Job Discussion Forums

[Tyrgon]

A bit of background info: I'm a recent university grad with a BS in Biology and a BA in Economics and I'm interested in teaching in Japan for a year. I'm really interested in learning the language and gaining teaching experience.

I've read extensively on teaching in Japan and decided that I'd really like to get an ALT position in a public school for a few reasons:
1) I think it's the best (of the types of positions available) to get real, transferable teaching experience
2) I'm uncomfortable being a teacher/salesperson rolled into one (as in some eikawa)
3) I'd prefer the daytime work hours
4) I like the idea of cultural exchange and that's part of the ALT job description.

I understand that ALT responsibilities vary depending on the JTE you're paired with, but by being proactive and coming up with interesting ideas for classes, I imagine that a person could eventually convince doubtful JTEs that they truly do want to teach and have something of value to contribute.

I'm particularly interested in the opportunities that ALTs have for getting involved in clubs and extracurricular activities with the students; I'd like to make use of my other skills besides native-english-speaking-ability. I've been a member of band programs (marching band in particular) throughout my entire education and I'd really love to get involved with one of these programs in Japan. I've also had biology field experience and I love to cook, so nature clubs or cooking clubs would also be right up my alley.

So, my question: how much opportunity do ALTs have for getting involved in extracurricular/club activities? Does anyone have an experiences to share? I'm especially interested in JHS ALTs' experiences (since I didn't get an interview with JET, most of the positions available for ALTs will be elem. or JHS. I'd prefer to teach JHS.).

On another note, while it's not required for a person to have a TEFL cert. or teaching experience to get a job, I'm uncomfortable simply relying on my enthusiasm for Japan to get me there and I'm uncomfortable relying solely on the job-provided training for teaching techniques, etc. I don't plan on making a career of teaching english, but I want to be prepared and able to teach effectively. Are there any TEFL cert. programs that you'd recommend (I've read that the online certs, including i-to-i are worthless)? How did those of you in Japan prepare (in terms of teaching education) before you went?

Any info would be most appreciated!

[Glenski]

[Tyrgon]

Thanks for the response, Glenski.

[ripslyme]

[natsume]

I am a JET ALT at a high school, and like ripslyme experienced, I am pretty sure I can pop into any club I want to at my school, although I have only visited a few. My school has 1000 students, and I believe about 40(!) clubs. I actually joined the o-koto club this past school year, and have become committed to that, I will stay with it for the duration of my contract.

I spend anywhere from 1 to 4 hours a week with the club, the same amount of time the students who are in this club participate. This is not considered part of my work hours, sometimes it overlaps, but it is mostly after school. It is a wonderful experience on many levels.

About wanting to work with the school band, these students, like many of the kids who are on sports teams, can spend 80, 90, 100 hours a week at school, and this is mainly due to their club involvement. They don't seem to have lives outside of their club. From what some of my students tell me, it was the same in JHS. They come in on weekends and holidays. Just something to keep in mind if you want to get involved. One of the things I love about the o-koto club is that I am in the "in-group" since I fully participate as a member, not a teacher. This may not be quite as possible if you were involved in the school band.

[Lyrajean]

I know you're interested in JHS position but i'm going to describe my HS position just so you can see what kind of variation you can run into.

I'm a JET ALT And I am not involved in my schools clubs, because other than the sports teams, and a few notables that don't mesh with my abilities and interest well (I don't dance and haven't played a musical instrument since HS) there are none. Also my Japanese is somewhere around lower-intermediate (keep trying on 3kyu JLPT!), and no one has time to help me translate for extras like this.

Excepting the occasional bilingual students that are hiding around (this is Okinawa). Their english level is basically no-existant. They also tend to be impatient and have little patience for trying to hammer out communicaton with me in English, Japanese or a mixture...

Note, I'm based at a non-academic HS. normally a school like mine won't have an ALT based there. I doubt a for-profit dispatch is often asked to send ALTs to schools like mine. But the catch phrase for JET is 'every situation is different'. The students here basically couldn't test into anywhere else. Many have part-time jobs or childcare resposibilities after school that limits their involvement (found this out when I tried to have some afterschool fun events). Most just aren't that involved or dedicated to anything. Once a year we get up in front of the student body and try to pitch for starting an English club, but there aren't more than one or two students interested (English is too much like studying for this bunch!). I also have 2 visiting schools, frankly I'm not there often enough to easilly get involved.

