Job Discussion Forums

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

No more free lunches, bummer. Reality check, yeah?
Will you carry on there next year Cornishmuppet?

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Well, I'm the size of a small truck compared to most of my students so the lunches don't make much of an impact anyway!

And free? 291yen each I pay! That's almost the same as 3 cheeseburgers, but at least its a little more varied.

Don't get me wrong, I love the job. I'd do it for much less salary and I certainly have no intention of quitting any time soon. Its just that I haven't been home for Xmas for 2 years and in addition my mother wanted to visit me in April, which I wanted to save my nenkyu for. On last years schedule there would have been no problems, but this year I've basically got the choice of one or the other. Funny thing is, when I took the job I assumed Winter and Spring vacations would be unpaid. It seemed way too cushy otherwise. I'd happily take it as unpaid now, as would several of the other ALTs, but the BoE said no.

I came from a horrible eikawa so I'm not too worried about it, in the great scheme of things, but some of the long termers have been doing it for years and have suddenly had all their priveliges taken away. They're pretty annoyed.

I thought you were BoE ALT Sweetsee. No?

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

No Cornishmuppet, direct-hire. I had been here for two years with an agency when the school asked me to come on board. Now, it seems I have to walk the plank. We'll see.
Enjoy,
s

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

cornishmuppet wrote:

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Glenski, it was always been a trust thing. Our actual holiday is about 20 days nenkyu, plus 29th Dec to 3rd of Jan off. Contractually, they have every right to make us work during all of December unless we take it as nenkyu. Its just that for as long as anyone can remember (some guys have been doing this for six or seven years) the ALTs have had a break in the schedule over Xmas and New Year and also around the end of March, early April. Last year it was three weeks a piece, and we were left to our own devices. We were told what day to be back at the school and no one asked what we did the rest of the time. As a result most people were understandably pretty happy and only used their nenkyu for sickness days or emergencies.

This year BoE have decided to follow the contract to the letter. Before, nothing was said about it but this year we were told it was 'personal training', by which we could do anything if we stayed in Japan. They initially wanted a written proposal of what we planned to do and a report afterwards, but this seems to have been dropped after one guy asked them to pay travel expenses for a seminar in another city. We were told we could study Japanese, visit historical sites, anything if we stayed in Japan.

There used to be an exchange program with an American city where two teachers came to our city each year, and they were treated like guests, tons of holiday, arranged activities, etc. Their jobs were the same as ours and I heard that we were treated in the same way. For this year the program has been dropped, and they've tightened up on us as a result.

So there is nothing we can say about it, at least not legally. For what its worth, apparently at the beginning of year meeting, the majority of the city's teachers stuck up for us, claiming the system kept us happy and therefore productive, which it did, basically, but the BoE were having none of it, and wanted us worked harder.

But over Xmas, instead of staying at our own schools, they offered us to elementary schools. What I was really wondering was whether this was happening across the country, and had something to do with the government's plans to teach more English in elementary schools. Our BoE has 12 ALTs for JHS, but only 2 for elementary. I wondered if they were trying to get the most out of their budget.

So legally they've done nothing. They're just sticking to the contract a lot more than they did before. I still love the job though, and its still well paid. I just wanted to save the nenkyu for April when my mother hopes to visit. Last year we had three weeks, during which I went back to England, but this year we have a one week break and I imagine the same thing will happen, the BoE farming us out to elementary schools.

Ironopolis - its extremely unlikely that I would be caught, I'm just a chicken. I don't know any way they could check without a serious amount of effort, but I'm more worried about them seeing me as awkward for refusing to work over Xmas while others are, and using that as something against me when contract renewal time comes (march). I know its unlikely but its a good job, its well paid, and I have a lot of debts to pay off. If I take it as nenkyu no one can complain.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:05 am Post subject:

When I worked as an ALT at an elementary school some teachers were allowed to go home after they had finished all their lessons even though the contracts stated that the schools had their services until four o'clock every day. When some of the less fortunate ALTs found out about this they began kicking up a fuss. The only thing that happened was the BOE decided to more rigourously enforce the four o'clock stipulation: no one could go home early.

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

How much lettuce are we talking here Cornishmuppet? Sorry to be so rude, but I am just wondering, afterall you said it twice. Didn't realize the BoE jobs paid that well.

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

I assume you mean salary sweetsee? I earn 362k a month. I'm pretty happy with that. My salary went up by 100k literally overnight when I changed jobs from the eikawa. I'm sure its not as much as some people earn but its a lot to me and a lot more than most eikawa teachers.

It would be a lot better if it wasn't for the mandatory pension deductions, but with a couple of sly on the side classes I can push my gross a month over 400k. And I love the job, which helps. Its just the beaurocracy that gets to me from time to time.

Even so, a couple of years doing this job will did me out of a serious debt hole left over from university.

SeasonedVet · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 236 Location: Japan

sorry for cutting in like this on your thread and I hope you are getting the answers you need.

cornishmuppet wrote:

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

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

That's sweet Cornishmuppet. I'd say you are styling!
Can I ask more about your job? If so:
1. how many classes a week?
2. how many schools?
3. high school?
4. team-teaching?
5. how do you get to school?
6. how long does it take?
7. whereabouts?
Sorry to be so trunky but I am very interested.
Thanks in advance.
Enjoy,
s

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Glenski, you're quite right, we've had it easy. On the few occasions that I've met other BoE ALTs I got the impression it was the same everywhere else though. BTW, there are a handful of JETs who work for our BoE, and they were/are treated the same as the direct hires, they just get paid less but get their housing etc. Saying that, I heard from one they were required to pay key money.

This year they 'asked' if we'd be available over the two week break in the schedule, and I think several people said no, which must have got their back up. I think next year there will be no break at all, it will be work or nenkyu. I'll worry about it when it happens, though.

Re the elementary schools, I just wondered if Japan would be bringing in more ALTs as a result nationwide, or whether the BoEs are expected to provide them on the same budget, which is why we're being pushed out to them. Some of the newer, keener guys jump up in the air every test day and ask for a day at an elementary school, but I prefer to hang out at my own school, do some planning, study some Japanese, whatever. I've never been one to volunteer for extra work!

Sweetsee, I'm an ALT at a JHS. I do 2 to 4, usually 3 classes a day. I have a car, which I was told I had to get on a condition of getting the job (and cost me a small fortune), and as a result I have been working in a moutain school 24km away for three days a week, and at another school near my house for the other two days a week. I have four schools this year, two in the mountains and two in the city. I'm only doing two at the same time now because the bigger school wanted me to start earlier to help some kid with the speech contest.

SeasonedVet, I know my salary is good, that's why I don't want to rock the boat. I have a mate in Osaka who works for Interac, who only gets paid by the working day, which must suck. He has eighteen days off at Xmas though, which I'd take unpaid if I was offered.

I could have gone home at Xmas either time the last few years, only with a short time frame and a low eikawa salary coupled with high flight prices I chose not to. The first year my mum came out, but last year I spent a lonely time traveling round Shikoku on my own. I don't recommend it.
If salaries were higher and I didn't have such a debt around my neck to pay, I'd head back to Europe and work there. When I left Italy I paid the grand total of 20UK pounds to fly home. Can't beat Ryanair!

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

And you are hired directly by the BoE? Just rang up the one near me and they said they no longer hire, too expensive they said. Asked about primary school work--1300 yen per hour!
Thanks Cornishmuppet.
Enjoy,
s