This thread is dedicated to the discussion of the article The Unbiased Truth About Nova written by Brooker.
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This thread is dedicated to the discussion of the article The Unbiased Truth About Nova written by Brooker.
Thanks for posting the article Maciamo! I hope people find it useful.
First impression - before having read it - any article titled "The Unbiased Truth About" isn't. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Maciamo
I love hearing all the stories about Nova and reading the articles....It's nice to see the mixed opinions of companies like Nova....I just don't care for those companies but that is my opinion. I have met people who absolutely love Nova which is good because it means they enjoy it.
Well after having read the article the only think I think it lacks is addressing some of the common NOVA (rumours/slanders).
A little section of Q & A's like ...
"Q. I've heard that ____ is that true?"
with a short statement as to whether (to his knowledge) it (has no foundation/is possible/happens).
This site A guide for those considering teaching English for Nova in Japan addresses common 'NOVA Myths'.
I found this news article in a quick Google search.
- American teacher takes Nova to court over dismissal
I think one of my favorite parts was this.
I've seen this is so many cases. Never happened to me and this is my home now but I find it amusing even though it might not be.Quote:
Being a Gaijin in Japan
The experience of living in a foreign country always comes in three stages :
Stage #1: Euphoria - Everything is so new and exciting. Even going to the supermarket is an adventure.
Stage #2: Depression - This is mostly caused by missing Stage #1 as it fades away. This stage is short, but very intense.
Stage #3: Acceptance - In time you become comfortable in your new surroundings.
I went through each stage of the above, but I wouldnt say depression lol..
Wow thx for posting that ! great info , espicially as im looking for that sorta thing in japan. I have heard all sorts from Nova. I dint know teachers werent alowed to sorta hang out with students. My friend dint have a good time with nove, maybe that because he dated one the students !. However im looking for a temp work experience placement i guess, and it isnt proving easy, however im sending e-mails to quite a few companies.
Wow, what a response! Thanks everyone!
PaulTB wrote....
To be honest, I'm not familiar with what all the rumors and slanders may be (they certainly didn't want to spread that kind of thing around while I was working there) or I would have addressed them. If you have any particular examples, I'd be happy to address them here.Quote:
Well after having read the article the only think I think it lacks is addressing some of the common NOVA (rumours/slanders).
Playaa wrote....
A friend of mine who'd lived abroad told me about "the stages" before I went to Japan. It could have been a self forfilled prophecy (which I kind of doubt) but when it did happen to me just like he said it would it helped me to understand what I was feeling and helped me to not feel like I was going crazy. I remember thinking, "This is terrible, going to the supermarket does nothing for me now!"Quote:
I went through each stage of the above, but I wouldnt say depression lol..
I know the adjustion to Japan can be difficult for most foreigners just because it's not what they are used to. Also, if it takes a while to make friends then I can understand why the depression sets in. The thing is to make friends and enjoy yourself while you are here but enjoy yourself in a mannerly way too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooker
I've seen tons of my friends go through the depression stage...I never had any problems but everybody is not like me either.
i was depressed when i CAME BACK to america (the first time, i deal with it better now)
Just a small correction, under the "Conclusion" section, JET is listed as a "other large company" along with Berlitz, ECC, and the rest.
JET is a government program run in partnership with a private organization and local administrative bodies (like most setups in the Japanese government) and the wages are paid from taxes, like any other public servant. JET is not a profit oriented organization like NOVA etc.
Not a big point, but it might save some Google users a bit of confusion.
Otherwise, great article Brooker :-)
Re: NOVA--from what I have picked up from speaking a a good number of people who taught at NOVA schools (including my sister-in-law, who worked at two different branches), the chain is somewhat of a hit-or-miss proposition. Many NOVA schools are clean, well-operated and respectable; many, however, are as bad as the stories you hear. My sister-in-law, for example, worked for one of the better branches at her second office, but her first was a mess. Many of the "slanders" were in fact true, and the biggest problem was the complete lack of professionalism among the teachers and the "meat market" attitude that the students were open for sexual pursuit.
