Job Discussion Forums

[klute]

Gimp

To paraphrase yourself on the other Interac thread "Instead of dealing with the issues, my spelling is now being made fun of." I don�t know about you but I do not put these messages through grammar/spell checks. This is not a spelling bee, it�s discussion forum for employment issues in Japan. The reason I indicated your spelling error was because I was pasting a quote with an error in it . I will take the wrap for my spelling mistakes - which is pretty shocking at the best of times - not other people�s. The last time I pasted a quote on a forum I pasted �as is�, errors and all. I got ticked off by the person I was quoting from for poor spelling. So now I add a caveat. It was not a criticism. �Sic� is a perfectly common practice when quoting. I thought it a bit formal for a discussion forum.

So given that both our postings have spelling mistakes, along with 99% of other contributors I will quote you again "I'm still waiting for answers to most of my points.". Well, I am interested to hear your answer to just one - my Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:45 p.m. post - which in turn addressed your previous post about Interac work hours for a particularly low paid job.

And for anyone at Interac involved in the hiring process for this job, how about surreptitiously letting us know how many people applied for it. It would be interesting to know just how desperate the employment situation is in the ALT world - and if you take this job you are in a desperate situation.

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All right, let's get over the trivial stuff, including the spelling. It certainly looked like mine was being made fun of, and take a look at the previous postings making fun of my name, sexual orientation, being called evil etc. Too bad this website didn't have spell-check- I know I need it.

We seem to have serious differences over "facts" and I'm not going to re-state what I'm convinced is true. And let me make it clear that I too am disturbed over the noticeable decline in teacher wages in Japan, especially in the last year. There used to be all kinds of jobs close to 300,000 yen; now many are barely 250,000 and indeed some are lower.

What is going on? Too many teachers? Fewer jobs? Anyway it is a terrible situation, and I couldn't afford to work for those wages. I would NEVER work for under 200,00 a month at that Interac job, but maybe someone else would, and if the hours are reduced- as I believe they are- then who am I or anyone else to deny someone the job? But it is not Interac who is "destroying working conditions." They are simply just another private company working in a market situation.

Maybe it's the government's fault. Perhaps instead of letting anyone with a B.A. to come in, we should demand a teacher's certificate or a TESOL certification? How about a 250,000 a month law, or 3,000 yen an hour minimum? I know the minute my wages drop below 300,000 per month, I'm out of here.

Some people think it's the private, for profit schools. Perhaps, but I've seen some government run education facilities in Japan where the teachers have high, high wages and untouchable job security and the end result is the worst teaching I've ever seen anywhere. I know I'll get flack for this, but I also believe that too much goverment involvement and too much job security only make things worse.

So if you have some answers, let me know. I just don't believe Interac, Nova, Geos etc are cause of all the problems. The issues are much more complex than that.

[Iwantmyrightsnow]

[Tonester]

Gimp, I'm happy that you are deciding to be more civil here and finally tell us where you're coming from. I've been following your messages and the replies and thought I'd tell you my experience.

I'm an ALT on the JET Program in my 1st year and I get 277,000 after taxes because I'm in the public JHS System. I have noticed that JET is declining a bit with some prefectures phasing out JET ALT slots in favour of private institutions such as Interac, ECC and other companies that provide ALTs. The trend does not seem very good to me. Eventually JET may disappear all together and then the companies have a monopoly.

Don't take me as being hostile towards you but it really concerns me. Immigration has removed the 250,000 minimum and companies are taking advantage of this. I understand that companies are not the only culpable entities but should take their share of the blame. Some BOEs who directly hire are also just as culpable (non-JET positions I'm talking about in regards to that and I don't mean all of them by any means).

What you say is true, the ESL field in Japan has a big problem! I understand what you're trying to say and respect that, but the situation is declining so badly in not just JET but the whole ESL field! What we get is the watering down of ESL in Japan and not very much incentive for professionals to come to Japan at all!

I must admit, I have a BA in Japanese only but I intend to get a TESOL Diploma to increase my opportunities so please everyone do not tell me how I don't deserve to be here because I do intend to become a professional teacher during my tenure as an ALT by doing some more study. I just though I'd try it first before committing myself to the field. I love my job but it is a limited one at best in terms of time-of-employment restrictions.

In conclusion, how do you feel about the field in general? Aren't you concerned like I am? This also goes out to everyone in this thread.

[Gordon]

Tonester, I think you've brought up some valid points. I have only been in Japan for 2 years so I can't see if it has declined or not. I do know with the falling wages here that it will not induce many professionals to come and teach. I know that money isn't everything, but we all need to live. Frankly, I'd rather teach students from almost any other country than the Japanese, in terms of student motivation and lack of involvement. Don't get me wrong, I like being in Japan, but the teaching part is hardly rewarding.

