Job Discussion Forums

Robin53 · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 74 Location: New Zealand

Hello - I'm interested in finding out about what the chances are at finding a job in Japan at my age which is late 50's. I've been teaching in Chinese state schools for the past few years not so much for the salary which is low, but for the lifestyle. The jobs here come with a free apartment and utilities, 16 classes a week, paid school holidays, and a return airfare at the end of a one year contract. I was a high-school teacher in my own country (native-speaking) for several years before I came to China.

The reason I would like to go to Japan is that in the early 1980's I lived there for 5 years while I studied at a national university as a research student. Before that I studied the language for 3 years at a language school in Tokyo and can still speak Japanese. Life was pretty tough for me in those days. I didn't have a degree and had to pay language school fees and university fees so was always rushing around from one part time job to another. When I went back home to my own country I finished my degree and did post-graduate language teacher training.

Much as it was back in the 1980's I've heard that its still the same, and that you need to be young, good looking, and preferably American to get a job there as an English teacher. The money is not so important to me now. What is important is being in a stress-free environment where my teaching abilities and skills are appreciated, and the management staff are supportive. If anyone knows of such a place in Japan I would be interested to learn more.

Ogenki de,

Robin

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

Robin53 · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 74 Location: New Zealand

Thanks Glenski. Rather than an international school, I was thinking more of a state high-school. This is the sort of teaching I trained in and have most experience in. In general, I don't like profit-driven private language schools, but that would be something I would consider in Japan.

I disagree about all teaching jobs being stressful. Once the reports from students start coming in to management that you know how to deliver a curriculum in a fun, positively reinforcing way, and once a good relationship has been established with management staff, then teaching can become a creative and non-stressful occupation.

Its Monday, so hope you have a good teaching week.

Cole · Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 31

I sent you a PM.

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

"State school"? = public school? Good luck! Those jobs are almost always held by ALTs (dispatch company or JET programme). Only in rare occasions do they hire directly.

Don't know why you would want such a job anyway. Read about classroom chaos.

At least in an international school, you don't have to use Japanese in class.

Robin53 · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 74 Location: New Zealand

Thanks for the replies.

Glenski - yes I have taught in a Japanese school. If you read the second paragraph in the first post it says this. I mainly taught in state high schools back in the early 1980's in the Tokyo area, as well as at a lot of private schools part-time. The student behaviours you describe are true, but then it is also true of a western high-school unless you have the skills to turn it around into a postive, and fun learning environment.

My Japanese language ability means that I could follow the agenda of a teachers meeting in Japanese. Teachers meetings, although at times tedious and boring, are also regular features of western schools believe it or not.

Glenski, it sounds as if you have had enough of teaching, and enough of living in Japan. Maybe its time for a break back in your own country, and some serious teacher training so that you can learn how to manage a large unruly class, and why it is important to follow a school's need for attending teacher meetings.

Apart from that, the lack of response in this topic means I'm correct in assuming there is no place for oldies in the Japanese ESL market. Thanks to those of you who replied.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Assuming that the lack of responses to your topic on this one forum means there are no jobs for people in your age bracket is quite a leap. It just means that the limited selection of people who post here don't know, not that the jobs don't exist.

Since you were making assumptions about the motivations of other posters here, I'll assume that your giving up based on what you read here means you don't really want to teach in Japan.