stop sending long term students just to be sure - then this will result in say a 30% drop in business. High fixed costs.... The risk is whether or not agents will continue to send. Agents have lots of choices. A buyer would have to be confident that the agents will stand steady - and just how can you be sure of how agents will act. THe posting above about 1 year bookings to South Africa are the sort of agent story which will make agents stay well clear of anything that has had the name GEOS attached to it. Even a new 'mini-GEOS' It is just too too risky - and Mr K has everything to win and nothing to lose at this point.
Far and away the better option is to wait until GEOS is collapsing, then buy the assets off the receiver? Surely?
Uri Carnat doesn't have the cash to buy GEOS. And they just re-signed an extension on the lease in a building that does nothing for them. Broom closet is right. No room to expand, high teacher turnover, no agent respect, low-balling general ESL classes in a market that is moving away from general classes, higher Canadian dollar that makes it more difficult to give a reason to go to Canada instead of the U.S....
GEOS Canada and U.S. looks to be moving to spiff up their image (all fluff) for a possible sale. Maybe some managers trying to save their jobs (because who would really want to hire an ex-GEOS manager?!!!)...Smart schools would wait until they collapse, then pick up the students and pieces and bargain basement rates. Although there is not much useful or valuable equipment at GEOS since I have heard they will not even buy markers for teachers or a $20 coffee maker for the staff. ;-)
Anyone notice that the only two GEOS Canada Web sites not to get the "fancy" re-do are Calgary and Toronto? Why were they ignored? Well, we know Calgary doesn't make money and is probably just trying to pay out its lease obligation (many empty classrooms there). Toronto might seem odd as a possible closure give that it is in Canada's largest city, but do not count that out. GEOS Toronto lost its manager last year because it was failing (= no money) and it is in a very competitive market.
But here is the kicker: the head of GEOS Canada, Uri Carnat, has a very personal stake in the mater...If Toronto is kicked to the curb to save the Canadian chain, it would only benefit him in Montreal. Students looking for a big city in Central-East Canada would just go to Montreal with no Toronto around, or at least what he wants. It is known that he competes underhandedly for students from the other schools in Canada...Get rid of Toronto and now he still has a job in Montreal. Toronto still around and Special K might look at closing Montreal to support Toronto.
Maybe they are looking to sell the student contracts in Toronto to another school and close shop to save other parts of the chain...Anyone know of when their lease ends?
The GEOS Toronto Web site has not changed in a LONG time, and programs do not reflect other GEOS Canada locations (real programs or just for show). Not a good sign for them.
Very intuitive insight and I'll go along with that. However he may have miscalculated that GEOS is in such a mess right now with (respected) agents withdrawing their support, they cannot afford another closure. Any statements released by GEOS NA will lack any credibilty.
Respected agents are steering well clear of GEOS.
What about Honolulu?? That school is also a disaster with another 'wet behind the ears no clue' manager
You people are like vultures circling a carcass. Why do so many people on this website seem excited to see this company fail? Don't you realize that it would cost hundreds if not thousands of jobs! Its one thing to make people aware of whats happening, which this website does well. But its quite another to relish in the potential misery of others. It seems to me that GEOS is in survival mode now, and that decisions are being made to save not only the company but the countless people who depend on it for a paycheck. Yes I work for GEOS, no I don't love or hate the company. I like my school, students, manager, and Japanese teacher. The head office staff leave me alone except for the occasional email which you can totally ignore.
If you're some disgruntled ex GEOS teacher who are posting these ridiculous comments, keep in mind that you'd have to be a retarded, illiterate moron to not be able to keep a job in this company. This is the easiest job in the world.
If geos eventually does collapse, there isn't a single person on this site who can say I told you so, because you people have been predicting its downfall for the last 2 years.
Melanie doesn't have anything to do with the international schools.
Shawn - I think you should consider having seperate comments threads for Geos Japan and Intl.
Why the aggro? Maybe payback for the students in Australia whose fees in advance were siphoned off back to Japan, or payback for the teachers and staff who had worked in good faith to make the Australian branch profitable, or payback for the other members of English Australia who had been outdiscounted by GEOS to a level everyone knew was unsustainable, and then had to pick up the pieces, or payback for the Australian taxpayers who had to pay homestay families whose money had been stolen by Japan. Or payback for the lies that were then peddled by head office that Australia was just some kind of independent entity which was not profitable. Or maybe just because bullshit should be exposed whereever it comes up - like Japan GEOS had nothing to do with the awful reckless loser Australian managers when in fact these seem to have been good people working in good faith. .
I appreciated your comments. In truth, I have been coming to this site hoping to obtain real information about GEOS, only to find, for the most part, the rants of the disenchanted and self-indulgent. In honesty, I am no sympathizer of Mr. K. Perhaps, if GEOS were to fail, something better might take its place. But I realize that might be simplistic. You are right. There are livelihoods, perhaps families of those who are now employed at GEOS, who will ultimately suffer. I do not wish them any harm. If the suppositions here turn out to be facts down the road, including the imminent demise of GEOS NA, I would hope the people now employed make preparations for their futures.
I am a business person, and as such, I see an opportunity for GEOS competitors in the event of its failure. There may be jobs at these competitors should GEOS fail.
10:44 Last two years, eh? That is news to me.
No, only a "a retarded, illiterate moron" would still work for such a corrupt, incompetent, and completely shameful "company" like GEOS. Must be desperate and have no other skills, right?
Nice to see you on here. ;-) LOL
11:12 Jobs for ex-GEOS teachers and staff? Good luck, given the market here in Canada and the bad stain GEOS managers have on them.
There are business opportunities to pick up students though and not run a shitty company like GEOS.