Other basic problems annoyed many people, especially those who were familiar with better terms at many other language schools. Probationary salary, being docked for sick days, and other cutbacks in the early 90's that were likely prompted by the economic recession and collapse of the market which many schools were deeply involved in (e.g., the "Bilingual" school).
Personally, I lost respect for NOVA back in the whole drug-testing dispute. One teacher who worked for a Kyoto branch was caught with marijuana and arrested in 1994. NOVA thereafter required their teachers to undergo drug testing. IMHO, that's a huge no-no. It assumes guilt on the part of any and all teachers; it is an invasion of privacy; and worst, at a time when Japanese saw foreigners as being criminals and drug addicts, it reinforced that stereotype and affirmed discriminatory beliefs. Teachers who failed to comply were either fired or let go at the end of that contract (as compliance with drug testing was introduced as part of the new contract).
That policy prompted the formation of a union which still exists to this day (find the web site here.) Having worked at two institutions that suffered union organizations, I am rather strongly adverse to such organizations as they form here in Japan for schools--they tend to filled with angry, petty and vindictive people who are more interested in revenge and vitriol than in finding solutions. But if I had been a NOVA teacher at that time, I likely would have joined.
And as distasteful as unions are, they do tend to force the schools to clean up their act--though a side-effect is often over-regulation and a complete lack of flexibility. But it may be that if NOVA is a better place to work today, the union may be one of the reasons why.
Another point about NOVA is the whole McSchools issue. I earned a degree in TESOL and have some respect for educational standards, and from what I have heard, NOVA is not the best place for real learning. And it is possible--I worked for two different conversation schools that actually took the entire issue seriously, hiring people with real training and experience, sending teachers and staff to TESOL conventions, holding teacher meetings to discuss improvement of the curriculum. Maybe NOVA does this nowadays, I don't know--but they certainly did not do this always.
-------------------
Re: stages of acceptance in a new foreign home--that's a very normal and universally accepted set of stages, I remember discussing the exact same thing when I first moved to Japan, and I am sure people have noted it for a long time.
What I find less discussed but even more important is terms of motivation in regards to integration. Those who come to a new country to make money and leave (or other such reward-driven motives) can be said to have "instrumental" motivation; those who come and immerse themselves in the new culture, learn the language, make native friends, etc., can be said to be working under "integrational" motivation.
Ever known your teaching co-workers in Japan to be highly insular, only going out to pubs and places with their gaijin friends, not learning the language or really knowing the people, and saving as much as they can for going back home? These tend to be the same people who are incessantly immersed in *****-and-moan sessions about how bad Japan is and what's wrong with Japan. People who come to the country just to get paid and don't try to integrate, in my observation, tend to be almost universally unhappy in Japan and negative about their experiences in general.
Contrast that to those who integrate, take on a Japanese hobby, learn the language, make friends--they tend to be highly positive and enjoy life in Japan.
So if you plan to come--or if you are here and find yourself in the former group described above--do your best to learn, accept, immerse and integrate. It will almost certainly improve your experience here.
Just my two cents.
BlogD wrote....
My understanding was that Nova tried to institute drug testing, but was never allowed to for some legal reasons. Throughout my time at Nova, I never heard any mention of drug testing.Quote:
Personally, I lost respect for NOVA back in the whole drug-testing dispute. One teacher who worked for a Kyoto branch was caught with marijuana and arrested in 1994. NOVA thereafter required their teachers to undergo drug testing.
Wow, I had no idea Nova had a union. That's weird. I never joined or paid any dues (to my knowledge) because I didn't know it existed. None of my bosses or coworkers ever mentioned anything about a union. I wonder if it's either something they try to keep quiet or if it's just that the union is very ineffectual.Quote:
That policy prompted the formation of a union which still exists to this day
I do think this is one of the main drawbacks of Nova.Quote:
Another point about NOVA is the whole McSchools issue.
