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klis
Joined: 20 May 2010
Posts: 17
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 Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:19 am Post subject: "WestGate in a nutshell" |
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I would like to ask anyone if they can sum up "WestGate in a Nutshell"
Thank you !
Cheers ! |
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Bread
Joined: 24 May 2009
Posts: 318
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 11:45 am Post subject: |
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Bread presents:
WestGate [sic] in a Nutshell
Starring Jason Alexander as WestGate [sic]
Cast of characters:
 : WestGate [sic]
 : Japanese Fonzie
Act I
: Hey, let me out of this nutshell!
: えええええ！
~Fin |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Posts: 778
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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In a nutshell...ahmm..
Agency that hires short-term teachers to teach at colleges/universities for a semester...and makes them adhere to incredibly ridiculous rules while doing so.
Or so I've heard, about the ridiculous rules, anyways. |
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klis
Joined: 20 May 2010
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 6:40 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks Tiger Beer. |
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Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
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| Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:04 am Post subject: |
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| Bread wrote: |
Bread presents:
WestGate [sic] in a Nutshell
Starring Jason Alexander as WestGate [sic]
Cast of characters:
: WestGate [sic]
: Japanese Fonzie
Act I
: Hey, let me out of this nutshell!
: えええええ！
~Fin |
Very funny!  |
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fujisan
Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 42
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| Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:40 am Post subject: Re: "WestGate in a nutshell" |
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| klis wrote: |
| I would like to ask anyone if they can sum up "WestGate in a Nutshell" |
Only nuts work in a nutshell. |
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shutupjusttravel
Joined: 28 Jul 2010
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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| They seem to be advertising for jobs starting in September. Does anybody have any more experiences about Westgate other than being trapped in a nutshell? |
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mdoor
Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:42 am Post subject: |
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A lot of people like to slag off Westgate (many who have never worked for them). However, I read a quote here on this forum sometime back while I was working for Westgate and it was difficult to argue with. To paraphrase:
You can not find a better short-term ESL contract worldwide than what Westgate offers.
Westgate is a professional organization and I was always treated fairly by them. The contract they offer includes a full line of benefits that you would not expect in a short-term contract (paid airfare, visa sponsorship, etc.). Watch this tread, some may attack the above quote (likely those with a pro-union agenda), but none will post an example of a better short-term contract. |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:16 am Post subject: |
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http://www.westgate.co.jp/application/
When you phrase it that way, as 'best short-term ESL contract', I suppose it would be difficult to argue with.
It is interesting though that they have instructors put up in their housing (furnished at 81,000 yen a month) and require you to enroll in the national health insurance program in Japan even though it's a part-time contract. I thought the reference to forbidding using a bicycle or car to go to work was 'interesting' as well.
| Quote: |
| Pursuant to Westgate's contract with our university and junior college clients, our instructors are to be physically present at their assigned campus for nine consecutive hours each teaching day. The "on-campus" hours do NOT include commuting time. |
Ouch.
| Quote: |
| Each school day typically consists of 9-12 40-minute class periods for extracurricular courses and 4-5 90-minute periods for accredited courses. Instructors will teach a maximum of seven classes a day, requiring one to four lesson plans. In addition, instructors will have one or two preparation periods and one period for a break. Instructors will spend the rest of her/his day for lunch and what we call "English Challenge," in which students can freely talk to instructors, ask specific questions about English or study special topics. |
Definitely sounds like a 'challenge'.
There are other ESL programs that pay for your flight home (not in Japan), but I am not sure how 'short term' they are. |
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mdoor
Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:06 am Post subject: |
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| gaijinalways wrote: |
When you phrase it that way, as 'best short-term ESL contract', I suppose it would be difficult to argue with... |
For both of my Westgate assignments I was in Japan less than 3 calendar months. It is a short-term contract, not sure how else you would phrase it. Also not sure why people tend to compare Westgate contracts directly to a year long contract.
You are scheduled to be on campus AT MOST 9 hours a day, in my two contracts I was never on campus that long. For me, each day was 4 to 6 scheduled 40 minute classes (90% of the time it was 5), plus one 40 minute �English challenge� period, where students can come and practice speaking English free-forum each day. I was usually on campus around 7 hours, 20 mins, or so.
