Job Discussion Forums

[bosintang]

Hello!

I'm thinking about coming to teach in Japan.

I've flipped through the FAQs and past threads, but I still have some questions that I hope someone could answer or point me to the right place.

I'm a 26-yr old Canadian male, and have been teaching in Korea at private academies for two years. Besides this, I have one year's worth of volunteer experience in my home country, and plenty of other work experience. I have an irrelevant four-year degree, but I do plan to do a TEFL or CELTA at the end of this year. I don't speak Japanese. Finally, if I decide to go to Japan, I will go in early 2006.

I prefer to teach at a public school, preferably middle or high school level students. Is it unrealistic to expect this with no previous teaching experience in Japan and no Japanese language skills?

Failing that, how difficult is it to find an eikaiwa with no kindergarten level students? Should I expect that I will have to teach kindergarten for a year?

If I find a job in January or February, but don't start until April, what are my options in the mean-time? Is a working holiday visa multiple-entry?

Thanks in advance for your patience.

[Glenski]

[PAULH]

[stillnosheep]

The big Eikaiwa chains (eg Geos, Nova, Aeon) have schools that specialise in Kids teaching, schools that specialise in teaching adults, and schools that do both.

They will sponser you for a proper WV but have a lead in time of 3-4 months or so from interview to flight.

It is possible to come in on a WHV, and find a company who will sponser you for a WV, but technically you cannot start working for them full time tilll the WV comes through.

Many smaller eikaiwa chains and one-off schools have a high proportion of young-kids teaching (and some of them also have high proportion of classes containing young kids!)

Have you considered coming over on JET. you get to (assistant) teach in Japanese public schools but would have to apply in september for start in 2007. The dispatch (of Assistant Language Teachers to Japanese Schools) companies are also a possibility.

[Sweetsee]

Hi SNS,


Still down south?



Kind regards,
s

[stillnosheep]

Nope. Now in centre.

[Sweetsee]

Yamagata?

[stillnosheep]

Kansai.

[Sweetsee]

Ahh, wakarimahen.

[stillnosheep]

ne?!

[Sweetsee]

Hey SNS,


Are things dead around here, or what? Like a conspiracy or something.

You having fun over there?


Drowned out by the sound of rice growing,
s

[Glenski]

Sweetsee and stillnosheep,
Why don't you take your personal commentary to a private message chat?

[stillnosheep]

Because we were waiting for you to join us Glenski, and how could you have done that if we had been PMing each other?

[Sweetsee]

Bah-aah-aah, baa-aah-aah......bah-aah-aah-aah.

[bosintang]

Well, over 8 months later and I'm ready to make the move to Japan within the next week. What's different from my original OP is that I didn't get any teaching qualification like I hoped.

I do have over two years experience with good references though.

How's the job situation in Japan right now? Is there anywhere in particular I should head for? I was thinking either Tokyo or Hiroshima...

Am I too late for ALT positions?

Last question: I will be going on a 3-month landing permit. Is it ok to put 'searching for job' on my embarkment card?

Sorry if this comes across as rambling, but I'm nervous as hell about doing this.