Job Discussion Forums

[nighthawk]

I�m putting myself out there, so try not to heat the pins and jab them in. If I wanted to be flamed, then I�d set myself on fire. I'm not looking to get into TEFL in order to chase tail or backpack or get drunk or whatever, so save your hostility for them, not me! I�m not looking to be unfairly criticized, pigeonholed, or to be the scapegoat of someone�s frustration. What I�m looking for is good advice, so let�s try to keep that in mind. Thank you. I'm only saying this because I've seen a lot of people get flamed on here.

I�m a 24 year old American male. I graduated from a liberal arts university where I majored in German. Since I graduated, I�ve taken a graduate TESOL class (Second Language Acquisition), and I�ve taken a French class. I�ve traveled all over the states, into Canada and the Bahamas, and I�ve been to Europe a few times. I�ve even been to Israel. I spent a semester in Germany when I was in college. I liked learning about German and the Germans, and I loved and love a lot of German literature and philosophical and psychological writings, but there are other places and cultures, and my curiosity has lured me away from home and what I majored in. Sticking with TEFL as a career makes sense to me, especially since I�m really interested in languages and cultures, and I have a lot of experience in the language classroom, even though it�s been on the other side.

The idea of working in a language school where I�d be expected to teach like a used car salesman/robot isn�t very alluring. Who in their right mind would want to be taken advantage of and be a corporate tool? If I wanted to be a conformist/used car salesman/robot/mindless zombie, then I could do that here for more money. What I want is to work in a job that I can be good at and make some kind of difference and where I�ll feel creative.

So, considering the money dilemma, here�s how my train of thought has gone. �Well, I�ve been interested in Latin America for a while now, but I�ve heard the money there is not very good save maybe Mexico City and Santiago, Chile.� So, I checked out the job journals and heard some bad things about the unstable economy in Chile, Chileans, and their dialect of Spanish. Plus, not many people seem to go there, so that makes it harder to make contacts down there, and I think having good contacts in a new environment is extremely important. Alright, scratch Chile. But Mexico City? �Could I live in a city with 20 million plus people that has a lot of crime, where I would stand out as a supposedly rich gringo? Maybe, but maybe not.�

�Well, seeing that America screws it youth over, by making paying for college hell and seeing that I will want to get an M.A. if I decide TEFL is definitely for me after I�ve taught some more abroad, I�ll need to work someplace where I can make some money. I figure I will need about $10,000 for graduate school. What about the Middle East?� Then I turned on CNN and saw how Westerners have been treated there in the past year or two, and since the war in Iraq, Americans are more unpopular than ever, especially in the Middle East. �Hmm. OK, scratch the Middle East. What about Asia? I�ve heard a lot of newbies go to Korea.� Then I read the Korea job journals and the Korea forum and saw the horror stories and thought, �Yeah, they go to Korea because they�re new and don�t know any better. I�ve been screwed enough. I want to minimize that in the future.� Then I thought, �What about Taiwan?� So I read the Taiwan job journals and the job forum and thought, �Hmm. Maybe, but maybe not. Wouldn�t Japan be better? If I end up not even going into TEFL, wouldn�t I be gladder that I had put time into learning Japanese than I would if I had put time into learning Min, Hakka, or Mandarin?� So here I am in the Japan forum seeking the advice of Glenski and company.

�Still worried about money. I know it sounds shallow, but what�s a boy to do. It�s a practicality of life. More money can mean more options and freedom, assuming you don�t give up too much to get the money. What about the Peace Corps? How about the JET program?� Well, they each require three recommendations. Seeing that I haven�t been back to my alma mater in two to three years, I wouldn�t feel comfortable going back there to ask for recommendations. Also, I have too much pride to do that. I don�t want to ask people who have already given me so much for something else. Also, people at my alma mater wouldn�t be able to say much about my teaching abilities anyway because I didn�t have any formal teaching experience while I was there, seeing that I didn�t take any classes in the education department.

