Parents...Help a Teacher Out!

Soft parents aren’t doing their children any favors. That is something I feel very strong about. I realize that there is now a growing movement of parents out there in Canada, America, Japan, etc., who no longer feel it is right to harshly or even mildly set boundaries for or discipline their children. I realize that parents who feel their children should be free to develop any way they want and explore the world as they, the children, see fit, but I think that’s not the best approach.

That is my opinion and I’m sticking to it.  That is my opinion and I am passionate about it.

As someone who has been teaching for more than eleven years and a homeroom teacher for five of those years, I really wish parents would help me out. I wish they would help me out as a teacher. I wish parents around the world would help all teachers out. Throw us a bone! Give us a break. How? By instilling some amount of discipline in your child. I am not suggesting being authoritarian or cruel. I am not asking you to emulate a Marine drill sergeant, but please teach your children what is acceptable behavior and what isn’t. Please teach your children that there are boundaries in the world and often, if we push those boundaries, there may be consequences. Please teach your kids simple things like table manners, how to share with others and say, “thank you.”

You may think I sound silly asking parents to teach such basic rules of living to their little ones, but so many are not in 2012. I see children every day who have no idea even how to be polite or have no clue that there are such things as boundaries.

I can really only speak for things here in Japan, but am told by many that the situation is similar back in my home country of Canada.

Things seem to start at a very young age, parents simply letting their kids have the run of the show. They love their little kings and queens and feel they are harming them or denying them what they deserve if they say, “No.” Little kids running amuck while parents stand back watching them sheepishly or not at all.

A school I worked at would organize family field trips twice a year. Parents would bring their children and teachers would escort them and lead various activities. I would always warn new teachers to be extra vigilant. Although parents were directly told many times that they were, not teachers, responsible for watching their own children, many if not most didn’t. It became a social outing for them and many of the mothers would just gather around, chat, giggle and not watch their kids. Teachers had to work over time chasing around kids and shocked to have a peek into the world of “non discipline” their students were used to.

Even now, as a teacher and a parent, I am so stunned, but at the same time cynically accepting when I see groups of mothers standing around chatting at a playground or on their smart phones as their children run around wildly, playing behind or under parked cars and hurting other children unchecked.

Being soft doesn’t work folks. When you allow your kids to do whatever it is they want, you are sending them all the wrong messages. You are instilling them with a sense of false entitlement. Many kids who were spoiled in an environment with no discipline tend to become those students teachers find all too painful too teach; kids who come to school having no concept of rules. Kids who feel they should get whatever they want, whenever they want it.

I suppose they will grow up to be the sort of people who feel they are entitled to starting salaries of $70, 000 a year walking out of university. That’s not a good thing.

This is a rather ranty post, but that’s ok. I feel strong about the topic and it irks me on a daily basis when I watch people not watch their kids out on the playground. It irks me when I see parents allow their kids to run through a restaurant wildly and say nothing while other diners are being bothered. I get irked when I meet parents who have never taught their children basic life skills and then turn around and get angry with teachers because their child is behind others.

People, get it together, in the long run, your kids will be stronger for it and be more successful as students and young people.

I’m not suggesting being a “hard ass” or whacking your kids around. Too much discipline and too many rules can often be just as detrimental as none at all. I suppose that can at times even be worse.

Parents, be firm with your kids. You are the adults, the caregivers and ultimately the bosses of the relationship. You have a big responsibility. Your job is to get your little one ready for the real world once they leave the nest. Teaching your kids how the real world really works, in a kind and thoughtful way is a good thing. Teaching them that they are the kings and queens of the world, maybe not such a great thing.

My message to folks out there, and you may disagree (but that’s ok cause this is my platform), is to simply do a few things:

 1. Teach your children to respect adults.

2. Teach your kids to respect teachers.

3. Respect teachers yourself (they know more about children than you do).

4. Teach your kids rules and set consequences if they break those rules.     

5. Stick to number 4.

6. Teach your children to share.

7. Teach your children to work hard.

8. Watch your children and keep them safe.

9. Take the advice of teachers. They aren’t attacking you or your child when they address issues. They want to help you and your child.

10. Love your kids.

You can follow my other rants on Twitter: @jlandkev

Angry Foreigners in Korea and Japan

This afternoon I read an article on CNNgo called “12 Rules for Expat Life in Korea.” The link was sent to me by my friend in Tokyo, Hikosaemon, a long time resident of Japan and blogger, who was curious about my thoughts on the topic.

