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BigZen
Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 56 Location: Japan
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:40 pm Post subject: Being an Older AET |
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Hello Everyone:
I wanted to get the opinions from others out there about my current position as an Assistant English Teacher (AET) and age. I just turned 54 last month. I team-teach at a junior high school. I work three days a week, teaching three consecutive 50-minute classes in the mornings, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders respectively.
I don’t smoke, drink, eat well, and exercise regularly, so I feel I am pretty good health for a guy my age. I probably look older to most with my full-head of gray/white hair.
Lately I have begun to question how much longer I can continue this job. As I wrote recently, I have all the necessary qualifications to teach here in Japan, at the university level, except published work. My current job pays well, but I just don’t know if I have the energy to continue since it requires so much vitality to “be genki” and “entertaining.” When I first came to Japan 25 years ago to work as an AET on the JET Program this was not so much an issue, but now, I think it might be for my employer and Japanese colleagues. Naturally my Japanese wife hopes I can continue with the job, but there are days when I feel so worn-out, I cannot picture myself in 10 years from now doing it…
Thanks,
BiGZen |
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Maitoshi
Joined: 04 May 2014 Posts: 718 Location: 何処でも
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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Best to stick with it, mate, particularly as you say it pays well and the wife hopes you will. A lot of people can work in education through old age unless health problems interfere. Working with kids should keep you young. If you are worried about your graying hair, you can change that with one of the less noticeable hair dyes. Best luck to you and stick with it. We all have days where we'd like things to be different. It's usually on those days where we forget just how good we have it.  |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: US
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:37 pm Post subject: Re: Being an Older AET |
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BigZen wrote: |
I work three days a week, teaching three consecutive 50-minute classes in the mornings, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders respectively.
....
I have all the necessary qualifications to teach here in Japan, at the university level, except published work. |
If you only work 3 days a week, what do you do on the other days? Is there a university nearby where you could try to pick up a class as an adjunct instructor? That might get you moving in the right direction, if you do want to teach at university level. You could then work toward putting together a full-time schedule of part-time university jobs, and possibly a full-time job. |
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fluffyhamster
Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Posts: 3292 Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again
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Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 1:24 am Post subject: |
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Well, a job's a job, it's getting a bit late in the game for you, and it seems like you've settled in Japan and already tried your luck at unis, technical high schools, and juku, but were content to come full-circle and return to your AETing roots as it were. So make the most of it while it lasts I guess! Personally, I wouldn't be that keen to return to AETing though - anything up to a decade is probably enough, after that I think it would become too stale and linguistically uninteresting (much depends though on one's schools and colleagues/JTEs), plus you never know quite when you'll be pushed, right? The only halfway attractive option that springs to mind then is opening your own language school (or part-share thereof), but obviously demand isn't what it once was and only you can gauge it locally. That, or improve your Japanese and try to branch out into business or some other sort of business venture. |
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Inflames
Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 486
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Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:26 am Post subject: |
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I have a friend in his 60s who is an AET (either once or twice a week - I can't remember). He also teaches at a uni on other weekdays. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629
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Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:56 am Post subject: |
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Look for some corp classes to teach. Just a few hours a night can make up for your 3 days a week PT as an ALT.
I wonder if it is fair to blame the JET program, with it's 3-5 year turn over rate, which Eikaiwas and the such have seemingly copied? The huge emphasis on having a new face all the time makes it rather hard to find decent long term work.
I hope all you that plan to live here long term, save and invest, as I feel that the pension system, if it is still viable 30 years from now, I doubt many of us can live off of what it pays out. Not too mention, that many ALTs and Eikaiwa monkeys are on the lower plans, which on pay out, something like 6万2千円 a month or so.
Asking you to be more active or genki, is imho just covering up the fact that most of ESL material here is dry, and the classes drier.
Just teach, and do it well. Don't worry about acting like a fool for them.