Becuase we are sick of the lies and the deceit, that is why! And we are sickened at what your boss did to Australian schools. And if you are suggesting that 'yes the remaining schools will pay back what is owed to Australia', then maybe we will all adopt a more sympathetic ear. Right now all we hear is 'all about yourself'
So you want this company to succeed so you can keep the eaiest job in the world? Go and get a real job...if you can, because retards, morons are going to find it hard to get a 'real job' and as you have kept your job, you have self assessed yourself!
In truth, I have mixed feelings. I agree with an earlier poster that there are livelihoods at stake. And I also think that GEOS teachers might wish to look elsewhere.
Then again, sorry, I know that all too many GEOS teacher are simply unqualified as they do not possess TESL certification and GEOS was hardly the place for these teachers to receive any meaningful training in TESL. I said "all too many." Before anyone jumps on me, I will also say that I have known a few good teachers who have taught at GEOS. In fact, I have in the past offered a job to one of these teachers.
In the final analysis, as I have said in the previous thread, "You get what you pay for, and that works both ways."
We are like vultures? Maybe we are, because Geos is like a leech. Yes, vultures eating a big leech. That's what you're seeing right now.
You will find a new job if you're competent. But realize the competitors may have some redundant teachers as well. Now you should forget about any easy jobs or easy money. Good times are gone.
I do not think that you are a 'business person coming to this site....' Noone who is outside of GEOS would refer to the CEO as "Mr.K" Why are you so interested in this site?
As a 'business man' you surely would be concerned that the 'remaining schools' should be honouring their debts to Australia and others? As a business man are you not disgusted by 'Mr K's' lack of buisness ethics and that he should face the consequences?
This is taken from GEOS Montreal website 'study abroad section' Looks like New Zealand, Europe and South Africa are back in the GEOS stable?
GEOS Worldwide:
GEOS schools in North America
GEOS schools in Europe
GEOS schools in New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa
GEOS schools in Taiwan
GEOS schools in Korea
GEOS schools in Japan
Try GEOS Victoria :
Learn Japanese in Japan, study French in Montreal or Paris, learn Spanish in Costa Rica or Spain,
Do they seem to think that the GEOS schools in Marbella and Granada are still open??? These schools closed down a long time ago!
Yes the vultures are circling and watching.
To the 'businessman who reads this site', is it OK to publish misleading information? Should we not bring this to the attention of 'Mr K'?
To he who said, "to the 'businessman who reads this site', is it OK to publish misleading information? Should we not bring this to the attention of 'Mr K'?"
First, what do you think? That question is either sophomoric or rhetorical.
Second, one might contribute it to laziness or incompetence. As in too damn lazy to update the site, or incapable of updating the site because your web designer has flown the coop.
Third, there is a lot of misinformation on this site, too. To what should we attribute that?
Fourth, go ahead bring it to the attention of Mr, K.
And to the poster who said, "I do not think that you are a 'business person coming to this site....' Noone who is outside of GEOS would refer to the CEO as "Mr.K" Why are you so interested in this site?"
Let us do some deductive thinking shall we? Think about your statement "no one who is outside of GEOS would refer to the CEO as "Mr. K." Well, how DOES that happen? First, it could be that I have simply read about Mr. K here at this site. Second, it could be that I really am a GEOS type of guy who just enjoys listening to rumors. Are those the only two possibilities? Have you ever considered that, once upon a time, I might have had some position at GEOS? Now, that would also explain why I know about Mr. K, right? But then why am I at this site if it is all past tense? Well, I have explained that before, albeit in an indirect manner. Just imagine, if I were to contribute more fully here rather than just listen to the "information" (such as it is), would I not risk some people recognizing me? In fact, one person has already mentioned that I sound familiar to him. You know, in the end, I am a little like you after all in so far as I am waiting to see GEOS kick the bucket (at least in my part of the world). But I doubt that you can appreciate the reasons although it is not rocket science.
I like contributing to laziness. In fact it's what I'm best at. I also enjoy reading long-winded posts like yours which use a lot of words and say very little.
To All Teachers
There was an email sent out last night in Japanese about the future plans of GEOS.
Your managers and JETs may have already talked to you about it.
The basic details from the Japanese email below explains that in order to make GEOS in a better condition it will consist of 185 schools across Japan. This means the closing of 84 schools during the period of May thru November. The list of the closing schools was included in the Japanese email.
Teachers and managers will be re-assigned to other schools.
At this time, we do not have all the details but as we do we will let you know.
Please do not release this information to students. Our priority is to avoid causing problems for the students.
We hope to be able to transfer as many students as possible to the schools that we will keep.
We do ask that teachers make sure that all attendance sheets and time schedules are updated.
In the meantime, if you have any questions please contact me directly.
I will try to answers the questions that I can.