For those of you familiar with my blog, previous to coming to Japan, I lived in South Korea for more than five years.

I have to admit that the article did have a lot of truth to it, and was a bit of a laugh since I had experienced some of the things mentioned. I also have to admit that I found a slight feeling of tongue and cheek “bitterness” to it. That was also something I can relate to in a way.

I want to delve a little bit into the world of the “bitter foreigner.” An entire book probably wouldn’t be able to properly discuss this topic, but I’m going to scratch the surface a little in this post.

After my 5 plus years as a teacher in Korea, I left with a chip on my shoulder (I’m not proud to say that.). There were many reasons I left Korea with a less than positive feeling about the country in my mind. In the same way Korean people (or Japanese for that matter) feel negative feelings when they see a group of drunken English teachers acting like jackasses on a train late at night, I had too many run ins with ill-mannered, drunken old Korean guys. I had more than one employer short change me on pay and basically, should have just moved on a little sooner than I did.

There are many people who move to Asia with great expectations only to become jaded and angry. The reasons are varied and often there are many. Some people are screwed over by shady employers. Some are screwed over in the romance department (something that happens in every country and culture). Some don’t like the food. Some don’t like the cultural belief systems. Some are close-minded. Some have serious inferiority complexes and need someone to blame for their own issues or simply to look down upon. Some angry foreigners are people who simply should have never left their small little hometown in their native country.

During my first year in Korea, a period of time when I was simply in love with the culture and everything it had to offer, I had two young Canadian women in my Tae Kwon Do class. After only being in Korea for a month or two, they hated everything. They complained about the language, the smell of kimchi, the fact that they could not buy Kraft Peanut Butter (which I love btw) and anything else you can imagine. They were angry from day one! Those two ladies were a prime example of people who just aren’t cut out for life abroad. I’m sure that they would be angry in any other country that wasn’t Canada. To be honest, they probably wouldn’t be happy with life in Canada either!

Some foreigners get bitter about life in a place like Korea or Japan over time. They start off happy. They love everything about the place for a few years, but begin to grow cynical over time. They begin to spend more time bitching about the place they are in than simply living life. Often, groups of like-minded foreigners get together and spew negative energy (birds of a feather tend to flock together). Sadly, those sitting around them in various bars, coffee shops and restaurants (Korean and Japanese people) can often understand some of what they are saying. It simply paints a very negative image in the locals’ minds about foreigners and their opinions.

Often, once people form negative opinions about the place they now work and live, they share it. People tend to blog about it. The most negative people tend to scurry around in the comments sections of online newspapers and forums of major English teaching job sites. From time to time those angry people will draw the attention of local netizens, which leads to online flame wars.



Please don’t think that all expats living in Korea of Japan are negative. That is by no means the case. I suppose the reality is that the negative people tend to be the loudest. I was that way too, once upon a time. When you have a chip on your shoulder or are angry, you really want people to know about it. When you are content, you tend to just live life in a happy way. You may not feel the need to climb to the highest mountain and shout about it.

After a few years in Korea I became a pretty negative guy. Now I live in Japan. After a few years here, I am not a negative guy (unless I am sick for too long….that would happen anywhere). There are many reasons why I think things are different. I’m not going to compare and contrast the two countries and use that as a reason. I think there are some other very basic personal reasons why I am not a bitter foreigner.

1. When I lived in Korea I was a single guy. Now I am happily married to a wonderful woman and have a family. I have more important things to think about than bitching about insignificant aspects of life.

2. I am a “family man” in the true sense of the term. I rush home every night after work to have dinner with my wife, play with my son, give him a bath and help put him to bed. I no longer spend my free time in pubs and bars complaining about stuff with fellow foreigners.

3. I run marathons (literally). My hobby of long distance running means that I spend a lot of my free time running and focusing on running goals. Those are all positive things. Running brings joy to my life. I didn’t really run in Korea. I wish I did. I probably would have been a happier expat!

4. My job. Although not perfect (is there such a thing?), my job challenges my skill set as an educator. My jobs in Korea didn’t. Simply put, I am busier and more challenged.

5. My wife is Japanese (and I live in Japan) and she helps me a lot with the day-to-day life things that I wasn’t able to do by myself when I lived in Korea. (i.e. filling out tax forms, ordering things online).

