Job Discussion Forums

Robert100 · Joined: 02 Apr 2009 Posts: 13 Location: England

Hello.

I have recently finished my CELTA and hopefully will be looking for TEFL jobs in Japan as soon as I have sorted my house to rent out. Instead of taking the ALT route, I would like to go straight into teaching myself with the possibility of being in Japan for several years (fingers crossed).

Is there an ideal time to start looking for a teaching job in Japan? If there is a standard one year contract, then I would like to pick a start date that expires at a time where there is a reasonable amount of jobs available again to apply for. Not sure if there are 'droughts' of teaching job opportunities for certain periods in the Japanese calender.

Presumably my options are initially limited to private language schools?

Many thanks in advance.

Cool Teacher

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

You have a CELTA. Do you have a bachelor's degree?

You don't want to be an ALT, but want to be a solo teacher. Ok, that leaves the very rare direct hires in public schools, the slightly more common direct hires in private schools, eikaiwa, and business schools.

fluffyhamster · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 11:30 am Post subject:

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

fluffyhamster · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 1:14 pm Post subject:

Hi GBBB. I've taught at each school level, and I've never had much if any "real trouble" in/with elementary classes (or the problems some kids were having weren't with my English classes); kids seem to act up most at JHS age. SHS I'd agree is about the cushiest level for an AET, but a lot of the students are getting a bit too cool for school and/or aren't that interested in English anymore. Cool

ssjup81 · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject:

To me Elementary would be the best to teach. Younger children are still in "adventure mode".

Seems that Elementary children would be more willing to learn something new compared to JHS or SHS children because school is still new and exciting to them. They're also more curious, imo, and always asking questions (sometimes). By the time JHS or SHS rolls around, they have other things on their minds to distract them...like "trying to be cool" or dating or whatever or school, at that age, is more like a mandatory chore to some of them.

This is one of my main reasons as to why if choosing a level to teach on (in general), it would be the Elementary kids. Of course I'm basing that on my observation from here, as I'm not certain if this is true for Japanese students or any other country's students.

Mr_Monkey · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu

fluffyhamster · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that, Mr_Monkey - it's not often we get to hear about the actual teaching that goes on in eikaiwa. GEOS doesn't sound bad, then (that'll teach me to exaggerate only the potential cons)! Actually, now I come to think of it, the few GEOS teachers that I've met all seemed pretty happy with their jobs.

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

Ryu Hayabusa · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 182

I'm an ALT/AET working primarily in elementary schools. About 65% of my classes I plan and run. The HRT is my assistant. The other 35% of classes I plan and the HRT takes the lead and teaches. With the new Eigo Note curriculum (Grade 5 and 6) coming fully into effect, the HRTs in schools are expected to take the lead and be the main teacher in English classes. I see it as the Ministry of Education gradually trying to eliminate the need for ALTs in the classroom. Whether or not the happens is up in the air. I don't think it will. I do, however, believe that the days of the ALT being the main teacher in ES English classes might be coming to an end in a few years. I foresee the ES ALTs being used in similar ways as they are in JHS now.

Many of the teachers in the 65% of schools where I'm the lead are gradually stepping in and trying to be T1. Most of the time, I don't think they do a good job but I try to be professional and support them however I can. Being an assistant when the HRT is a good English teacher is great, being an assistant when the HRT is not a good teacher is hell.

Robert100 · Joined: 02 Apr 2009 Posts: 13 Location: England

Hi. Many thanks for the replies.

basilbrush · Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 61

Just my thoughts,

If you want to begin a career in TEFL I don't think Japan is the right place for you. Realistically you're looking at working for one of the big schools, and although it's true that you get out what you put in, eikaiwa teaching is a joke. The only people starting out here who have good deals work for small eikaiwas, and this can be hit and miss. If you want to come to Japan to have a good time then that's a different story, I love it here. But if you're looking for job satisfaction then unless you're lucky you wont find it.

Maybe Europe would be better for you?

fluffyhamster · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:00 am Post subject:

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Europe will give you way more job satisfaction than Japan if progression is your thing. Get a Delta then aim for Teacher Trainer or DOS (my plan, long long ago...). In Europe they've actually heard of a sylabus and students actually come in at the start of the year and leave at the end with the ability to speak English. Here, money takes precedence over everything in the private school world. For example, I just had a complete beginner six-year-old added to a private class I do at a small eikaiwa, making it one 6yr old, two 8yr olds, an 11yr old and a 13yr old (in Junior High!) all in the same class. Thank God they're all girls, but even so there is very little I can do to benefit all of them. If it wasn't bookended by two easy classes I would seriously consider dropping it.

On the other hand, the big draw for Japan is money. Be prepared for poverty in Europe with no savings while in Japan even a dispatch ALT job can be pretty well paid considering what you do. Its not as good as it was but the yen is still low to the pound (150 - was as high as 250 a couple of years ago) meaning decent savings if you have any money left over.

And don't rule out ALT jobs. In Junior High the 'A' exists, in Elementary or Senior High the Japanese teacher will have little to no input on your class and you can do whatever the hell you like. One of my JTEs admits he enjoys the hour nap he gets in the corridor while I teach his classes. Not all of them are such bums though, he's a big exception. Of course, unless you get regular classes you'll be seeing each group once a month at best and there's nothing much you can do other than try to amuse them. You can't knead bread by beating it with a straw...