Yoko Muir
Reviewer
Anonymous reviewer
Comments
I highly recommend avoiding this school if you value your professional well-being and sanity. While the initial leadership team tried to ensure staff were fairly compensated for extra responsibilities, the current management has stripped away coordinator pay for seasonal programs just to cut costs, dumping extra work onto the office staff instead. The daily working environment is incredibly toxic and uncomfortable, dominated by the owner, Yoko, frequently yelling at staff members and the constantly rotating heads of school. It has gotten so absurd that the staff literally has a running betting pool on how many months the newest head of school is actually going to last before quitting or being pushed out. Faculty morale is completely underground, and almost everyone on the ground is actively looking for a way out. The exceptionally high turnover rate speaks for itself. Do not be misled by the international school title. Save your energy and look for a workplace where educators are treated with basic human decency and professional respect.
Questionnaire Responses
How effectively does school leadership communicate important information (e.g., policies, updates, goals) to teachers?
How well does school leadership support teachers' professional growth through resources, training, and opportunities?
How approachable are school leaders when teachers need guidance or have concerns?
How clear and effective is the vision and direction set by school leadership for the school’s growth and development?
How well does school leadership recognize and appreciate the efforts and contributions of teachers?
How well does school leadership empower teachers by giving them autonomy and involving them in decision-making?
How effectively does school leadership support teachers in addressing the diverse academic and emotional needs of students?
Overall, how satisfied are you with the leadership and management at your school?
What do you appreciate most about the leadership’s approach to supporting teachers and fostering a positive school environment?
Nothing, absolutely nothing. She yells at the head of schools, take benefits away, which I will get to, and cannot be trusted.
What improvements, if any, would you suggest to enhance the support or effectiveness of school leadership?
When I first started at Yoyogi International School, the leadership team worked hard to ensure we received extra compensation for after-school activities, leadership duties, and overtime. However, once the teaching and learning coordinator left, we lost the coordinator pay for summer and winter school. Now, simply to save money, Yoko has the office staff running the summer school activities instead. Also, it is a regular occurrence to hear Yoko yelling at staff members and the various heads of school we have had. This toxic behavior was actually brought up by a parent recently, and I can personally verify that it is true.
Can you share an example of how leadership has positively and/or negatively impacted your teaching experience or your students’ success?
To be completely honest, the negative impact on staff morale is so severe that many of us are actively trying to leave. The toxic atmosphere and lack of support from leadership are the direct reasons why this school suffers from such a high turnover rate, which ultimately hurts the consistency and success of our students.
Details
- Reviewee
- Yoko Muir
- School
- Yoyogi International School
- Country
- Japan
- State / Region
- Tokyo, Tokyo
- Reporting Period
- 2023-2026
- Submitted
- August 10, 2026
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