I too wonder if it is worth it to exit the ESL field here at some point and get into something, once i finally take the 2kyu? |
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marley'sghost
Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Posts: 255
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Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 12:43 am Post subject: |
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rxk22 wrote: |
I wonder if it is fair to blame the JET program, with it's 3-5 year turn over rate, which Eikaiwas and the such have seemingly copied? |
I don't think that has anything to do with the JET program. It's just the "3-year rule". I doubt foreign workers in other industries stay much longer, for the same reason.
@BigZen- 3 days a week, 9 classes, done by lunch AND they pay you well? I'll trade you, and I have a pretty light schedule these days compared to other schools I've worked at. There must be more to the story if that all that's wiping you out? Are the students a bunch of animals? You getting a load of hate from your co-workers? Do you have a full plate of private students and moonlighting nights at the juku, too? Trying to make ends meet and save something for the future juggling a bunch of part-time jobs with a family at 54, now that's exhausting. Pretty tiring here in early 40s some days.
You really, really don't have to play the Mr. Happy Majic Genki Monkey. If it's not your natural personality, you'll just come off forced and frantic and put the kids off. JHS kids don't really expect a clown anyways. Just be yourself.
Last edited by marley'sghost on Mon Feb 23, 2015 5:34 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ssjup81
Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 664 Location: Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 2:05 am Post subject: |
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I'm sorry that I can't really share anything useful with the OP, but I just wanted to give my opinion on what rxk22 said regarding Eikaiwa.
I don't think there's really a "rule" for that. I just think that the teachers themselves get tired of the place and just go off to maybe find something better...unless the company itself decides that they don't want the person there anymore for whatever the reason. I mean, most places do yearly contracts only anyway.
Speaking of contracts, are there any companies (in general) that don't do the yearly contract thing? I mean this not only for ALT or Eikaiwa positions, but actual Japanese companies with Japanese employees/citizens. The yearly contract thing is just so strange to me given that back home, unless it's a temporary job with an actual end date, it doesn't seem to be a common practice. I've never encountered this except for here.
To the OP, sorry for jumping in with this question, but since it was mentioned about the unwritten 3 - 5 year rule thing, it made me curious. |
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marley'sghost
Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Posts: 255
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Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 5:34 am Post subject: |
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ssjup81 wrote: |
I'm sorry that I can't really share anything useful with the OP, but I just wanted to give my opinion on what rxk22 said regarding Eikaiwa.
I don't think there's really a "rule" for that. I just think that the teachers themselves get tired of the place and just go off to maybe find something better...unless the company itself decides that they don't want the person there anymore for whatever the reason. I mean, most places do yearly contracts only anyway.
Speaking of contracts, are there any companies (in general) that don't do the yearly contract thing? I mean this not only for ALT or Eikaiwa positions, but actual Japanese companies with Japanese employees/citizens. The yearly contract thing is just so strange to me given that back home, unless it's a temporary job with an actual end date, it doesn't seem to be a common practice. I've never encountered this except for here.
To the OP, sorry for jumping in with this question, but since it was mentioned about the unwritten 3 - 5 year rule thing, it made me curious. |
Sorry, for jumping in with an answer. As of 2012 it's now the 5 year rule. It used to be 3. The Labor Contract Act makes it so that after 5 years of working under fixed term contracts, an employee can demand that they be made a permanent employee with an employment contract with no fixed term. About 25% of the natives are strung along on fixed term contracts too, not just us gaijin. As employers have to kick in for their permanent employees' health and pension insurance, not to mention those lovely Japanese yearly bonuses I hear about, a lot of companies just cut people loose after five years or wiggle through loopholes to avoid it. "Oh, those were not consecutive contracts... Oh, you only work 29.5 hours...etc. etc." Not unique to Japan either. Lifetime employment is dying out world wide. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629
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Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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It is not just the 3 years or 5 now, that makes JET inherently young focuses. It is the fact that it is impossible to reup after 5 years, so most JETs tend to be in their 20s. Which, exacerbates the fact that English teachers tend to be hired young.
I feel that many dispatch and eikaiwas followed suit. Esp since JET was created when most dispatches and eikaiwas really got started. I am not blaming JET, as it wasn't their intent. It is simply a result of JET being what it is.
I also agree with Marley, that FT employment is slowly dying out. Having benefits paid for you by your work, seems to be dying off.