6. I spend more time with local people (Japanese) than foreigners. I’m not one of these “I’m better than other foreigners cause I hang out with Japanese people all the time idiots! Not at all). I sort of wish I had more foreign amigos. I just tend to spend more time with my wife, her family and friends. I also have a neighbor who is a runner.

7. Charity work. For the first time in my life, I started doing some serious charity work. I have combined my hobbies of running and blogging to create the Running to Help Japan project. I am training hard to raise money for Save the Children Japan and their earthquake/tsunami relief efforts.

8. I have no time to be bitter. After reading 1 though 7, you can see that I’m pretty busy! I don’t have time to be negative.


Not all people who come to Korea or Japan become negative. Some do however. Those negative people can be pretty nasty to be around. They are the ultimate buzz killers. My suggestion, if you are around them, change company. Hang out with people who are more positive. Hang out with more local people (indigenous persons). Maybe you can find some positive hobbies. Start video blogging, playing some sort of sport. Cooking and art classes are always a great thing to do and they are easy to arrange. I’ve met people who have learned to play instruments or even get their masters degree in their free time while living in Korea and Japan.

Sometimes it can be hard to live and work so far away from your home. At times it can feel like and adventure and at times it can be a true test of one’s patience. You can make it a positive expeience though. Sometimes the positives come easy, but other times, you just have to work a little harder!


You can follow this "Non-Angry" foreigner on Twitter: @jlandkev

Are Foreigners in Japan Cold?

Today I was asked some interesting questions on Twitter. Someone, who lives and works in South Korea as a teacher was asking me about making the move to Japan. Of course, I have lived and worked in both countries and made a rather brief answer to her in a few tweets. I decided I wanted to sit down this evening and be a little more thorough with my answers.

Now, this Twitter follower mentioned to me that she is interested in moving to the Kansai area of Japan and has visited a few times. She commented that she noticed foreigners (gaijin) in Japan seem to stick to themselves as opposed to Korea where (waygooks) tend to socialize more. She is worried about being lonely when she comes here.

Being worried about the prospect of feeling lonely is a very legitimate concern. I also have to admit that when I first arrived in Japan a few years ago I thought much the same as she did. Within my first few months here I thought that gaijin in Japan were a cold lot and not at all welcoming. Although I didn’t miss Korea much, I longed for the foreigner camaraderie! Why don’t foreigners in Japan have that?

As I spent more time in Japan and was able to meet more and more people I made some interesting conclusions. Most of them had to do with the fact that the foreigner populations in the two countries tend to be quite different. Comparing the two is much like comparing apples and oranges.

To be broad, the variety of foreigners in Korea is much more limited. There are basically, migrant workers, brides from South East Asia, U.S. Army personnel and English teachers. The individual asking me the questions was mostly talking about the English teacher crowd I assume.

In Korea, English teachers for the most part, tend to stick together, move and party in packs and pretty much do everything else together. They normally come from the U.S Canada, the U.K Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. They are all university grads, or at least supposed to be, the only way to get a teaching visa and often are in their 20’s.

Many teachers come to Korea simply because they are not sure what to do after university, are looking for a “gap” year, are having trouble finding work in their native countries or would like to travel. Now of course there are many interesting stories and folks in Korea and many have left pretty amazing lives in their respective countries to simply experience Korea and try their hand at education.

Most people I met during my time in Korea never learn much about the country or language. They didn’t go to Korea to do that. They went there, worked and had a great time with like-minded foreigners. Every small town/city with any foreign population had a foreigner bar where most English speakers congregated on weekends to party.

That was my experience when I lived there from early 2002 to 2007.

Japan is an entirely different beast altogether. There are of course scores of young people who come here to teach English. There are also many people who come here to do other things as well.

If you are new to Japan or lived in Korea beforehand, you must be careful not to make the mistake I made. I assumed most foreigners here were assholes for not smiling at me or nodding their heads as I passed by. I suppose I know much better to think that now.

You quickly learn a lot about the different types of foreigners here and why they may not al huddle together in dark bars on Friday nights (there are many who do that of course, but not everyone). There are also many reasons why they may not want to interact with a friendly foreigner new to Japan and looking for friends:

1. The vast majority of foreigners in Japan are not teachers. Many of them (even if North American/European looking) don’t even speak English. For example, there are of Russian factory workers living around my neighborhood.