Well said. It's all about your motivations and attitude. I felt that only a small percentage of complaints about Japan were legitimate and the rest came from people in the "instrumental" group.Quote:
Contrast that to those who integrate, take on a Japanese hobby, learn the language, make friends--they tend to be highly positive and enjoy life in Japan.
From an article in the Japan Times, it seems that NOVA's drug testing policy is still on the books, though thanks to the formation of the union and an Osaka bar association ruling against it, it has never been used.
I'm not surprised a lot of NOVA employees haven't heard of the union, the company does its best to supress knowledge of it by transferring or not renewing the contracts of employees involved in union activities. I've read quite a bit about it here:
www.letsjapan.org
Hello.
My first post here. I've been lurking for quite some time and I thought I'd post something concrete. But before that, I'd like to thank Brooker for a fine job with the Article. I'm an English teacher, currently working for Nova. I've been working there for 3 years, I'm on my fourth. I've only lived in Kyushu so I don't really know how it is in Honshu and other places.
Anyway, we just recently got official word that Nova will be updating it's Textbook by October.
That's all.
Isn't the book they use now so old that it has references to the Soviet Union and Bay City Rollers in it? Does updating mean getting a new kind of textbook or just a slightly less out of date version of the old one? Curious minds want to know!Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue 3
I should add that I haven't used it yet. I'm sure that they tested in somewhere in Tokyo and/or Osaka. Maybe someone else can follow up on that. There is a phase out period which, I assume, means that it would be fairly similar to the old book structure wise.
Yes, it's true...There are references to the Bay City Rollers and even smoking sections on Airplanes.
I'll update when we receive a copy.
If you have nothing to hide then wheres the problem? I'd be there the next day with a bucket of my own fluids willing to let them test it to pieces (oops did i spill it on you? sorry. OH god, all over the floor now, ah well, i'll bring some more tomorrow. No? Its ok?)Quote:
NOVA thereafter required their teachers to undergo drug testing. IMHO, that's a huge no-no.
I found the union a while back while looking for info about Japanese work laws (knowledge is power and all that). Seems like a good deal to me :cool:
Edit: I did like this bit "Don't work for Nova if you have claustrophobia"
Now Japan is hell on earth for people with claustrophobia. I remember being in the foreign teachers lounge in a Japanese High School during lunch, myself and a friend, 2 same aged Jet teachers from england, first week in Japan, and the 45yr old verteran American teacher. He was a legend. Anyway, so were chatting away cramped into this tiny room full with filing cabinets and 3 desks jammed in. Barney, the american is writing notes and us others are gasbagging away (talking) when a small earthquake hits. These young american girls FREAK OUT and start looking around as if the roof would cave in. Barney doesn't even look up and put his hand out and supports the filing cabinets from falling down until the quake stops and then goes back to work. Myself and Julien just laugh at Barney's non-reaction and these green English girls freaking out over a small earthquake! :D
Regarding Schedules:
Actually, there are 3 shifts available at the moment for full-time teachers.
Early Shift 10:00 - 5:40
Middle Shift 11:40 - 7:20
Late Shift 13:20 - 9:00
with 2 consecutive days as days off.
This i know to be company wide with certain exceptions. For example, some Nova Branches are inside shopping malls that close earlier or open later. Another example is when the school is not that popular which means that it's closed certain days. This means that the teachers will be working at another branch nearby.
There are options for people who do not have their University diploma. They can work Part-time. This means that they are a different contract very similar to a working holiday contract. The shifts that are available to them are as follows:
Flex Shift 5:00 - 9:00
Usually, Tuesday to Saturday. In some places they work a full-time shift on Saturdays as overtime.
The contract is very different between the Full-time Teacher and the Part-time teacher. PT teachers make less money but they have more free time to find themselves. PT teachers are more available to do overtime which can add up if the demand exists. There are usually more OT in the Big Cities.
