Repeatafterme comments

I have to agree with most of this article. I am a foreign English teacher living in Rural Japan teaching at a technical high school. I am employed by JET (not a private company, I know its a little different).

The first 3 days of the job when we come are workshops on how to adjust to culture and life here in Japan. There is a support line open for us always. Each year we have mid-year seminars with educational workshops for improving our lessons. We have opportunities to get involved beyond the classroom as regional representatives and at events in communities. As a new teacher I see many of these things as opportunities to improve my employability after this job.

On a local scale, the school where I work is great. With two of the English teacher I work with I am given full responsibility to develop lessons and activities. I therefor become more invested in each class that I do. I want it to go well, I want the students to enjoy it and find it useful. One of the vice principles is always coming to my desk to show me stuff and ask me questions. "Here's a festival you should go to" and the like. One teacher that I work with is the other type... In her classes I find that I have stopped trying. Every suggestion I make is turned down. But she is just one teacher.

What I am trying to say is that who you work with and for, and if they respect you as a professional (and treat you like one) makes all the difference. I was planing on only staying for 1 or 2 years but I'm now thinking about a third. I'd hate to leave this great job!

I appreciate what this article is trying to achieve and I hope some management will read this and think about what they're doing in the office.