Job Discussion Forums

[thedude72]

Hello there,

As a Newbie, I am looking for more information about the JET Programme. I would like further details about the positives and negatives of the program.

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Go to www.bigdaikon.com and take everything you read there with a grain of salt. It's summer and people have just arrived. So some haven't been in class yet. But they're sitting around at their Board of Education (with nothing to do). Others who have been here for a year or two are also sitting around at the BoE with very little/ nothing to do.

Applications won't be out for a month or two yet.

good luck.

[Glenski]

[PAULH]

Glenski,

you also forgot to mention that you get your national pension payments refunded to you after you return to your home country. For someone here 3 years this works out an average of 3 months salary or about 900,000 yen.

Have been doing a bit of holiday reading about team-teaching in general and how one does on JET can come down to a number of factors but I think the most important one is ones personal attitude and how you get on with the Japanese English teachers you are assigned to. Whatever you think of their English ability or the Japanese education system in general, it is their system, and you have to work within it, and the only reason you are there is becuase it doesnt work. rather than knock the teachers English or the poor level of the students work to improve and change things. Many JETs treat the program like a government subsidised holiday at taxpayer expense. You may not have any teaching experience, but many teachers report that JETs show no interest in education, no interest in their students, make little or no effort to work with the JTE and turn up ten minutes before class. Sometimes the JET can plan a lesson and the JTE will ignore it completely or show no interest in co-operating with JETs whom they see as highly paid amateurs. the teacher you will work with has a 4 year degree, a teaching licence and up to 20 years teaching experience. The JET meanwhile has zilch except native ability and the right colour passport.

Most JTEs do not actually get any training on how to work with JET teachers and a lot of it seat of the pants type thing, and as they may only see them once a month it is hard to get a feel for the JETs approach etc. If you can be pro-active, make an effort to find out what the JTE wants, how they structure the classes, what is expected of you it wil make things easier. Often problems occur because of miscommunication and misplaced expectations of your function and role in the classes. What you think you ought to be doing is different than what they want you to do. Communication can often solve this.

[thedude72]

Glenski and Paul,

Thanks for all the info. I know I asked a very general question, but I really knew nothing about the JET Programme and thanks to you guys, now I do.

I am from Canada, 32 years old, have a BA in Criminology, but have no prior teaching experience. Would I be a suitable candidate for JET?

Can someone explain the application and interview process to me? I read somewhere that you have to go to Japan and pay your own expenses just for the interview.

Thanks

[PAULH]

[PAULH]

Eligibility
All applicants must:

* hold a Bachelor's degree in any subject by July of the year of departure;
* be a citizen of the country where the recruitment and selection procedures take place;
* have excellent skills in the designated language (both written and spoken). (For English-speaking countries this is English, and for non-English speaking countries it is English or the principal language);
* have a keen interest in the country and culture of Japan;
* in principle, be under 40 years of age;
* not have lived in Japan for 3 or more of the last 8 years, nor be a former participant in the programme for the last 10 years.
For ALT applicants in English-speaking countries:

* TEFL qualification is helpful, but not required.

* Duration is for one year, ending in July or August of the year following departure.
* In principal, renewable for up to two additional years with the mutual consent of the contracting organization and the participant. It is also possible to re-contract in some Host Prefectures, Designated Cities for a fourth or fifth year.
* Participants normally work a 35-hour work-week (Monday to Friday).
Remuneration:
Approximately 3,600,000 yen per annum after Japanese taxes are deducted. (This amount is sufficient to cover normal expenses for a single person, including rent and compulsory insurance payments).

Insurance:
Participants are required to pay about 40,000 yen per month to cover mandatory health insurance, employment insurance and pension fund costs. Accident insurance is also provided in this cost.

Accommodation *:
Participants will be provided with adequate housing information from their contracting organizations. Rents can vary greatly, but normally run between 30,000 yen - 60,000 yen per month.

Transportation:
Round-trip air tickets to Japan are usually provided.

Holidays *:
Japanese national holidays (15 days), plus at least 10 additional days (usually 12 to 20) of paid leave.

Placement:
Participants are placed in cities, towns and villages throughout Japan. Candidates can indicate placement preferences on the application form, but fulfillment of these requests is not guaranteed.

