August 31, 2008 – 4:56 am
If you get the chance to go to Ishikawa Prefecture, make sure you stop into downtown Kanazawa City. Kanazawa, home and power base of the Maeda Clan, dates from the mid 17th Century in its prime. Much of the city center of Kanazawa is devoted to this history, and the star attraction Kenrokuen Garden, an 11.4 [...]
August 30, 2008 – 9:35 pm
Yesterday I had two students and we covered the item on “locations” in which the students learn how to use map directions to describe where a city or country is. It starts out with having one student think of a country and then the other student asks “Is it (west) of China?” etc. The first [...]
August 30, 2008 – 3:54 am
Just want to draw attention to the kindness of people here.
Today I was having lunch at a restaurant across the street from our school in Azamino, and decided to make a quick run to the convenience store to pay a few bills and pick up a couple of things. We’ve had rain the entire week, [...]
August 29, 2008 – 1:16 am
For the month of August, I taught part time at SSE Kyobashi. I was nervous at the beginning but thanks to Kyobashi staff, teachers, and students welcoming me, I felt very comfortable teaching.
At first, I felt concern about my nationality
addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sse-franchise.com%2Fsoapbox%2F200808%2F29%2Fgreat-coaching-experience-at-sse-kyobashi%2F’;
addthis_title = ‘Great+Coaching+Experience+at+SSE+Kyobashi’;
addthis_pub = [...]
August 26, 2008 – 9:44 pm
On August 8, 2008 at 11:00am three very serious, hard-working, dedicated Smiths School of English franchise owners decided it was time to hold a very important meeting in order to discuss some very serious business matters.
However, in order to hold an effective meeting they needed to…
addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sse-franchise.com%2Fsoapbox%2F200808%2F26%2Fsmiths-school-of-english-%25e2%2580%259cvery-serious%25e2%2580%259d-2008-mid-summer-meeting%2F’;
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By Alex
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Posted in Living in Japan, SSE Fuse Corner, SSE Horie Corner, enjoyed this a lot, rewarding job change
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Tagged ヨット セーリング, 大阪, 日本 セーリング, 月謝制のスミス英会話 堀江校, 月謝制のスミス英会話 布施校, 東大阪市 英会話, 神戸, 英会話 四ツ橋校, 西宮, 関西 セーリング
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August 26, 2008 – 3:44 am
I wrote this ages ago, and meant to post it then. Better late than never!
Mike and I are expecting a baby in September (2008), so a class of students decided to take me to Suitengu shrine. Everyone had been asking me if I had been to that shrine yet, so I was really glad to [...]
By Deana
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Posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Azamino Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, students keep coming, teaching: why i do it
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Tagged あざみ野, スミス英会話, 水天宮, 英会話
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August 25, 2008 – 8:38 pm
It has been quite a hot summer. Recently the temperature has begun to drop, which is very nice. It looks like autumn is on the way! I love autumn. In Canada the Maple leaves change color. Japan also has its own species of Maples, or Momiji, whose leaves also change color. Last year, my school, Smith’s School [...]
By Derek
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Posted in SSE Tsukaguchi Corner
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Tagged english, franchises, Japan, jobs, schools, Smith's School of English, teaching, スミス英会話塚口故, 英会話 月謝制, 英会話スクール, 英会話塚口
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August 23, 2008 – 3:15 am
Here at Smith’s School of English, Azamino, the students have all been making predictions as to when Deana and Mike’s baby will be born. When someone suggested a “baby pool“ with a very small entry fee, everyone thought that would be a lot of fun.
More than half [...]
August 21, 2008 – 9:31 pm
For those of you who haven’t been to the Osaka Aquarium, locally known as the Kaiyuukan ( 大阪 海遊館 )you are definitely missing out. Not only is this building an architectural masterpiece in its own right, but also a world-class aquarium facility housing dozens of North Pacific marine ecosystems. The star attraction is a main [...]
By Martin
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Posted in SSE Fukushima Corner, SSE Kotoen Corner
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Tagged IMAXシアター, ハーバービレッジ, 仁川 校, 大阪 市, 大阪 海遊館, 天保山, 月謝制 の スミス, 梅田 校, 海遊館, 甲東園 校, 福島 校, 英会話, 西宮 市
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August 21, 2008 – 4:09 am
Don’t you just love Japan ? Where else in the world are people so honest and trustworthy ? I recently moved from my weekly rental in Futakotamagawa to another rental in Kozukue. My first apartment locked with a key but the new place uses a numerical passcode entry system. Although they gave [...]
August 20, 2008 – 6:28 am
Today is our first day back to work after a short holiday. It’s our first year here and we are still developing, so we decided to keep our holiday short and close to home. I am a huge fan of onsens (hot springs). I love everything about them, especially the [...]
August 19, 2008 – 5:39 pm
Recently I have been trying to learn how to use YouTube and some software to create fun videos introducing things about my life teaching English in Japan at Smiths School of English.
I really enjoy my work here at Smiths School of English and I hope to create more videos that show this!
If you have [...]
By Alex
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Posted in English School Articles, Living in Japan, SSE Fuse Corner, SSE Horie Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, rewarding job change, teaching: why i do it
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Tagged 月謝制のスミス英会話 堀江校, 月謝制のスミス英会話 布施校, 東大阪市 英会話, 英会話 四ツ橋校
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August 19, 2008 – 4:59 pm
I had to include this picture on my Soapbox!