Thank you
Melanie
講師各位
以下、メールが本日ながれています。昨日の夜ながれているメールに関しての確認事項です。
ご確認下さい。（英語版はこの後メールされます）
以下にありますように、詳細に関しては、新勘定執行役員幹部よりご説明を頂く事になっております。
詳細は分かり次第、必ずご連絡させていただきます。
まずは、以下のご指示に従ってください。
又、細かい業務上のご質問など、業務を行いながらたくさん出てくると思います。
先生方からのご質問は、大変お手数ですが、飯嶋宛メールまたはお電話ください。
私がお答えできる場合はその場でご対応させていただきますし、そうでない場合は確認を取った上でお答えさせていただきます。
わからないまま対応をすることが、生徒様へは一番ご迷惑をおかけします。
遠慮はせずに、ご連絡下さい。
英語版はこの後メールされます。ネイティブの先生達にはそちらを直接ご確認頂きます様お願い致します。
教務 飯嶋
EAST ＪＡＰＡＮ全スタッフ各位
お疲れ様です。
昨日、下記メールが全校配信されています。
詳細を確認している最中となりますが、
現段階において、下記内容が会社としての決定事項となります。
社員としてこの状況を冷静に受けとめ、業務を行うことが重要です。
一般においては、
営業存続校１８５校、閉鎖予定校（５月～１１月まで順次）８４校と分かれており
これからの業務内容も変わってくると思います。
本日、新勘定執行役員幹部より、メール内容に関して説明をしていただくことになっています。
詳細が分かり次第、必ず皆さんに伝達します。
本日の業務内容に関して、下記内容に従事していただきたいと思います。
①タイムスケジュールの整備
②全生徒様のアテンダンス管理
③学校環境改善
営業存続校に関しては、通常通りの営業を実施してください。
閉鎖予定校に関しては、上記内容の業務を完璧に行っていただくようお願い致します。
以上
谷川
A
1部門名
21-29釧路校
31-28旭川エスタ校
41-28苫小牧SC校
51-29岩見沢校
61-29新さっぽろ校
71-29北見校
81-30泉中央校
92-31新潟校
101-30北上校
111-30大曲校
122-31新発田校
132-43銚子校
142-32取手ボックスヒル校
152-43稲毛校
162-43津田沼校
172-34浦安校
182-43佐倉校
192-43東金校
202-35銀座校
212-35北千住校
222-34西葛西校
232-35新橋校
242-34瑞江校
252-34東雲SC校
262-34SEIYU行徳校
272-36明大前校
282-37南大沢パオレ校
292-38川口東校
302-39飯能校
312-39久米川校
322-39高島平校
332-39練馬校
342-36仙川校
352-37府中校
362-41蒲田校
372-37玉川学園前校
382-35田町駅前校
392-36目黒校
402-42上大岡校
412-40小田原校
422-40茅ケ崎校
432-42青葉台校
442-41自由が丘校
452-35水道橋校
462-42センター南校
472-41天王洲アイル校
485-46豊田校
495-47ザ・モール春日井校
505-46津校
515-60金沢校
525-46四日市校
535-48静岡校
545-46伊勢校
555-48伊東校
565-47江南校
575-48焼津校
585-47可児校
595-46有松校
605-46マイカル桑名校
616-49SEIYU亀岡校
626-51大和郡山校
636-52なんば校
646-51京橋校
656-51高槻センター街校
666-49京都河原町三条校
676-49北大路校
686-52和歌山駅前校
696-51八木校
706-51西大寺ならファミリー校
716-52堺東校
726-53ザ・モール姫路校
736-53岡山駅前校
748-56ゆめタウン長府校
758-56岩国駅前校
768-59国分校
778-59川内校
788-57西新校
798-57大分パルコ校
808-57博多校
818-58大牟田校
827-54FG松山（こども）
832-42仲町台校
846-53三田（こども）
856-51香芝（こども）
14:30 Mucklow?
Still waiting on the GEOS troll that was on here a few days ago claiming that nothing was wrong and we were all rumour-mongers...
Where are you now, GEOS manager troll?
Thanks for posting the GEOS school closure list!
Im disappointed the school I worked at when I was employed by GEOS is not on the list. It should have been included...it was a real dump.
Feel bad for all you GEOS teachers who will not ger their contracts or visa renewed and be replaced by a teacher who has a spouse visa and history of loyalty to the company.
1部門名
21-29釧路校
31-28旭川エスタ校
41-28苫小牧SC校
51-29岩見沢校
61-29新さっぽろ校
71-29北見校
81-30泉中央校
92-31新潟校
101-30北上校
111-30大曲校
122-31新発田校
132-43銚子校
142-32取手ボックスヒル校
152-43稲毛校
162-43津田沼校
172-34浦安校
182-43佐倉校
192-43東金校
202-35銀座校
212-35北千住校
222-34西葛西校
232-35新橋校
242-34瑞江校
252-34東雲SC校
262-34SEIYU行徳校
272-36明大前校
282-37南大沢パオレ校
292-38川口東校
302-39飯能校
312-39久米川校
322-39高島平校
332-39練馬校
342-36仙川校
352-37府中校
362-41蒲田校
372-37玉川学園前校
382-35田町駅前校
392-36目黒校
402-42上大岡校
412-40小田原校
422-40茅ケ崎校
432-42青葉台校
442-41自由が丘校
452-35水道橋校
462-42センター南校
472-41天王洲アイル校
485-46豊田校
495-47ザ・モール春日井校
505-46津校
515-60金沢校
525-46四日市校
535-48静岡校
545-46伊勢校
555-48伊東校
565-47江南校
575-48焼津校
585-47可児校
595-46有松校
605-46マイカル桑名校
616-49SEIYU亀岡校
626-51大和郡山校
636-52なんば校
646-51京橋校
656-51高槻センター街校
666-49京都河原町三条校
676-49北大路校
686-52和歌山駅前校
696-51八木校
706-51西大寺ならファミリー校
716-52堺東校
726-53ザ・モール姫路校
736-53岡山駅前校
748-56ゆめタウン長府校
758-56岩国駅前校
768-59国分校
778-59川内校
788-57西新校
798-57大分パルコ校
808-57博多校
818-58大牟田校
827-54FG松山（こども）
832-42仲町台校
846-53三田（こども）
856-51香芝（こども）
More than anything else you wrote THIS is what shits me:
No, it's not. It might be very enjoyable, but it's not easy, at least if you're doing it right.
It's very easy to teach English badly and very difficult to teach it well.
And unfortunately, the majority of Japanese people seem to take their lessons with unqualified, inexperienced chancers who put the barest minimum of effort into their jobs. When that eventually changes (i.e. the Japanese government finds some balls, introduces mandatory school registration and requires minimum levels of qualification and experience for ELT teachers) maybe Japan will finally achieve its closet dreams of becoming the fast-moving internationalised bilingual Asian hub its been dreaming about (and failing at) for the past 30 years. As far as I'm concerned, GEOS is just one more nail in the coffin of the McEnglish production line and one more step into a long-overdue future.
