Job Discussion Forums

marblez · Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 248 Location: Canada

I would like to know if this is possible. I do not have a degree but I do not think I am unqualified. I will finish my BA in English and TESL certificate in July 2006. I have 10 months experience as a peer tutor and classroom assistant, and will be completing my first teaching practicum this summer (supervised by my TESL professor as part of the certificate program).

I would like to gain some solid teaching experience, which is needed as a prerequisite to become certified in Canada. My uncle taught English in Japan for about 10 years and is now the principal of a high school here in Canada. He told me that he could not find work until his degree was finished.

I do not know anything about visas, but from what I have read, it appears that I can obtain a "working holiday" visa. Is this wishful thinking? Should I just wait until after July 2006? The problem is that I may start my teaching certificate in September 2006, leaving no time to gain experience. Then again, without that experience, I cannot be admitted.

Thanks for the help.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Canadians are eligible for working holiday visas if they fulfill the requirements (no degree needed). See the link below. Just remember that you can use the WHV only once in your life, and only for one year. Also, since you are about 20 years old at my guess, you will be very young for a teacher. Unless you teach kids, your students will likely be twice as old as you.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html

marblez · Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 248 Location: Canada

21, yes. So should I stay home? I would really like to go, but if it's a bad idea...

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Far be it from me to tell you what you "should" do. I only tell people what situations they face and provide facts about teaching EFL.

You want to "gain some solid teaching experience, which is needed as a prerequisite to become certified in Canada." Ok, how much is needed, and how much time do you expect to spend on this, and when would you come?

And, is there any reason you have to do this in Japan rather than Canada?

If you are going to spend only a few months here, you should rethink things. Contracts are 99.99% for a year in length, and even though you could resign early, you would lose any year-end bonus amounting to airfare, and you would most certainly not break even on setup costs, and (my personal complaint) you would continue to perpetuate the image of foreigners as unreliable people who don't finish contracts.

chi-chi- · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 194 Location: In la-la land

Go on, go to Japan. There needs to be more and more foreign teachers I think. It would make things uncomfortable for some, but if you can get around the craftiness of the Japanese and go on working holiday, then by all means go for it.
I'm tired of seeing posts warning people away from Japan. I am personally recruiting lots of people from Korea and Taiwan to go since the living conditions are so good.
But if you're in your early 20's, stick to midtown Osaka or Tokyo. Otherwise, things are pretty damn lame.,
AND DON'T GO WITHOUT A VISA! But with a visa, you can walk into any job, it's yours for the taking.
I personally think Japan needs some new blood. People tend to go on power trips when they feel too comfortable with their positions. I am tired of reading all the hype about how crap Japan is. IT IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE A VISA. IT'S NOT IF YOU DO HAVE A VISA.
If you have a visa, go for it. Whoever else is reading this as well-JAPAN NEEDS LOTS OF FRESH NEW TEACHERS. Wink

CHI

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

marblez · Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 248 Location: Canada

Thanks to all. Why Japan? I am interested in all areas, however I have heard many great things about Japan from my aunt and uncle who both taught there for over 10 years. They were very successful and now operate exchange programs for Japanese students to study in Canada. Of course, I do not expect this sort of success at age 21! He got me interested in this profession when I was a young teenager.

The problem is that while I can easily find recruiters, I cannot find any recruiters with a good reputation. I am more than willing to take a year off from school in order to teach, but it has to be worth it. I would love to just set out on a plane and show up at their doorstep, but I do need a sense of security at this point of the game (dropping just one course will set me back an entire semester from graduation).

hamel · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 95

i remember when i was in university in the late 1980's that japan was a really popular place to teach english and make some good money--japan is still great, but i think the lucrative english teaching has dried up. korea is really popular with your canadians these days--and offers some good teaching opportunities to gain experience, but it is helpful to get your BA first. good luck.
hamel

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Marblez,

I don't think Glenski was discouraging you from teaching here. It's a great place to gain experience in TESOL, another language and culture.

I'd say you should wait until you're done. Because you don't have a completed degree, it is very hard to get hooked up with a job through a recruiter.

The SWAP program is a really good bet to getting you over here and working as a tutor or part timer. Check out

http://www.swap.ca/common/html/splash/

Celeste · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:13 am Post subject:

Marblez-
I think that Japan has a lot to offer someone in your position. Whether you decide to take the working holiday visa or wait until you have the degree and then get a full fledged working visa really depends on MONEY. (notice that dirty word doesn't get beeped!) On a working holiday visa, your options will be more limited as to where you can work. As well, you will pay more in taxes and I believe you have to prove to immigration that you can support yourself before you come. If you have some money saved up already and don't mind coming away richer in experiences only then come with the WHV. If making money in this year out of school is really important, then don't do it because it will be a bit of a gamble. If you are female, you will be in higher demand for small kids' classes. That is not to say that men don't also teach small kids, but right now there are fewer women around than men so there always seem to be schools advertising "female preferred" in their job ads.