This is such an amazing picture of the sunrise over Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture!
After seeing this picture I really envy Ed and Chiharu over there at Smiths School of English in Ohtsu, Shiga Prefecture!
琵琶湖, 淡海、びわ湖 (The Japanese Name)
Tonight our class began with…
addthis_url [...]
By Alex
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Posted in English School Articles, Living in Japan, SSE Fuse Corner, SSE Horie Corner
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Tagged びわ湖, マキノ町, 彦根城, 日の出, 月謝制のスミス英会話 堀江校, 月謝制のスミス英会話 布施校, 東大阪市 英会話, 淡海, 琵琶湖, 英会話 四ツ橋校
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August 18, 2008 – 8:36 am
There’s nothing like a nice break to refresh our minds and bodies. This Obon my wife and I spent some quality time with our newborn child and I was able to get my new TV set up properly with my computer so I was happy. Sitting in our so-called theater room watching Die Hard 4 [...]
August 18, 2008 – 3:56 am
As I start back to work tonight after a week of Summer vacation I feel extremely rested as I was able to sleep in each morning and stay in my air conditioned apartment watching the Beijing Olympics during day time hours, although I took a couple of day trips to local areas before the games [...]
August 17, 2008 – 11:53 pm
I’ve just finished enjoying the Smith’s Obon holiday. While I really enjoy working at my school, Smith’s School of English Tsukaguchi, it was great to take a break. I watched a bunch of movies at home on Cable TV, went out shopping with family, went to my sports center, TIPNESS to do weight training and [...]
By Derek
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Posted in English School Articles, SSE Tsukaguchi Corner
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Tagged Add new tag, english, franchise, franchises, Japan, jobs, Smith's School of English, teaching, スミス英会話塚口故, 尼崎市, 尼崎市英会話スクール, 英会話月謝制
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August 17, 2008 – 9:12 pm
I was just over at Hub Pages, reading comments to a story by fellow franchisee Derek at Tsukaguchi (スミス英会話 塚口). Someone posted a link to another soapbox story, written by Helena at Nakamozu (スミス英会話 なかもず). It was a great read for me, as I am expecting our first child very, very soon. Her comments about family time [...]
By Deana
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Posted in English School Articles, Fair to teachers, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Azamino Corner, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, franchise v. small business, rewarding job change, teaching: why i do it
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Tagged あざみ野, なかもず, スミス英会話, 塚口, 英会話
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August 15, 2008 – 2:16 am
I recently got a new student on a Saturday who I had never met before. She had taken a trial at the Karasuma School but decided to study at my school in Okamoto because it is near her home. That was quite a pleasant surprise and it shows how being a member of [...]
August 13, 2008 – 3:30 am
Hi everyone!
Remember my recent posting entitled “Okanagan Wines at Hanshin Department Store”? The South Okanagan region in British Columbia is an area of stunning, pristine and unique natural beauty and its arid, desert climate is particularly well suited to grape and fruit production. In recent years, Ice Wine, properly spelled Eis Wein due to its [...]
August 11, 2008 – 1:52 am
I wrote most of this as a comment to a story posted by Derek (from スミス英会話塚口), but I think I should share it with all of you too!
We are very excited to be having a baby in Japan. Japan is a place I can feel safe every day, at any time of day or [...]
By Deana
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Posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Investor or school owner?, Living in Japan, New start up or franchise?, SSE Azamino Corner, a look back, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, franchise v. small business, my passion: language, rewarding job change, teaching: why i do it
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Tagged あざみ野, スミス英会話, 英会話, 英会話塚口
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August 10, 2008 – 10:53 pm
My wife Yoko and I get Festival Fever every summer.
Yoko’s main hobby is kimonos and she really loves to wear yukata during summer festival season. This year I promised to get her a special tailor-made yukata from carefully selected material, a hand-made indigo with traditional methods, a one-of-a-kind that would make her look completely unique. [...]
By Martin
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Posted in SSE Fukushima Corner, SSE Kotoen Corner, enjoyed this a lot
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Tagged Add new tag, 仁川 校, 大阪 市, 月謝制 の スミス, 梅田 校, 甲東園 校, 福島 校, 英会話, 西宮 市
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August 9, 2008 – 12:33 am
Hi Everyone! Just finished one of my pronunciation lessons. We did something from our special Smith’s Pronunciation Course, and focused on the R’s and L’s this lesson.
I’m really impressed with how the students are doing here at Smith’s School of English Azamino. I’m hearing such big differences in their pronunciation and they [...]
A student of mine from Smith’s School of English Tsukaguchi in Amagasaki City recently prepared a great DVD which contains a video and photos he took at a joint barbecue event my school held with the Ohtsu, Okamoto, Horie and Fuse schools at Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park in Osaka, Japan on July 27th, 2008. This is [...]
By Derek
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Posted in English School Articles, SSE Tsukaguchi Corner
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Tagged Add new tag, barbecues, English schools, franchise, franchises, hanami, Japan, Japanese Maple, jobs, Momiji, Osaka, Smith's School of English, teaching, Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park, スミス英会話塚口故, 尼崎市, 月謝制の英会話, 英会話スクール, 鶴見緑地公園 バーベキュー
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Just a quick posting about a special moment I shared with a couple of students last night in class.
All of us teachers at Smiths School of English use a basic format in our lessons called The Loop.
It basically consists of a predictable 4 step process which allows our students to understand where exactly we [...]