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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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 Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 11:54 pm Post subject: Is JET for me? |
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I will complete my MA in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York this spring and I am considering the JET Programme.
Furthermore, I am currently a full-time ESL teacher in a New York public elementary school with K-12 ESL certification.
Am I "overqualfied" to be an ALT in JET (will have an MA in TESOL and already have substantial TESOL teaching experience on the elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels in Austria, China, and the US)?
Would there be potential opportunities for me in the field of teacher training as a JET member?
One of my future goals is to teach at a Japanese college or university. With my current background and experience with JET, will this give me a chance in achieving that goal?
Many thanks!
fat_chris |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:09 am Post subject: |
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Unless you are considering the CIR position, you must realize what the JET ALTs do, and then consider whether you want to do that (and figure how/if it will help you in your future teaching goals).
JET doesn't require the ALTs to have teaching experience or anything more than a bachelor's degree, but there are some who have your credentials. ALTs assist, of course, not teach by themselves, so you would have to consider whether you would like that situation. Some (Many) ALTs are reduced to mere human tape recorders. Moreover, remember that the purpose of JET is not to teach English. It was set up to internationalize the Japanese community. Therefore, native English speakers are not the only nationalities employers.
Personally, I don't see that JET would be of much use to giving you experience for teaching at a Japanese university, but who knows? If you get a good situation with JET, where you are allowed more input with the Japanese teachers and greater freedom than most ALTs, it would look good on a resume. Something else you will need for university work, aside from your MA, is publications and a measure of Japanese fluency. |
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luckbox
Joined: 18 Mar 2006
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:47 am Post subject: |
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If you approach JET as a means to other, more important career ends, you'll be just fine. Why not approach a year in JET as an important cultural experience, rather than a job training experience? One year as ALT won't kill you or set you back. Yes, it's true, ALT work won't challenge you much, in fact, it may frustrate you to no end, but all the other benefits afforded JETs make it worth the while, methinks. You'll be able to study Japanese, travel, scope out the job scene in universities, maybe even do a bit of moonlighting to help your training cause.
The other thing I really urge you to do is to at least apply for JET. It's a lengthy application process, and you won't even be offered a position until the spring, at which point you are free to decline or accept. Keep your options open.
Good luck. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:45 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
Unless you are considering the CIR position, you must realize what the JET ALTs do, and then consider whether you want to do that (and figure how/if it will help you in your future teaching goals).
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You must also realize that Glenski has never done JET and seems to have something of a chip on his shoulder over it - in the past even when it has been pointed out to him that some of his statements are outrightly wrong he has continued to repeat them.
In contrast, among other things, I have done JET and worked as an English teacher at a Jpns SHS as a regular staff member and also now take part as an interviewer for JET applications (& no, I can't tell you which Consulate I interview at!) so I think I can present a more informed viewpoint. Personally, I wouldn't take what either of us say as gospel. YMMV. :)
| Quote: |
JET doesn't require the ALTs to have teaching experience or anything more than a bachelor's degree, but there are some who have your credentials.
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For the last five years JET has operated a policy of moving towards a greater degree/emphasis of teaching in the role. Part of the effect of this policy is that people with teaching qualifications have been given increased ranking points during the interview process. Qualified teachers (in all fields (TSL qualifications actually rate fewer points than general teaching qualifications due to the sheer lack of quality in most TSL "qualifications"!)) now make up around 10% of accepted applications out of the US, while those with teaching experience (of all types) is around 65% of all successful applicants (worldwide).
Glenski is right that you don't _need_ it to apply, but without your chances are heavily reduced! Qualified and experienced teachers on JET are common and becoming more common.
| Quote: |
ALTs assist, of course, not teach by themselves, so you would have to consider whether you would like that situation. Some (Many) ALTs are reduced to mere human tape recorders. Moreover, remember that the purpose of JET is not to teach English. It was set up to internationalize the Japanese community. Therefore, native English speakers are not the only nationalities employers.
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Aside from the last sentence making no sense what so ever, it is also irrelevant: non-English positions are not recruited from English speaking countries, so it has no effect upon English-speaking placements. Glenski is correct about the purpose of the programme being internationalization, but IMO he is mistaken in the emphasis he places on the downside aspects and simply out of date about how much emphasis is placed on teaching these days.
Your job title is indeed "assistant" but as with many things in Japan, what that actually means in practice can vary across a range as wide as the number of schools there are. ALTs _can and do_ teach teach by themselves. Some never do. Some do indeed play the HTR role. Others act as lead teachers, design the courses, and run their school's entire English programs: there is a very good reason JET has the saying "Every Situation Is Different."
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Personally, I don't see that JET would be of much use to giving you experience for teaching at a Japanese university, but who knows? If you get a good situation with JET, where you are allowed more input with the Japanese teachers and greater freedom than most ALTs, it would look good on a resume. Something else you will need for university work, aside from your MA, is publications and a measure of Japanese fluency.
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JET will not hinder an application to most Jpns universities (in my experience of watching JETs move from JET to universities). It is all in what you have done and how you present it. Realistically, having experience of a Jpns work environment and systems will stand you in good stead, _especially_ within the public system. You _will_ need publications (in Japan, if possible (hardly difficult)) and you _will_ need some measure of fluency, but again, JET is something that can give you that better than any other similar vehicle in Japan - you certainly won't get the same exposure to Japanese in any of the commerical language companies! The other thing that JET can often give you that other things usually can't is access to contacts in the university system, making it much easier to make the move in the first place.
JET is, when all is said and done, what _you_ make of it IMO. The only time this may vary is if you luck out and land up in one of the situations which simply sucks. That has nothing to do with JET and will suck regardless. |
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