Job Discussion Forums

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

Hello! I am new here and I wanted to ask about a few things.
Here is my story. I am 22 years old and am graduating in December, I am married to Michael who is 23 and graduated (from college) last december. We want to teach english in japan as soon as I graduate. We had thought about going through Nova but after realizing how they teach and such we decided againest it. I feel that Michael and I would do better in a classroom with more hand-on learning (where we make the lesson plans and such) than the "fast food teaching" that Nova offers. So we decided to get a TESOL certification because we felt that a)it would help us get a job and b)it would show our employeer that we are excited about teaching (and are motivated to do so).
So we started to go through Oxford Seminars (they were the first on the google search) but the class wasnt filling up fast enough and it was going to be $800 each for 6 days of class. AND the subject topics that they were going to go over were somewhat immature and "non-helpful". So we found and talked to American Tesol Institute. They are only $250 a person and have a much more advanced topics (lesson plans, learning styles etc). They also say that they promise to get us a job. The people are very helpful and very available. We are not far from being finished with that certification. I am worried about the job situation though, how can you a) get a job while in the united states b)know that it is a good job and c)have everything work out like peaches and cream?
Here are my questions:
Has anyone went through American Tesol to get a teaching job in japan?
How can you know a good job from bad?
Is it possible that we will get there and be screwed?
Is teaching a classroom in Japan similar to teaching on in the US?
Is it fun?
Do you love it (if you are teaching now)?
Would you suggest this for a career?
AND what are the pros and cons about teaching in Japan?
shew...I hope that someone had the patience to read ALL of this and respond Smile

thanks for any help!!! Shocked

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Anyone with a pulse can teach English here. Making a career of it and advancing to the best jobs takes hard work, time and connections.
Also, you don't need to pay someone to do what you can do yourself.

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

Sure, I'll respond. At first, I thought the OP was a joke. But, if so, it's very well done. My compliments.

I'll be the first one to admit that TESL is not rocket science. However, I must say, I do find it amusing to read posts from people with absolutely zero experience who look down on one program or another.

Especially when they offer up posts as rife with mistakes as the one above. Next time you're looking down your nose at a Nova instructor, Quibby, be sure to ask them how to spell: "against," "hands-on," "employer," and if "a much more advanced topics" (sic) sounds correct.

bornslippy1981 · Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 271

I'll give it a go...

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

:deleted:

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

Thanks bornslippy! you can disregard my previous post, we posted at the same time.

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

You lost 40 pounds?? what an inspiration! Everytime I eat chocolate cake I look at it and say to myself "I'll lose it in japan". Now you have given me reason to continue doing that...lol.
So how did you get the nursery school job? How long did you work for Nova?
what do you do at your nursery school job, is it like daycare?
We are really excited about Japan...my husband thinks that he can do it forever, but I am pretty sure that we wont stay forever. We want to travel also and since my interest is Central America, he said we can go there next...lol.
Why havent you travelled yet in Asia?

Our dream would be for us both to work part-time (25ish hours a week) and then spend the rest of our time traveling. BUt that is only a dream..we will see what happens.
Anyways, i will stop boring you..thanks for you time!

oh and what are your degrees? what were your qualifications for teaching english?

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

ok...back to teaching english in japan:
Does anyone have a school in tokyo that they could suggest?
do they care at all that you have teaching experience? (I am planning on teaching after I graduate when we are waiting for the visa, will they care about that?)
If someone is up for the challenge tell me ALL about teaching english in japan, the more views the better!

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

With no experience and only a fresh degree, you are not going to get anything more than eikaiwa or JET jobs. If you don't come here to apply and interview, all you are going to get are the big eikaiwas (like NOVA) and JET. So, denouncing NOVA's style of teaching is fruitless unless you can come here, but even then, although the number of opportunities is bigger, eikaiwas are all pretty much alike. You might find some with no pre-planned teaching format, and if so, that sounds like what you want, but the big question is, can you come here to look?

Is TEFL in Japan like TESL in the USA? I don't know what TESL is like back home, but I can tell you that the students here are probably far less motivated (teens and younger, usually, but adults are a mix of motivations). Eikaiwa style teaching here is to focus on conversation, not so much grammar, and classes are usually 4-6 students in size. Textbooks are pretty lame, but you have little control over that.

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

I mean teach here in the states before we go.

Here is what American Tesol Institute told us: (read it and tell me what you think...)
-we will find you a good job by researching different companies.
-you may be able to get a job before you have your college degree in hand (but I have been researching and found that most jobs need to see that you have graduated before they even think about hiring you)
-you can get hired for a job in like October of November, go to Japan in like Feb. or March, and start the visa process after you get there.
(but on the internet it says that in order to get a visa from a particular country you can not be in the country, the websites said that you can go to South Korea and get the visa there but you have to stay for 3 to 4 weeks and it may not be paid for. It said that sometimes it is paid for, it just depends on the job. What are the chances of finding a job that pays for a trip to South Korea?)
-We will have our pick of jobs while still in the states.
(websites say that you could spend thousands of dollars being in japan looking for a job, I would really like to have one before we go there but..is that possible? And if it is possible, how possible?)

These are just a few things that American Tesol told us. The actual test for them is somewhat intense, you have to write five lesson plans and things like that. But I have no proof that it actually works...sometimes it sounds to good to be true...kinda like Nova did at first.

I am worried about going to Japan and trying to get a job there. Is that the best choice or would it be better to work for a big company (if american tesol doesnt work out)? We have money saved to go but it is not an endless supply and I really wouldnt enjoy spending it all...lol...but we will if it is nessesary.

It seems to me that going through a big company would be the easiest choice but most companies do not let couples go (they do but they can not promise that we will even be put in the same city, and I dont think living in seperate cities would be good for our marriage..lol)

Anyways...if you could tell me exactly what to do starting at graduation until moving to japan...would would it be?

Oh and I have been told that Tesol, and Tefl, and Tesl, and all those other names are pretty much the same. It is just that different places ask for different names...I may be wrong though, if someone else knows the real meaning behind all these different titles, then please feel free to tell me... Smile

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

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

Your advice is great. I am glad to talk to someone who knows so much helpful info.
So my husband and I getting job that is the same or at least is at the same company is not an easy thing to do?
I do lots of research on the internet but finding information that is not made up or out-dated is hard to do. But I will continue researching.
We will see what jobs that American Tesol offers and if they are not what we are looking for then we will probably just go to Japan and pray to God that we find a good job. Is it possible to stay in a capsule hotel or somewhere cheap while looking for a job?
anyways, thanks so much for all the great info.

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

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

wow...those capsule hotels are crazy! But I actually think I might like staying in one. In my college dorms I raised my bed up so that I could sleep under it (I surrounded it with blankets). It was SO dark inside, it was like sleeping in a cave, which is the best place to sleep! This is why I think I would like it.
So how much does it cost to rent one of these?

I think you are right about the working together thing. I just wanted us to have the same schedule. Do you think that it is possible for us to get seperate jobs that give us the same schedule? We would really like to travel and that would be hard to do if we are not on the same schedule.
What would cost $4,000 to stay three months there? Are the places to stay that expensive, or is it the food and such?
Thanks again!