So our local Nova branch has installed cameras in some of the rooms . They said its mainly for ” Security ” purposes but then my manager added that it will also be used for class observations. This to me is pushing the line in so many ways . Like I have nothing to hiide and I do obey Nova rules but at the same time imagine being watched and observed 24/7 thats a little bit strange in my opinion. On top of it our manager is ultra strict about our methods so it gets a little bit picky on things that we do. I sometimes do add my own “color ” to the lessons so I just feel so mad that I can’t even do that comfortably now. NOVA already has a high turnover rate, how can they not see that they will chase teachers away with this?
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Any one else at NOVA had cameras installed in their buildings?
23 comments
“imagine being watched and observed 24/7”
You… teach 24/7? As for “chasing teachers away”, they generally hire people who don’t have many other options.
If you do… leave.
This is effed up. You are not wrong for being alarmed. At the very least, it’s just going to make teachers uncomfortable knowing their employer could potentially be scrutinizing their every move.
My understanding is that NOVA has turned themselves into a teaching trap. They’re the easiest to get hired on with, but have the highest turn-over rate due to their methods.
From what I understand they’re not bad to get into Japan with so long as you find your own housing and don’t take their sponsored apartment. The moment you hit the ground in Japan, you can start job hunting with the benefit of being a resident with a humanities visa and some income to at least keep you afloat.
But you don’t want to stick with NOVA. Their business model is just making it easy to get over there and then making teachers feel trapped in their contracts.
Once you have the visa it’s yours though. You just have to inform the visa department of any job changes such as moving from one company to another.
Since you’re living in Japan, you have a work visa, and you seem to have some connections and experience, you should 100% be looking for better and more stable employment with more reputable companies.
Only the kids room has a camera in one of my schools. It’s connected to the TV in the lobby, so when kids are in there, their parents can see. When there’s no lessons, it’s just rolling footage of Nova stuff.
My other schools haven’t got cameras.
As long as “don’t worry guys! I’m just gonna use them to get into japan, stay for a year and then get a job at an international school!” (But end up staying for 5) muthafuckas are around they’ll continue with the bs.
Honestly it’s on you if you’re still there. Everything about this company can be found out so easily.
Thats sucks. I couldnt work in a situation like that.
Considering most of their staff don’t even last a year, I don’t know how they can make their turnover rate worse. This is messed up.
They deserve to go under.
Isn’t it because a kid got his hand crushed by a table?
NOVA sounds so METAL.
I’m genuinely tempted to have a career break and work there for a bit just to experience it.
Seems so wild.
I worked in a kindergarten and there were cameras in all the classes. Tbh, I was thankful for it, because I always followed the rules and if anything went bad I could always just say “watch the tapes.”
They aren’t watching it 24/7, they’re probably gonna just use it as a reference in case someone complains. They aren’t a tight enough shop to watch you all the time.
I’m not defending nova at all, they’re a bad company, but I will say I worked there for a year and some change and met some absolute pieces of work as colleagues and to be honest I don’t blame them for setting up at least audio recordings in some of the classes.
Try to get over to Aeon or ECC it’s mostly the same work but much better. You can’t autopilot as hard but it’s so worth.
Join the general union and fight against these cameras being installed.
I guess it might raise concerns with some students too.
Anyway, how do Nova keep getting new students?
Installing cameras in classrooms sounds exactly like the kind of info that should be passed onto to the General Union
They are not telling you the whole story. There must have been an incident for them to install them.
This is extremely alarming. I’d get out ASAP of any environment like this… this is not normal at all..
I’m sorry you’re going through this, I know that cameras in the classrooms feels so scary and inappropriate. Being reminded by management that I was constantly being watched on cctv was what drove me away from Korean hagwons, I was glad they didn’t seem so prevalent here. I sure hope cctv (especially for “observations”) doesn’t catch on in the same way they have in some other countries.
i’m all for using it to dispel false claims by students (or their parents) and it’ll be weird to feel like you’re being watched all the time at first, but aside from micromanagers i doubt that’ll be the case. i would suggest all teachers brush up on power harassment laws, just in case.
This won’t chase teachers away. They know they can do whatever they want, because people want to be in Japan so badly that they will tolerate all kinds of bullshit. Even current teachers won’t quit over this. People just want a paycheck, and hardly anyone is really willing to stand up for their rights. It’s too hard, so they take the easy way and just tolerate it.
I’ve worked like that before.
I used to get phone calls like “I’m watching you on the camera, what are you doing right now” and “who are you on the phone to?” “What are you printing” etc.
Not Nova, but my former company had cameras in every class room. Parents and management in head office all had access to it to see what was going on whenever they wanted.
Understandable that some parents may want to check in on their children (classes were 2-4 hours long), but god DAMN management was a pain. They would constantly watch you on the cameras and then complain about everything and anything. That was my shitty experience at least.
I just pretend the camera doesn’t exist. Not like I’m doing anything sketchy. I just do the lesson by the script. I thought the cameras were there for the kids protection. I heard there was an incident with an adult and child. Considering that Nova hires anyone, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few weirdos get hired.
I can’t speak for Nova, but all the schools I worked at in other countries had cameras in the classroom to protect the students from abuse and the teachers against false accusations. I doubt management would install them just to track teacher’s lesson flow.
Used to work there. Worst working experience of my life. Can’t believe it still exists! So many sleazy dirtbags there. Just in case you haven’t noticed, they don’t give a damn about their teachers. Lol