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map38
Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 2
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
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 Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 9:43 am Post subject: JET |
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Hi there!
I am currently thinking of applying for the JET language assistant scheme for next year. Has anyone participated in the scheme? I would really appreciate any advice and would be grateful to hear of your experiences on the programme (good or bad!). The salary seems quite reasonable, but it is enough to live on in Japan? And does anyone know what the situation is regarding accommodation - do schools provide assistance with accommodation or is it up to the individual to find something? Any pointers in the right direction would be greatly appreicated! Thanks,
Michael |
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stretch
Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:27 am Post subject: JET |
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Well, I think you will get a varied response to this one...especially with people telling you to search. but...
My experience with JET was awesome. It is extremely well organized, they pay for your travels, put you up on fancy hotels for useless training, and pay you more than the standard eikaiwa wage. People will tell you in JET that "every situation is different" but my situation was living in a small town, having my accomadations fully covered, given a car to use (fully loaded subaru legacy???) and also given privates by the board. So standard JET salary of 300,000/mth plus another 50-70,000 in other classes. It was a very nice set up.
Getting into JET is a long process from application to the time you board the plane but I'd say it's worth it if you have the time. JET is a VERY safe way to get introduced to the country. My wage was enough for my wife and I to live off and travel extensively including trips to thailand etc.
Hope that helps, you can pm me with any q's if you need. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:37 am Post subject: Re: JET |
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| map38 wrote: |
Hi there!
I am currently thinking of applying for the JET language assistant scheme for next year. Has anyone participated in the scheme? I would really appreciate any advice and would be grateful to hear of your experiences on the programme (good or bad!). The salary seems quite reasonable, but it is enough to live on in Japan? And does anyone know what the situation is regarding accommodation - do schools provide assistance with accommodation or is it up to the individual to find something? Any pointers in the right direction would be greatly appreicated! Thanks,
Michael |
Map
This is a general and often asked question. Tons of people on the JET program, about 6000 at the moment and about 60-70,000 have passed through over the years.
300,000 yen is plenty for a single person. Airfare is paid for and accomodation is subsidised. they will either put you in government provided housing or you will take over the apartment of an existing JET. If there is key money involved they will help you with key money etc.
JET also covers half your health insurance and national pension (compulsory)
There have been some lengthy threads on this and other forums about JET and there is no 'one size fits all'. Every situation is different as you are dealing with a large bureaucracy, 4 government departments,local boards of education, individual high schools and dozens of teachers. A lot really depends on how you deal with each of these as you come into contact with them. A couple of quick pointers:
http://www.zen13795.zen.co.uk/jetsurvey/
1. You dont get to choose where you are posted. You can apply but there is no guarantee you will get your first choice. Forget about applying big cities like Tokyo and osaka. Most JETs are sent to rural and provincial areas.
2. Chances are you will be the only foreigner in your town or city. get used to being treated like a minor celebrity and every one knowing about every aspect of your life. If you get into trouble with the police, students, do drugs etc you can guarantee your name will be in lights around town. keep your nose clean and youlll be OK. You are a cultural ambassador.
3. Make every effort to learn the language. JET wont really help you and many JEts spend 3 years without learning japanese. It will make your life a lot easier if you can learn what people are saying about you.
4. a big complaint of japanese teachers in high schools are that JETs are immature, lack training and lack worldly experience. Fresh out of university they often dont know what to do with a 23 year old kid just out of university. learn to be mature, self reliant, show an interest in learning and dont just treat it as a 3 year holiday.
5. You may be stuck in a small town, miles away from the nearest movie theater or convenience store. Nearest bar is twenty miles away. Learn to be self reliant and learn how to occupy your time. having no English speakers to talk to can drive you loopy.
6. the people you work with are the high school teachers, perhaps teh head teacher or principal or CLAIR. they can make or break your experience depending on how you get on with them and how much trouble they think you make for them. Some are great people but others can make your life hell. You are dealing with a very conservative narrow minded,. traditional mindset which doesnt like change, innovation or rocking the boat. Make an effort to get on with people, even if you dont like them personally.
7. Extra addition
Of what the JET thinks they are doing and what the school wants them to do is different. You think you are going there to teach English. the BOE and school thinks you are there to internationalise students and get tehm to meet a foreeigner. the important business of the school is to get students through the entrance examinations. learning oral English is gravy for many schools. As soon as you reconcile your own role with what the school expects of you it will be much easier on you. Know exactly what you are there for and are being paid to do. Its not what you think it is, as in many schools students couldnt care less about studying English though you have to teach their classes. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
accomodation is subsidised. they will either put you in government provided housing or you will take over the apartment of an existing JET. If there is key money involved they will help you with key money etc.