I am a FT/perm employee, and that is incredibly rare. I don't know many others who actually are in the same sit as I am. Not trying to brag, but the ESl industry is something like 99% temp or so |
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RM1983
Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 360
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Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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rxk22 wrote: |
It is not just the 3 years or 5 now, that makes JET inherently young focuses. It is the fact that it is impossible to reup after 5 years, so most JETs tend to be in their 20s. Which, exacerbates the fact that English teachers tend to be hired young.
I feel that many dispatch and eikaiwas followed suit. Esp since JET was created when most dispatches and eikaiwas really got started. I am not blaming JET, as it wasn't their intent. It is simply a result of JET being what it is.
I also agree with Marley, that FT employment is slowly dying out. Having benefits paid for you by your work, seems to be dying off.
I am a FT/perm employee, and that is incredibly rare. I don't know many others who actually are in the same sit as I am. Not trying to brag, but the ESl industry is something like 99% temp or so |
I've been here just a few years and I've not even dared to dream of finding a full-time perm job with benefits paid. If I were to stay I'd have to look at other ways of providing a secure life for myself.
My partner is doing rather well at the moment though, so that would most likely be teaching in the day then putting a shift in at home as someone else here has described. Which doesn't sound that bad to be honest |
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BigZen
Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 56 Location: Japan
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Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:21 am Post subject: |
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Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the input and encouragement. I am a “lifer,” Japanese wife, two young kids, own a home…I spoke with my wife, who is a junior high school teacher, and who has worked with some AET’s. She said that from her limited experience, the AET’s she worked with were not required to be super “genki.” As I wrote, I don’t want to argue with or question what my supervisor and JTE’s prefer, but I just feel worn out. I have studied Japanese, off-and-on, since I first came here back in 1991 on the JET Program, and I have kind of made peace with myself that I will never reach that 2kyu level.
BZ |
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nightsintodreams
Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558
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Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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If you couldn't get 2kyu in 26 years then you're probably best not to challenge yourself too hard. Just continue your job as an ALT. |
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marley'sghost
Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Posts: 255
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Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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BigZen wrote: |
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the input and encouragement. I am a “lifer,” Japanese wife, two young kids, own a home…I spoke with my wife, who is a junior high school teacher, and who has worked with some AET’s. She said that from her limited experience, the AET’s she worked with were not required to be super “genki.” As I wrote, I don’t want to argue with or question what my supervisor and JTE’s prefer, but I just feel worn out. I have studied Japanese, off-and-on, since I first came here back in 1991 on the JET Program, and I have kind of made peace with myself that I will never reach that 2kyu level.
BZ |
Ah, well if the missus is the breadwinner and you don't absolutely need the money, look around for some other part time teaching gig that suits you better. Maybe that's easier said than done. I seem to remember you mentioning you are a ways off in the countryside and there are not a whole lot of teaching jobs around.
I'm assuming your wife is a public school, full-time/ home-room with a club teacher, not one of the part-time floaters? The part timers don't make much more than I do, and living off that is hard with a family.
JHS teachers put in such horrendous hours and have so much responsibility over their students, I just can't imagine how women work full time and take care of their own families. I guess it's like everyone else, let the coach, homeroom teacher and juku do it. That's their job after all....
And not to get too personal, but I think I'm hearing some just general mid-life, ex-pat, burn-out here. You've had your foreign adventures, and now now it's just foreign day-to-day life. You feel you've plateaued as far as you career, and language skills go and you are not getting any younger. Forgive me if I'm way off base. This is just the impression I'm getting. Any man who lives long enough is going to go through their own flavor of that where ever they are and what ever they are doing. I recommend alcohol, about a dozen plates of fried food, and a couple of buddies to share it with. A good, long b.s session with the guys is much, much more therapeutic than sitting alone typing on the forums.
Cheers mate. Count your blessings, and see what tomorrow brings you. |
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BigZen
Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 56 Location: Japan
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:20 am Post subject: |
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Dear Marley'sghost,
Thanks for the reply, and no, you were not out of line. You were just speaking the truth, and I appreciate that.
Best,
BZ |
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