Kevin and Ikumi are great people to work for. They let me experiment a lot with teaching ideas and in my first and most important year of teaching I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do. It was a great place to get started.
Jonathan DeNardis
Disclaimer:
None of our teachers were held at gun-point while giving their testimonials. That is just a vicious lie. Some though were poked with
little pointy sticks at times. We feel badly about that, but our
children are young and they didn`t know any better. That`s
our excuse anyway. Our lawyer has advised us not to talk about
this any further. The rumours about Chinese water torture are just
that, rumors.
Ian Slesinger on Teaching for our schools:
On a typical day at Kevin's English Schools you work from about 3pm to 9 or 9:30pm although some days are longer or shorter. You get weekends off which is nice, since you have to work Saturdays at most English conversation schools.
The job involves teaching a very diverse range of students in terms of age and ability level. I teach everything from preschoolers to business classes for engineers. This instills flexibility as a teacher and allows you to gain experience in many areas of teaching. It also provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate your preferences and strengths and weaknesses, which is helpful if you plan to pursue a career in EFL.
The majority of work tends to be with elementary students and junior high school students. The position would be apt if you enjoy working with children.
In most classes teachers use textbooks and supplement them with other games, songs and activities.
Working for KES you have freedom to develop your own teaching style and to try out new ideas. Kevin gives you a lot of control in designing your lesson plans and choosing material as long as you generally follow a core curriculum from the textbooks.
Special emphasis is placed on phonics and reading for children. The main textbooks we use are the Finding Out and English Land series for elementary school students, Side by Side for teenagers, and New Interchange and Cutting Edge for adults.
Sarah O`hagan on Teaching for Kevin`s English Schools
Choosing to work for Kevin's English Schools was the best choice I made in terms of my employment in Japan. It's difficult to decide which school to go with as there are so many out there - and most of them sound really good on paper, or when you speak with them on the phone. But I can guarantee you that this school is different than most and that's why I stayed with them for 3 years!
KES more than a school, it's like a tight-knit community. Teachers and students regularly go sightseeing, play sports, and go out for meals together outside of class time. Of course you are not required to do any of this, it just seems that's the way things unfold!
Kevin and his family warmly welcome new employees into their lives and are always there for you. Teachers need not worry about resources as they are provided. However, the great thing about teaching for Kevin is that he gives you the freedom to choose your own materials and textbooks, so long as they are reasonable.
The apartments KES provides for their teachers are clean, comfortable, fully equipped, and conveniently located. The rent is reasonable and, most importantly, there are no hidden fees or deposits (common among rental units in Japan) that can put you out thousands of dollars.
If you are looking for a casual yet professional teaching environment where you can form strong bonds with your students and other staff members then you should seriously consider Kevin's English Schools.
Chris Weber, Australia on KES:
As Kevin mentioned, I'm an ex-employee of his and we've become good friends too. He's a really great guy and as a boss he gives the teachers freedom to have their own teaching style and implement their own lesson plans (within reason).
At the schools there are many text books and materials to use, so you don't need to worry about having to start from scratch using your own materials.
I'm very glad that I worked for KES as my first job in Japan. I stayed with them for 2 years and only moved on because I wanted to see what it was like to work in public elementary schools. I often go back to the area around Odawara and now that I don't live there I appreciate even more what a nice place it is. It's near the coast and hasmountains and forests nearby, so the air is much cleaner than where I live now (the South of Saitama Prefecture, right near the Tokyo border).
I can't really give you any more advice except that my 2 years with KES gave me some great memories and certainly a better introduction to Japan than if I'd worked for one of the big companies like Nova etc, which have a reputation for being more like fast food companies in terms of the turnover of staff and students. KES is more like a family-run restaurant with a friendly atmosphere and more personal approach with students and teachers alike.
If Kevin and Ikumi do hire you, I have to give you my congratulations as I'm sure that you'll feel at home there.
Good luck
Chris
James Pelikan on Kevin`s English Schools
Dear Kevin- I was just remembering how you were a good boss to me, and I wanted to pass that thought on. I coudn't have been a better one myself. Please believe this. And I hope you and Ikumi are doing very well. Also, if you remember, say hi to my host families and Masahiro. with care, - James
Originally Posted at the forum for Kevin`s English Schools:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KevinsEnglishSchools In fact you can still find this post there.
"Kevin I know Nora from university and she raved about working for your school. I
have looked at your website and I am very impressed with what your schools are like.
I feel I would be a perfect match for a position with your schools."
--Name Withheld