�Hmm. Boy oh boy. I feel stuck! I suppose I could take out more student loans and go to grad school for that M.A. TESOL. If I did well, then there would be people there who could write recommendations for me in the future. I could also volunteer teaching EFL this summer and maybe do my practicum when I�m getting my M.A. TESOL at the same place, so someone there could write me a recommendation on down the line. I could be a substitute teacher to get teaching experience, but I don't know about that. I saw how substitutes were treated when I was in school.

I've talked to the director of the M.A. TESOL program at the major university in my city. He said I�d have to take a few classes toward a TEFL certificate and do well in them just to prove myself and get into an M.A. TESOL program, and of course I�d have to take the GRE. Fun fun. Ahh...�

So, master EFL teachers, what do you say? Should I risk it in Mexico City, where I think I could save some money, but spend a lot of time on the subway commuting and a lot of time doing simple things that take ten times longer to do in Mexico than they do in the U.S. -- I�m still not sure how much I could make in Mexico City. I�m looking into that. -- and hope I don�t get burnt out there? Should I go straight to grad school even though I�m not really sure TEFL is for me? (Not that I would know what to do with myself if it turns out not to be). Do you see any other options for me? Maybe I�m missing something. Well�?

[PAULH]

Excuse me,

Im not sure if you noticed but you have posted in the Japan section of Daves- are you interested in teaching in Japan? Otherwise you may get little response to your question.

[PAULH]

Sorry I read your post again about seeking help from Japan-based teachers.

If you are interested in teaching in Japan an MA is desirable though you would be considered overqualified for many teaching positions at conversation schools. With an MA you can get positions part time teaching at companies or at universities here but they also require publications for full time positions, teaching experience and you reallly have to be in the country if you want a realistic shot at being hired. You will also need contacts for job leads as well.

You dont actually say whether you are interested in Japanese culture or in the language, or whether money is at the top of your list of priorities- are you sufficiently interested in japan that you would be prepared a good portion of your twenties and even your thirties working yourself into a good position? I can only speak from my experience but in Japan things dont happen overnight and it will take you a while to get settled, learn the language develop contacts etc.

What kinds of jobs are you looking for and where do your interests lie? Do you want to work in a conversation school, a high school or a univesrity here? what are your hot buttons for deciding on Japan?

Its pretty hard to give concrete advice without knowing what some of your goals are- it is possible to get an MA in TESOL while working in Japan, but it costs about $20,000 tto get one, and you want to be really sure that teaching is what you want to do. Most of the teachers here in the Masters programs are already working here, have some experience of teaching and want to upgrade their qualifications. Im not saying you cant do the same, and you may be able to get your TESOL degree before you come- your post sounds like a cry for help and you want someone to help you decide waht you should do with your life. The posters in Japan can give you advice of course based on the information we have but I would need a little more information on where you see yourself headed.

[nighthawk]

PAULH wrote:

[Celeste]

Well, Nighghthawk, you are a long read, but I think I understand where you are coming from. I would advise against going to Mexico to work unless the money ABSOLUTELY doesn't matter. ("Mom- could you wire me some money, I want to come home now...)


I think that you will probably be able to find employment in Japan, but you can pretty well forget about Universities here unless you already hold at least a master's degree and have publications to your name. Also, as far as I know, the international schools require you to have a teaching license in your own country. That leaves you with conversation schools(private businesses, run for profit) and ALT (assistant language teacher) positions in public schools.

If you really don't like children, you may have a hard time in Japan, because almost all conversation schools that I know of require their teachers to teach at least some kids' classes. There are more ALT positions in Junior High than any other age group, so you really do have to like young teenagers to do the job.

Of the bigger conversation schools, I have heard more positive comments about ECC. Of the companies that provide ALTs to schools, I have heard that Altia is pretty good.

Does any of this help? Good luck.

[PAULH]

Having said all that, I'll make my questions more direct. What do you think of option one, going to Mexico, not making a lot, and being faced with having a bunch of student loans if I decide TEFL is for me and I go for the M.A.?

