Job Discussion Forums

broman · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:35 am Post subject: Thinking about teaching in Japan

Hi, all. I've been reading through the posts the past few days, checking out some websites, researching Japan a bit. Here's my situation.

I'm a credentialed high school teacher in the US, with about seven years of experience teaching English, and I have two BAs, one in English education (not ESL). Over ten years ago I taught at a hagwon in Korea for six months. I'm in my forties.

With these sorts of qualifications, what sort of a job could I realistically hope to find? I'd like to start in a step or two up from my previous situation in Korea.

Thanks in advance for your input and information.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:10 am Post subject:

If you did your English teaching experience in your home country then you could try contacting an international school.

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

The FAQs (#4 post) will help lead to job recruiters for international schools, too.

broman · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:19 am Post subject:

I'll check into those. Appreciate the response. The more I look at the posts, the more I see what a lot of info's already there for the searching. I, ahem, ran across the answer to my question there today.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:26 am Post subject:

Sage · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 144 Location: Iwate no inaka!

Whatever you do do NOT become and ALT. Trust me when I say you will want to shoot yourself. If you can find a college or private high school to work at then maybe. But, as an ALT with a teaching degree - hardly.

You must trust me young one... for the sake of you own sanity.

broman · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 1:42 am Post subject:

Even a JET ALT? I've read elsewhere on this forum that a JET's pretty desireable. They do have an age limit of forty but I emailed them and they said they'd welcome my app due to my experience. I haven't taken it further than that yet.

Sage · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 144 Location: Iwate no inaka!

If you want to sit around all day and not allowed to do anything or go home early...

If you want to be forced to teach a class by having to follow the school approved system for teaching to elementary schools and play the happy foreigner human tape recorder for a JTE who can't teach English a tenth as well as you can...

If you want to work in places where the staff generally feel you are treated special and resent you for it while thinking you don't have any idea what you are doing...

Well, then by all means become an ALT!

"I tried to warn him but he didn't listen... and now... now.. it's too horrible to talk about!"

PS: Take the above with a grain of salt. Every position is different, even in the world of ALTs. But, with your degree, I can only imagine the grand frustration you'll be feeling working as an ALT. Go for the high school, international school, or college jobs.

G Cthulhu · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:56 pm Post subject: