Job Discussion Forums

kittyfye · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:40 am Post subject: Your Uni Job~

I wasjust in Fukuoka for a few days and was impressed by the cleanliness and efficiency of what I saw. My teaching experience is in Korean unis, but I am now considering options in Japan.

I recently earned an MA in Eng Lit, so it would be best to hear from those of you who workin in Japanese unis and have grad degrees--but everyone who works in a uni is welcome to add his/her two yen here.

Fyi, it is my intention to return to the US in August to begin PhD work in Eng Lit; after the PhD, I will perhaps return to Asia if the job market seems acceptable.

Tell me about your job:

1. Are you provided housing?
2. Are you able to save much each year? If you dont mind my asking, how much?
3. Is this your career, or just something you are doing between careers?
4. If yes to #3, then tell us your subject of expertise (what you teach), what your research interests are and if your work is generally respected by the Japanese to whom you answer.
5. Do you see yourself staying in a Japanese uni for a long time, or are you on your way out soon?
6. Finally, is tenure possible for foreigners?

Some of these questions pertain to professors, but many can be answered by those teaching as instructors (that is, with BA's and MA's). Thanks, all, for your input.

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

1. Are you provided housing?
No, but I get a winter heating bonus (probably only in Hokkaido).

2. Are you able to save much each year? If you dont mind my asking, how much?
Too variable a question. My family situation and location and spending habits are going to be different from practically everyone else. So will my salary.

3. Is this your career, or just something you are doing between careers?
Been at this almost 10 years as a change in career. Pretty easy to see what this is. I think you will find the answer will largely be the same (career, not between careers) for most uni teachers here.

4. If yes to #3, then tell us your subject of expertise (what you teach), what your research interests are and if your work is generally respected by the Japanese to whom you answer.
Again, this will vary with everyone's position. I work at a science university (no liberal arts programs or majors or departments). However, students still need the basic English, so I teach oral communication, reading courses, listening courses, TOEIC prep courses, technical writing courses, and a debate/presentation course. There is only one other native English speaker there, and he teaches more along the lines of quasi-content courses, plus he admits he couldn't teach anything like I do if his life depended on it, so unless the school hires more teachers, I'm stuck doing that sort of stuff, although I'm trying to get them to listen to science English ideas. We are also in the middle of redoing the curriculum, so anything is possible. Research interests: reading and listening and writing skills, plus CALL and ESP.

I "answer to" practically no one, but yes, my Japanese colleagues (those in the English unit as well as those in the science departments) seem to respect me quite a bit. However, I also have a master's degree in a science field plus years of scientific research experience, so I'm not a cookie-cutter copy of a typical EFL teacher, and that really helps!

5. Do you see yourself staying in a Japanese uni for a long time, or are you on your way out soon?
I'm here for the haul. Japanese wife and kid make sure of that.

6. Finally, is tenure possible for foreigners?
Yes, but it is difficult.

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

Glenski,

Are you on a tenure track?

If not, is it possible for you to work towards that in Hokkaido either at your university or others? Or are you subject to caps on contract renewals at your school?

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

Miyazaki,
Believe it or not, but that is an incredibly difficult set of questions to answer, especially the first.

There does not seem to be any official tenure-track description here. Despite MEXT setting its standards of describing the 3 official ranks for university teachers, my school continues to add a 4th. Of the standard 3, you can be hired as an associate or full-professor with automatic lifetime term. Other ranks not.

Since there is no system of moving up the ranks, I can't give any odds or even historical records on how people have moved up. The previous assistant professors in the English unit stayed as long as they wanted. One stayed 30 years then retired. One stayed 5 years and moved because of a spouse's transfer. One felt there was merely no challenges left here and moved on to another Japanese university after 8 years here. All left on good terms. I have been given the same open arms approach: keep your nose clean and if you are happy, you can stay until retirement. It's as close to being tenured as it gets here (at my school).

G Cthulhu · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:23 am Post subject:

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

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

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

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

Well, let's take this one point at a time.

Nobody except PhDs in SLA, Education, or TESOL should be given teaching positions in Japanese universities to teach EFL? I'm sure the many people with master's degrees in such majors will be very upset to hear you say that. Besides, I've seen some pretty awful PhDs behind the lectern, so don't try to convince me that all PhDs are that good.

As for me not "having relevant education or post secondary teaching experience", you and I will just have to agree to disagree.
1) I have post-secondary experience teaching, plus a TESL certificate. Not a quickie weekender, either.

2) The "relevant education" that was requested was specifically for a master's in science, and I won out over the other "idiots" who had degrees in SLA, Education, and TESOL. The uni has been very positive about my work so far, so I must be doing something right.

3) There is no "gravy train" where I work. I get paid for working my butt off. I take on the majority of proofreading (at no extra cost) a boatload of scientific papers from the profs here, simply because I'm good at it (thanks to the experience I have, despite your feelings on its inadequacy) and they know I'm good at it. I have developed courses here and spearheaded curriculum changes much to the liking of the rest of the English teaching staff and a few administrators. I'm also the "go to" person when it comes to innovative ideas for teaching EFL here. I do my share of creating and correcting more than one type of entrance exam, and I attend the staff meetings more than some of my Japanese colleagues (science department or otherwise). Despite the isolated location, I managed to attend 3 conferences out of town last year (and present at one). My hours are 8 to 6, and I often take work home (like this weekend) just to stay on top of things. I'm a fairly active member of JALT in 2 SIGs, and I edit a blog for one of the chapters (meaning, I contribute entries 3 or 4 times a week). If this is gravy train to you, then I bow to your superiority.

Am I perfect? No.
Am I as educated as a PhD in SLA, Education, or TESOL? No. But, I don't have to be, nor do my peers with MAs in SLA, Education, or TESOL.
Did I even try fooling myself into thinking I could compete against PhDs in SLA, Education, or TESOL? Not really. I chose to apply to universities with programs where I felt my non-teaching background would have merit.

Let's just agree to disagree before a moderator comes to shut down this topic.

BTW, what are your credentials, and where are you working? I thought that the whole point of this thread was to answer the OP. I did. You haven't. At least do the OP the courtesy, instead of tying into me for whatever reason.

dodgee · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 47

APU in Beppu hire under-qualified lecturers (and that means anyone without at least a masters, unpublished and real teaching experience) at a reasonable pay rate paid during the term time. 10,000 yen a class (90 minutes duration) with most part-timers being allocated 10-12 classes a week during the semester time. Reasonable dosh if you have a network of other jobs established outside term time. The English faculty there is not respected as a result however and it has become a vicious circle with the good lecturers keeping away/leaving and the quality of staff being further eroded.

Chris21 · Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Posts: 366 Location: Japan

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

I think your final italicized points are dead on. At the risk of being called a flamer (I'm not, though), I hope you can wade through this response without getting your hackles up. It is not meant to be confrontational.

Chris21 · Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Posts: 366 Location: Japan

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

Oh, c'mon, Chris! Why do you have to be so condescending? Please reread the very first lines of my last post.

I noticed you avoided answering a very simple innocent question, too, about your university interviewing experience. Why is that?

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan