Job Discussion Forums

[Trinley]

I'd like add to this thread and share my experience working for Westgate for future job hunters.

I've been working for Westgate for 2 months. Most of the people I met at the initial training were returning teachers, so I gather that most teachers are reasonably happy with the company. My coworkers are. I don't find it awful, but its not good. A short list of the good and bad:

Good--
--flight and housing arranged (though housing is not free)
--easy to teach, pre-planned lessons, no papers to grade
--helpful staff (they offered to give me an advance when my bank card was stolen, didn't even have to ask)
--pay is decent. I see a lot of people complaining about high cost of living in Japan, but I'm not having any problems saving 1000 US a month. Depends on lifestyle, shopping, drinking etc.
--I get a commuter card for work so I don't have to pay for transport.

Bad--
--my workday is terribly long. I leave at 8:30am and get back at 8pm. I'm not teaching that whole time, but still, it's time consumed by this job.
--paperwork. I have to write up a lesson plan for each day, even though a lesson plan is already given. Then I have to write feedback comments for the lesson. I have to do assessments for each student at the end of term.
--I hate the fact that I have to stay in my classroom until my designated time to leave, even if I don't have a class scheduled for the last period.
--after the long workday, there are still more tasks they request me to do in my free time, like thinking up goals for the students and doing follow-up training.


Other comments--

From my interview, I got the feeling they want to hire teachers who agree to take the housing, which is probably overpriced. The interviewer was rather insistent on that point.

As many have commented, we don't work directly for the university. That may bother some people who are attracted to a prestigious work title. It doesn't bother me that I'm not called 'professor', but they do let the students believe that we are teaching university classes. As my PC said, 'Students don't know what Westgate is. They think this is a university class.'

I had thought I would renew when accepting this job, but after a month of getting home from work at 8pm, I decided not to. Overall, it's a decent way to see Japan for a short time and decide if you want to stay longer and look for work elsewhere. I wouldn't want to do it again though.

[Glenski]

[Trinley]

The post is intended for people who are considering working for Westgate.

[Glenski]

So is mine.

[createdculture]

thanks for the info!