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Brooks138
Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 9
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 Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 4:48 am Post subject: Value of an MA in Japan?? |
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I will complete my MA in TESOL December. Would that and 4 years ESL experience be enough to get a job at a university? If not how about a good position at a language school. I'm just looking for a good job at a place that takes the teaching seriously (but not too seriously) and where I can earn at least a little more with a higher degree. Can Japan be that place? Thanks in advance.
Brooks |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:53 am Post subject: |
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| How much are you hoping to make vs. save? |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:07 am Post subject: Re: Value of an MA in Japan?? |
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| Brooks138 wrote: |
I will complete my MA in TESOL December. Would that and 4 years ESL experience be enough to get a job at a university? If not how about a good position at a language school. I'm just looking for a good job at a place that takes the teaching seriously (but not too seriously) and where I can earn at least a little more with a higher degree. Can Japan be that place? Thanks in advance.
Brooks |
Brooks
a Masters degree will just get you an interview and a foot in the door. There are a number of other factors that are involved that you need to consider in order to get a job here. Do you want part time or full time, do you have publications, Japanese ability, applying within or from outside Japan? I can also tell you what the downsides are of (full time) university teaching.
PM me if you want more info- I have a Masters, publications, 5 years full time at a university here. |
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denise
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish
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| Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:11 am Post subject: |
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I came to Japan with an MA and two years of full-time teaching experience. No publications and no connections here, so regular university positions probably would have been beyond me.
I teach at an IEP program that is part of an American university. The setting is very university-esque, but I do not teach any credit-bearing college courses--just the preparatory English courses that qualify students to take the college courses. It's better than the standard eikaiwa salary/package, but not as good as a university position. I don't know how many other programs there are like mine in Japan--I don't think I've ever seen another one advertised, and my school... sigh... is being closed.
Oh, and my program requires MAs, and it takes teaching seriously. The teachers do, at least. The administration... hooooo boy, that's a whole 'nother story!
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Rice Paddy Daddy
Joined: 11 Jul 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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Denise, is the whole school closing or just the part of the school that you work in?
I've never heard of a unviresity just 'closing' up like that before! |
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Brooks138
Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| How much are you hoping to make vs. save? |
I haven't given that too much thought, but to save some would be nice. (I know Japan pays well, but is also rather expensive) To at least make my student loan payments is a goal. As for applying from within the country, I'm assuming that's the best chance I have of getting good work so that would be the plan. Also, I have no publications. Is that a big knock against me? And if university work is hard to get, what about good jobs at other types of schools. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I haven't given that too much thought, but to save some would be nice. |
You will do more than break even, but depending on your lifestyle and the amount of those student loans, it may take some doing.
How much per month do you have to pay off?
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| Also, I have no publications. Is that a big knock against me? |
For FT work, yes. For PT work, no, but you can't get a sponsor for a work visa with a PT employer.
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| And if university work is hard to get, what about good jobs at other types of schools. |
High schools, elementary schools, international schools... Just remember they start their terms in April, so from now until then, look for the job ads. |
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denise
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish
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| Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Rice Paddy Daddy wrote: |
Denise, is the whole school closing or just the part of the school that you work in?
I've never heard of a unviresity just 'closing' up like that before! |
It's a weird story that still fills me with anger/sadness. Basically both the Japanese administration and the American home campus in the States are pulling out after seeing years of dwindling enrollment and lost money. The university itself is going strong; we're just a satellite branch.
The parent company out here (the Japanese side that deals with all of the bureaucracy) is planning on opening a new program here--I'm guessing that it, too, will face problems, because the problems facing us now are not being addressed. (Low enrollment?!?!? No problem!! Let's just close the school and start a new one!!!)
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Rice Paddy Daddy
Joined: 11 Jul 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:32 am Post subject: |
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Interesting - private university, then, right?
Competition is strong.
Hopefully, they'll have a 'home' for you after all is said and done!
Good luck! |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2004 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Brooks138 wrote: |
| As for applying from within the country, I'm assuming that's the best chance I have of getting good work so that would be the plan. Also, I have no publications. Is that a big knock against me? And if university work is hard to get, what about good jobs at other types of schools. |
Brooks,
having publications or not is only a small part of the picture about getting jobs here. Assuming you want to get university jobs from within Japan you are going to need somewhere to live. You will need a postal address, a telephone so the school can contact you. Is the school you apply to within commuting distance of your house? Most schools will recommend you live within 90 minutes by train of your house. How will you get to the interview and what do you need to bring with you? Do you have a current CV, preferably one written in Japanese? Sometimes a school will ask that you have a health check, can you make arrangements for one of those?
For full time jobs, or even part time jobs that are advertised in TLT or have a lot of applicanst, they ask that you send applicationsand resume by registered mail with means you will spend up to $10 on first class registered mail by the schools deadline.
How many classes are they offering and can it fit in your schedule? What happens if they have classes 3 hours apart? (not likely but it does happen)
University jobs are hard to get as there is a floating population of part timers who may work at two or three universities, will know what the employment situation is at their school and they know when people come and go. Sometimes the school will ask them to recommend teachers to avoid an avalanche of resumes. I have helped people find jobs by posting notices on email subscriber lists which go out to hundreds of people.
That is not to say you dont have a chance if you are in Japan but you have to be like a soldier preparing for battle, do your preparation, get to meet and know people, look where the jobs are, find out what the school is asking for. IF you are in the US, the school has no way of knowing when you will actually get here or even whether you will make it past the airport. If you are here the school can meet you in person, work out whether you can work on the days they need people, it is convenient distance wise from your house, you can use the textbooks they ask you to use (or the ones you use are a good fit for their students, which they have to order 2-3 months in advance).
If you say have taught ESL they have no way of knowing if you have ever taught university level college classes, taught asian students and japanese (who by the way usually have to pass TOEFL in the US before the are in regular classes, and are more motivated to speak English). What experience do you have with low level, unmotivate students, maybe 20-30 to a class? Do you know how to manage a class, including discipline (not physical but you get the odd heckler, kids who do email or sleep in class)
Just a few ideas for you. |
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