People who've been with Nova after a while tend to get the shifts they want. Some teachers like "Titled Instructors" and other trained teachers don't have to teach a 8 regular lessons. They sometimes teach Toeic or Travel or Business classes or Kids or Voice(freestyle conversation). Smaller schools typically have plenty of free lessons to go around for everyone.
I'm tired, i'll write more about vacations later.
Blue 3 wrote....
Thanks. I'm glad you liked it. :balloon:Quote:
I'd like to thank Brooker for a fine job with the Article. I'm an English teacher, currently working for Nova. I've been working there for 3 years, I'm on my fourth.
The schools where I worked didn't offer the middle shift. Is that a new thing?Quote:
Actually, there are 3 shifts available at the moment for full-time teachers.
My roommate was a part-timer. I think he had a diploma, but going part-time allowed him to get hired earlier in his case. He had a lot of free time and saved a lot of money (he, in particular, was very motivated to do so) and he did overtime whenever he could.Quote:
There are options for people who do not have their University diploma. They can work Part-time.
Ewok 85 wrote....
I've heard this argument many times and it fails to "hold water" with me. Lack of guilt doesn't mean that your privacy and rights should be sacrificed. Like the Patriot Act (kind of a tangeant here), but if the government, or anyone, wants to bug your house they'd better go through the appropriate steps. If the power and control of the company you work for is not limited, the company will surely be happy to watch over and control every aspect of your life if given the chance. I've taken drug tests for jobs before (without incident) but I don't like the idea that standing up for your rights and privacy is sometimes viewed as being some kind of admission of guilt, when, if you believe in something, you should stand up for it whether you're guilty or not. If there's a good reason to suspect an employee is using drugs (because it's affecting his/her work performance or something) a test might be in order, but testing everyone automatically seems a little paranoid.Quote:
If you have nothing to hide then wheres the problem?
They want you to pee into a cup man! Is that too much to ask?Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooker
If they test everyone and it comes up negative what have you lost? Not alot. Whats the company lost? A fair bit of money from having to run all these tests and looking stupid at a huge pointless exercise.
Yeah seriously, WTF is wrong with a drug test? You people realize that every time you change jobs for the rest of your life you will probably have to take a drug test? I'm starting to believe that the people that complain the most about NOVA would say the same things about ANY job because it hasn't really hit them that they aren't in college anymore.
Depends whether you like poppy seeds on your roll or not...Quote:
Originally Posted by m477
http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/test2.htm
Ewok85 wrote....
I don't really take issue with drug tests (although I don't see the point in automatically testing everyone) what I took issue with is the line of reasoning you used.Quote:
They want you to pee into a cup man! Is that too much to ask?
To make a parallel to another issue.... I'm not a terrorist, but I still don't think the books I check out should be traced, my home should be bugged, my movements should be monitored, etc. I'm not one to think that the government is watching me, but I believe in protecting the rights of myself and others. Also, if you're not a drug user and they have no reason to suspect you of being one, why should you have to bother to take the test?Quote:
If you have nothing to hide then wheres the problem?
But this is way off topic, if you'd like to continue this, maybe we should do so elsewhere.
Found the following on false positive rates.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooker
http://community.healthgate.com/GetC...gtest/drugtest
"Approximately 30-50% of all positive results are false-positives, meaning that the test found the presence of illicit drugs even though none were taken."
Frankly that's beyond normal suckage into the bloody stupid range.
I worked for Nova for a year, never heard of Union or drug testing. But OMG, some of the people should be screened for decency and sanity. You're right that the big city schools often have people who want to move up. And some are willing to "date" their way to the top. (I really wanna give names but that wouldn't be right wouldn it :D )
They really are a business, and you are lucky if the people in charge are caring otherwise you get your job threaten if you call in sick. My school told me that my probation would be extended for another month, even though I was sick with the flu and the runs (which I got from a sick student).
