Question for experienced teachers

Hi,

I have worked in Japan for the last year as an English teacher and I was hoping to ask a question for the experienced teachers here. My last job was definatley not a horror story but also not something I would like to repeat. I was paid 250,000 yen a month which they always paid on time along with 20,000 yen travel expenses. They were very nice and always helpful but the hours were more than I expected. I originally agreed to teach 5 daysﾂ a week,30 hours a week with 10 additional hours a week for lesson planning. Then the other teacher quit (6 total in the year I worked there). After that I was teaching 8 hours a day. All my lesson planning had to be done on my own time. They were always calling me in on my day off and eventually wanted me to work 6 days a week for only 10,000 more a month. In addition, the school was poorly run with very little idea of progressive curiculumn development or behavior control ( I once caught them locking a two year old in the bathroom).

What I am wondering is what is reasonable to expect in my next job in regards to hours and conditions. My main complaint with the former position was the lack of boundries. I felt like I was a real Japanese employee, without the bonuses. As far as my qualifications I have a BA, a TESOL certificate, working on a MS in TESOL and 1 year of experience in Japan and 1 year in America, plus 3 years teaching experience in another field. What should I expect and try to shoot for in my next job? Any suggestions?

Thanks

You know, the only way somebody can sh*t on you is if you hold still while they do it.

That's why I quit the job and am looking for a new one.

Like I wrote in the other forum where you posted this question, what did you want to do with that experience and education? You definitely don't need to be looking for eikaiwa work. The only problem now is, the major hiring peak is over.

It all depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking for set hours, predictable schedules and a steady work week, an Eikaiwa would in fact be your best bet. Although ALT and other non-Eikaiwa positions can provide the same benefits, the nature of the Eikaiwa makes sudden and unavoidable changes much less probable. I'm sure the position you originally had seemed like quite a sure thing at first. At an Eikaiwa, you'd be less likely to suddenly end up in the same jam all over again with a wild schedule and lack of incentive.

One more small incentive at an Eikaiwa is that it's a business, so there is room for advancement. In a regular ALT teaching position I'm not familiar with any formal advancement structure, I think you're just a teacher living from contract to contract. Maybe someone can chime in and correct me here.

Lastly you can build a repetoir of private students and work for yourself, I know some teachers who had enough private students to go part time, and one who made their entire living off it. Usually though, it takes time in the schools and Eikaiwas to build rapport with individuals who like YOU, your style and methodology, and would follow YOU anywhere you went.

That being said, Eikaiwas do have their obvious drawbacks which have been discussed quite in depth here in various other threads. Most teaching purists scoff at them, so professionally speaking an Eikaiwa may not be for you if you're looking to really reach out and touch someone. Overall the options for English teachers in Japan aren't very numerous and the choices are fairly straight forward. I'd think about how long you really expect to stay in Japan first, remember a job is ultimately a means to an end, do whatever best furthers your goals.

I don't really know how much we can really add to the experience you already have. I expect over the last year you're met and perhaps even made friends with the local JET/AET population, the chain-school teachers and perhaps the occasional old git like myself running their own eikiawa business.

You know the hours they work and the amount each is expected to prepare.

There's something to say for ditching work altogether and go and complete that MS in 9/10 months as a full-time student. You probably found the TESOL Certificate course a bit like teaching grandmother to suck eggs - to be brutally honest an MS isn't really that much different, and your teaching experience will give you real-life examples for your course submissions and final exams.

I'll take a stab and guess that you're 27/28. If I could do 27/28 over again I would have lied till I was blue in the face about my teaching experience to get on the MSc TEFL course at the university where I was doing my Dip. TEFL. Getting that Masters tucked in your pocket ASAP will expand your horizons considerably.

--

mr.sumo.snr said:

I don't really know how much we can really add to the experience you already have.

Click to expand...

Gee, quite a lot, actually.

1. Get some PT work with universities.
2. Work with a business English employer or with a company that needs teachers for its employees (like Toyota).
3. Start your own business, or proofreading gig, or translation gig, or something else related.
4. Train teachers.
5. Get PT work in private schools. Generally, they have a better reputation than public schools.
6. Work in a senmongakko or junior college.
7. Join a professional organization like ETJ, JACET, or JALT for the networking and the name on your resume.
8. Publish.