Job Discussion Forums

[kzjohn]

Here's a tidbit: It's rigged at ICU.

They instituted a tenured instructor system about 1988-89, with a certain number of slots for "tenured" instructors. (called "senior instructors" on the ICU website)

Those slots were pretty quickly filled (with people who seemed qualified at the time), and if you browse thru all their teachers' qualifications, you will see that the newer, contract-only teachers make mincemeat out of their "superiors" in terms of degrees, publications, and anything else professional.

So, those senior instructors have had a truly cush gig. Even sabbaticals, if you can believe that. Lucky for ICU, they're about to retire, which will make room for the new guard.

[mitsui]

Temple, too. People who came in the 1980s were here at the right time.
Temple expects quite a lot and jobs are only part-time.
I know a teacher there. He has a doctorate and two full-timers have just a MA.

I know people at ICU.
The high school is not as good as advertised. The office politics is a lot to bear.

The resentment comes from a lack of ethics by the teacher.
He made money off his students.

Japanese prefer the foreigner to wear a proverbial mask, at some places more than others.

[kzjohn]

(Well, something got deleted there..., don't worry, I understand.)

[rxk22]

In my area a local eikaiwa chain got bought out by a regional one. The local one gave bonuses based on how many students you attract and retain. Which made it seem like they had better teachers for the most part. Esp when compared to the big schools.

I think it shows that quality does not matter to the eikaiwas, and it doesn't seem to matter to the parents. That says a lot.

[The Transformer]

As has been commented on another thread, eikaiwa are basically just looking to make money off people. Quality doesn't really come into it. The wage bands have compressed in the last 8-9 years, which doesn't make it worth pursuing as much as it used to be.

There are a few, smaller eikaiwa that have grown up since the Nova crash and the recession which pay better, but they usually require experience, and a commitment to the job and Japan (not just somebody looking to have fun for a year).

Some ALT operators offer better pay, around 300k+ a month, if you have experience. Lots of people seem to be getting MAs these days, which makes you wonder how much they're going to enhance your career and pay prospects.