Comments for sendaiben.org http://sendaiben.org Life and Teaching in Sendai, Japan Sat, 12 May 2012 01:38:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Skewed rewards and incentives (why are university teachers at the top of the pile?) by sendaiben http://sendaiben.org/2011/10/01/skewed-rewards-and-incentives-why-are-university-teachers-at-the-top-of-the-pile/#comment-9064 sendaiben Sat, 12 May 2012 01:38:03 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=689#comment-9064 You need an MA to get the job, but you don't really need one to <em>do </em>the job :) You need an MA to get the job, but you don’t really need one to do the job :)

]]> Comment on Skewed rewards and incentives (why are university teachers at the top of the pile?) by ESLinsider http://sendaiben.org/2011/10/01/skewed-rewards-and-incentives-why-are-university-teachers-at-the-top-of-the-pile/#comment-9063 ESLinsider Fri, 11 May 2012 23:47:59 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=689#comment-9063 Ha, yeah that's funny. Don't you need a masters degree to teach at a university in Japan? I've taught in Korea, China and Taiwan. It seemed like that those places were also kinda similar. I had friends who had jobs in "cush" universities in Korea and China. And yeah that was pretty respected while they taught only 8-12 hours a week. Meanwhile the guys in the private institutes are teaching 25-30 hours a week to children. Ha, yeah that’s funny. Don’t you need a masters degree to teach at a university in Japan?

I’ve taught in Korea, China and Taiwan. It seemed like that those places were also kinda similar. I had friends who had jobs in “cush” universities in Korea and China. And yeah that was pretty respected while they taught only 8-12 hours a week.

Meanwhile the guys in the private institutes are teaching 25-30 hours a week to children.

]]> Comment on E-mobile: avoid by sendaiben http://sendaiben.org/2012/04/30/e-mobile-avoid/#comment-8851 sendaiben Tue, 01 May 2012 02:15:50 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=1247#comment-8851 Thanks Andrew. I told them on the phone that what they were doing is tantamount to fraud (automatic renewal with no notification) and they got kind of indignant. I'd definitely go with one of the bigger operators if I needed a similar service in the future. Thanks Andrew. I told them on the phone that what they were doing is tantamount to fraud (automatic renewal with no notification) and they got kind of indignant.

I’d definitely go with one of the bigger operators if I needed a similar service in the future.

]]> Comment on E-mobile: avoid by Andrew http://sendaiben.org/2012/04/30/e-mobile-avoid/#comment-8850 Andrew Tue, 01 May 2012 02:09:38 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=1247#comment-8850 I'll make sure you remember and set a reminder in my iCal. They pulled this stunt on a friend of mine. It was interesting because I was with him at an orientation here when he signed up for it. It sounded like a great idea but I was a little skeptical at the time and didn't sign up for it. Glad I didn't. It's good that you got his name and are somewhat documenting it for the future. This type of practice really bothers me. I’ll make sure you remember and set a reminder in my iCal.

They pulled this stunt on a friend of mine. It was interesting because I was with him at an orientation here when he signed up for it. It sounded like a great idea but I was a little skeptical at the time and didn’t sign up for it. Glad I didn’t.

It’s good that you got his name and are somewhat documenting it for the future. This type of practice really bothers me.

]]> Comment on E-mobile: avoid by sendaiben http://sendaiben.org/2012/04/30/e-mobile-avoid/#comment-8819 sendaiben Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:42:17 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=1247#comment-8819 Hi Mike Unfortunately, I won't be able to cancel until November, but definitely intend to do so then. Hi Mike

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to cancel until November, but definitely intend to do so then.

]]> Comment on E-mobile: avoid by Mike http://sendaiben.org/2012/04/30/e-mobile-avoid/#comment-8812 Mike Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:04:09 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=1247#comment-8812 OMG, we fell for the same scam! AND my wife and I totally forgot about ours...until I asked my wife to check it..fortunately, we had a few weeks before our contract expired and were able to cancel it in time. Hope you find a good way to cancel the contract without paying more than you already did...something like, the tsunami took all your paperwork with it... OMG, we fell for the same scam! AND my wife and I totally forgot about ours…until I asked my wife to check it..fortunately, we had a few weeks before our contract expired and were able to cancel it in time.

Hope you find a good way to cancel the contract without paying more than you already did…something like, the tsunami took all your paperwork with it…

]]> Comment on My new favourite TED talk by Andrew http://sendaiben.org/2012/04/20/my-new-favourite-ted-talk/#comment-8659 Andrew Mon, 23 Apr 2012 23:41:42 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=1241#comment-8659 I watched this a couple of months ago on my iPad and thought it was great. I had to restore it and reinstall TED. I forgot this guy's name and was trying to find it last night. This guy knows how to keep the audience's attention and the content was great. Thanks for re-finding this for me! I watched this a couple of months ago on my iPad and thought it was great. I had to restore it and reinstall TED. I forgot this guy’s name and was trying to find it last night.

This guy knows how to keep the audience’s attention and the content was great. Thanks for re-finding this for me!

]]> Comment on Independent study in a computer lab (my steep learning curve starts here!) by sendaiben http://sendaiben.org/2012/04/18/independent-study-in-a-computer-lab-my-steep-learning-curve-starts-here/#comment-8553 sendaiben Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:54:11 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=1230#comment-8553 Thanks Andrew Actually, despite my critical tone above, I loved the lesson. Can't wait to do it properly next year ;) Thanks Andrew

Actually, despite my critical tone above, I loved the lesson. Can’t wait to do it properly next year ;)

]]> Comment on Independent study in a computer lab (my steep learning curve starts here!) by Andrew http://sendaiben.org/2012/04/18/independent-study-in-a-computer-lab-my-steep-learning-curve-starts-here/#comment-8540 Andrew Fri, 20 Apr 2012 06:43:02 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=1230#comment-8540 It may seem like a disaster in certain regards, but these lessons teach you so much and make your next lessons THAT much better. You're essentially teaching two languages; 1. English, obviously and 2. Computers. These can be two daunting tasks for anyone! I'm sure that the next lesson will be better. I'm a huge proponent of Multimedia in the classroom. Even class in the Multimedia room (corny, I know) It may seem like a disaster in certain regards, but these lessons teach you so much and make your next lessons THAT much better.

You’re essentially teaching two languages; 1. English, obviously and 2. Computers. These can be two daunting tasks for anyone! I’m sure that the next lesson will be better.

I’m a huge proponent of Multimedia in the classroom. Even class in the Multimedia room (corny, I know)

]]> Comment on Independent study in a computer lab (my steep learning curve starts here!) by sendaiben http://sendaiben.org/2012/04/18/independent-study-in-a-computer-lab-my-steep-learning-curve-starts-here/#comment-8515 sendaiben Thu, 19 Apr 2012 01:44:58 +0000 http://sendaiben.org/?p=1230#comment-8515 Hey Ryan Here it's the opposite. The computer labs are reserved for the senior teaching staff, so us lowly lecturers rarely get to use them (it's my first time in five years teaching here). So far so good, and definitely a very different vibe to my usual classes... I will probably be updating things as they progress (or detailing each subsequent train wreck of a lesson) ;) Hey Ryan

Here it’s the opposite. The computer labs are reserved for the senior teaching staff, so us lowly lecturers rarely get to use them (it’s my first time in five years teaching here). So far so good, and definitely a very different vibe to my usual classes…

I will probably be updating things as they progress (or detailing each subsequent train wreck of a lesson) ;)

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