I have no idea about teaching in Mexico, but I do know that all things considered, cost of living is much cheaper in Mexico, as are salaries, and its closer to the US. If you plan to get an MA in TEFL or otherwise start on a teaching career it should be possible to find good paying jobs that you cant get with just a BA. Its the same anywhere in the world you go- with a Masters degree the world becomes your oyster, you become more valuable to the marketplace. Obviously you dont wnat to rack up $30,000 in debt just so you can work for peanuts in Cancun. I knew teachers from the US working in japan that had $100,000 in student loans but were able to chip away at them by working in Japan.



What do you think of option two, possibly finding work in Japan as a newbie, learning some Japanese while enduring the work as an EFL teacher for a year or two, and then heading into grad school in a situation in which I'd be able to pay for most or all of it?


thats pretty much the path I took, coming with a BA, worked at NOVA for a few years and developed contacts. I went to grad school at 27 and finished the Masters in 3 years. You will need a job working at a language schools etc to pay for tuition anyway (or pick up part time work at a college) and its possible to do distance learning degrees in Japan. There are two American universities with campuses in Japan you can do MAs (and one to doctorate level). You can pay as you go, doing one or two courses here and there. i have written an article on line about my Temple degree in Japan http://www.teachinginjapan.com/continuinged.html which should provide some answers for you.



(Either way I go, I think I will want to return to Japan to teach at some point). Would it even be possible for me to find work in Japan? Keep in mind what I said in my first post about my qualifications and about the references problem. Oh, and again, tell me what it takes to find a job in the following types of schools in Japan:
1) a language school (native speaker of English, 4 year university degree for the work visa, (experience and teaching qualifications preferred but optional)


2) an international school
Bachelors or Masters degree, a recognised teaching qualification and previous teaching experience (preferably overseas but also in Japan) in the subject you will be teaching. They do teach ESL to non-native speaking students but international schools are just like elementary schools back home with western curriculums and native speaking teachers etc. For a look at international schools go to http://www.tokyowithkids.com and scroll down the page



3) a high school

I havent taught in a high school but they commonly ask for a bachelors degree (for visa) and/or Masters degree; ESL/EFL experience, a teaching qualification (TESOL/CELTA etc) ad previous teaching experience in a high school helps. In japan a lot rests on WHO you know as well as WHAT you know. Contacts are everything here.



and 4) a university.

this is my area- part time you mostly need a Masters degree in English, linguistics, TESL or a related subject.
(some will say you dont but those are mostly lower ranked schools and now non-Masters holders are getting weeded out in favor of graduates)
Previous teaching experience working in a college preferred. Japanese skills optional. For non-tenured full-time positions you need a the above plus at least 3 academic publications, preferably published in a refereed journal. Many now ask for a resume in Japanese as well as video of your teaching. University jobs are highly competitive and there are a lot of hoops to jump through. the last couple of jobs I have applied for have had several dozen candidates for one position. Non-tenured jobs usually have a 1-3 year contract attached, some with housing.

If you want to go the whole hog and seek tenure (associate professor, full professor) you will need a minimum of a phD, previous teaching experience a list of publications and/academic presentations.you will need to satisfy all of the conditions they ask for (and there are usually alot e.g. under 35, have PhD, experience in teaching computer studies, japanese ability etc)

PS there was a recent post on here about the possibility of PhDs getting jobs in Japan- some schools will hire a PhD becuase of the name and the school they went to, but you also have to consider the fit of the candidate to the teaching environment. Someone with a PhD from an American unievsrity but speaks no Japanese and faced with a freshman class of English majors who cant speak English nor knows how to teach a conversation class may be in for a rough time. The story I heard of the guy lasted two months and was unceremoniously shipped back to the US despite his pedigree, as the whole teaching situation is different than what he was used to in the US where students actually STUDY.



What are the necessary qualifications/credentials for each of these types of schools? Alright, later people and thanks for putting up with my indecision.

