Teachers dating students

[Jack]

I read in Mainichi that some English teachers in Osaka are attempting to sue NOVA English schools for their policy of firing teachers who socialize with the students, (i.e bangs students).

From the stories that I have heard, maybe the policy whould be to ban the students from approaching the teachers because I hear that it is the students who ask the teachers for drinks after classes. I had a penpal in Osaka who basically fell in love with an English teacher at her school just by being there and listening to the lectures. She is married to boot. Her biggest complaint was that the tecaher was ignoring her.

Any juicy stories from some of the enlightened English teachers on this forum?

[Taro Toporific]

I read in Mainichi that some English teachers in Osaka are attempting to sue NOVA English schools for their policy of firing teachers who socialize with the students, (i.e bangs students).

Any juicy stories from some of the enlightened English teachers on this forum?

The Japan Times is running the same story today (March 1)...
Nova's ban on dating violates rights: teachers

[cstaylor]

NOVA is a gaijin host club. If the obaasan's date the teachers, they don't need to come back and pay the ridiculous fees.

[Steve Bildermann]

Actually it's not quite as romantic as it sounds.

One of the more sleazy Japan weeklies (ok I know what's coming 1-they are *all* sleazy and 2- Why was I reading it) has a small article in which a former NOVA teacher grasses.

Apparently teachers are in the habit of harvesting students from NOVA schools for 'private' lessons. Quite a large off-the-books business had been built up with teachers exchanging information and 'potentials' over the internet. Eventually it has grown to such a size that it was seriously hurting NOVA.

It's always the money. Sad but true

[Big Booger]

Sounds like a brothel to me...
BB

[bluepxl]

Apparently teachers are in the habit of harvesting students from NOVA schools for 'private' lessons. Quite a large off-the-books business had been built up with teachers exchanging information and 'potentials' over the internet. Eventually it has grown to such a size that it was seriously hurting NOVA.

has this problem not occured with the JET program? just curious...

[Steve Bildermann]

It happens in every business. Lawyers, Hairdressers, fitness instructors etc all leave and take 'loyal' clients with them. Teaching is no different.

[gaijinzilla]

Hey, that's how I met my wife!!
She was a student of mine at the eikaiwa I worked at years and years ago (it wasn't NOVA, it was another of the Big 3). Just to set the record straight she's 2 years younger than I. Unfortunately she wasn't one of those rich obasan types willing to splash out the pre-Bubble yen on swarthy looking foreigners (they were all in another sensei's class.....the bastard )
Everyone at the "school" knew about us and it wasn't a problem...maybe the manager was pissed off because my wife (technically she wasn't my wife then, but, well you all know what I mean) didn't renew her contract. I figure if the people involved are consenting adults then ain't nodoby'd business.
That said, though, I agree with the esteemed Mr. Bildermann that in many cases this "fraternization" is about making money on the side; I never did this while working at the eikaiwa, not out of some misplaced notion of loyalty to the company but because at the time it never crossed my mind to make extra cash that way although some teachers (Japanese staff and gaijin) did.
About this happening on JET....hmm...I know that quite often many FG teachers marry their Japanese counterparts, but I've never heard about an AET (or ALT or whatever you want to call them) dating one of their students...but, nowadays, who knows?...I mean there seems a penchant for Japanese teachers to do so (according to the local papers and such)
I don't know about seeking legal action concerning this "problem", especially as they (the FGs from NOVA) knew the "terms" beforehand, but NOVA's stance does seem a little sleazy.... some students want to hang-out with the teacher after class not just for dating purposes, you know, have a beer and some yakitori just to get to know the teacher...nothing more;

[American Oyaji]

Anyway, back to the subject at hand.

Another one of the reasons for the non-fraternization policy could be:

1. Spurned lovers may cancel their NOVA contracts or may not renew. And perhaps they may talk bad about NOVA to their friends (thus decreasing potential sales)

2. Sexual chemistry between a student and a teacher may hinder adequate teaching in the classroom.

in defense of NOVA, I used to work there. I liked it. It was a lot of fun and the students actually did learn. The curriculum was quite effective. Especially the ones that applied themselves

[American Oyaji]

all NOVA schools arent equal.
There is a teaching guideline that is to be followed, but I believe that the SMALLER schools are actually better than the huge ones.

My school had about 7 to 8 teachers maximum with only 6 classrooms.

So we could only teach 6 to 7 lessons at any one time. (There is one large room for what is called VOICE) and that is for students of any level to come in for free flowing discussion and practice in a semi structured environment).

Many students that came from larger areas and transferred to our school really enjoyed the lessons better and learned more they said.

As far as being QUALIFIED to teach English. Just because someone has gone to school to be a teacher doesnt make them qualified to teach.
And just because someone is qualified to teach English in a English speaking country, doesnt mean they are qualified to teach English in a foreign country. Reason being is that teaching it as a foreign language is different.

The interview for the job at NOVA was the HARDEST interview I'd ever had in my life. There was a written test that took about an hour and then I had a face to face interview that left me with a suit that was sweated out. The spoken interview was about 1 1/2 hours.

The written test covered the English language and its intimate details. It also covered issues like why English is difficult for Japanese people and went into detail as WHAT were Japanese particular difficulties with English. These were questions that if you were new to Japan and Japanese people, you would have no clue. And then the spoken interview was based on my answers in the written test and she asked the questions again in a different way to make sure that I actually knew what I was talking about and not just spouting off. I mean asking a question one way, and then switching it up and asking it a different way.

I interview well, but that one shook me up. This lady was Maori (from NZ for you FGs that dont know) and she was one tough broad. I had to go to a sento just to calm down and untense my muscles.

But I got the job.