Job Discussion Forums

ZiCheng · Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Toronto, Canada.

I'm not sure the topic made any sense, so let me explain.

I defintely want to get a job at a school, and I don't want to have to work very much, something like 20 hours max a week. My question is whether I can make more money by working at the school for say, 10-15 hours a week, and use the rest of the time to tutor for extra money. Does any one think this will be a good idea for a first timer?

Thanks.

ZiCheng

coffeedrinker · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 149

It really depends where you are and how reliable your outside students are. In my experience, one to one students - even those who are clients of schools and not individual teachers - cancel frequently. Schools may be able to enforce a "24 hour policy" (students still pay if they cancel with less than 24 hours notice) but this is much harder as an individual to enforce.

It might also take time to find private students - so when comparing the income you'd have to incorporate some time without that income.

All that said, if you can find students and if they attend regularly, five hours of private students would probably net you more than five hours of school classes.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Also, ask the students to either pay in advance or the day of the lesson. Otherwise, they just simply may stop coming at the end of the month when they have to pay you.

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I charge my private students in advance and let them know that if they want to cancel they must give me twenty-four hours' notice. No exceptions. Their cancellation goes towards a future lesson - no refunds. I found that most of my private students were former school students (conflict of interest!). You might want to devote yourself entirely to school lessons at first, develop relationships with students and then wait for them to approach you about private lessons. I found that most of my in-school students wanted to go private instead of renewing through the school.

tedkarma

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

When you start working, you need a work visa, and in Japan that is for full-time work. That means roughly 25-30 hours per week in the classroom. A year or so later, you can string together part-time jobs and change your visa status from employer-sponsored to what is dubiously referred to by teachers as "self-sponsorship". As long as you can prove you make a certain minimum, immigration will continue to grant your visa. Private lessons do not count as provable income, but if you have enough coming in from PT employers, you can always continue the visa and supplement that with private work.

So, for a first-timer in Japan (if that's where you go), I'd say your hopes are not very realistic. Get your feet wet first. Establish yourself. Learn what it is you are doing. Also, learn where you can get the PT work and private lessons. Your first statement sounds pretty arrogant and makes you come off as a lazy person. Even after reading your explanation, it still sounds negative.