[PAULH]

[nighthawk]

Celeste and PAULH, thank you. Yes, your comments do help. I was concerned that I was going to get attacked. Hey, it�s happened before when I�ve posted. Iit�s nice you two have taken the time to talk at my level. I�m still wavering about whether to restart going for the M.A. this fall or to go to Japan. Anyway, here are some more questions.

Celeste wrote:

[PAULH]

PAULH, it seems to me that there is a contradiction between what you and Celeste have said. Can anyone clarify what the necessary qualifications are for teaching at an international school in Japan? PAULH, I�m just not sure what you mean by �a recognized teaching qualification.� Do you mean a teaching license for a U.S. state (or a Canadian or Australian or British or South African equivalent) like Celeste was referring to above?

My daughter attends the international school in Kyoto- the acting principals are Canadian and Australian teaching staff come from the US, UK France, Japan and New Zealand. Most of them have teaching licences from their own countries before they came here as well as previous experience. That means a diploma certifying you to teach in an elementary or secondary school- not sure what that is in the US but it would indicate a state teaching licence.

Best idea would be to go to the international schools link on http://www.tokyowithkids.com, look at some off the school webpages and see what they ask for in terms of credentials. Most of them have a Bachelors degree as well as teaching qualifications from their own countries,as well as those done by distance learning.

PAULH, so are you saying that to get a �recognized teaching certification� that I would have to go to college here for four more years, or are you saying that I would only have to go get one of those four-week CELTA/TEFL Certificates to get a �recognized teaching certification?�


The kids at my daughters school are not being instructed in ESL as their teacher is a native speaker of English and they are learning in English. they study Math, Science, Science etc just as they would in the US elementary school system. Some of the the students are Japanese and Koreans and take ESl as an elective. if their English is weak. IMHO a CELTA will not be much use teaching at an international school as CELTA is aimed at adults and you will be teaching anything from Kindergarten up to 12th grade.



What are Japanese high school students like? What are the junior high/middle school students like?

Hmm. I thought Japanese students studied a lot.

Japanese study so they can pass university entrance exams, and they also go to cram schools to revise what they cant cover in class. "Jukus' are like a form of supplementary education and is seen as vital for ensuring students success in passing the exams. They study not so much to acquire knowledge and learning, but memorise it rote-style for the examinations. Classes used to be held on saturdays but the Ministry of Ed has done away with those in a new revised curriculum to make students relax more. All it has done is give the teachers more work as they have to catch up during the week.


Is that stereotype actually inaccurate? Are you saying that U.S. university students study more than Japanese university students?

Once students enter university the pressure to study drops off and they are assured almost automatic graduation. Students undergo a delayed maturation process as they do things they didnt have time for in high school e.g dating part time jobs. My students in terms of maturity are like high schools students.

In the US it is opposite- it is easier to get into college but harder to graduate so students study once they get into university. Now in Japan because of failing school rolls any one who sits the exam is virtually assured of entry to their school of choice so now students study less and the academiuc levels are dropping here as well.


A lot depends on the students- I teach at a technical university which is in the top rank and produces architects, engineers who work for Sony Canon and Matsushita. they study hard for their majors but as English is not a major its a bit of a soft option. In Japan even if kids sleep through the course but still attend they can pass on attendance alone.


/b/If what you�re saying is true, then there�s a bleak situation in Japan because from what I�ve heard and noticed, U.S. university students have been getting worse over the past few years./b/

/b/I�d like to hear more about this. How good or bad are Japanese students? How do they rate compared to U.S. students and students in other countries you (whoever is reading this) have taught? Are they really that much worse? /b/

Worse than what? What you are doing is measuring them against the cultural yardstick of the American education system which they have no part of- its like comparing apples and oranges. The meaning of a university education is different here, as students would go to university so they could work for big companies or become ministry bureaucrats which is where the status jobs were. In the US you go to university to gain knowledge get a degree or become a lawyer or a doctor etc.

My students have spent six gruelling years studying to get into university and by the time I get them they are spent and burnt out. University is a time for relaxation, letting their hair down and catching up on the fun they missed in high school.

