Stories

A collection of stories from our teachers!

I started working at OCE Ginza in June 2019. Throughout these more than 5 months I could meet great people from all over the globe, listen to great life stories, and overcome some challenges. Working here also gives me a new perspective on Japanese society and I hope I am helping my students too! My co-teachers and the staff are very supportive and friendly and the work environment is full of good vibes. I always dreamt of working in an international environment and OCE has realized that dream! Not only that but it’s also awakened my passion for teaching!

Maeva from France (Ginza School)

Mani from India (Shinjuku School)

“I started working in OCE Shinjuku in November 2018. I’ve made some life-long friends from across the world. The best part about OCE is the diversity of both the students and teachers. You get to meet and interact with people from all phases of life, and gain valuable insights and experience through them too!”

To have a good working environment, you need a solid back end team. The staff in Shinjuku are easy to approach and always work hard to make our work go smooth. The symbiosis between the Japanese staff and the teachers is why I believe a school of 1500+ students and around 30 staff can run flawlessly.

There were numerous times when the staffs helped the teachers and vice versa. We often go out for drinking, gyoza or just a ramen together while sharing our culture!

Classes

Working in One Coin English for the last four months made a great impact to my life. I did not only get to help students but I also learned a lot from them and enjoyed every moment of it. One Coin English has also given me the opportunity to join events like beer events and Halloween parties. It taught me to be more creative and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by great individuals who inspired me to do my best at work. One Coin English does a great job of providing a strong work-life balance!

Nela from The Philippines (Shinjuku School)

Ed from Indonesia (Shinjuku School)

Hey guys, my name is Ed. I’ve been working in OCE for a little over a year now and it has been a great and memorable experience! The best thing about the company is the relaxed atmosphere it creates between students and teachers, making talking to them and teaching much more rewarding. The co-workers are amazing. I have made some great friends in OCE (mostly through the exchange of thoroughly horrible jokes).

I’ve been working at OCE for over a year and it’s one of my best experiences in Japan. I’ve never thought that teaching could be this fun. The teachers and the staff are very helpful and the school is so cozy and relaxing. The students are diverse and amazing. Teaching at OCE is fulfilling and it has helped me develop and improve my quality character and skills.

Ilma from Indonesia (Kichijoji School)

Dave from America (Ueno School)

Hello, my name is Dave! I’ve been working for OCE for almost 2.5 years. I worked for one year in Yokohama and a little over one year in Gotanda and now I’m the teacher manager of the 9th school in the system. Before I started working here, I had zero teaching experience but they were welcoming and taught me everything I needed to become a successful teacher. It’s my hope to continue to grow and improve the OCE name

I’d have to say that some of my favourite things about working here are: environment, events and teaching flexibility and the multiculturalism. The environment is one of the best I’ve had the privilege to work in. Everyone is very friendly and easy to get along with, which is vital when working in such a diverse company. The monthly events are a big appeal, not only for the teachers but also the students. I’ve enjoyed having a few drinks with my students and was able to relax outside of the classroom. The teaching flexibility is great! It allowed me to tailor my lessons to my student’s needs and enabled me to explore and find the best methods and techniques. Lastly, working here has been a gateway into Japan, for me. I’ve learned so much about the people and the culture and continue to learn more and more everyday.

More

I came to Japan at the beginning of July 2019 but started OCE at the end of September. I wanted to treat the first few weeks of Japan as a holiday so traveled around as much as possible during that time. Once I had traveled around I had to start all the practical things like getting a job, bank account, and things like that which I thought was quite difficult if you don’t know Japanese, but considering I know absolutely no Japanese it was definitely easier than I thought it’d be to get around by myself. Especially with articles online helping you out along the way and Google translate it’s definitely doable to get whatever you need. It did take me a while to get used to the train systems since I’ve never really used anything like it in England, but apart from this it was relatively quick to adjust to big city life in my opinion. Having said that, England is pretty different in terms of culture so it was very interesting to see the differences, I had to be careful that I wasn’t isolating myself too much or going through culture shock as it can creep up on you!

Dhari from The United Kingdom (Various Schools)

Drew from Australia (Kichijoji School)

I’m Drew from Australia. I’ve been working at OCE for over 6 months now and have really enjoyed it. The people I work with are awesome and we often help each other with lesson plans and any other problems we may have. One Coin English prides itself on having a relaxed atmosphere and I think that is also present in Kichijoji. I am always happy going to work and feel comfortable being myself at work.

The students we have at Kichijoji are quite diverse. We have a mixture of students, artists, professionals, and plenty of other interesting characters. All of my students are really nice and I am always happy to see them.

As with many jobs, teaching comes with its challenges. When we do have problems, whether it be teaching or personal, I feel like the team here is extremely supportive and we all help each other out.

Lastly, Kichijoji is an amazing place in Tokyo, and filled with hidden gems. The people here are friendly, there is an incredible park nearby, plenty of good restaurants and shops, and so many other things to do in and around Kichijoji.

More

You’ve probably seen me around the schools, and you’ll probably see more of me in the future. Working in OCE has been life-changing. Because the company welcomes people from all over the world, I have met a lot of interesting people and learned about different cultures. However, not only do I work with many talented individuals, but I also get to teach students who have genuine curiosity about the world outside Japan. I started when the company was 6 months old and to see and be part of its growth has been really fulfilling. The company opened up a lot of opportunities for me to learn and do new things, such as learning how to manage people and doing training for new teachers.

Abi from The Philippines (Various Schools)

Jordan from America (Yokohama School)

Working at OCE has made me feel more at home in Japan. As a non-Japanese person, I have often felt out of place living in Japan even though Japanese people are kind and understanding. My coworkers, staff, and teachers alike, are like family to me and have made it so much easier to be myself. I’ve learned so much from my students and feel so good when I can help them speak English or just relax and have a good conversation. OCE is as much a home to me as Japan is!

Thank You for Reading!

Thank you for taking the time to read more about us. We are a group of caring people, and we are looking for other caring people to join our team to make something great.

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