2009年12月18日
Seminars (2)
Hi Team,
And a special 'hi' to all the newcomers. It's great to have you with us. I sometimes forget that there are lots of people who read the blog but don't make comments, so it is nice to hear from you from time to time.
And thanks for your comments about my Photoshop efforts. Actually, the Mashu island one is okay, but the ski one is really terrible because I was experimenting with lots of different correction tools. Anyway, I will show you something else after I have a bit more experience with the software.
Thanks also for all your comments about my seminar idea. Your feedback has given me a lot to think about, but I think I gave you the wrong impression about my plans, so let me explain a bit more.
Firstly, I am leaving my current job because for a number of reasons that I don't really want to discuss on a blog, I am not enjoying it anymore. I don't think it would be fair on the university or the students for me to continue working there when I am not happy, so staying where I am is not an option.
Secondly, my main focus next year is going to be on writing and publishing. As some of you know, I started my own publishing company last year to produce English textbooks for Japanese universities. These have been quite successful, so I want to spend more time and effort working to develop the business.
One of the reasons I thought about doing seminars is that I still love teaching, and I am worried that I might get a bit bored next year if I just sit at home alone writing all the time. Doing seminars would give me a way to keep teaching without making a regular commitment, and it would also give me a chance to meet lots of new people. If I could make it into a business, that would be great, but money would not be the main reason for doing it.
As some of you said, English conversation schools are good for some people, but they do not work for a lot of others. As I see it (and of course, this is just my opinion), there are several problems with conversation schools in Japan.
1) The better ones are quite expensive. I know of quite a few people who have paid huge amounts of money (enough to buy me another bike!) for a one-year course and then ended up giving up after a couple of months.
2) For many Japanese people, it is difficult to make a long-term commitment because their jobs keep them busy and their schedules are very irregular.
3) Many (actually, most!) teachers in eikaiwa schools in Japan are not qualified and do not know very much about teaching English. When I worked in Singapore, English teachers could not get a visa unless we had a recognised teaching qualification. In Japan, the only thing you need is to have a college degree (in any subject at all). You do not need to have any training as an English teacher. In fact, if you have a working holiday visa, you do not even need to have a degree to teach in an eikaiwa school. The reality is that many eikaiwa teachers in Japan would not be allowed to work in English schools in their home countries. That is one reason why Japan is such a popular destination for native speakers of English who just want to travel and earn some money.
4) Many people in Japan attend eikaiwa schools for years and just drift along without a specific goal. Of course, the goal of the school is to keep you coming back for as long as possible, but that is not always the best thing for learners.
5) Many people end up going to eikaiwa school after working a full day at their jobs. This means that they are tired and not always in the best shape to learn. Having a full day set aside at a weekend for studying English might be more useful for some people.
Basically, I want to do seminars because I think I could do a good job and provide a useful service. For lower level students and beginners, I was thinking that it might also be nice to have a native speaking teacher who can explain things in Japanese. Like I said above, money would not be my main objective, but if I could make money doing something that I enjoyed, that would be great! As someone commented on the last entry, people pay a lot to attend seminars in Japan. A friend of mine does seminars for career development, and she said that twenty or thirty thousand yen a day is quite cheap! My idea is that busy people could do a month's worth of high-quality English lessons in a day, and at the end, they would take away the books and knowledge they needed to continue by themselves if they wanted to. (Of course, these would have to be aimed at specific levels of learner.) After reading your comments, I also had another idea: it might be interesting to do one seminar and then do a follow-up one month later. I think there are a lot of people who lose motivation when they do something for a long time, but if it was just a month, more people might be able to stay focussed. Organizing English study in this way would also be better for people who are really busy sometimes but have lots of free time at others.
Anyway, what I will probably do is organize a special seminar for members of this blog sometime in May or June. This would be very cheap (just enough to cover the cost of renting a room), and I would just do it as a kind of experiment. At the end of the day, I could get feedback from the participants and then decide whether I could do it as a business or not. And then we could have a party!