There are also different levels of university as well- I teach at a good one now but in the past I taught at several where the kids were what i would call 'thick', unmotivated and lazy, with no interest in doing anything. Just bums on seats waiting for graduation.




There was a post on the general forum about where (what countries) the laziest students are. So where are the best students -- in what countries and what kind of schools?

Like the US there are top rank students in Japan as well as the dregs.
Top of the heap is Tokyo University (but the kids there tend to be social morons with undeveloped social skills as all they have done is study- very bright but they tend to be rather 'nerdy'.)

BTW My wifes nephew is doing a Masters in Engineering at Kansai University- he is in the top 5 in his year with top scores and can pick and choose any career he wants- he wanted to be a pilot but decided to go into robotics etc instead.

What schools you get into depends on what scores you get in your preliminary entrance exams- they juku teachers and high school teachers tell you what school you have a chance of getting into based on your test scores so thats why HS students study so hard.




Also, how does the school year work in Japan? How much vacation time do you get per year if you work at 1) a language school

At NOVA 10 days a year after you have worked 6 months. At ECC up to 7 weeks. Average is 2-3 weeks plus national holidays.


2) an international school

My daughters school has 3 terms and I would say she gets about 3-4 months vacation during the year.


3) a high school and 4) a university.
Students get 5 months vacation a year- so do teachers if you are part time. I work full time so I get about 30 days off a year as I keep office hours even during vacations.


And when (what dates or seasons) do you get that vacation time?

University Spring term is from April to mid July and then the fall semester is from Sept-October through to mid-late January.

Thanks for your time. [quote][/quote][/i][b][/b]

[PAULH]

"Hiring of staff: local advertising, occasional recruiting trips, response to applications received by mail and internet. Teachers come from 10 countries, no policy regarding teachers nationality. Candidate requirements: teaching qualifications in their native country, at native-speaker level of competency in English although they do not need to be native speakers."
- Previously known as the Japan International School (JIS), now combined with Aoba-Japan school in Meguro, founded in 1980 (The Meguro campus was founded in 1976 and is only for children ages 1.5 to 6 years).
Seisen International School (not related to St. Mary's though they share many activities)
1-12-15 Yoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-0097
Tel: 03-3704-2661, Fax: 03-3701-1033
Ms. Virginia Villegas, School Head
Email: sisinfo[at]seisen.com
Website: http://www.seisen.com/
- Preschool to grade 12
- Girls only except for coeducational Montessori kindergarten
- enrollment 680
- International Baccalaureate in High School
- Accredited by ECIS and New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the European Council of International Schools
- "Hiring of Staff: only through recruiting fairs. Current teachers: mainly US and UK but others as well. Requirements: Education degree, at least 2 years experience"
53 Matsugo, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-0027
Tel: 042-946-1911
Fax: 042-946-1955
Douglas Quarrington, Principal
Tetsuo Yosikawa & Natsuko Miora, administrative assistants
E-mail: principal[at]columbia-ca.co.jp
Website: Japanese -- http://www.columbia-ca.co.jp
Website: English -- http://www.columbia-ca.co.jp/englishtop.html
- Established in 1988
- Elementary, Junior and Senior High Schools, coeducational, grades 1 to 12
- Bilingual (English/Japanese) and Englsih immersion programs
- Multiage classes up to grade 9
- Grades 9-12 on credit System
- Accredited Canadian Curriculum (Province of Ontario)
- WASC accreditation pending
- Diplomas: Ontario Secondary School Diploma, Columbia Honor Diploma, Columbia Diploma
- Certificates: Ontario Secondary School Certificate, Certificate of Accomplishment
- All teachers have undergraduate degrees and Bachelor or Master of Education Degrees.
- The school has wireless laptop capability.
- Brochures and Course Calendars available upon request.
- Ten minute walk from the Higashitokorozawa Station

[guest of Japan]

Nighthawk, I think I can cover some of your questions, but not all.