2. Many foreigners who came to Japan studied Japanese in school and are very interested in Japanese culture and language. They are keen to improve their language skills, learn more about the culture and would rather interact with the local Japanese folks (makes sense).

3. Unlike Korea, many foreigners in Japan have been here long term. They have set down roots, have families and simply aren’t interested in the bar life/foreigner community. They have created their own community with family and friends (both foreign and Japanese).

4. I have found that some groups of young people who work for the JET program, ECC, Aeon, etc. (not always of course) can be cliquey and mostly socialize with coworkers.

5. MANY foreigners you see walking around in major urban centers don’t even live here. They are tourists. Unlike Korea, Japan has a massive tourist industry (well, maybe not at the moment with the current nuclear issues). They have traveled here from other countries, have limited time here and are usually not looking to make friends I suppose. Their friends are waiting for them back home when vacation is finished.

6. Some foreigners are simply assholes. Yup, some are just not nice. There are many of foreigners who speak the Japanese language, but there are some who think that speaking Japanese better than others, makes them an actual better person. Believe me, you don’t want to hang around with a chucklehead who judges his/her own self-worth and that of others based on language ability (a little shallow me tinks!).

7. There are also folks who think they are better than others simply because they have lived in Japan longer than you. Their years of experience “in country” make them somehow better than others. I suppose if you met someone like that in your own country you would deem him or her obtuse or shallow or both!

8. Many people who live here are university exchange students. They normally come for a school year and tend to be busy with studies and having fun with classmates.

9. There are also many others I didn’t mention!

As you can see, there are all sorts here in Japan. Simply put, the variety and amount of foreigners living here is much larger than in Korea. With that variety comes a more complicated social tapestry I suppose.

Is there a strong foreigner community in Japan? Yes; just look at how so many foreigners in Japan banned together online and in person shortly after the earthquake and tsunami last month to help.

I suppose I should refer to it not as a “foreign community”, but as “foreign communities.”

If you are new to Japan, will you be lonely? If you are outgoing and willing to meet new people and try new things, probably not. Are most of the foreigners in Japan similar? Absolutely not! Can it be more of a challenge to make foreign friends in Japan than in Korea? I think so, but it is very doable. From what I remember, people teaching in Korea tended to make friends simply because they had "being foreign" in common. I have found that in my short time here, making friends is similar to making friends in Canada. I don't just befriend anyone. I tend to hang around people who have common interests, I think are dynamic, interesting, etc. I suppose with a broader foreigner population base (at least in urban areas), people can be more selective.

I have been here for more than three years and have some very good friends. Mind you, my own personal life has changed drastically. When I lived in Korea, I was single and always game to go out, met new folks and often both in clubs and bars. Now, I am married and have a young child. I no longer tend to go to bars and never clubs. I have also become a long-distance runner. My lifestyle is completely different than before. I may not have as many friends as I did when I lived in Korea, but I am still a very happy man.

Hope some of you thinking about living in Asia for the first time or moving from one country to another take something at least quasi-valuable from this post.

Too Many Teachers in Canada?

I have to admit that I have been feeling more than a little homesick these days. Although I really enjoy life in Japan, I miss many things about Canada. More than eight years in Asia and to be honest, I would love to be standing in front of a class again inside a Canadian classroom. I would love to try to connect with a group of kids who can relate to my cultural references and parents, whom I could, for the most part, communicate with without the need of a translator.

Of course there are other things I long for such as owning my own house, barbeques on a back deck I can call my own and being able to drive on the "proper" side of the rode! Again, like I mentioned, what I am really interested in is teaching in Canada.

There is a serious problem with my "plan" though. There don't seem to be any jobs for teachers out there. In the province of Ontario alone, each year, universities are pumping out 7,000 more new teachers than are retiring in the province. Friends of mine who graduated in my teacher's college cohort several years ago are still working as supply teachers and on short-term contracts. These are really good teachers. They are highly skilled and talented in the classroom and even they are having trouble landing permanent positions.

This bleak situation isn't just in Ontario, but across most of the country. Many areas are suffering from population declines and of course that means that there are inevitable school closures. Now of course, many urban areas are growing, but that means that many teachers simply flock to those areas in hopes of landing a permanent contract. Either way, things don't look great for a guy like me.