Actually, I have an even bigger dream for the future. I believe that a lot of learners never make progress in English because they don't study intensively enough. My idea for the future is to build a big log house in Niseko in Hokkaido and run one-week English programmes for really small groups of 4-6 people. The idea is that we would have an English-only rule, so everyone would have to 'live' in English for a week. (I would employ English-speaking staff to cook and clean.) In the mornings, we would do English lessons together. In the afternoons, we would do some kind of activity (like hiking, sight-seeing, mountain-biking, or rafting) with an English-speaking guide. (There are lots of those in Niseko!) In the evening, we would have one-to-one sessions where I could focus on the needs of each student, and after that, we would go to a different onsen every night. Of course, I don't have enough money to set this up yet, but if the publishing business is successful, I would love to try it in the future. What do you think?
Anyway, thanks again for all your comments. They were really helpful.
Have a great weekend, and see you on Monday.
David
PS I have another business idea that I will tell you about next week!
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Comments
Hi David,
Reading today’s entry, I felt your passion on your plan for 2010 and future plan in Hokkaido that you can surely realize. Actually, I started my own business last year that is a bit similar (to your plan in Hokkaido) but its scale is far smaller than yours. I prepared a place of second-hand detached house for Japanese learners mainly from Singapore, where I do Japanese learning camp(キャンプと言っても一人か二人です). They go out of classroom and use real Japanese with people in town everyday. There’re onsen here too and the nearest one is 1-minute walk distance. They can use JR railway pass and enjoy their own trip to Osaka, Kyoto, Shikoku, Hakata, Hiroshima, Wakayama and some other places. I’m really happy to see them having more confidence in using Japanese than before when leaving. My business is red at the moment, so I want to make it black next year.
tsuneko
- 匿名
- 2009年12月18日 16:56
Hi David and team
Good idea!I think you'll show us a new way to study English,and the way is useful for us.Of course,I don't agree with your plan without any reasons.
The reasons is as below.First,I feel my English is better thanks to the way you taught.It's the biggest reason.Now I don't think I could acquire practical English by school's English classes,so I didn't have any confidence about my English.I think there are many Japanese like me,and they need a new useful way to study English,so I expect your new business.Secondly,it's good for office workers or busy person to go to the only 'one' day.I think most people are able to go to a one-day seminar if they can't go to a regular class.Finally,your idea looks fun.I want to join your seminar or go to your deam house.I'm a lazy learner,so I want to study English with a lot of fun.(Now I enjoy studying thanks to this blog.)
Anyway I think people like me are interested in your seminar,but I don't know most people agree with me.
Sorry,I'm talking too much.Anyway I'm sure you can work it out.I hope so,and I'm looking forward to attending your first seminar!
Have a good weekend：）
Nao
- Nao
- 2009年12月18日 16:59
Hi David,
＜For lower level students and beginners, I was thinking that it might also be nice to have a native speaking teacher who can explain things in Japanese.
Yes, it's really nice! That's a great point. You speak Japanese, and that's why I was able to jump in this blog three and a half years ago. If you had started the blog in English, I wouldn't have been here.
Doing a follow-up one month later is a good idea. I think it might be interesting to do it several times, like three month, six month, and one year later. If you were able to do something for a year, you wouldn't give up easily, I guess. Also, you can find out how many people were successful.
By the way, are you planning to organize a special seminar for us sometime in May or June? That sounds lovely! There will be a lot of school events in March and April next year, so May or June is perfect timing for me. I'll be there!
Your one-week English programmes in Hokkaido is also a great idea. It sounds like the participants can experience life in an English speaking country even though they are in Japan. I really hope it will come true and I will be able to join it someday!
Hi amo,
Your question is difficult for me, but I tried anyway.
「自分の都合のいいように（あなたの言葉を）理解した」
Maybe I twisted your words into something I'd like/wanted to hear.
う～ん、でも全然自信なし！
Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Hi Tsuneko,
Your father's idea is a good one!