Thank you for that post. Although I did not teach at an Eikaiwa per se when I lived in Japan, I had an experience that turned my gut. It was the end of a semester and the "gaijin" teaching staff were invited to select what they would like to teach the coming semester. I went in to see a certain Japanese staff member who was assigning the courses to the foreign staff. I told him that I wanted to teach grammar. He burst out into laughter and explained that only Japanese teachers could teach grammar. Foreign teachers, he told me, could only teach English conversation. The presumption, of course, was that gaijin did not know their own language well enough to teach grammar. I had been in a masters degree program at a very good university in the US and had earned my TESL certificate. And I would not be allowed to teach grammar?
After that day. a couple things were apparent to me. First, that that place was not going take my career any where. Secondly, out of a staff of perhaps 20 foreign teachers, it suddenly dawned on me that I was the only one that had any teaching experience and/or a credential prior to coming to that school. When a Japanese school is of the mindset that gaijin cannot teach an academic course, the notion is based on some truth. After all, they hire mostly inexperienced, wide-eyed people who are clueless about the teaching profession. So, even when the occasional person who is qualified, loves to teach and wants to teach as a career shows up, guess what happens?
All this is cyclic I suppose. Bad eikaiwa schools like GEOS, employ bad teachers, creating a bad reputation and attract only the most budget concious of students. All around rather pathetic.
Basically, they want Japanese people to teach grammar so that they can, you know, use Japanese, to provide explanations. and refer to Japanese terminology rather than english terminology. They will have a set way that the grammar is supposed to be taught, as well, just like they do with the conversation lessons. I can see why they don't really like the idea of trying to figure out a) who has the raw knowledge to teach grammar authoritatively, b) who speaks enough Japanese to be able to use it to explain the grammar in Japanese and c) Who will or won't tow the line in teaching grammar how they want it to be taught.
Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this perspective myself. They are not saying that you are not capable of teaching grammar, they are just saying they don't want you to/won't let you. It is for similar reasons that they generally ban the use of Japanese in the classroom. They may say that it is because just learning in an all English environment is best, but the real reason is that they don't want people who can't speak Japanese very well making complete dicks of themselves, or those who can using way too much Japanese instead of a minimal amount.
That said, I agree that such a restrictive environment is a lousy one for the teacher, and that staying in such an environment for a long time will do one's professional development no good at all.
Its true that J-people are talking lessons from unqualified teachers, but that has alot to do with how eikaiwa, Japan Board of Education, dispatch companies has made the system. Japan will never get qualified teachers to teach in Japan or get them to stick around for more than a few months after the ill treatment, illegal contracts and fraud they are subjected to by working in Japan. The laws in Japan side heavily in favor of companies and not the workers. Teachers often get hooked into Bait-and-Switch contracts with promises of promotions and raises that never materialize and then subjected to pure exploitation once in Japan. Teachers are locked into contracts that are self-serving for the company with loads of illegal clauses in the attempt to intimidate the teacher from leaving and it usually works on newbies. The professional teacher knows thats bogus and will take their act somewhere else.
People come on LJ all time and post how english schools/HS in Japan would be much better if Japan would raise the standards and allow only qualified teachers with a teaching diploma in ESL and proper teaching certificates to teach english to J-people. The qualified english teachers avoid this market or leave shortly thereafter do to the abuse and exploitation. That leaves the market open for people with a diploma in anything to fill to the jobs.
If J-people want qualified english teachers then the J-government first needs to revamp their labor laws and protect workers from being exploited and enforce the law with real legal repercussions then just the verbal and written warning companies in Japan get these days, which are just ignored. Until that happens the system will not change and qualified teachers will go elsewhere. Its no accident that english schools in Japan are full unqualified teachers.....because thats how the system is set up here.
The big problem with all of this is that the supposed experts (e.g. the people doing hiring, writing syllabuses, assigning classes, etc.) in Japan still insist on a hideously outdated unworkable model for language learning; a grammar-based teacher-centred curriculum which relies on the fanciful notion that pinning grammar and vocabulary down and peering at it from a distance makes you somehow able to magically speak and communicate in that language. I've just gotten sick of explaining this to people: teacher-centred grammar lessons are a waste of fuc*ing time for you and your students. They ARE very effective though at helping people to pass university and high school exams or the other godawful timewastes that pass for a valid test in Japan (I'm looking at you here Eiken and TOEIC).
I never once in all my time in Japan came across any reference to some of the most important everyday concepts that are commonplace outside of Japan; functional syllabuses, needs analyses, the use of authentic materials, and crucially learner training. I swear to god, if you gave me the average Japanese university English language student for a month of learner training sessions and then stuck them by themselves in a homestay in the middle of Sydney after 6 months they'd come back the most fluent English-speaking Japanese people in the whole country .
Mr. K still got his job? Teacher at a school I used to work at told me that it was do or die time for GEOS and that if they only closed 90 schools instead of goign bankrupt then it would mean that an investor had saved GEOS (I think he had friends in Head Office which is why he knew)
They also told me that the investor's condition was that K steps down
His English wasn't actually that good though so I might have misunderstood him.
I love the "Don't tell the students!!" bit. Lords knows we don't want them quitting before we can try shuffling them off to other (No doubt less convenient) schools and not have to pay them back.
I wonder how aggressive the managers will be in their transfer tactics...
I've heard that a lot of managers are actually equally upset by this move to close 84 schools.
I mean everyone, including much of head office, only found out Tuesday night this was happening. They're not going to be able to place 84 (probably closer to 60 due to managerless schools) in the 185 schools that will be left.
This means that a lot of managers are going to lose their job. I'm thinking GEOS is hoping that many of the managers and other staff from those 84 schools will simply quit. If they quit it can't be blamed on GEOS. Kind of a back handed way to lay off a large portion of their staff as well.
I know after this announcement I knew that I wouldn't be renewing my contract... How many others will feel the same.
It's rather sneaky if you think about it. The people at the schools which are closing are essentially being laid off but also being forced to do the top's dirty work.
Please tell all of these students who have given us money they have to go somewhere else starting in two weeks (usual notice for closures), then pack up the school, your apartment, etc then find a new job...
Sad situation.
@19:17
The saddest thing is when I read about people who come out here with BA's or MA's in TEFL/TESOL. It's a criminal waste. All that training for nothing, just to stand up in front of a class as if they were human tape recorders. Having any tiny little suggestion shot down to pieces just because the "this is the way we do things here" mentality.
Has anyone with an TEFL/TESOL BA/MA actually stayed more than 1 year in Japan? I'd be very surprised.
And as for the Eiken. What a joke. I keep having students come for trial lessons, saying I've got the Eiken 2, Eiken 1 etc. A student came to me with Eiken 2 the other day - I'd say she was pre-intermediate speaking proficiency at best. Useless qualification.
OK back to flaming that bullshit company again
lol at that!!
The Best of Luck to you GEOS teachers working at the schools on the closure list. Of the 84 schools...I figure that would be maybe 120 to 150 teachers out of job or replacing a teacher at another school whose contract did not get renewed. I saw alot of schools on the list that have 1 NET or a NET that acts as both the school manager and instructor.
I seriously doubt the most of the students attending the schools on the closure list will transfer to another GEOS school. I know alot of the schools in the Chubu area and the schools they will close are no where near another GEOS school and it would be an inconvenience for them to travel so far for their one class a week Sprint or Active class, especially for the late night salaryman or HS student. Most of them will just ask for refunds rather than go through the hassle and expense of traveling further away from home.
All I can say is, Im glad I left GEOS months ago...a nasty company to work for. Its going to be real hard to find a new job as the job market is sooo harsh and will remain that way for quite some time.
I wish all of you Good Luck.
Wow a NET that acts as manager? How many of those are there? Which schools are they?
I've heard of schools with no managers but no JETs either?
Well. They already closed about half their schools and now they are closing another 84. But they aint broke yet, which from a business point of view puts them well ahead of Nova. Maybe, they will just keep dwindling down and down until they only have a hard core of about 60 schools that are actually profitable - with minimal overseas interests.
If that happens, it's a good result as far as I'm concerned. Geos will have reached its natural level slowly and, although there will be hurt, it will be less than would occur in a huge crash scenario.
Its quite common for some GEOS schools to be managed only by a NET all by themselves...they are responsible for CS targets, advertisement, classroom preparation..everything. Its super stressful. One of the schools on the closure list is Ito (伊東) in Shizuoka prefecture. The NET who was the school manager and worked alone...just walked out one day back in October 2009 and the area manager had to take over for 6 weeks to clean up the sloppy paperwork and sagging student morale and train a new NET to be a manager and instuctor. I never could understand how anybody could handle such a load....by having a NET working as the school manager the company saved money.
ALOT of schools could not cover their costs and therefore could not support a NET, a JET, and/or a manager. How many people or who worked in a school was determined by the amount money the school generated and the number of students the school had. The school had to be making peanuts or drowning in red ink if there was a NET doubling as the school manager.
JET teachers have been decreasing in the company the past few years...so alot of the schools do not have a JET. I worked at a few schools with no JET at all...it wasnt unusal.
I'm wondering how this whole reassignment to other schools is going to pan out... Any info?
I too agree with the previous poster who said many will quit...
Managers have a high turnover, they don't last long usually.
NET's also, some finish their one year contract, many not even that much...
JET's however have a higher life span in the GEOS cycle, I guess it will be harder on them.
But I am really curious about how they plan to fit in all of those teachers... And some of the schools were pretty big.
I am very surprised by some of the schools on the list, I didn't think that they were in such a bad situation!
So, if anyone has any inside info on how they plan to get it done, do tell..!
I've heard of another school on the list being without a manager or a JET. Pretty sure it's 新発田 that is without a JET or a MG. I'm with you I can't imagine how either of those teachers are surviving. Hopefully their class numbers are low or something.
I think those teachers would probably agree their school is better off being closed than run by them alone. I just hope it's not too hard on them if they have to be the one to close the school.
I find it hard to believe they could possibly have enough room to take on all of the displaced staff these closures will cause.
I was also surprised by some of the schools on the list some of them are pretty big! Granted doesn't mean their profitable but still.
I really wish there was a way the students of these schools could be informed it's kind of disgusting that they said not to tell the students who have put their money into the school.
I was (well, am for now) one. At a certain 中部 school. I guess that actually gives it away but who cares at this point, heh. They'd tell me to like, sell junk, sell books, etc. I'd just say yes and OK and stuff but I never would do any of it. Well I mean once or twice I sold a book or two that a student actually wanted / would use. But they weren't paying me any extra to sell junk so whatever.
The phone would ring a lot but I just didn't answer it. In my contract it says I'm there to teach class, and... that's it. So I figured I was either teaching or not actually officially at work, so I just didn't answer.
I guess they put me in that situation since I'm OK at Japanese -- 3 weeks after getting there, the manager disappeared. Which honestly, I can't say I was broken up about. It's not like he ever told me what was going on or helped me with anything, ever. I mean if I hadn't known Japanese I'd have left the 2nd or 3rd day probably. Being the only one at the school could be stressful I suppose if you were really into it, but from day 1 setting foot in this place I was quite aware this was not a serious job, I was just put there until the place went under. So I just try to have fun with the students, who are all cool people.
Anyway. I'm trying to figure out what to do now. I'm actually subbing at a different school this week. I figure next week I'll tell everyone to try and get their money back as soon as they can. I mean I'm not sure GEOS has the cash to pay back tuition fees for all the 1000s of students at the 84 closing schools. I mean, you'd think they'd have some bean-counter or whoever who would perhaps think of this obvious eventuality of closing 84 schools but with this company, hah... wouldn't be all that surprised if it bankrupted them. So I want my students to be first in line to get their cash back. *Nobody* is going to transfer to another school, cause my 県 is 全滅.