I am a qualified teacher and I love what I do. I have passion for my work and know that I am good at it. I even have a pretty impressive resume. Once upon a time, that would have guaranteed me a permanent contract in a good school board. In 2011 though, it means I am pretty much bunched in with the deluge of new teachers graduating and the folks who've been on supply lists for years.

People have suggested I think about moving to Northern Canada to work. I'm sure it is very beautiful in the more remote areas of Canada. I'm sure that the environment and nature would certainly tap into my sense of adventure, but to be honest, I would rather have the immunities of living in a larger center. The idea of a rural way of life is fine with me (I grew up in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia), but the idea of an isolated one isn't so appealing.

I'm constantly reassured by friends back home that the situation will change in time. In time, more teachers will retire and there will be more openings. Unfortunately, I've been hearing this for many years and haven't seen it happen. Canadian universities make big bucks with their teacher education programs. It makes simple sense for them to train more teachers every year. The more students enrolled in their program, the more funding they receive! It doesn't seem to matter that they are contributing to the ever-increasing teacher surplus across Canada. It's somewhat of a no-brainer that university teacher training programs need to be capped asap!

I have thought often about the possibility that a career change may be in my future. Although I know I am a talented teacher, I may have simply decided to become one at the wrong time in history. Maybe I can use my knowledge and skills in the private sector? Maybe, I should just consider a drastic change in the future?

All in all, I really do hope things change. I hope there will be a demographic swing and job markets will open up more for people like me in the near future. I want to bring my skills and talents back to Canada and make a difference in Canadian classrooms. My feelings of pessimism have been far stronger than my optimism as of late. Let's hope I can turn that around and start feeling more positive about that sooner than later!



A little something extra: After I wrote this post (hours before posting it on my blog) I tweeted about what I had written. My great friend back in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Lonnie replied to me on Twitter. He wrote something very true: “ Reiki_Jones @jlandkev There’s a NEED for teachers in every province, but the governments don’t want to spend the money.”
I really think there is something to what my friend Lonnie has to say!


Follow more of what I think on Twitter: @jlandkev

Should you keep your children’s artwork or throw it away?

A recent article in the New York Times called "Mom, You’re One Tough Art Critic", has caused quite a bit of controversy as it talks about this very topic. Should we keep the hundreds if not thousands of pieces of artwork, the drawings and crafts or children make over the years or chuck them in the recycling bin. Some of the parents interviewed mentioned they throw everything away because there is too much clutter. Some mentioned that they only want to keep the “good stuff.”

As a teacher and now a parent, listening to other parents say that they throw these artifacts of their children’s youth away makes me sad. Recently I had a student tell me (as she carried a pirate ship craft we made in class) that her mother throws all of her crafts away because there is no room for them. I know for a fact that this young student lives in a large house and I assume there is enough room for at least one box to store her hand made treasures in.

I watch my students draw and color everyday, whether it is during art class, craft time or during their free time. I see the amazing sense of joy and expression it gives them. Drawing gives them the chance to let their imaginations take over. I still remember how much joy it gave me to draw. In fact, I still love drawing!

One mistake many parents make is comparing their child’s artwork to their classmates. Some might look at their child’s and then another’s and says, “Wow, my kid isn’t doing well compared to that one.” Comparing one child to another is one of the biggest errors a parent can make. Every child develops at different rates and paces. Some children’s motor skills develop a little later than others. This in no way diminishes the quality and feeling behind their artwork. It also in no way diminishes how good they feel about it and how proud they are when they give into you.

I still remember how amazed I was and how good I felt when I last visited my parents in Canada. It was Christmas of 2009 and my father excitedly and proudly showed my wife a collection of letters my brother and I had written to Santa, teeth we lost as young children and yes, some pieces of artwork. The fact that my parents have kept these showed me how much they valued these precious items. It gave me the warm and fuzzies!

In the NYT article some people suggested making digital copies of your child’s’ artwork to save space. I liked that idea, but I would do it as a backup only. I still plan to keep all of the wonderful work my future little artist will produce.

I have been teaching for more than eight years and still keep most of the artwork and letters my students have given me over the years. I know they worked hard to make them and I know there was real meaning when they gave them to me. I also plan to encourage my son and can’t wait until the day I can have an art gallery wall in my office where he can see his work displayed.

Hey parents out there! When you save your child’s artwork, you are storing their legacy. You are documenting your family’s history. That is by no means a trivial thing.