Schools are not concerned with bringing in professional teachers, in fact the inverse is true. Professionals wouldn't stand for the crap the Big schools shovel. I for one wouldn't work a day for them, but I probably would have 8 or 10 years ago. The lowering of the wages in Japan won't change the quality of teaching too much here. However, there is a point as to how much a person will work for, hopefully the salaries won't drop any more. I think 250,000 is the minimum a person should get paid to live and work the long hours here.

I don't mean to slight those of you who are professional teachers and work at one of the big chain schools. Perhaps you've carved a comfortable niche for yourself where you are and don't want to risk going elsewhere. I understand because I've experienced the same thing elsewhere.

[Experienced]

Gimp wrote "...but I've seen some government run education facilities in Japan where the teachers have high, high wages and untouchable job security and the end result is the worst teaching I've ever seen anywhere""

Gimp, are you referring to the JICA/JOCV training facilities?

[Tonester]

Thanking you all for your replies! Now another point I'd like to make:

I have learnt that in order to teach solo at a Japanese school you need a teaching license. It is issued by monbukagakusho and their requirements are at least a TESOL Diploma from a reputable institution (does not have to be a full degree, and not a certificate either) with at least approx 130 hours of training. It's called a "Rinji Menkyo".

What that means is that those people with such qualifications can escape the eikaiwa mill and teach properly. Of course, you'd need to find a school and then get the support of the principal. Conditions may or may not be better but for more info refer to Glenski's thread comparing Japanese public and private high schools.

In reply to earlier points, I'd like to say that if there were a lot more places for people with TESOL/TEFL/TESL qualifications and those professionals were allowed full control of their syllabus maybe we could see an improvement here. Another point on that would be that even places with professionals working there may not render good results in terms of english ability due to some (not all I must emphasize) managers or principals or head teachers- highers up to be a little more general criticising the methods of the said professional teacher who may be more qualified than said superior and restricting the said professional teacher in terms of leeway in teaching curriculum and lesson planning.

I must admit I'm not sure but I think NOVA may be guilty of this charge. Please correct me if I am mistaken because I hate being misinformed and then shooting my mouth (or in this case; keyboard) off.

Tell me everyone, is this happening to any of you out there?

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I'm not familiar with JICA?JOCV, but I am interested in comparing private and public institutions. What is your knowledge of the above?

[PAULH]

[Mike L.]

Good points Paul. I'll add a few more.

[Iwantmyrightsnow]

I think rules for private schools may be different. I taught content based courses in a high school (as the sole teacher) even though I am only qualified to teach elementary.

Currently I am teaching EFL at a high school. Again I do this solo and am unqualified to do so.

[lajzar]

Thr rules for teraching licenses in Japan seem to be the same as for the UK. In the state schools, you need a licence to teach solo. In the private schools, no such requirement exists, but it is generally considered a good thing to have, as studying for it shows an intention to be a good teacher.

fwiw, I regularly teach EFL solo at a private high school here in Japan, and I have no teaching licence. And at least one of the teachers at my private school from when I was a student in teh UK did not have a licence.

[Tonester]

Paul,

Just to address your points. I think you have misunderstood me slightly. I actually meant getting that licence after my ALT tenure is finished, not before and perhaps teaching at a private institution. Sorry, I should have clarified that. I also meant curriculum control by less qualified people in private institutions as well. Your points are valid; especially in regards to the monbukagakusho.

I also didn't intend to market teaching in this field as an easy touch thing either. I intended to say that if you are suitably qualified; there are chances to teach in private high schools but you have to know people either already there or otherwise. It is possible to get a Rinji Menkyo but it doesn't happen unless you have a certain number of credits (in your degree)relevent to the field you're teaching and you have the support of the principal. I was not talking about getting a "seishiki menkyo" where you do have to study at a Japanese university for four years in order to work in the public system. I understand that a person like myself cannot and will never be able to teach solo in a public school and that is not what I want to do anyway.

Although I was really addressing private institutions, not monbukagakusho your points are interesting. As for the reality in terms of english teaching at schools, I am getting more aware because I'm still an ALT and will be for at least until september next year. I think the problem is quite serious because it gives the wrong idea about english and other languages and makes people study for all the wrong reasons. My impression is that teachers in my place teach the language like it's mathematics and that everything must be conformed to formulae.

I don't know about everyone else but I think that is very sad indeed. The harsh reality of it all is absolutely grim. Schools or anyone higher up will never cede control of their ESL curriculums and until they do, and until they hire permament full-time professional english teachers with sufficient contact hours Japan's ESL field will perhaps never get better. I'm not intending to whine but just put forward my perspective.

Here's a point of controversy:

I think that the following policy by monbukagakusho sounds good in theory but in reality will be difficult at best to implement.

http://www.mext.go.jp/english/news/2002/07/020901.htm
http://www.mext.go.jp/english/topics/03072801.htm

What do others think?