Job Discussion Forums

[Glenski]

[drdo]

Thanks for all the hints and help. In some ways, I feel naiive and too trusting. I believe the comment is accurate: the school wants the best of both worlds; it wants the cake and it wants to eat it whole. The part that hit me was that, YES, the school will make more money by not using the dispatch company for me (but the school still uses them, for the other foreigners working at our school.) But NO, that money will not necessarily be set aside for me. I guess that is an obvious observation for those looking in, but I had truly believed it was going to work out for me. My eyes are wide open now.

And yet, in other ways, I have seen through many of your comments that I have a pretty good deal going on. The part that is tough to swallow is that in 1990, when I taught here, I was making 320,000 before my Masters. Then, in 1993 I returned and made 320,000. So, of course after more years of education and experience, (returning 2005) I have higher expectations for myself and for the school I work for. Even though it doesn't necessarily go that way in Japan, most people expect a jump in salary after all these years. 1990=320,000 and then, 2008=340,000.

More clarification: even though I said my hours are 8a-4pm (roughly), I did not say that is when I go home or come to school. Tonight, I left at 6:30pm. In addition, I am and have been an assistant HR teacher for the past 3 years. I do special Saturday classes for Open Campus, go to meetings, practice Interview skills with 3rd grade seniors from Dec-Feb after classes, etc. However, I do not do 101 other extras that the FT regular J-teachers do. BUT, no one, not one teacher at my school teaches 20 classes a week like I do. The FT teachers teach about 9-14 classes a week. The PT teachers often teach more (about 11-7). But on the long list, I am the only one with 20.

So, in many ways I "feel FT" but I am NOT doing what 99% of what the Japanese FT teachers are doing, so I seem a bit PT. For any of us sitting in the PT section of the T-room (about 15-25 teachers, depending on the day), all teachers come & go all day long, so no one bats an eye when the foreign teachers (6 of us at this school) come & go at odd hours. I am grateful for that.

I do not know what will be the final decision for my 2008-2009 contract, but certainly I thank you for your comments, ideas, thoughts and opinions. Thank you.

[ripslyme]

In an ideal world some of the money they saved by going with you direct vs the dispatch company should have gone to you. Unfortunately, that money is going elsewhere and they are getting your services on the cheap.

You've been back and forth from Japan several times since 1990. You should know that longevity is how to work your way up to a decent salary and that the market is not what it used to be. Another tricky part is how they count experience. For example, as a public school teacher in the USA they counted my years of teaching in Japan and I was placed on the appropriate pay scale. Going back to the same school in Japan, they are counting my time with them, but not other schools - in Japan or the USA. If you're lucky you will find a Japanese school that will count your time elsewhere for the record and pay you accordingly.

[drdo]

Yeah, I know it sounded like I was sayinig "wow-I teach 20", but I was just comparing that with the other teachers at THIS school. I have taught 25 at other schools. And in the US, I was with Intensive English Programs on university campuses, so teaching (working) hours were different. I am aware that many teachers in Japan work harder and longer hours than I do, for sure.

And yes, out of the 6 foreigners here, 2 of the 'main teachers' (who are paid a salary and not hourly wages) have (always?) been an assistant HR teacher. The teacher who has been here 7 years, hired through the dispatch, has sat in the same spot-roughly (PT section for certain) and has been an assistant in the HR. When I came on-board, it was just expected. I never thought anything much about it. We are in the professional HR photo that is taken at the beginning of the year; we do the morning HR responsibilities, the afternoons, sometimes Saturday stuff, etc. In my case, I followed the same class from 1st--2nd--to 3rd grade. These students graduate in March, so I very much feel 'this is also my class' along with the official HR teacher. We get along very well with each other. It's a comfortable setting.

I still have my fingers crossed, but feel different today than I did last week when I started this thread. I felt I was deserving of the raise (b/c of the penalty I paid, the lower salary I accepted and teh verbal agreement that next year will be a better year), but now I see I need to take a humble bow and be grateful for what I have. It's a fine line.

[Glenski]