It's just English...not doctrine from Hitler!

Eigo · 14 Jul 2024

So I've wondered for a while, how is it teaching English in Japan often becomes so toxic and acidic? After all, those who have hearts in the right place really do want kids and students to progress a little in life with real enrichment and better opportunities...and none of that means becoming fluent, just enjoy English and perhaps score a few extra points in test with happy parents and family. So...why is English such a job sector that leaves teachers burned out, traumatised, mental health issues and poisonous?

Some suggestions...

The bosses - stressed...stress and stress. It's a business, not a life reward group.
Managers - Little Hitlers that would never be managers in their home country that are lucky to be in the right place at the right time with lazy cost cutting bosses that don't want to look for and appointment real managers. So instead they get a post office worker from Anglo country Gamma who has hidden psychopath tendencies and is in their element in Japan with a little power.
Coworkers - Woke, delicate little souls...woke...delicate....huge hairy children at 38 still behaving as though they're 13.

Anyone want to add?

It's just English for heavens sake and we all want kids to do great so....why does it get toxic so quick in Japan when it's clear students are not the issue?

Majestic · 15 Jul 2024

It is not a job for everyone, but for some reason everyone seems to think they can do it. So you get guys who are full of frustrated feelings of "not belonging" in America, and maybe they don't have a lot of marketable skills to succeed in America, and they become fascinated with Japan for whatever reason, and they hear stories about people going to Japan to teach English. They hear the bar is low, the country is safe, the life is exotic, and people treat foreigners well. It's an irresistible cocktail for some.

So they end up getting hired by one of these ruthless dispatch groups, and moving to Japan, and for a while it is everything they dreamed of. Exotic, fascinating, meeting new people who treat them nicely, or who seem to actually like or respect them. But the honeymoon wears off, and after a while they realize something's not right. They aren't getting treated well. Their pay is barely enough to allow them to survive. After learning a few Japanese phrases, they find the language as daunting as ever. And then reality starts to creep in. But rather than admit that their own shortcomings, they blame their job. They never learn the language, so they aren't able to integrate into their workplace or their neighborhood. Their lack of marketable skills becomes just as burdensome in Japan as it was in their home country, and it causes them to go into a tailspin.

Teaching English to Japanese school kids is a very tough gig, and you need stamina and you need to feel a sense of worth even if you are just reaching one kid out of 30. Very few people are suited to it. If you feel that teaching is your vocation, you probably have a reasonable chance of doing well as a professional teacher in Japan - but without a teaching credential in Japan you may find the economics are just not very attractive. Assistant English Teacher (AET) is the lowest rung on the ladder, and there is a never-ending supply of people who are willing to do the job for minimum wages (or less). There is no job security. Burnout rate is high. Easy to blame any number of things other than one's self: I was overworked. I wasn't being treated well. The pay was low, etc. These are common enough complaints in any company, but in your home country you might expect to use one job as a springboard to another, whereas English teachers in Japan struggle to pull out of the tailspin.

LunaApeg · 15 Jul 2024

Many English teaching positions in Japan are within private language schools or are contracted through dispatch companies to public schools. These entities often prioritize profit margins and business metrics over educational quality or teacher well-being. This can lead to high levels of stress among managers and a focus on cost-cutting measures that may impact teachers negatively.

Eigo · 15 Jul 2024

Majestic said:
It is not a job for everyone, but for some reason everyone seems to think they can do it. So you get guys who are full of frustrated feelings of "not belonging" in America, and maybe they don't have a lot of marketable skills to succeed in America, and they become fascinated with Japan for whatever reason, and they hear stories about people going to Japan to teach English. They hear the bar is low, the country is safe, the life is exotic, and people treat foreigners well. It's an irresistible cocktail for some.