Hi Nao,
any と some ですが、ちょっとしたニュアンスの違いがあるので使い分けを一辺に理解するのは難しいですよね。 some が疑問文で使われる時は、amoの説明通り、Yesの返事を期待している時や相手に何か（飲み物とか）を勧める時などです。 any が肯定文で使われる場合は「どんな～でも」という意味になると思います。
1. My friend can play any song on the piano.
2. My friend can play some songs on the piano.
１と２では弾ける曲数がずい分違いますよね。 ちなみに1の場合（anyが肯定文で使われる場合）は後ろの名詞は単数形になる、と私の文法書には書いてあります。
それから、anything も同じような感じだと思います。
You can talk about anything on this blog even if it has nothing to do with the topic.
なので、私は「どんなものでもいいから何か」という時は any を選んでいます。
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Tomo
【my last comment の訂正】
I thought I have seen your name before, → I thought I had seen your name before,
- Tomo
- 2009年12月18日 17:02
It's me again.
Hi tsuneko
You started a similar business?That's great.Your job is fantastic,and you gave Japanese learners a great chance.
I hope your business become black soon!
Nao
- Nao
- 2009年12月18日 17:12
Hi Tomo
Thank you for your feedback.Your feedback always helps me.
anyとsomeの説明とてもよくわかりました。anyの後ろにくる名詞にsがつかないというのはとても納得しました！確かにそうですね。
Tomoさんのコメント、私のノートにメモらせていただきます。
Nao
- Nao
- 2009年12月18日 17:16
Hi Tsuneko,
Congratulations on starting your own business! I'm sure you will be in the black before you know it.
- David
- 2009年12月18日 21:06
Hello David and everyone,
Hello David and everyone,
That would be me!
You are going to the next stage this spring?! I really wish you good luck with your new life. I was glad to know that there is an English teacher like you: you think about English learners in Japan seriously. I used to have an English lesson with native English speakers. While I enjoyed studying with them and they taught me a lot, I had to admit they were not real teachers. That sometimes made me sad even if they were nice people. After next year, I would have a chance to take your class!
Hello tao,
I believe you have posted your comments sometime before. I remember your name because, you know, we share similar names…sorry…
I read that you were talking about jacarandas in Australia some weeks ago. I visited Perth in November 2 years ago, so I saw beautiful flowers of jacarandas everywhere I went. (Hello, Michelle. You asked me when I went there. It’s too late reply! It’s summer in Perth now. I’m jealous! The Indian Ocean in Perth was amazingly beautiful.)
see you,
taco
- taco
- 2009年12月18日 21:26
Hi David
One week seminar in Hokkaido. What a great plan!
That would be memorable experience for participants. I hope you will achievement your plan.
Since I read a details of your one-day seminar plan, It sounds better for me. Certainly, seminar in a day must be more efficient than the one after working.
I am surprised to third problem of eikaiwa school you described.
It needs nothing other than a college degree? Any subject is okay? For an extreme example, it is like that I teach Japanese to other country people. (It's absolutely extreme)
By the way, It takes long time to write a text in English. I feel it is very good practice.
- trmr
- 2009年12月18日 23:15
Hi David, Nao and everyone,
I’ve caught your cheering words, よっしゃ, I’m going to change it from “pure red” to at least “baby pink” or “gray” in 2010.;p I’d like to make an advance booking for a one-day seminar this year and trekking 大雪山, skiing, rafting with an English-speaking guide in Hokkaido.
Hi taco,
Nice to meet you! (because I’m quite new) よろしくおねがいします。
tsunekko
- 匿名
- 2009年12月19日 08:47
Hi Tsunekko,
Congratulations!! You always have positive energy, and your comments always make me feel cheerful and positive:) Anyway, I hope everything goes well for you, and I'm looking forward to meeting you at the seminar!
Hi taco,
Nice to hear from you again!
Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.