81,000 yen a month for housing is �all-in�. That includes utilities, internet, all basic linens, appliances, dinning, cooking gear, etc. No cleaning fees, admin. fees, key money or deposits, etc. required. High as a monthly rate on a year long rental. A very good rate for a "turn-key", short-term rental. Pro-rated down for any partial months to only the actual days I was staying in the apartment.
I thought the assignments I had with Westgate were not overly challenging or overburdening. Especially, since I knew I only had to keep to the schedule for less than 3 months. The students pay extra to be in your class, most seem to be very interested in learning / improving their English speaking skills and they had a great attitude. The class sizes are small, sometimes just 1 on 1. At the end of the day, I felt I had worked a full day to be sure, but felt satisfied that it was a good teaching experience. |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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Most people have looked at Westgate because a lot of people use it as an intro to living in Japan. I would put it in the same category as Nova for that purpose.
| Quote: |
| You are scheduled to be on campus AT MOST 9 hours a day, |
If that is true, great, but that is not what they put on their website.
| Quote: |
| 81,000 yen a month for housing is �all-in�. That includes utilities, internet, all basic linens, appliances, dinning, cooking gear, etc. No cleaning fees, admin. fees, key money or deposits, etc. required. High as a monthly rate on a year long rental. A very good rate for a "turn-key", short-term rental. Pro-rated down for any partial months to only the actual days I was staying in the apartment. |
There is cheaper lodging available, especially outside of Tokyo where 81k a month would be pretty expensive. But if the plan was only for 3 months... |
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mc
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Posts: 90
Location: Aichi, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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| gaijinalways wrote: |
There is cheaper lodging available, especially outside of Tokyo where 81k a month would be pretty expensive. But if the plan was only for 3 months... |
From what I understand, you're not compelled to use Westgate accommodation. If you have your own or can find cheaper, then go for it. |
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mdoor
Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:14 am Post subject: |
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| gaijinalways wrote: |
| If that is true, great, but that is not what they put on their website. |
Yeps, the point of my posts is to allow people to interpret what is written on the website with the insight of first hand experience. May I respectfully ask the point of your posts? I ask as there is a skew on this forum against dispatch companies. Is tough to have a straight discussion about Westgate without dodging a lot of potshots taken at the outfit.
| mc wrote: |
| gaijinalways wrote: |
There is cheaper lodging available, especially outside of Tokyo where 81k a month would be pretty expensive. But if the plan was only for 3 months... |
From what I understand, you're not compelled to use Westgate accommodation. If you have your own or can find cheaper, then go for it. |
Yes, you're right. However, for me I thought the place arranged by Westgate was fine. It was small but modern and efficient with everything I needed including a washing machine.
I started checking around at the end of my first contract to see if I could get cheaper accommodation during my second contract. I could find some at a similar price but there was a lot of fine print about cleaning fees, admin. fees etc. so it was not so clear what I would pay in the end. If everything worked out in the best case scenario, I figure I would have saved about $200 USD over the whole of the rental term finding a place of similar quality with similar amenities on my own. I would have lost all of the savings if some of the mystery fees came up at the end of the rental.
I found places that were cheaper and they seemed okay, but they were even smaller and had shared bathroom and/or shared kitchen with coin opp washing machines. If I was willing to go with some combination of shared facilites, I could have saved between $600 to $850 USD over the 3 months, but in the end I could not be arsed.  |
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FloridaTEFL
Joined: 03 Apr 2005
Posts: 66
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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Since WestGate would be the employer, how would this look on a resume? Do you think other potential universities would consider your work through WestGate to be reputable, even though it was through a dispatch agency?
Do any of you list the university you worked at (through WestGate) on your resume? |
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mdoor
Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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| FloridaTEFL wrote: |
Since WestGate would be the employer, how would this look on a resume? Do you think other potential universities would consider your work through WestGate to be reputable, even though it was through a dispatch agency?
Do any of you list the university you worked at (through WestGate) on your resume? |
The most popular program offered by Westgate is the �university program�. It consists of extra-curricula classes and would likely be viewed on par as teaching at a private academy. However, you can highlight that you are primarily teaching university students, even if it is only non-university credit conversation classes.
I do not list the specific universities that I taught at with Westgate. However, I should note, I am not seeking direct hire employment as a traditional university teacher. |
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