Ok now I've really given too much away. hah.
Wow congrats for outing yourself. I sometimes wish I were so brave... I have a story to tell but I can't tell it yet.
Plain point I'm worried for my students and wish I could do the same as you by telling them.
I was at Miki School untill the 15th of last month, I was only there for three months and wanted to get my ass out oif there the day I went for training with that Prat, Nob Stephen Unwin, The Trainer in Kansai. Man that guy loved showing off to everone how great his Japanese skills were and so they should be after 8 plus years. He also like to make it clear to everyone how important he was to the company and the running of the show. I had been a Teacher at Manly In sydney for 4 years before I came and the staff at those schools were very proffesional and once the news came through about Australian schools I new I couldnt stay there any longer. sounds like the same stories with managers not communicating, I speak Japanese and my manager still could not even do the basic aisatsu that a normal Japanese person would do. I wouldnt answer the phone or sell shit. I am just glad to be out of that depressing horrible place they call a school and was suprised it wasnt on the list, cause it should be
Craig Ryan
Back to GEOS NA. Who thinks we will see school closures in the next few months? And where is that GEOS NA manager troll on here now? :-)
Anybody know when we will hear GEOS NA closings? And where is that GEOS NA manager troll now? ;-)
Can't talk anymore up here in Canada. Big shot is pissed. Sorry, have watch ourselves. Still need pay, if you know what I mean.
I know for a fact that students at some of the schools that are closing will have at least a one-hour trip to the nearest school if they want to stay with GEOS. I can see a lot of students not being at all keen on this, and I'm wondering what will happen if they are continuing to get new students at these schools without telling them they'll have to transfer when they close down. I assume this is what they are doing, as that memo instructed the teachers to keep quiet, and I think it could cause a bit of a shitstorm.
@1.59 Are you a control freak and like to control what people talk about on this site, you maybe interested in NA, but please be considerate of the people in Japan and what they want to say, rather than just shooting people down and controlling the thread like it seems with your comment.
7:52 Don't think that person was intentionally speaking about GEOS Japan. The thread got a little off topic, like I and others also noticed, so they were probably just trying to keep it focused, There were comments on here that are better posted on other threads on this site. Nothing big.
Slow down...relax...take a deep breath...unless you are a GEOS manager, then I can totally understand your anxiety. ;-)
@ 7:52 Consideration needs to be given to both Japan and GEOS NA. We all know GEOS Japan is shedding A LOT of schools, eliminating A LOT of teacher and managers, and their students will also pay dearly. W must also focus on GEOS North America, because that is where the sh*t will hit the fan next. More teachers and manager (but who really cared about them, anyway?) out of a job and more students screwed over. Sad.
I just hope the person who warned us about the GEOS Europe announcement can get on
P.S. I, too, noticed about the Web site changes (and non-changes) to GEOS NA sites, particularly Canadian operations. I also noticed today that some Canadian schools suddenly removed references to GEOS global operations directly, like "over 550 schools worldwide." Maybe they are on here and reading our gripes. Interesting to note is that GEOS Honolulu seems to have changed its site recently and it looks NOTHING like the other sites. Given they are under GEOS NA, does this mean they are going their own way soon?...Or just typical GEOS disorganization?
Yeah, the person who warned about GEOS Europe...big announcement...Thanks. But where are you now? We need info on GEOS NA stat!
Any GEOS Canadian teachers or staff on here that want to update us on the average class sizes at their schools for the CEP? Can get a good idea of the health of the school by class sizes for this month.
Anyone dare to rate GEOS NA schools based on chances for success? Maybe we can run both a US and Canadian list.
Person who talked about the Web site changes: you are right, I noticed that too. Calgary and Toronto look dead in the water. Interesting to note the GEOS SF and Honolulu seem not to be following the GEOS NA master's plan for Web sites. Will they go it alone like GEOS England?
The closure list has found its way on the Kuchikomi and other Japanese message boards in Japan. Saw alot of comments from J-people after they read the email and closure list. The word has gotten out, hopefully most of them (GEOS students) use the internet.
It seems to me that with the cash cows gone, Japan could simply not support the majority of schools in Japan, hence the closing of so many. This should have been done ages ago, but Special K's pride and ego would not allow it.
It is sad that more jobs will be lost.
However, if GEOS does somehow remain profitable with its remaining schools perhaps it will honour its obligations to Australia and even if it elects NOT to, then at least there is an operation in existence to sue for the recovery of the debts. A small ray of hope.
Who is the Manager in Honolulu? I believe she was just sent from Head Office....has no experience in Management whatsoever.
In the unlikely event of any debts being repatriated to Australia that money would now be mopped up in the administrator/liquidators professional fees.
One of you said, "Interesting to note is that GEOS Honolulu seems to have changed its site recently and it looks NOTHING like the other sites. Given they are under GEOS NA, does this mean they are going their own way soon?...Or just typical GEOS disorganization?"
If you have only just now seen the Hawaii site, you may well see some anomaly. Hawaii, however, has had the green light to do its own web site as far back as 2006. So, to answer your question - it is atypical, not typical.
It appears the same GEOS NA poster is posting the same questions over and over and over to find people to collude with his/her views. If you are so worried and concernd...why are you wasting your time posting on this site....instead of finding another job?? GEOS is not the end of the world. Those of us in Japan are bound by strict immigration rules that wont allow us to work outside of our visa status in other forms of employment. You live and work in your home country and nothing is preventing you from finding a another job in another field or anywhere else. You also wont have the hassle of dealing with discriminatory apartment agents and owners when you move to a new apartment. With the potential of up to 150 or more english teachers being stranded in a foreign country with no job or apartment will take precedence over your problems in NA. Whatever happens to GEOS NA, let it happen. There is NOTHING you can do about it anyway. The 150 or more teachers without a job in Japan FAR exceeds the number of teachers in NA by a long shot. When GEOS NA goes under, hardly anybody will ntoice and wouldnt get the media attention you think it deserves. The GEOS Australia debacle just got swept under the carpet and all is forgotten...and that was just over 2 months ago.