Tomo
- Tomo
- 2009年12月19日 11:06
PS Nao, you are welcome:)
- Tomo
- 2009年12月19日 11:11
Hi Tomo,
Me, too! To tell the truth, I have both sides. Pardon me if I’m not cheerful or positive at the seminar. Your words are too good for me. Big thanks;p
> booking for a one-day seminar this year ----> next year (of course!)
> with an English-speaking guide ----> a PATIENT English-speaking guide (please!)
tsuneko
- 匿名
- 2009年12月19日 15:15
Hi David
If you realize your plan I would like to join in the seminar.
Your dream is just like study abroad in English - speaking world.
When I was a high school student I missed a chance for homestay in Calgary Canada for some reasons.
I still have a dream to study English in English -speaking world.
I really want to improuve my English.
Hi trmr,Haruki,tao and taco
I'm pleased to meet you!
Hi Nao
I got KinKi Kids concert tickets few days ago.
How bad seats they are!
They are the third from back on the second floor and end of right in Tokyo Dome・・・
I just can't get 関ジャニ∞ Dec 31th tickets・・・
(チケットが無いまま、大阪へ向かうことになるかも・・・ (T_T)）
Green
- Green
- 2009年12月19日 16:20
Hi Gussan
Thank you for correcting my sentence. Yes, I was trying to explain the difference of the usage of them. Thanks a lot.
Hi Nao
Not at all, I am glad I could help you.
Hi Appoh
My sister lives in the West Coast (Washington) which means it is on the opposite side of the country from your place. I have visited her several times, and I do not remember when I bought a book, but I am sure the bookstore was in Seattle.
Hi tsunekko
You started your own business last year? That’s great! I am sure that you will be in black before you know it as David said.
By the way I learned the word “favorably” in your comment. Thanks.
Hi Tomo
Thank you for making a sentence for me. It’s funny, because some words come to mind after posting a comment. When I was about to go to sleep at that night, the words “twist into” popped up in my mind. So I think your sentence much better than mine.
Hi everyone
It's getting colder day by day, so please take care of yourself not to catch cold.
- amo
- 2009年12月19日 17:41
Hi David
I forgot to write about your ideas of your seminars and your future plan yesterday.
I think it is really good idea for doing a follow-up one month later. I like your future plan in Hokkaido. It sounds really interesting so I definitely want to join that.
I am happy to hear that you are planning for a special seminar for us. I am really looking forward to it, and can’t wait to see other members!!!
see you tomorrow
- amo
- 2009年12月20日 19:50
Hi David and Everyone,
How's your weekend? Hope all are well, as they had a lot of snow in some places and they had an earthquake in others.
David, it sounds wonderful that you have a plan for a special seminar for us. I'm looking forward to it!
I also totally agree about (3) you mentioned, though I'm not sure that they can get Japanese girlfriends very easily or not, as Appoh said.;-)
Doing a follow-up one month later is definitely a good idea. As Tomo suggested, doing it several times would be more interesting for both you and participants.
I love your idea in Niseko! I really hope it will come true near future and I'd like to join it.:-)
Bye for now,
Maki
- Maki
- 2009年12月20日 22:42
Hi Amo,
Thanks a lot. I got an energy;-) favorably はamoのヒント(いいように解釈する）から、辞書で調べて初めて使ったことばなので、うまく使えてないはずです:p
Good night, Maki and everyone!
- 匿名
- 2009年12月20日 23:21
Hi David and everyone,
Did you have a great weekend? I went to Shikoku"Ohenro" .It was freezing in there!
I don't say"thank you" for each person in case I forgot to name someone, but thank you for your kinds words. When I posted my comment last time, I was really in bad condition, but I feel better now.
David, your idea concerning with doing seminars sounds more nice . Doing follow-up is definitely attractive and effective for participants as Tomo and Maki said. By the way, are you going to organize the seminar for members of this blog?
I really want to join it! Actually I'm planning to travel next June, so PLEASE PLEASE let us know the schedule as soon as possible after you decide . I can't miss the party and the seminar^^)
>tsunekko,
Congratulations!!
You will be in the black with your passion and sincerity which I always feel from your comments.
>tao,
Nice to meet you!
David, looking forward to hearing another business idea.
See you soon,
Anne
- Anne
- 2009年12月21日 11:38
Hi Green
You got bad seats?Oh...that's too bad:(I was in the same sutiation at Koichi's concert this summer.The ticket's seat was the fourth from back in Kyosera Dome,so I was so sad.I know your feeling.
By the way,may you come to Osaka without 関ジャニ∞'s ticket?I'm surprised to hear that.I hope you'll get 関ジャニ∞'s ticket!!
Green,please listen to me..I couldn't get any tickets of Kinki kids. Sadly I'm going to trip when they'll come to Kyosera Dome.That's bad timing.
To change the subject,did you watch 堂本兄弟 last night?I watched it.It was good:)
Nao
- 匿名
- 2009年12月21日 11:52
Hi Nao
Thank you for your co concern.
We got New Year's Day tickets,but we can't get Dec 31th tickets・・・
（言葉が足りなくて、すみません。1/1のチケットは、当選しましたが、12/31のがどうしてもゲットできません。予想以上の激戦でした。)
You are going to Guam when KinKi Kids is going to hold their concert in Kyosera Dome?
I 'm sorry to hear that but enjyoy trip!
You had same experience on seat?
Of course I watched 堂本兄弟！
I have same feeling with Kouichi in STARBUCKS COFFEE!
Green
- Green
- 2009年12月21日 13:11
Hi Green
I can see what you said.You have already got a ticket on January 1!(January 1is Koichi's birthday:))Tickets on December 31 are too popular,aren't they?
By the way,I'm going to Guam on the same day as you said.I'm so sad..I really blew it,but I'm going to enjoy my trip.
You could see his feeling,can't you?I also sympathized with the situation.I like his story.I think he is very cute.
Nao
- Nao
- 2009年12月21日 16:32
Hi Anne
I'm glad to hear that you feel better now.It was so cold in Osaka last weekend,but it wasn't freezing,so Shikoku was colder than Osaka.Take care,Anne!
Nao
- Nao
- 2009年12月21日 16:39
Hi David and everyone.
David, I think that your future plans are so interesting!
To tell the truth, you always inspires me because you seem to have your own ideas and thoughts about how to be happy in your life.
And I believe that your seminar will be so helpful since you seem to be a really nice English teacher also.
Although I have my own ways about how to study English, I think its so valuable to listen to some advice of professional teacher, and I guess there are also many people who think as me.
- Tanizawa
- 2009年12月21日 19:55
Hi Team,
I just got back from Tokyo a couple of hours ago, so I'll do the next entry tomorrow.
Bye for now
David
PS Thanks Tanizawa san - I'm glad to hear that I inspire someone!
- David
- 2009年12月22日 00:01
What is here it is an interesting piece of information. But first of all I must salute all every one. . And now I must say that I m thinking to post http://eng.alc.co.jp/kaiwa/davidbarker/2009/12/seminars_2.html on my Facebook profile. And this because at last I found what I was looking for. What you post here is really very good information. In the second I saw this tittle, デビッド・ãƒãƒ¼ã‚«ãƒ¼ã®è‹±èªžã¨ä»²ç›´ã‚Šãƒ–ãƒã‚°ï¼šã‚¹ãƒšãƒ¼ã‚¹ã‚¢ãƒ«ã‚¯, on google search I was very happy. It is possible I found something like this here http://www.xfly.ro, I'm not sure but I thing it was the same. My regrds
- bilete avion
- 2011年10月30日 06:57
Hi Daivd,
I totally agree about 3) you mentioned and they can even get Japanese girlfriends very easily.
In addition, they can stay in Japan as long as they want if they submit a short document at a certain year.
How generous Japan is for instant English teachers !
If you have to work in the US, you need to ask for a US lawyer and pay a chunk of money. But you can't always expect to get a visa. That was my experience.
I strongly hope your plan will be good for Japanese learners.