I’m just *culturally* conflicted pfftt. And not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but oh well.
I was working as online teacher with these Japanese students for more than two years. We always had good teacher-student communication, they were really good and polite students, we’d sometimes have a laugh and I tried hard to make my classes enjoyable and useful.
But the truth is, the payment was really slow and I originally started this job because I was desperate for money. I got a better paying job now (not a teaching job though, but one that’s actually in the field I studied, kinda) and I decided to move on from the teaching job. I sent a message to my Japanese boss, told him I’m unable to continue working as online teacher, all polite, apologized and thanked him for everything etc. Also made sure to tell him two weeks in advance, so he time to arrange a replacement. But he still got obviously angry because I quit and is just ignoring me.
But well, I quit, so, that’s it. But I’m not sure if I should let my students know that I won’t be teaching them anymore or not. I feel like it is a little rude to, after working with them for two and a half years, just disappear without letting them know properly, say goodbyes and stuff. I want to quit and leave as nicely and politely as possible, but on the other hand, I’m worried if it’ll cause my boss trouble and whether I should just let him handle it by himself. I started working this job through a friend’s recommendation. This friend also worked as a teacher, but when they quit, the boss didn’t let the students know that they quit and instead told them that this teacher was absent due to health issues. So pretty much, for few months students expected my friend to return to their job, while I knew – as my friend told me – that they won’t be coming back. So, if I told my students that I quit for good, it could cause some issues to my boss (as I don’t know what he’s gonna tell them), which I’d rather avoid.
I think this time, it’ll be the best to just let him handle it by himself (since he won’t communicate with me at all)…
But I want to ask, culturally, would Japanese people – students in particular – consider it rude when a teacher just quits without saying anything? Would it make the teacher look just like a rude, inconsiderate foreigner?
12 comments
Its a courtesy i have always felt is necessary
. Although i definitely havent been offered the same courtesty in the past when students suddenly decide to stop coming to class without even a LINE message.
Your boss is a dick.
Say goodbye to your students. You’ve already put in your resignation, what are they gonna do, fire you?
Saying goodbye to your students is normal, polite, and more than that, kind, if you have the connection you say.
Not related but how did you apply for that online teaching job?
You boss openly lies to students. Be better than that piece of trash!
As someone who worked several years ago in Japan as an English teacher, I would 100% drop the students you like an email they can reach you at.
Tell them to reach out to you if they want to.
Chances are, they won’t, but I do wish I would have made more of an effort to stay connected to the people I met in Japan, specifically Japanese people. I miss a lot of them and I didn’t try hard enough to stay in contact with them.
> But well, I quit, so, that’s it. But I’m not sure if I should let my students know that I won’t be teaching them anymore or not. I feel like it is a little rude to, after working with them for two and a half years, just disappear without letting them know properly, say goodbyes and stuff. I want to quit and leave as nicely and politely as possible, but on the other hand, I’m worried if it’ll cause my boss trouble and whether I should just let him handle it by himself.
My thoughts…
1. If you’ve left the company then don’t talk to their clients. You’re gone.
2. If you have a ‘final week’ then tell them during that week.
3. I worked for a face-to-face kids eikaiwa for 5 years, was close to the parents and had seen most of them grow-up over those years as we taught all ages. I get why people get all emotional and stuff, but nobody really gave a fuck about transitioning to a new teacher.
You’ve given your boss a chance to communicate and coordinate with you. He instead chose to ignore you and not bother thanking you for working so long and making him money.
Take care of yourself first.
You don’t owe him. He owes you.
Thank each student. Tell them how much you enjoyed teaching them and let them know you’re sorry but you took a new job in a new field that you’ve been interested in for a long time.
Your students are going to find out you quit when suddenly a new teacher shows up. But it will mean a lot to them and their English learning experience if you say goodbye. You’ve been teaching them for a while, and you’ve become a part of their lives. Definitely say goodbye. Don’t trash talk your boss or company, as that’s unprofessional, but you can be honest and tell them that you’ll no longer be teaching as you’re pursuing a new career path.
Your boss is an asshole. Since you don’t need this former boss as a reference in your future career, you should say goodbye to your students and don’t worry what your asshole ex-boss might think of that.
If he treated his teachers better they wouldn’t quit, and he wouldn’t need to lie to the students so that the company’s reputation isn’t damaged by the high turnover rate.
>Also made sure to tell him two weeks in advance, so he time to arrange a replacement. But he still got obviously angry because I quit and is just ignoring me.
I find it hilarious when bosses of these “schools” get angry when someone leaves as if the field of English teaching isn’t just a constant cycle of teachers coming and going constantly.
In my experience, if you don’t, then your boss will. He’ll probably give them a bs reason for it too. My old manager at Aeon told people that my old co-workers mother got sick, so he had to go home. In reality his contract was up. If you care at all about your students’ perception of you (you might not), then I’d let them know and tell them where you’re off to next.