Job Discussion Forums

genesis315 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 116 Location: Japan

As far as me accepting a position with Borderlink, I do not have very many expectations. I do know that my teaching experience is non existent, and that I have no certifications, or even a degree related to teaching. I had applied for a couple of years with no luck and am happy to finally get a chance to work in Japan.

My concern at this point is acquiring lodging. I will be staying at a hostel just prior to starting training and have also made reservations for a few days after. If I were to be placed close to Tokyo, it seems like Sakura House would be an obvious place to start out, but the options are not that apparent to me if I were farther away from Tokyo. I suppose I would need to immediately try to enter a lease.

thomthom, my interviews went pretty well, I felt they were professional and slightly challenging. I also feel that they have maintained a good level of communication throughout the process. I probably have at least 50 different emails in correspondence with them so far.

Pitarou · Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 1116 Location: Narita, Japan

thomthom · Joined: 20 May 2011 Posts: 125

The training is in Kazo city, which is in the very northern tip of Saitama prefecture about 20 miles north of Saitama city, which is itself 10 miles up from central Tokyo. If the training is that far out it suggests many of the schools will be in that sort of area. (Having said that the main Borderlink offices are down in Omiya I think, so...)

There will be at least a week between the end of training and starting work. I'm going to relax at a hostel in Tokyo during that time, but set aside a day to visit the area in Saitama where the school is. I'm not concerned about finding accommodation in general; I'm concerned about finding accommodation that is near subway/bus stops that will take me to work. (Which could get very complicated if they say "Oh, you'll be working at three schools") On GaijinPot there are hundreds of apartments in southern Saitama, hugging Tokyo, but things dry up quickly further north.

genesis315 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 116 Location: Japan

Good information thomthom. Do you think living in a sakura guest house downtown (at least initially) and working roughly 30 miles out is doable? I am open to an hour or so commute, do you know if there is train coverage?

ssjup81 · Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:23 am Post subject:

thomthom · Joined: 20 May 2011 Posts: 125

genesis315 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 116 Location: Japan

thanks thomthom

move · Joined: 30 May 2009 Posts: 132

Build those relationships with your coworkers, make that good first impression. The relationships with the students will come in no time.

Bring some omiyage/snacks from your country, preferable individually wrapped. Open up those lines of communication. Learn your coworkers names, get a seating chart of the teacher's room, and if it is only in Japanese have somebody translate it for you. Take the initiative in learning about them and their interests.

You could print out pictures for your self introduction, or you could make a power point presentation. You will get really good at your self intro lesson after you do it again and again and again.

OneJoelFifty · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 463

teacher4life · Joined: 22 Apr 2012 Posts: 121

When you were the ALT did anyone at your school ever sing this song at karaoke?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtBy_ppG4hY

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Get good at arm wrestling. That's a lot of what I did my first couple weeks.

stumptowny · Joined: 29 May 2011 Posts: 310

choose what cards you show.

if you are blazing competent and trying to impress the school, you will have a lot more expectation for the rest of the year. means teaching much more or all of the class period by yourself. give an inch, they take a mile.

if you are blazing competent but feign newbie or stupid, or you are incompetent or just don't give two sh***, much less will be expected of you and therefore you will likely not be delegated upon throughout the year or expected to take over the class.

in both cases, remember, neither the school or your company care one iota about you as a person or the job you have done after the year is up (barring hitting kids/sexing teachers). the bar for re-contracting teachers is very low. when march rolls around they want anyone with a pulse to fill positions asap.

they don't care about their own, how could they possibly care about you! you are a wigit and likely will be moved to a new school no matter what you do. you simply do not matter..

first impressions, co-worker parties, club activities, staying late when you have no work to do, eating lunch with the kids..... none of it matters if you work for a large company with many teachers being shuffled each year... you are not japanese. you don't matter.. if you are japanese, you barely matter.

if you work at a job with good pay where they recognize you as a person and your employer is small, disregard much of what I have written and kiss that ass and do all you can... it's a keeper!