International schools: You must have a teaching license in your home country. And honestly that's a bare minimum qualification. I'm a NY certified teacher with a few years teaching experience in NY and a few years teaching at a lnguage school in Japan and I couldn't even get an interview for the international schools I applied to. I'm sure I was passed over in favor of people with Masters Degrees.

To get teaching certification in America you do not need to go back for another 4 years of college. Many universities have one year accreditation courses for people who already have a degree. Of course that will make you a qualified German teacher, which won't do you much good in Japan. I hate to be blunt or condescending, but I think you can rule out international schools.

Universities are a time to relax for most Japanese students. It is true that the average Japanese Jr. High and High school student studies harder than their American counterpart, but Universities are far more advanced in America.

I'll hand this over to Paul and Celeste now as both of their responses have been outstanding.

[Glenski]

I have worked in a language school, and I currently work in a private high school. First thing, bear in mind that private schools are different than public schools. I hope someone working in a public school writes here (besides JET ALTs).

Japanese HS students have to study to pass the entrance exams for college, yes. Their junior year (2nd year in HS) seems to be the toughest. Motivation is at an all time low then. In private schools, the focus is on club activities to make the kids happy, but they overload them with such things, and there is no corporal punishement system, nor is there any academic probation for the athletes. They are pretty much pushed through.

In their final year, they only have to attend from April to December, because after that, they are studying full-time for the entrance exams. It's nice for teachers who have those students because you get paid for not teaching from January to March. However, it's a real pain to get their attention after summer break because they've already been selected for the "escalator schools", and they just don't care about their classes anymore.

Up where I teach in Sapporo, discipline is not so bad, but there is a vast difference between foreign and Japanese teachers. I have passed by Japanese teachers' classes and seen half a dozen kids sleeping, but the teacher does nothing. They never sleep in the foreign teachers' classes because we don't let them!

All that said, I used to think Japanese students studied harder than their western counterparts. Now, I'm not so sure. They have a plethora of days off, despite the entrance exam studies. I'm talking about having the whole school off when the baseball team plays, because they don't schedule games after school. This week my whole school has canceled classes for 3 days because of various sports games, and on a 4th and 5th day, they have to rearrange the schedule because some (not as many) sports events take place, all during the day. They learn most of their classes by rote memorization, and I've rarely seen anyone take homework home, because in my school they stay from 7 to 7 in clubs or in after school projects. Only this year did my school decide to give homework to the 2nd year students! I've never seen a Japanese student volunteer an answer, or even be asked a question by a Japanese teacher in the classroom. Teachers lecture for the whole period. (In my hometown, we had lectures for 3/4 of the period, then had time to study or do reading or questions.) Kids are astounded that foreign teachers require notebooks in class, and they aren't used to it, so they often "forget" them. The exams they take are pretty easily laid out in my opinion. Comprehension tests have their questions phrased almost word for word so it's easy to dip back into the paragraphs and find the answer in many cases.

We have junior high school students at the other end of the school, and even though I don't teach them, my foreign co-workers do. These kids are given English classes pretty much as recitation lessons. My foreign co-workers have said that trying to introduce pair work and small group work lessons is working, but it's a pretty new concept here. Students are incredibly energetic and sponge-like in absorbing knowledge, but once they hit high school with all of the activities they have to participate in, their moral falls.

One last note: the Saturdays that were canceled were for public schools only. Private schools had an option to follow suit or not. Most of them did not.

[nighthawk]

PAULH wrote:

[Glenski]

[PAULH]

" How is it that the Japanese have come so far if they�re still studying like that, or should I just not even bother to ask? (What I mean when I say that they have come so far is for example, that they have done well in the car and electronics industries"

I havent worked at a high school so I can comment with any degree of accuracy. Howeverb after 15 years of living in this country, talking to students and some indepth reading on the topic of education (for an excellent book on higher education in Japan you should read "Japanese Higher Education as Myth by Brian McVeigh- available on amazon. Written by a teacher here with 10 years full time experience at Japanese universities) I know what students go through.

