Job Discussion Forums

[Tara2117]

I'll be starting as an English Teacher at Ota English School this November. Has anyone else worked for this school before? I've heard a lot about it, as a good friend of mine just returned from working there, so I feel pretty good about it. My interview was ridiculously easy, and my friend liked it pretty well, but if anyone else has anything to say about it, I'm interested to hear.

On a related note, any ideas for some little things I can bring from home (the US,) for my students? I'll be teaching all ages, from toddlers to adults.

Thanks!

[Sweetsee]

Those mini candybars are good!

[Quibby84]

They like stickers. They also like little trinkets...
I live very near Ota and I have heard good things about that school. Are you going as an ALT or Converstation teacher?

[Clerk]

Congratulations on your new job. I have nothing to say about OES, but if you do decide to bring food items (such as candy) for your students, I would strongly advise against giving any to younger students; food allergies are a very real concern. I would personally recommend against distributing food of any sort except to close friends and coworkers.

You might want to check with OES to see if they have any guidelines or suggestions. Friends of mine have brought postcards depicting sights and scenery from their home areas, though with a hometown population of 300 I had to let this one pass.

[Tara2117]

Yeah, I had heard they liked stickers. That'll be easy... I'm a big sticker fan myself, ha ha. Postcards might not be much of an option. My hometown is the most ghetto/redneck/trailer trash area in the world, haha. What sort of little trinkets would you suggest?

And I believe I'm going to be a conversation teacher. They seemed really excited that I had experience working with young kids, so I think they want me to do a lot of work in their day care, with the reeeeeally little kids. Which suits me just fine. (I'm a baby-wrangler extraordinaire, ha ha.) But I'll likely be teaching a little bit of all ages. My friend says she really misses most of her students, so I'm looking foward to it.

I haven't heard anything too bad about the school yet, so it seems like I've gotten pretty lucky. But we'll see...

[Quibby84]

I dont know anything bad about that particular school, but I was in conversation school similar to what you are going to, and I would say that ALT wins for me hands down...I liked the variety, but sometimes the variety drove me insane especially since it wasnt always the same variety every week.
Oh, important question to ask! Ask how far you will have to travel every day, and if you are paid for travel time, and if they pay for your travel expenses. Sometimes new teachers expect all classes to be within walking distances but you may end up driving or riding a train for several hours every day. This was what made the variety bad...having to drive across Japan to get to them...So dont forget to ask, it was something we didnt ask and hated once we realized we had to do it...

[Tara2117]

I will have to travel (using the school's cars) sometimes for the classes, but I did ask both the school and my friend about it. They said that it won't be very far to drive, and someone from the school will go with me the first few times until I learn the routes... which is VERY important for me, since I have zero sense of direction. Also, the school takes whatever the equivalent of fifty dollars is from my paycheck each month, and for this I have access to the school cars during my free time and days off to drive where ever I want to go. My friend said that this was pretty handy, and I don't know anywhere else I can have access to a car (gas included!) for fifty bucks a month. So it sounds like a pretty good deal.

[Quibby84]

That is super cheap, we pay $100 and we have to pay for gas AND it is a piece of junk...lol.

[Tara2117]

Ha ha. Yeah, it does seem pretty cheap. I can't believe they make you pay for the gas!