I want to go back to Japan, I would probably use Nova again, to get in and then get out as soon as possible it it got nasty again. The guy in charge of our group didn't even offer to renew my contract because I didn't get along with his chinese Aussie girlfriend who insulted every other teacher and spread lies and rumors and tried to make others feel bad. I stood up for the other teacher because they were good people from America and Australia and England and we all got along except for her. Oh well. I heard she dumped him for the head teacher.
As far as drug test and false positive. I know of a poor young navy fellow who loved to eat the lemon poppy bagels from the morning vendor, and he tested positive for opiates or something. This poor guy was like the biggest "boy scout" and he was devastated. Lucky for him they figured it out, but now the vendor is not allowed to sell his lemon poppy bagels anymore, and they were the best!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooker
As far as I know it's been around since 2001. That's when I started working for them. I also know it's company-wide because it was in the "Introduction to Nova" booklet that every new teacher gets upon employment.
The first school I worked at was really small and that may be the reason why there were only two shifts. The second school was big, but I probably just wasn't paying any attention to any shift except mine. :p
I disagree with your section regarding the no interaction policy.
Preventing teachers sexing students? Thats fine (although I would argue that its still imposing on the private lifes of teachers and I assmume adult students).
Saying a teacher can't go to an english speaking dentist, or play basketball with a group of guys or talk too someone on the train or get help doing something really difficiult at the post office because the other person or people are NOVA students? Out right bollocks.
Heh, not that it matters. The majority of teachers DO socialise with students to some degree. From basketball, gym buddies and dentists to dirty dirty bedroom gymnastics.
I really don't think that the "no socialization" policy applies to this case. Nova hands out discount coupons for lessons for teachers' families every year. Does this mean that Nova wants to separate teachers from their families who are interested in studying English?Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstHousePooka
I question most people's knowledge about the socialization policy before making judgements about it. Because it seems that nobody knows enough about it. It's true that teachers socialize with students. But i don't think they would get fired unless it leads to Nova having a bad image. As with any company from any country, image is a commodity. What would the implications of having a relationship with a student outside of NOVa be?
If you worked for NOVA, weren't you told of the no socialization policy in orientation? Why wouldn't you quit if you didn't agree with it? At that point you would have had the Visa anyway. Couldn't you make friends outside of work?
For the cases above, I'm sure that upon notifying the AAM about the case, I wouldn't think that the teacher would be in trouble. I wouldn't think that they would fire you just because you happen you didn't realize your friend's mom was a Nova student.
And another thing, the policy doesn't just apply to Teachers. The staff are also discouraged to hook up with the teachers or students.
Case in point. A student of ours is an ex-Judge. Very respected.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue 3
He was getting conferred by the emperor and invited one of our teachers to the ceremony as she had helped him alot over the years. Like this is a BIG thing.
The teaher was worried. Declining an invite such as this would be considered very rude, yet going would be a break of rules.
She asked the branch AT what she should do. He told her she should tear up the invite and forget about it. She kinda hmmmmmm'ed at the idea and didn't bring it up again. Few days later the AAM calls her, saying she found out the teacher got an invite to this official thing. Then reminded the teacher of the rule and the penalties for breaking it.
In the end the teacher decided it was much ruder to decline the invite then not.
Now how was going to an event such as this threatening NOVA to the point where an AT got involved?
Regarding making friends outside the classroom. Your young, you don't speak any Japanese (NOVA told you it wasn't needed), you're not a heavy party-goer etc. Where do you find friends who you can communicate with? Personal ads? Had bad experiences with them ones back home. The very few language exchanges I had seemed one sided. More english teaching than Nihongo, not really a friendship thing. Instead you have a place full of people you know can communicate well in english, some who want too be freinds.
But you cant because of a rule that can't be fully justified.
Sure you may not get fired the first time. But theres still diciplinary action too be had.
I said somehwere here that I agree shagging students may be too far, but NOVA's rule is ZERO interaction. Why can't NOVA do what the other schools do? Have a socialisation rule that allows for friendship etc but requests teachers deal with students in a professional manner?