Are you staying on at GEOS NA for the students?? Then Dont. Let them take care of themselves, Im pretty certain they know the problems GEOS has and they are willing to save a few bucks to take a shot at cheap classes at run down schools in NA. They have nobody to blame if they get punked with a sudden closure. You have no reason to complain and whine when you find yourself without a job either. You have posted on here how agents are not referring students to GEOS global schools anymore....so the students should be drying up anyway. Dont feel bad for them...because they wont feel bad for you. They will go home and move on with their lives. Whats stopping you from moving on and finding yourself a new job??
Your situation is nowhere near as bad as those teachers living and working in Japan. GEOS NA is not that important. SORRY.
Could anyone care less about some teacher who ran away to a foreign country, Japan in this case, to escape the reality of his/ her home country? Teachers in Canada, Europe, etc. probably have way more responsibility in the form of a family and a mortgage. GEOS Japanese teachers are predominantly (not all) single, make, younger, have no mortgage payments, . Seriously, are you trying to equate.
The reality is the poster was and is not a GEOS teacher...but they have connections. Figure it out. I am sure certain people do not want GEOS Canada talked about on this thread, and will go to great lengths to conceal it. GEOS Australia went down, then NZ/ Capetwon, recently England and Paris, along with GEOS Japan closures...GEOS Canada is now on the clock and the center of attention. Sorry to take away from your vanity, narcissim, and people look and care only about me attitude. To try and put out the statement that somehow GEOS Japanese teachers and staff are more deserving of attention or sorrow is preposterous! Grow up! It doesn't matter if their might be "more teachers" there, especially when GEOS International schools have propped up GEOS Japan for a long time, not the other way around.
Re: Getting Real
Well, you make some valid points albeit in a rather callous fashion. But I do not blame you for that.
The site itself is engineered, predisposed to "debunking" after all. So, it is hardly the home of egalitarian, altruistic thought. The DNA is the DNA and we are stuck with it, I am afraid. Accordingly, we are not likely to experience any decrease in the number of rampant, self-centered diatribes. And I have not observed that any corner of the GEOS empire is any less inclined to engage in this crude, selfish behavior.
When you say that GEOS Japan, will in a nutshell, suffer more when the GEOS obituary is written, that, however true, does not discount the suffering of people now employed in NA. Consider this. You break a leg in a football game. Meanwhile, across the Pacific from you, I have experienced a grade three tear in my Anterior Cruciate Ligament in a basketball game. Yours may be the more serious injury. But news of your injury will not likely offer me any comfort. We are both hurting.
9:22 The Honolulu mention was more. It has always been different, but it recently was updated and not in the same I-want-to-be-ILSC (biggest school in Canada that they copied) template crap of other GEOS schools. San Fransisco is another interesting one. Again, this shows that the new GEOS NA VP/ manager does not have the ultimate control over schools he thinks he has. Heard he has tried to dictate Web site and other changes, but some schools have balked...Or maybe preparing for their eventual separation?
Well, I have to revise, because the person who just now posted from Canada makes some valid points. It is quite true that teachers in NA tend to be older, have families, etc.
So, to continue with my analogy. We have got the broken leg here, and the fellow in Japan has the ACL tear in his knee.
M., when he was still with GEOS in NYC, used to have that authority. And later he farmed it out to a third party in Canada. Typically, GEOS locations in the US had their sites developed by M and later by the third party entity. Hawaii had long been the exception due to a quirk. However, around 2006 or 2007 it occurred to some schools that they might be able to do better on their own. So, a couple locations were granted permission to upload their own material as long as it was within the GEOS template and if they could demonstrate that they had in-house personnel who actually expertise in web design/development. That is all I can say on this, and maybe I have said way too much.
You GEOS morons in NA have no f-ing excuse to be working at GEOS at all. You are all wage workers working on a Wal-Mart cashier income level. Your hours vary according to the schedule and the number of students you have. You are truly pathetic if you are supporting a family working at GEOS NA. Talking about how western teachers"ran away" from their home countries because they cant cut it is a farse. Today there are tons of you lazy, bumfucks from NA who are begging for any job in Japan...even lawyers, engineers, doctors..you name it. Just check out Gaijinpot.com to find these wanna-be runaways and NA trash dying to get here, filling up the threads with their tales of woe and endless questions on getting a job in Japan, hiring season, salary...etc.
You GEOS NA workers are truly suckers and morons. You wont have a job much longer anyway and I seriously doubt your income at GEOS NA will qualify you for unemployment when you lose your job.
If you knew GEOS International schools were supporting Japan and draining away the money and you didnt agree with that, why did you continue your employment with GEOS?? I know why, because the most of you GEOS NA teachers have a G.E.D. or a HS education with some form of ESL certificate from some community college. If you have a real diploma in ESL you are total loser for working at GEOS, but I doubt any of you have real qualifications or even a bachelors. Those that did have real qualifications at GEOS NA got a better deal somewhere else and the ones who are left are the "bottom of the barrel" workers who didnt prepare themselves for the future and didnt invest in a proper education or training. Now you are left holding the bag and you back is against the wall....how does that feel??
Look on the bright side you can always work at Wal-Mart or Target, they are always hiring. The wages are not that different anyway. You are not going to get unemployment, but you might qualify for welfare.
I could add a bit...