"Monster Moms" in Japan

The Japanese school year runs from April until the beginning of the following March. That means of course that this school year is coming to a close soon. Although I don’t teach at a Japanese school, I teach at a school that runs on the same calendar. That also means that my school year will soon be coming to a close. To be honest, I am very excited about that! I’m looking forward to spring vacation. I’m looking forward to having time to go hiking and running. I am also looking forward to more time with my wife and son and to be very truthful, I have aged about 3-5 years during the past school year.

There are definitely many reasons for this. Being an elementary school teacher is like juggling a thousand hats at once. Having your first child throws your entire life for a loop (a delightful, yet sleepless loop). At times, there can be friction within the workplace and of course, at times, parents can cause issues. All of these were factors during this year.

I want to focus a little on the problems of parental pressure. I’m of course not going to go into detail about my specific situation, but I will allude to it and reference to issues I have had in the past as a teacher in Korea, Canada and in Japan.

Many people in Japan (especially educators) talk about how things are changing with regards to parents. The same trends seem to be happening in many other places as well. One important role of kindergarten/elementary schoolteachers is to teach a child to become independent. We give them the confidence and the skills to do things by themselves. Depending on the age, that might be something as simple as dressing him or herself or dealing with complex problem solving issues. We want our students to learn how to deal with the world and handle things by themselves. As teachers attempt to instill independence, a growing number of parents seem to want to encourage dependence. As teachers we tell our students that you are responsible for organizing your books and carrying your bags. Many parents tell them, “It’s ok, I’ll do all of that for you and if anything goes wrong, it’s your teacher’s fault.”

Again, these are not just problems in Japan, but in America, Canada, the U.K etc. As teachers we tell parents that children need solid routines both in school and at home. They need set meal times, homework times and bed times. We encourage parents to take an active role in their child’s education. Read with them. Read to them. Guide them during homework time. Make sure they get the proper amount of sleep. Many parents ignore all of this advice and when their child doesn’t reach a high level of academic achievement, the parents very quickly point their fingers in the teachers’ direction. “It’s all the teacher’s fault.”

It can be a frustrating job. Being a teacher is more than 9-5. Often, it’s more than a job. It’s a vocation. Recently, here in Japan, one Japanese teacher decided to take legal action against a “monster mom.” She has also taken legal action against her former school for not supporting her while she was harassed on a daily basis by a crazed mother demanding more than any sane person should! The teacher had to take a stress leave and suffered from insomnia because of this one mother’s demands.

“Monster Moms” are a serious problem. They create unfriendly environments for teachers, students and other mothers. They set unrealistic expectations for teachers and their children and often take no responsibility for any outcomes. Education starts and ends in the home. Parents lay the groundwork for good students. Parents who fail to pull their weight at home often have to deal with the consequences later. Often the result is a child who struggles in school. Monster Moms are the sort of people who would never take any personal responsibility for their child’s situation. They just point their fingers at their child’s teacher and yell loudly.

I recently liked a story about a Florida State representative who wants to grade parents. This politician is proposing a bill where elementary teachers would have to grade parents as well as the students on report cards. Are you pulling your weight as a parent? If you are not, it will show on the report card as well! I like that.

Monster moms are in every country. The real problem is that there are more of them now than ever. If you teach in America, Canada, Japan or Korea as a public school teacher or as an English teacher you will probably run into some.

The past few months have been rough for me and I have asked myself a lot of serious questions. I have had serious doubts about carrying on in this field. At the end of the day though, I love teaching. I know I am good at it and have dedicated myself to it. I have also been very fortunate to have a principal and administration that are firmly on my side and supportive. Even with that, it can be difficult.


Thanks for reading.

p.s. Remember folks, teachers work harder than you can imagine....give them a break! Show them some respect. "Thank you" always works :)

English Teachers: A Webseries about teaching English in Japan

I've seen a few ads for this new webseries for a few weeks and today on Twitter, a lot of people were spreading the word. Episode One of "English Teachers" a show about teaching English teaching in Japan is out!

I watched it and it definitely looks like something promising. I haven't taught English in Japan, but I did for more than five years in Korea and it certainly brought me back to those days! Whether you teach in Japan or Korea or have ever thought about doing so, you should check out this series:

English Teachers - Episode 1 "First Days Suck" from Nameless Media and Productions on Vimeo.

Enjoy!