I do do stuff after school sometimes. I tutor the one or two students at each school that want to bone-up their English, and maybe get into college. I tutor for step tests in season. We occasionally roust up students for skit, speech and debate contests (so way above their level, but we have to try! -grrrr...)

[Tyrgon]

Thanks for all the responses, guys. Varied, but, for the most part, sounds positive.

Interesting that you all are JET participants; I wonder if Glenski is right in that most dispatch don't focus on the cultural exchange? I mean, I wonder if most JETs are placed in schools where the BOE/school staff wants ALTs to get involved? I wonder if ALTs who're placed through dispatch agencies have fewer opportunities at their school or if the BOE/school staff are less receptive to participation? If any ALTs who work for dispatch agencies have comments to add, I'm particularly interested in reading them. (Still interested in hearing JET, HS, etc. experiences too!)


On the subject of TEFL certs, I've done a bit of research and it seems that worthwhile programs are generally 120 hours and include actual teaching practice with real ESL students. I haven't had much luck finding programs that meet those qualifications that cost under $1000 besides this distance learning one offered by English International. Convenient (distance learning), fairly quick to complete (about 2-2.5 months at your own pace), and a good price at about $640. Does anyone have experience with this particular program? Any other TEFL cert recommendations?

[Brooks]

I have helped the English drama club at my high school (private) for several years.
The students perform three plays a year. They tend to be from Broadway.
About a month before they perform, it gets busy and students are at school every single day.
In the past I would take turns being at school on a Saturday or Sunday.
My job is to help with pronunciation and to give guidence (i.e. which scenes get cut). Singing practice is the main focus.

In my first year in Japan I helped the rugby team at a junior high.
I only had to come a couple days a week. I would run with the kids, and my job was to help the 7th graders. They needed to learn basic things like teamwork, and passing.
Rugby is really good exercise.

[Squire22]

Hello Tyrgon,

I am currently an ALT with a dispatch company (the one you mention actually) and am mostly at JHS, but also go and teach at two elementary schools that feed into the JHS. In terms of joining in with activities at school, I join the sports clubs, almost all of them and various times. If there are after school sports 4 days in the week, I ocassionally go to 4 different clubs. It doesn't matter how terrible you seem to be at any of the sports, the kids will love you for playing with them and think that you're great. I join in at cleaning time, I hang out in the classrooms during the going home meeting, anytime they have recreation periods I'm usually involved in whatever it is they choose to play. Hyaku-nin-ishu tournaments (card game) I also join in. There's lots to be involved with in small ways. On weekends I sometimes go and watch the sports teams play, teachers appreciate this because not many ALTs (from what I've heard) actually do. Speech contest coaching, eiken test help, third grade practice exams for high school, I'm actively involved in all of that. In a sense you can dictate your own level of involvement, your attitude will be key in this sense, the better you get on with teachers, students, the more enthusiasm you show for getting involved, the more involved you will naturally become.

You ask about dispatch agencies and cultural exchange. Personally I don't feel that that's so much a question regarding the dispatch agency but more your own thoughts and feelings. From a personal point of view I believe that my job goes far beyond teaching English, for many, if not most of my students, I'm the only real communication contact that they'll have with a foreigner for quite some time. When I think about that, I see how important it is to be the best foreigner I can be, to show them that we're really not that scary, that they should have the confidence to talk to us. Although not strictly a "proper" teacher in the Japanese sense, I still see myself as an educator and as such a responsibility to engage the students, to help them think, and to show them that there are other ways of thinking and seeing things. Did my dispatch company tell me to do this? No. Is it something they would like me to do? Yes.

I did a full time 120 hour TEFL course before I came to Japan, I learned a lot, it was a great experience in how to think, and it gave me confidence for being in the classroom. If you're serious about the job and have an interest in teaching, I would recommend it. Yes, they can be expensive, but what price do you put on confidence and insight?

Regards

[Glenski]