Job Discussion Forums

rycal1 · Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 34 Location: USA

Thanks in advance for any brain cells you may burn in thinking about this.

Here's my situation: I am an American high school English teacher (4 years) interested in taking a leave of absence for a year. During that year, I'd like to teach English-learners in Japan for about six months, then travel (yeah, if I love it, the whole equation could be changed). I don't have a CELTA, TESL, what-have-you; but I do have a Master's in English and 11 years total teaching experience.

So here are my questions:

1) Seeing as how I will probably only teach for about 6 mos., should I just stick to the "assembly-line" schools, no fuss no muss, "here's your apartment and your lesson plans now get to work"; or is there something better for a "short-timer" that I should be seeking?

2) Is it better to interview here in the US, or should I go to Japan first, confident that my CV will enable me to find work soon?

ANY help/ideas will be much appreciated. I've read quite a few of the posts on this forum, and people in general seem quite knowledgable and helpful.

Thanks again. See you in Japan?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Only one place I know will sponsor a work visa for less than a year...Westgate Corporation, and it's NOT an eikaiwa. THAT is your main concern. Forget question 2; Westgate will interview you by phone, I think.

Albright · Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 39

Keep in mind that even with the "assembly line" schools, your minimum contract duration is going to be one year (save for Westgate as mentioned above). Now there's no legal penalization for breaking a contract, and so long as you give the school plenty of time to find another teacher to replace you (a month or more), you could probably pull it off without too many hard feelings, but in that case it might be best not to mention that you intend on cutting out of your contract early during the interview process. Also, there will be the whole bad karma issue, but that will be entirely up to you...

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Addendum to what I wrote above:
Albright is correct in saying that you can quit anytime, and your visa remains yours. I choose not to mention this very often for a few reasons:

1. You will lose any end-of-contract bonus, which pretty much amounts to airfare. (Westgate reimburses in the first couple of months, so I'm told, so this is not an issue with them.)

2. You continue to perpetuate a negative image of foreigners, that we are not reliable to hold a contract for its duration. Part of Albright's "bad karma".

3. You leave students stranded just after they have gotten used to you. You leave the school stranded, too, and since they may have been kind enough to sponsor your visa in the first place, this is a pretty blatant slap in the face as you say goodbye.

4. Unless you have another job already lined up, you're going to have to face the next apartment and pay all of the key money. And, even when you go to that next employer looking for work, he's going to hesitate just because you haven't finished the previous contract.

5. Want to quit in as early as 6 months? You will probably barely have recovered your setup costs by then.

6. Want to travel around Japan for 6 months? I hope you are a self-made millionaire.

spidey · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 3:12 am Post subject:

Everything said in the previous posts are true. However, there are times when schools will entertain the idea of hiring someone for temporary periods. Such as needing to fill a postion until a new teacher arrives or they have a short-term contract with a company that needs to be taught. They may also hire on a part-time basis, using you to cover classes as a floater.
Basically, if you tell them upfront that you are only looking for temporary short-term work, you may be just the person that they are looking for.

You never know...

S

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

rycal1 wrote:

I don't have a CELTA, TESL, what-have-you; but I do have a Master's in English and 11 years total teaching experience.

So here are my questions:

1) Seeing as how I will probably only teach for about 6 mos., should I just stick to the "assembly-line" schools, no fuss no muss, "here's your apartment and your lesson plans now get to work"; or is there something better for a "short-timer" that I should be seeking?

2) Is it better to interview here in the US, or should I go to Japan first, confident that my CV will enable me to find work soon?

Your master's in English is worth more than CELTA and TESL so no problem there.

Getting a job for only six months is a problem. Most companies and schools want someone for at least a year. Westgate is the only company I know that hires people for less than a year.

Coming to Japan to look for work will be expensive. I didn't it the last time I returned to Japan, but I had lived here for five years and had all kinds of connections.
Companies pay their employees a month late so once you get a job and start working you will have to wait at least a month and a half to get paid.
Not all companies provide an apartment. Westgate does.

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

Your master's in English is worth more than CELTA and TESL so no problem there.

Actually I disagree. A Masters in English maybe `worth` more in an academic sense but won`t be of much use at the coalface as it were. An MA in English will not have given you the tools with how to deal with a classroom full of 12 year olds who may or may not want to learn English. CELTA and TESL certs should at least give you an idea on where to start.

You may actually end up spending the the whole six months figuring out what the students want/ need. Oh yeah and the 11 years teaching experience might help.

rycal1 · Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 34 Location: USA

It sounds like Westgate Corporation might be the best way to go, both from your descriptions and from what I see on their website. I hope there are not any "deep, dark secrets" or hidden agendas on their part; they seem pretty legit and straightforward. Any Westgate info you think that I should know?

Thanks for all the positive and helpful replies. I am learning more facts as I move along in this process-- and I am definitely not trying to give a "slap in the face" to any company that would hire me; I was under the impression that there were more options than Westgate when it came to 6-month (or even 3-month) jobs. My traveling (post-teaching) would NOT be in Japan, and indeed I'm not a self-made millionaire. But I feel like a million bucks (or at least a thousand)...

Thanks for the info,

rycal1

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

rycal1 · Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 34 Location: USA

Thanks for the info guys. I will check the many Westgate threads.
My earlier impressions of other, similar companies are based on some internet searching I did about two years ago-- can't remember any details, though. I may have just been high on life at the time. All hail Westgate (maybe)!!

rycal1

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367