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A more complete answer is this. JET finds your housing for you, but whether you pay for all, part, or none of your rent depends entirely on the situation.
For more info directly from JET ALTs, go to www.bigdaikon.com and look at the many discussion forums there. |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:43 am Post subject: Re: JET |
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| stretch wrote: |
People will tell you in JET that "every situation is different" but my situation was living in a small town, having my accomadations fully covered, given a car to use (fully loaded subaru legacy???) and also given privates by the board. So standard JET salary of 300,000/mth plus another 50-70,000 in other classes. It was a very nice set up.
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For an example of Every Situation is Different, where I am, being allowed to drive a car (that you buy yourself) is a huge pain- The Board of Eduation does not want the ALTs to have them. The new JETs were originally simply told they weren't allowed to have them, but then the legality of the BoE dictating what they can and cannot do outside of work hours was brought up (it actually specifies use of a car during work hours in the contract)- and now the new ALTs can have cars, but probably not use them to go to school.
You can lose your job if you teach privates for money. I know people who have been given warnings for teaching private lessons for free, because even though it is in their free time, they 'must have' planned at least 'some of' the lessons or used or photocopied some school materials in order to give the lessons (even if they actually didn't). If they had been caught charging, or even accepting, money for them they would liely not have been allowed to recontract. There seems to be an unspoken rule that JETs in small to tiny towns must have the absolute minimum amount of personal privacy possible, so hiding something like doing privates is not easy, especially if you don't have a car (because you aren't allowed to have one) and so cannot get out of your town or the immediate area easily. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:48 am Post subject: Re: JET |
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| GambateBingBangBOOM wrote: |
| [You can lose your job if you teach privates for money. I know people who have been given warnings for teaching private lessons for free, because even though it is in their free time, they 'must have' planned at least 'some of' the lessons or used or photocopied some school materials in order to give the lessons (even if they actually didn't). If they had been caught charging, or even accepting, money for them they would liely not have been allowed to recontract. There seems to be an unspoken rule that JETs in small to tiny towns must have the absolute minimum amount of personal privacy possible, so hiding something like doing privates is not easy, especially if you don't have a car (because you aren't allowed to have one) and so cannot get out of your town or the immediate area easily. |
Technically JET teachers are public servants, whose salary is paid by the tax payer. Public servants by law are not allowed to moonlight or have second jobs even if they are pn short term contracts like JETs. If they let JETs do it it means they have to allow other teachers to as well as well as the issue of having students (or what appear to be students) come to your house, students seeing you teaching some one in coffee shops etc. |
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stretch
Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 11:15 am Post subject: esid |
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Every situation is obviously different with JET.
My situation had the BoE set up my privates. They were the ones that suggested that I teach them as they wanted to make sure i made enough money as my wife was there with me also. Monthly my BoE handed me a envelope of cash ranging from 5-7,000 for a couple extra hours of work a week. I was also paid cash from some of my schools for extra visits...all arranged by the BoE. As for driving, I used my car (provided at no charge) to drive from tip to tip of Japan.
JET is basically a crap shoot. It's really like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get. (sorry for the hokey movie line) |
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map38
Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 2
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks very much for the advice and information about other resources. Just need to decide now whether to go for it! Thanks again,
Michael |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Michael, you don't have much to lose by applying. It really is the biggest gravy train going around Japan. The people that really don't like the JET program are those who think they should be doing the teaching (instead of the Japanese teachers) or if they happen to end up in a real lousy school. Overall, it is an easy 3 year stint, from what I have heard. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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| map38 wrote: |
Thanks very much for the advice and information about other resources. Just need to decide now whether to go for it! Thanks again,
Michael |
Mike, as a matter of comparison, for a new person coming to Japan, for all its faults the JET program is considered far superior to working at a conversation school.
Pros:
Pay is better than eikaiwas.
return airfare is paid for,
insurance and pension covered
3-4 day orientation in Tokyo
Apartment provided
pension payments refunded on return to home country (about 720,000 yen for a 3 year stint)
No anal-retentive office managers, though JTEs are an unknown quantity.
Chance to see and experience the real Japan, not just a neon-lit office in a big city.
Chance to actually save some money.
long vacations
Cons
Boredom seems to be the biggest complaint as well as mindless job duties
No say in where you are posted
Goldfish bowl mentality in small towns- you are the goldfish.
Small town attitudes by locals. Your life is an open book.
Can get rather cliquey as JETs stick together.
Often hard to quit mid contract, without seriously pis--sing off your superiors and leaving a huge hole in the teaching staff.
No promotion or advancement.
Some dont enjoy playing second fiddle to the JTE.
General lack of job satisfaction. 50% do not renew after one year.
Lots of instances of sexual and mental harassment and bullying.
Having to do things for no logical reason or purpose. Have to be a team player in the school. |
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