Job Discussion Forums

[Mr_Monkey]

OK, so this thread is not particularly aimed at new teachers in Japan, although it would be interesting to hear opinions from those who have recently started teaching.

What is/would be your ideal teaching position in Japan?

Think:

• Student numbers per class
• Contact hours per week
• Learner goals
• Opportunities for professional development
• Salary
• Context (university, business, eikaiwa, high school, etc...)
• and so on...

Obviously, "I want �1,000,000/month for sitting on my arse" is not something I want to hear about (although the chance would be a fine thing ). What, I suppose, I want to know is what you (would) really want from a teaching job in Japan.

I'll go first, as it's my thread.

• Student numbers per class

No more than 10, ideally.

• Contact hours per week

Around 20 at most

• Salary

As high as possible, although anything over �350,000/month would be enough for me to ultimately retire on, given my financial situation.

• Context (university, business, eikaiwa, high school, etc...)

Actually, I'm interested in both EAP and "general" English (if such a thing exists), so I guess a properly aligned and diverse private English school which didn't just focus on conversation would be fine for me. I'm finishing my master's this summer, but I have no burning desire to teach in Japanese HE.

• Learner goals

As long as they have one, I'm happy.

• Opportunities for professional development and practice

This is really important for me - I want to go to meetings and conferences, and I want the opportunity to do my own data-driven studies.

• and so on...

Just a school that recognises that the best practice is to have happy students who really learn, and that profit comes not from exploiting the teachers, or from having idiots who entertain by bouncing around the classroom like a 5 year old on crystal meth, but from recognising and valuing the skills and attitudes that teachers bring to their classrooms.

[robertokun]

Eikaiwa, adults only, private and small groups, 280,000 yen/mo., Sun/Mon off, 20 days vacation, shakai hoken, furnished 1 LDK with utilities for 50,000/mo., a legal contract, paid for the month's work at the end of the month.

[ShioriEigoKyoushi]

--

[Mr_Monkey]

No professional development? Wouldn't you love your school to support you as you're doing a DELTA or MA?

No career progression? Only a 1LDK? What happens if you meet a wonderful guy/girl and decide to move in together?

[starteacher]

You're looking it from a teacher's point of view. i.e a worker's POV.

You need to look at this from a business point of view. No owner, no business, no students, no teachers.

Sure, there are dodgyplaces, but that is because the business environment is tough, not just to ELT but practically anything out there. At least for some time, English jobs aren't going to be outsourced to India or China. These "dodgy places" are trying to make ends meet, so it ultimately impacts the teacher who is at the end of the food chain.

15-20 years when the grass was greener, you earnt more as an English teacher than a City banker (ok,exagerrating but just making a point).

[ShioriEigoKyoushi]

--

[Mr_Monkey]

[robertokun]

[Ryu Hayabusa]

Sure, I'll bite on this thread. Sounds interesting enough.

I'll fill you all in on something that you might not know. I'll tell you an ideal ESL position that existed about 20 years ago back in the golden age of ESL here in Japan.

From talking to two ECC teachers who have been in Japan since the early 80's. They're still on their original contracts. Here goes:

-20 hours per week
-Mon-Thurs 4pm-9pm
-Teaching all Free-time lessons (the easiest and most brain-numbing classes to teach at ECC)
-1-4 students per class
-0 prep work needed
-Salary 250 000 yen per month. After almost 30 years, I'd estimate that they make at least 400 000 per month now. Up until 5 years ago, they were given 10 000 per month raises every year.
-ECC holidays off plus National Holidays (about 7 weeks per year) paid vacation
-20+ ALPs (flexible days off) to be used any time during the year that I want
-10 000 yen per month accommodation subsidy
-Every two years ECC gives 100 000 yen in cash or buys a flight home

I think that's it. If I could have those conditions and work in Japan now instead of back in the golden age, I'd stay here for a very long time I think.

*Post not checked for spelling or grammar*

[Mr_Monkey]

Sounds great, apart from the "free-time" lessons. I think I'd die of boredom!

[starteacher]

Whilst I have no qualms about this thread on whatever its purpose serves, I think you should think twice about asking what you mean by "ideal".

But keep dreaming.

[Mr_Monkey]

I know what "ideal" means; the other posters in this thread have responded to the question appropriately, so there doesn't appear to be any misinterpretation of the text occurring.

What's wrong with talking about a job we know perhaps - likely - doesn't exist? Am I telling you that I know where such jobs are to be found? Is there something in the opening paragraph of the thread that misleads?

I don't understand where your hostility to this thread comes from. You've told us that we need to look at this from a business point of view, and been rightly rebutted in that this is not a "let's knock companies that don't pay on time" thread, or a "good old days" thread - it's a thread about the kind of jobs we'd chew our arms off to get. What's wrong with that? Don't you have an honest opinion on that topic?

From a personal perspective, I'm an academic manager in the UK (director of studies), so I'm interested in what features and responsibilities of a teacher's job would motivate serious candidates to apply for, interview for and stay in a teaching role.

Basically, if you dislike the contents of the thread, I suggest you don't click on it.

[starteacher]

I give an opinion and you discount it as nonsense. Did I discount this thread as nonsense ?
So where's the hostility ? ?

About ideal , anything "ideal" conditins from your point of view, less one extra hour per week, an extra 10,000yen a month, an extra day of vacation etc. And another person will make their ideal one littlebetter than mine, and so on.

Yes, you can look for a job we'd "chew our arms off" for but you asked for an ideal, so you need to first define what ideal really means, and I simply said that it will depend on the business environment we are in. And currently it is not a good business environment. If you are not happy with that, that is fine, but have I said to you or another poster for that matter that what you posted is "nonsense" ?

[Bread]

A lot of aggression in here for such a frivolous thread.

[Mr_Monkey]

Bread, you're right.

Starteacher, my apologies - it was not my intention to offend you.