Re: The fmaily vouchers. I saw them and I was confused. I asked the AT about it and he mumbled not knowing for sure but was pretty sure they were for staff only, not teachers.
So let's say that this teacher is allowed to go to this event. An invite, I'm assuming, was made within NOVA. And a teacher from the same school then get's invited by a student to coffee because the student has a crush on the teacher. And they fancy each other. How would this look? Should the first case be exempted just because "this is a Big Thing"?Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstHousePooka
Making friends is easy, finding good friends takes time. Let's not forget that other teachers make friends out of school all the time. Take one of the members here for example who just went out to a bar by herself and made a lot of friends at the end of it. I don't think that you would be fired or reprimanded if a friend you made outside of Nova ended up being a student. But you should cover your *** and tell your AAM.Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstHousePooka
I would really want some documentation on it because it seems to me that the rule is like the Bible being interpreted in so many ways. And different AAM's have different takes on it. And people are afraid to ask about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstHousePooka
I'll post a copy when I find one.Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstHousePooka
Who cares how it looks? They are consenting adults I assume and as long as its coffee and mainly harmless what right does NOVA have to tell teachers, and students, what they can and cant do in their spare time if its not breaking laws?Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue 3
However I think the two situations are different. One is a casual invite for coffee. One is a formal invite to a formal ceremony where a denial would look incredibly rude and I think impact for more negatively on NOVA then going would.
Like I said, if you're not a bar going type? Non-drinker?Quote:
Making friends is easy, finding good friends takes time. Let's not forget that other teachers make friends out of school all the time. Take one of the members here for example who just went out to a bar by herself and made a lot of friends at the end of it. I don't think that you would be fired or reprimanded if a friend you made outside of Nova ended up being a student. But you should cover your *** and tell your AAM.
Granted I am, but then I'm also shy to the point where I don't go alone and find it very difficult to talk to people, especially when theres language barriers involved.
If I go with my foreign friends, well they are... sukebe. Going out with them isn't too make friends, its to do dirty things to horny Japanese girls.
Oh and If I do make a friend who HAPPENS to be a nova student elsewhere (or lapsed to a point) and tel my AAM all the will say is 'break of the friendship'. Knowing my AAM thats a given.
Mind you I find the idea of banning interaction with any student regardless of what branch they go too even more ridiculous then the rest of NOVA's rule. How any bad can come of me going out with a student who goes to a school hours away from mine that I will step foot into is beyond me.
Therein lies one of the problems. Its unfairly and unevenly applied. My friend must refuse official and important invites. Another teacher at another school gets told by her AT that she is being to social and friendly with students. That walking with them when she goes to get lunch is BAD and she must stop. Yet the same AT freely admits to drinking with a 19 year old student when he is approaching 50.Quote:
I would really want some documentation on it because it seems to me that the rule is like the Bible being interpreted in so many ways. And different AAM's have different takes on it. And people are afraid to ask about it.
coolQuote:
I'll post a copy when I find one.
I agree with firsthousepooka. No matter what way you look at this rule, it is complete nonsense. Its also counterproductive both for teachers, students and NOVA. I've worked as a teacher in Japan for a little over four years, never with NOVA, and I've found that a lot of my best memories are of times spent with students outside of the class. It also gives the students extra opportunities to speak English, which increases their satisfaction and in turn increases the profitability of the school. In a sensibly run school (relatively speaking) everyone wins.