[thedude72]

Paul,

Thanks for providing all of this info, it is much appreciated.

Overall, factoring in everything, JET seems like a positive experience. The positives seem to far outweight the negatives.

What sorts of questions can I expect in an interview to prepare myself? The competition to get into this program must be fierce.

I read about NOVA, and it got bashed pretty hard on this forum. Do you know anything about the other placement services, like AEON? Do any of them compare to JET?

Thanks

[PAULH]

[Glenski]

[PAULH]

I might just add that essentially, the 5 big conversation schools that operate in japan are cut from the same cloth, chase after the same teacher candidates (many get turned down with NOVA and get a job with GEOS or apply to 2 or 3 schools). There are only marginal differences between them, but some offer better deals on things like insurance, housing, holidays, salaries and bonuses, etc. You will find if you quit one company you will find the others are not that much different in practical terms, salary etc and people are now finding they may get paid less as full time jobs are harder to get and part time jobs are paying less.

JET is a different ball of wax as essentially you are hired by the local education board to teach in 2 or 3 high schools in your area. you may see each group of students once or twice a month. At a conversation school you can teach anything from 6-year olds to grandmothers, you will get a greater variety of levels of ability and proficiency. Students are more motivated as they are paying through the nose for lessons and in most cases students want to be there. In a JET high school class you have a captive class of 13-14 year olds, 40 to a class and for many of them they have never met or spoken to a foreigner before. If you live in a small town you may be the only foreigner living in your neighborhood. For many JETs the attention can be overwhelming and you will treated like a minor celebrity. I dont have time to go into it now, but it can go to your head as well as dealing with culture shock, not understanding the language, feelings of isolation, alienation etc. All in all a positive experience for most JETs as more than 50% renew their one year contracts. You have no control over where you are places- they send you where they need people and you can not cherry pick locations. You may get where your request but its more pure luck and timing.


NOt sure about an interview but what the schools generally look for is sociable, outgoing, well-adjusted people who could cope with living in a foreign culture, be able to deal with homesickness etc. Japanese ability is not required as they donte xpect you to speak Japanese and you wont use it much in the classroom anyway.

They generally like people to be 'blank slates' as the focus is on getting students to ask you about your country or getting them to describe their culture likes and dislikes in English. If you are a japan expert, speak Japanese or appear knowledgeable about Japanese customs, or some how appear 'japanised' it can be a bit of a negative in an interview. Play dumb, be interested in the culture but dont come off as a japan expert. be energetic, outgoing friendly and you will do well, i think.

[Celeste]

I can't agree more with Paul about the interview techniques. I am on the JET programme and entering my 3rd year. I think the most important thing to emphasize is your fascination about Japan.

THe JET application process is really long, but I believe it is done this way in part to weed out those who are not 100% committed to going to Japan. (They don't want to waste time and money on someone who is going to bail out after a few months.

The JET application form is 35 pages long and includes a 500 word essay section about why you want to live in Japan. The applications become available in October, are due in November sometime, and the first round is culled in february. Interviews are in late MArch. Acceptance and placements are in May. You get on the plane at the end of July or the beginning of August. It is a really long red-tape filled process. (But speaking as a current JET, I would have to say it's worth it).

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Get a copy of "Importing Diversity" http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/item.asp?Item=978052021636&Catalog=Books&N=35&Lang=en&Section=books&zxac=1

Also, from archives in another relevant discussion page mentioned a few times above:

[hamel]

sorry folks, but you'll be treated better in korea and as a real teacher with many great perks and loads of payed holiday. japan is an hour away by plane. the public school program in korea is called epik.
cheers.

[evilrobotgirl]

Hey I recognize some of you from another forum!! Ha ha, how funny!

Anyways, I have a question about JET.. I'm 26 and I graduated from college back in 2001. According to Monster.com I am classified as "Mid-Career" (versus entry level). So, I'm wondering if this is a disadvantage when applying for JET, like do they specifically seek out entry level college grads, or is it not necessarily a bad thing or even potentially a good thing that I've got real world work experience?

Thanks! The information on this thread is so helpful, I'm feeling a lot more confident about the application process thanks to this information!!