So they end up getting hired by one of these ruthless dispatch groups, and moving to Japan, and for a while it is everything they dreamed of. Exotic, fascinating, meeting new people who treat them nicely, or who seem to actually like or respect them. But the honeymoon wears off, and after a while they realize something's not right. They aren't getting treated well. Their pay is barely enough to allow them to survive. After learning a few Japanese phrases, they find the language as daunting as ever. And then reality starts to creep in. But rather than admit that their own shortcomings, they blame their job. They never learn the language, so they aren't able to integrate into their workplace or their neighborhood. Their lack of marketable skills becomes just as burdensome in Japan as it was in their home country, and it causes them to go into a tailspin.

Teaching English to Japanese school kids is a very tough gig, and you need stamina and you need to feel a sense of worth even if you are just reaching one kid out of 30. Very few people are suited to it. If you feel that teaching is your vocation, you probably have a reasonable chance of doing well as a professional teacher in Japan - but without a teaching credential in Japan you may find the economics are just not very attractive. Assistant English Teacher (AET) is the lowest rung on the ladder, and there is a never-ending supply of people who are willing to do the job for minimum wages (or less). There is no job security. Burnout rate is high. Easy to blame any number of things other than one's self: I was overworked. I wasn't being treated well. The pay was low, etc. These are common enough complaints in any company, but in your home country you might expect to use one job as a springboard to another, whereas English teachers in Japan struggle to pull out of the tailspin.

I don't disagree with you, however what you've outlined there seems to describe the first timer from the US more than anything and you're not wrong, but there's a wider scope to things than the lost souls of America in Japan for the first time. (of which, please leave your politics behind if at all possible...you're in Japan now and no need to fight with one another. Take a break!)

The experiences I'm hinting at come from people that are seasoned teachers in their home country and have good experience around Asia too...then they come to Japan and for them there's a detectable difference. Some things are similar of course, but from the discussions I've had with people, it's both public and private schools that at a growing rate, seem to have clusters of personality issues that ruin the teaching experience...then they burn out their visa and leave.

I don't disagree with you but I'm not purely talking about the delicate types looking for anime and cosplay fun in Akihabara.

Eigo · 15 Jul 2024

LunaApeg said:
Many English teaching positions in Japan are within private language schools or are contracted through dispatch companies to public schools. These entities often prioritize profit margins and business metrics over educational quality or teacher well-being. This can lead to high levels of stress among managers and a focus on cost-cutting measures that may impact teachers negatively.

But this outlines part of my original post nicely. Regular and ordinary "Joe" is being put in a position of authority and management without the acumen, experience, qualifications, ability or coping skills to do it and are stretched like a rubber band maxing out what they're naturally able to do....then the trouble starts. Betas being Alphas essentially, seizing the moment for a position of "power" and salary boost but really, are only good for supermarket jobs.

Right place right time can move the wrong people up the chain of command in Japan when it comes to managerial positions it seems as it suits the convenience of employers to keep things moving forward quickly, sacrificing speed for quality and competence.

Lothor · 18 Jul 2024

Eigo - it's an interesting question you asked. Can I suggest that answers (whatever they are, and I think Majestic's hit the mark) do not have to include the words 'woke', 'delicate type', 'alpha', and 'beta'. These are oversimplifications of people's personalities, and the word 'woke' is used by politicians to divide - political discourse got by fine for a very long time without the word. As you said, 'please leave your politics behind if at all possible'. I'm inviting you to do the same!

Eigo · 18 Jul 2024

Lothor said:
Eigo - it's an interesting question you asked. Can I suggest that answers (whatever they are, and I think Majestic's hit the mark) do not have to include the words 'woke', 'delicate type', 'alpha', and 'beta'. These are oversimplifications of people's personalities, and the word 'woke' is used by politicians to divide - political discourse got by fine for a very long time without the word. As you said, 'please leave your politics behind if at all possible'. I'm inviting you to do the same!

You make a fair point, however I won't be editing my original post so people have a chance to see what you're highlighting and judge for themselves.

I'd rather this thread didn't get hijacked and turn into a point for point presentation and fact check argument, however.

It's just English...not doctrine from Hitler!

Eigo

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Majestic

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LunaApeg

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Eigo

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Eigo

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Lothor

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Eigo

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