|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 10:34 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| TokyoLiz wrote: |
Many private schools prefer foreign teachers who already have Japanese language skill and those who are acclimated to Japanese culture. They also want people with TESOL or middle school/high school preparation or certification.
My colleague and I have PGCE and TESOL, respectively. We teach our own classes.
JET provides a stipend for TESOL training, and a basic Japanese language training course. Those ALTs who have acquire both TESOL certification and language skills are valuable and can likely find positions that pay more than entry level salary. |
But private schools can choose how they operate, with some major freedom. It's nice, but public schools are just a different beast. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 10:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Foreign teachers are not the only ones who can be lazy.
What about JTEs who
1. Don't speak English at work
2. Avoid foreign teachers
3. Don't plan or at least talk about lessons with the ALT |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
taikibansei
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 811
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 11:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| weigookin74 wrote: |
| Give lots of teachers 6 month sabbaticals studying English and TESOL at local universities with one to two months spent in an English speaking country like they do in Korea. |
The thing is, there currently are various programs which allow teachers to take time off and study more English at local universities...and even abroad. Few Japanese teachers of English take advantage of them willingly...even though the government pays most (in some cases all) the expenses. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 11:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Having JTEs study abroad is important in two ways
1. They get better at English
2. They learn a new culture
In my experience some JTEs were so intolerant and just expected foreign teachers to do things the "Japanese" way, and if they did not they could be ostracized or harassed.
JTEs must learn to deal with foreign teachers and must make allowances for their cultural background. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
Rxk22, absolutely, private schools can demand a lot more of their teachers, and may have the non-Japanese teach solo, hence the requirements.
JET ALTs I worked alongside, and some I've met recently, are already qualified teachers, or Japanese majors with solid literacy and communication before they arrived.
About public - some school boards in my area hire directly. They want TESOL qualified Japanese speaking staff. The BoEs advertise the jobs, but in reality, the hires are usually recommended or invited by other teachers in the community.
If you're working as an ALT for a hakken vulture, then a pulse and a suit are all you need. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
taikibansei
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 811
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
| rxk22 wrote: |
I think it would be amazing to simplify JET and make it so you can transition into a perm job within the BOE somehow. The ALT dispatches need to go, they simply stifle quality. Get people here, and retain them. That is how you get quality teachers. Constant turnover isn't the way, and they need to stop more or less encouraging turnover. |
Again, interestingly enough, MEXT (the Ministry of Education) agrees with you on this! Indeed, in 2005, MEXT sent out a letter to all public high schools and junior high schools requesting that they consider hiring "優れた" (highly talented) JETs/ALTs with "単独で授業を執り行う能力" (the ability to teach independently) to permanent contracts. (I have a copy of this 3-page letter.) Since then, MEXT has also instituted several new policies to make this possible.
As one example, this link takes you to the MEXT homepage for 特別免許状, which is the Japanese term for one type of license created for this very purpose:
http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/kyoin/1326555.htm
There are six links at this site. All are important. Several explain the general procedures AND include statements about how MEXT wants schools to apply for these special licenses in situations like highly talented ALTs.
In other words, MEXT has been asking public schools for over ten years now to hire good foreign ALTs to permanent positions. (Private schools can certainly utilize these policies as well.) Sadly, very few schools are taking advantage of these opportunities. Furthermore, too many foreigners are unaware of this...and too many schools are using their ignorance against them. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
Schools want to save money. They care most about this.
They don't seem to care about the quality of teaching.
They want limited contracts for foreigners, and sometimes even for Japanese.
I even heard of a university in Tokyo thinking about just outsourcing some teaching to Berlitz for 2017. So, they could get rid of part-time teachers and just leave it up to Berlitz. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 3:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
Taikibansei said
| Quote: |
| Again, interestingly enough, MEXT (the Ministry of Education) agrees with you on this! Indeed, in 2005, MEXT sent out a letter to all public high schools and junior high schools requesting that they consider hiring "優れた" (highly talented) JETs/ALTs with "単独で授業を執り行う能力" (the ability to teach independently) to permanent contracts. (I have a copy of this 3-page letter.) Since then, MEXT has also instituted several new policies to make this possible. |
I've held 特別免許 tokubetsu menkyo, special license on the merit of my TESOL diploma and years of teaching experience. The school initiated the process, not me.
What are the advantages for a school, besides allowing special licensees to teach solo? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
taikibansei
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 811
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 4:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
| TokyoLiz wrote: |
What are the advantages for a school, besides allowing special licensees to teach solo? |
You are allowed to perform any and all of the many duties expected of a teacher with a regular license, to include solo teaching and advising. However, more to the point, they don't have to conduct searches and do hiring every year in the hopes of finding a Japanese-capable foreigner able to do the job well...as they have you! 