But NOVA is run by assholes. The only reason NOVA has this stupid rule is because they have the biggest rip-off way of selling classes to students. Most other schools have structured courses and schedules and students sign up to take a specific course with a specific curriculum lasting a specific amount of time. But at NOVA they just sell tickets that can be used for any type of lesson the student wants at any time they want within a limited period of time. There is no curriculum to speak of, no real course of study for students to follow and most of the lessons just descend into free conversations completely devoid of any purpose. If they allowed teachers to interact with students in their free time, what would be the motivation for students to pay money to NOVA for 'free time conversation lessons' when they can get the same thing for free by making friends with the teachers? Most other schools attempt to offer something of educational value, but at NOVA they don't even seem to make any pretense that what they offer is of value. The reason they ban social interaction is so that they can monopolize it and turn it into a commodity they can sell to their students. All that bullshiit about not understanding each others cultures or wanting to avoid trouble is just laughable.
NOVA is a crap company, completely rotten to the core.
I must admit, as a teacher, I never liked the no socialization policy. I wanted to be able to make friends with the students and I think I would have gotten more out of my time in Japan if I had.
senseiman wrote....
On the other hand, I can understand why Nova would want to have that rule. It's true, Nova doesn't really care if you make friends while you're in Japan and for them there's less potential for problems if you don't socialize with students than there is if you do. And a huge company like Nova isn't going to want to bother to deal with these things case to case, it's so much easier for them to just make a blanket policy that you can't socialize with students under any circumstance.Quote:
a lot of my best memories are of times spent with students outside of the class.
I'm not someone who would abuse being able to socialize with students, but I knew some gaijin who were in Japan to have sex with Japanese girls and a no socialization policy might slow them down a bit. Teachers aggressively hitting on students in class is just creepy. I know it doesn't always happen when teachers are allowed to socialize with students, but it does happen.
Truse me, it happens anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooker
All you need is a man to man with a student or to 'accidently' take the elevator with them and you have your window.
I found the unbiased truth article a little naive. You only need to read the Nova Union websight or to have been a victim of Nova management to know that it is not always a genki experience working for this language school. During the induction process you are warned that if anything goes wrong with a student and they accuse you of wrongdoing, that Nova will always side with the student. Fine, so they warn you. But when a psycho decides to accuse a teacher of something and you are transferred schools and not offered another contract, it really irritates you. It seems that students do not need to provide evidence supporting their claims, but can make accusations about teachers and get them sacked at will. A company with a backbone would at least give a teacher working in a foreign country the opportunity to appeal or view the evidence, but all they are concerned with is keeping things out of newspapers. I'm sorry, but could someone please write an article titled, 'The awful truth about Nova.' :p
There are plenty of those out there, believe me. Most of the stuff you'll find about Nova on the internet is written by disgruntled former Nova teachers who are trying to get revenge for some unfortunate situation that happened to them. I wanted to write something that was neither FOR or AGAINST Nova. And, for me, my Nova experience was mostly positive, but I think that's in large part because I had the right attitude about the whole situation.Quote:
Originally Posted by davis2000
This happened to a coworker of mine (kind of). A student was stalking him and being really weird. He did all the right things, like informing the boss. When the head office heard about it, the order came down from one of the highest ranking people in the company to simply transfer him to another school to avoid any problems. He was not happy about it, but there was nothing he could do. I wasn't thinking about that when I wrote the article. However, I don't think you'd have to worry about not getting another contract. You'd have to repeatedly do something really wrong for that to happen.Quote:
But when a psycho decides to accuse a teacher of something and you are transferred schools and not offered another contract, it really irritates you.
I guess the main point of my article was, "Nova isn't that great, but who cares?" For most people who work at Nova, it's not a career move, it's just a way to travel and live in Japan. And, for that, Nova did for me exactly what I wanted it to do. If teaching was my thing and I wanted to work for a quality company, I would have made more of an effort to get a job elsewhere.
Wrong now man.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooker
In recent months many peoples contracts haven't been renewed. Many times with no reasons given.
It seems uniform in that long term teachers who have been here 3 or so years have been getting ditched.
Theres reports that some reasons given ar etrumped up severly and even when pushed by the Union NOVA refuses to provide proof or back up to their claims.
In fact theres already a number of lawsuits coming up against nova for unfair dismissal and discrimination. Not too mention two breach of copyrights.