Actually, M "farmed it out" to a certain GEOS manager in Canada...Who actually bought the template you see from one of those template Web design companies. Sure, schools went on their own, which is so evident in the utter lack of consistency, professional style, or usefulness...Most sites were just plain bad. But the person in question in Canada, who is not the acting had of GEOS NA (not a real position as some might imagine), is directing everything in regards to the Web sites. Hence why GEOS Ottawa just switched from the God awful old design you still see at GEOS Calgary. The template bought and used by this manager is to mimic ILSC< the biggest chain school in Canada. And almost all the changes are made by this said manager/ VP because he loves to micro-manager...And, yes, there are fights all the time about the changes for each school and the sites are still inconsistent.
I would rather work at Target (or even Wal-mart) than GEOS Japan. Any moron would figure that out before they got into a mess in Japan. I guess some haven't still. ;-)
...should have read "who is NOW the acting head of NA operations..." two posts above.
Target sounds like the proper job for HS educated or GED holders who work at GEOS NA. Those teachers in Japan who prepare themselves can still find other jobs at comparable wages, which way more than you Target workers would ever get. You wont make $2,800 to $3,200 a month working 30 hours a week at Target. And not mention english teachers in Japan have a bachelors degree which is one GIANT step above the rest of you GEOS NA workers. A bachelors is a dream you 40 or 50 somethings GEOS NA workers will never acheive.
If Japan is such a bad place to work, then why the hell do so many of you NA scum get on gaijinpot begging for job leads and tips everyday?? Because they do NOT want to work at Target and because they have a bachelors degree!
English teachers in Japan have a bachelor degree from any second-rate university (mayeb even third) in Arts for the most part!
I think you are a little bitter and too quick to judge...I am NOT a GEOS teacher in NA! You really are an idiot, aren't you? Says a lot of GEOS Japan. Really makes me less sympathetic to your plight.
Maybe you need to come back to Europe or NA. Nobody knows or cares about GEOS Japan outside that small circle, and most people will just laugh at you like they did Nova teachers. In Canada, you actually need TESL Canada certification (not hard, but need it) in addition to a degree at legitimate schools. Most "I worked in Japan" resumes just shuffled to the waste paper basket because they usually do not include TESL qualifications (or even a proper degree in many cases!). Nothing against you or others, because there are a lot of qualified teachers in Japan...But also a lot of scammers. Just the industry as a whole.
But let's get off the we-are-better-than-you yap and on with the GEOS gossip...GEOS NA sounds like it is next, so I am waiting on the insider earlier to tell us more.
A second rate bachelors degree is better than your HS diploma or GED anyday. The teachers in Japan appreciate your sympathies. You dont need to be a party to the GEOS thread if you dont have a connection to GEOS, you are just wasting your time and other peoples time posting garbage.
Dear Geos Gossip,
Once again..Stop Writing crap....The facts are these...
Geos will close 84 Adult schools this year...
Please be advised that the remaining 185 schools will remain open...as well as ALL the Geos for children schools.........
oh and get down to the TreeHouse in Gifu for a beer and some AFL football!!
Oh, then who cares for a handful losers working at GEOS NA and Europe?? How many teachers work at all these schools...maybe a 20?? Who cares about them?? GEOS Japan emlpoyes more than 600 english teachers in Japan. GEOS NA and Europe are trashed anyway. GEOS Japan will still be around and the shitty schools in NA and Europe will be robbed of the little cash they have left from Mr. K and doors will be closed this year and no one will miss you. GEOS NA and Europe will end up like Australia. You could be out of a job anyday and you know it. Nobody is gonna give a shit about GEOS NA or Europe or the tiny group of uneducated retards that work there.
GEOS is closing 3 children schools. The words （こども）
kodomo (GEOS likes to spells it codomo) means children.
827-54FG松山（こども）
846-53三田（こども）
856-51香芝（こども）
Is that so?? So, people working at GEOS Canada are teaching classes with their teaching diploma and certificates and slaving away for peanuts while GEOS Japan teachers make alot more money than you and work less hours?? GEE...no wonder people would rather work in Japan...no certificate required nor a degree in teaching or ESL. It might be a shitty environment in Japan, but the money is good and the hours are not long and we can enjoy our lives and party every weekend in Tokyo while you work away on Wal-Mart style wages to pay your overpriced mortgages while Mr. K rips off your schools to pay us....we sure do appreciate it. People might sympathize with GEOS teachers in Japan, but they dont give a shxt about you turds in NA and Europe.
Its funny how the laws and business practices are so different between Japan and western countries and all to the benefit of Japan. You are getting screwed and the teachers in Japan are getting your money. How does that feel?? Not Good, huh?? Feels unfair?? Its should.
You might complain how english teachers in Japan dont give a shxt about lesson quality and give poor classroom performance...thats because we can get away with it and no one cares, and we get paid to screw around...not you..you have to work hard, put in long hours, and prepare your classes and get paid a dishwashers salary. You can take the morale high ground if you like, but that wont pay the bills will it??
This person posting all this crap an speaking from on behalf of us in japan, is not representative of all here. I'm better than you! Sounds like he has the mentality of a three or four year old. That's what qualifies him to work in a crappy job for a crappy company.
Dude, chill out and stop making trouble. No need to insult people from NA or Europe.
All this ranting is disgusting. Why get on each other's case? Ostensibly, this site was created to afford people an opportunity to learn something from each other. All this bad-mouthing, however, suggests that there is nothing here to be learned - except bad manners.
Sound advice. As much as it pains many commenters, try not to feed the trolls and flamers.
Shawn
Domino your are nothing short of blind pig. Australia - Melbourne making in excess of 1Mill, Perth Similar, GC just under, SA breaking even, Sydney up and down but with patches of making good money. Why would Japan be taking money for over 18 months if it was successful? Australia propped up Japan for the last 18 months to 2 years. Taking your blinkers off or go get a dose of reality. Feel free to review my pervious posts - you will note i let everyone know well in advance that the Australia model of sending as much money as was available to Japan was unsustainable - not the operations of the schools, all well in advance of the schools closing. Given the current climate have done very well. Grow up you goon and stop distorting the public facts...
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