Category Archives: a look back

The Greatest Reward of All – 1 Year On

February 28, 2010 – 10:44 pm

I have been the franchisee and teacher of Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校 for one year today!!!!!!!!
I have always loved languages, especially English, so it is really rewarding being able to earn my living teaching my favourite language at my own English conversation school. I always enjoy my lessons with my very special students, especially [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Free Advice English Schools, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, mine doesn't follow rules, my high level students, my passion: language, rewarding job change, teaching: why i do it | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (2)

TOEIC+ Listening Practice Videos

February 14, 2010 – 5:15 pm

I have been reading the posts here and I am so impressed with so many of them. We really have a great team at Smith’s School of English.
Recently John Coleman (See his post on the movie “Invictus“) and I are collaborating on some TOEIC listening practice videos for the Smithweb site. We have [...]

By Al Bartle | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, New start up or franchise?, SSE Kawanishi Corner, SSE Okamoto Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, my passion: language, students keep coming, teaching: why i do it | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)

INVICTUS – A Journey to my Birthplace

February 12, 2010 – 10:15 pm

Recently, one of my students at my English conversation school 英会話, Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校, mentioned to me that the movie Invictus had been released in Japan, and that she was keen to see it. She told me about this because I was born and brought up in South Africa, and Invictus is the [...]

By John C | Also posted in English Lesson Plans, English School Articles, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

スミス英会話川西校 Lymington – My Old Home Town

February 2, 2010 – 6:33 pm

My wife, めぐみ, and I were lucky enough to spend our last 12 years in England, before moving to Japan, in the delightful small town of Lymington. I can think of few more fortunate towns to live in; with its beautiful coast to the south, giving views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight, and the [...]

By John C | Also posted in English Lesson Plans, English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, SSE Kawanishi Corner, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, my high level students, my passion: language | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Power of the Franchise Revealed!

January 7, 2010 – 8:06 pm

This week I had two students start who transferred from other Smith’s School (Otsu and Kotoen). This really brought home the meaning and the power of the franchise to me and it is something anyone thinking about starting an English school in Japan should consider carefully.
If I were out there on my own, I [...]

By Al Bartle | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Investor or school owner?, Living in Japan, New start up or franchise?, SSE Okamoto Corner, Seek to understand, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, my passion: language, students keep coming, teaching: why i do it | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

(スミス英会話) A Foreigner in Japan – with a camera

October 1, 2009 – 11:49 pm

I have had a great love for photography ever since the first time I saw an image appear on a piece of photographic paper (as if by magic), in a friend’s darkroom. For several years I produced monochrome photographs in my home darkroom, and had some success, exhibiting and winning awards in several countries. That [...]

By John C | Also posted in Choosing a location, English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

How do I set up an English Language School in Japan?

July 28, 2009 – 11:14 pm

スミス英会話布施校の日本語のメインサイトはこちら 
I remember entering this exact search into Google and Yahoo many years ago when I decided that I wanted to come to Japan and set up my own English language school in Japan.  I remember searching and searching and I found a seemingly never-ending number of websites, blogs, ads, newsletters.  I would search and take [...]

By Alex | Also posted in Choosing a location, Free Advice English Schools, New start up or franchise?, SSE Fuse Corner, english in japan, franchise v. small business, rewarding job change | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

English School Franchise – the only choice for me

July 27, 2009 – 12:48 am

Two apparently unrelated events happened to me yesterday that really got me thinking about my recent huge changes in life: coming to live in Japan and buying a Smith’s School of English franchised school.
First, I visited Smith’s School of English head office in Kyobashi for an owners’ seminar, where I found the friendliness and support shared [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Fair to teachers, Franchise Owners' Speak, Free Advice English Schools, Living in Japan, New start up or franchise?, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, my high level students, rewarding job change, teaching: why i do it | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

A Journey in Time

June 8, 2009 – 8:29 pm

 
 

 
 
There is an old railway line that runs into the mountains form Hankyu Kawanishi Noseguchi Station　川西能勢口駅, which is opposite my school Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi. This is the Hankyu Nose Line　能勢電鉄妙見線 which runs approximately 12 kilometers into the mountains north of Kawanishi, coming to an end at Myokenguchi    妙見口.
As you travel north you notice [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

Back Working Together

June 3, 2009 – 6:12 am

I know that this is another short post, but I felt the need to share this. Some longer posts will follow.
Derek, owner of Smith’s School of English, Tsukaguchi and I have been working together handing out flyers in our respective areas since I took over Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi in March of this year. We had [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

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