(I've never understood the many schools who think having a revolving employment door is somehow good for students and their foreign teachers...yet complain about poor student performance, bad teaching and a lack of loyalty from those same teachers. If schools want loyalty and good teaching, they need to reciprocate...and pay.) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nemu_Yoake
Joined: 02 Aug 2015
Posts: 47
Location: Iwate
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
| The point is: do native speakers want to have the many duties of a licensed teacher? Because if they get a teaching license, even a special one, they'll probably be asked to do a bunch of them: clubs, meetings etc., won't they? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
taikibansei
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 811
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Nemu_Yoake wrote: |
| The point is: do native speakers want to have the many duties of a licensed teacher? Because if they get a teaching license, even a special one, they'll probably be asked to do a bunch of them: clubs, meetings etc., won't they? |
I agree that many foreigners (and many Japanese!) don't want these duties. Still, if you want long-term employment at a better salary, then in most cases you need to be prepared to do this other work too. However, if you're okay with yearly contracts and low salaries, then that's cool too.
That said, I know of private and public high schools which have made their foreign teachers take on the duties of a licensed teacher--promising tenure and better salaries--only to renege on these promises. (In other words, I'm talking about foreigners willing and able to do this other work.) Often, these schools lie to the teachers, blaming MEXT policy for their inability to get licensing for them or grant them permanent work. I'm just saying that in many (most?) cases, it's not MEXT but the fault of the local Board of Education and/or the individual schools. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 9:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yep, the obfuscation continues.
Never admit fault. Just blame someone else.
Schools just want to save money. There will be fewer students.
Keep getting new foreigners every few years. They love them "fresh".
In the future I think even more teachers will just have a BA since schools can pay them less, unless the school actually wants the students to learn. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nemu_Yoake
Joined: 02 Aug 2015
Posts: 47
Location: Iwate
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| mitsui wrote: |
| They love them "fresh". |
I disagree with this. It's really a pain in the neck to get accustomed to a new ALT every 2 or 3 years. And it's really hard on the teachers when you get a newbie to whom you have to teach everything.
The schools want stability, the BOEs want to save cost (with this, I agree).
In addition, I hear a lot of complaints from the teachers, schools and BOEs about how ALTs can't get used to schools' rules, a Japanese workplace and so on. One thing is sure: they don't want to take the risk to directly employ a person they don't know. But schools WANT to keep good ALTs who can adapt themselves to a Japanese workplace. And that means: speaking and writing Japanese (N2 level at least), working more like a "Japanese" than a "foreigner" (more duties, more saabisu zangyou etc.), and being able to adapt oneself to a Japanese workplace (meetings, manners, respect of kudaranai rules etc.). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 2:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
Taikibansei said
| Quote: |
| You are allowed to perform any and all of the many duties expected of a teacher with a regular license, to include solo teaching and advising. However, more to the point, they don't have to conduct searches and do hiring every year in the hopes of finding a Japanese-capable foreigner able to do the job well...as they have you! Very Happy |
I get it.
I'm already performing many of the duties of a regular teacher - teaching solo, writing syllabus and materials, teaching special koza, leading a club, attending (and sometimes chairing!) meetings, etc.
The admin has not mentioned tokubetsu menkyo to me. I don't know if it's wise for me to ask for one. As it is, I'm compensated well, enrolled in the teacher's association. and I can leave when my working hours are done (only occasional Saturday duties). Wouldn't I get heaped with more stuff to do if I had tokubetsu menkyo?
I work hard now, but I'm not run off my feet, working 'til 8pm like my Japanese colleagues.
Nemu_Yoake said
| Quote: |
| I disagree with this. It's really a pain in the neck to get accustomed to a new ALT every 2 or 3 years. And it's really hard on the teachers when you get a newbie to whom you have to teach everything. |
Some JTEs confide in me they are fed up with the constant turnover. Some just turn off when a noob ALT shows up. It's a chore for them to train the ALT new to Japan, the language and Japanese school culture. They have enough to do.
I have to admit that, when I did my one year JET ALT stint eons ago, though I had a TESOL diploma and a good five years of teaching experience, I had to learn a lot to function in Japanese schools. The BOE I was posted at supported me, but nobody around me spoke English besides the JTEs (and few of them could manage English communication).
Hakken companies bring over ALTs with possibly no TESOL, no experience, no Japanese, no nuthin'. And provide next to no support and charge the BOE huge yennies. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
|
| Posted: Sun May 01, 2016 10:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| taikibansei wrote: |
Again, interestingly enough, MEXT (the Ministry of Education) agrees with you on this! Indeed, in 2005, MEXT sent out a letter to all public high schools and junior high schools requesting that they consider hiring "優れた" (highly talented) JETs/ALTs with "単独で授業を執り行う能力" (the ability to teach independently) to permanent contracts. (I have a copy of this 3-page letter.) Since then, MEXT has also instituted several new policies to make this possible.
As one example, this link takes you to the MEXT homepage for 特別免許状, which is the Japanese term for one type of license created for this very purpose:
http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/kyoin/1326555.htm
There are six links at this site. All are important. Several explain the general procedures AND include statements about how MEXT wants schools to apply for these special licenses in situations like highly talented ALTs.
In other words, MEXT has been asking public schools for over ten years now to hire good foreign ALTs to permanent positions. (Private schools can certainly utilize these policies as well.) Sadly, very few schools are taking advantage of these opportunities. Furthermore, too many foreigners are unaware of this...and too many schools are using their ignorance against them. |
Thank you, I am going to look into this. I have a FT job now at a private school. But getting a license, and maybe even a perm job would be great. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