Students here are taught to memorise facts, not question the teacher defer to authority and just soak up information. They know how to work long hours (but the hours they do spend are rather inefficently used.
As Glenski points out- school and university trains them to be be willing and obedient servants for the companies they work out and teaches them to be team players. Many do not know how to use initiative, independence and if my students are any indication, lack common sense. they have to be told how to do everything and have things spelt out for them. Bright kids but they are like sheep. They go through their whole life being shepherded through the education system and university without once having to question what they are doing and why. they just do it becuase its been expected of them. Now students are graduating, cant find jobs, companies are laying off workers and students are left wondering whats the point of getting an education when you cant get a job at the end of it. Some of them are going to American universities in Japan or getting MBAs or CPA qualifictaions.

They have also done well in the electronics industries because they have had the full backing of the Japanese government behind them. Until recently companies were not allowed to fail and it was the government that picked winners and losers. Companies couold rund at a loss becuas ethey got huge tax concessions etc as long as they had market share etc.
thats why you could get Honda amd Mitsubishi undercutting everyone in the Us and running at a loss becuase they had the government backing them back home.

There is a big scandal here now because the 5th largest bank has gone under and the government is bailing it out to the tune of 2 trillion yen (not sure what that is in $US but my guess its like the US government bailing out Micrsoft or Cisco ) Students were almost guaranteed a job for life even if the company didnt make money- now the large companies are in the red, cant seel their products and are now throwing all their small suppliers overboard.




"Even though they don�t have a lot of land and natural resources, they�re still one of the world's richest countries, so I thought that they must just be outworking Westerners."

Japan believe it or not is not a rich country- individual corporations are wealthy but the government is deeply in debt and borrowing more money to stay afloat. Government Debt makes up about 50% of GDP while the US its about 5%. Japanese have felt wealthy becuase they have a good satndard of living, nice material items and nice cars andf they felt middle class. The large majority of Japanese dont feel wealthy as they live in tiny, badly built houses that take 35 years to pay off, and are worth less than what they paid for them.

The work also comes at a huge social cost- there are about 30,000 suicides every year- mostly middle aged company men who have been laid off, retrenched and retired early becuase of budget cuts and restructuring as companies cut the fat. Many have huge housing loans and college tution to pay for. Fathers work 60 hours a week at the office and come home at 11pm and their kids dont recognise them. Wives have their own lives outside their husbands.


"How could they have it together as adults if they're not being taught in a more rational manner when they�re young? And how do you go about getting a teaching gig at a public school? Does it require any more qualifications than teaching in a private school?"

"Oh, about the international schools: PAULH, I went to http://www.tokyowithkids.com. Whoever makes those sites for those international schools doesn�t make it easy to find what qualifications the schools expect teachers to have."

That is not a job site, its a site for parents interested in dinding out about International schools. its the only site I knwo that has all the schools in one place. teachers dont go there to find job vacancies but they conatct schools directly, send their resume or CV, or get a job through connections or Job postings. the Japan Times sometimes has job adverts for internatioal schools. As they are not conversation schools or Japanese schools, teachers wnating to work in one usually know what si required. It is falacious to assume that because you are etaching kids in their own language that you dont need certain qualificatiosn or training. Like university teaching- either you have the qualifications they ask for or you dont. Celeste and I have made quite clear what you need. If you dont have the qualifications you cant apply for them and there is no point whinging about it. International schools arent interested in whether or not you have to attend four more years at college to get a degree. Many teachers there have Masters degrees so they will wonder what you are bitching about.




"It does look like they would expect me to get a teacher�s license from my state. I can't see myself going back to school for four years to get licensed to teach K-12 ESL, and I'm pretty sure that's what it would take where I am".

thats your choice- I had to get myself a MA while working here full time. it tool me 3 years of part time study to get, and Im now in a PhD program. If you want to get these jobs you have to come up with the goods.



I'm looking into that further. The M.A. TESOL route looks better in comparison right now, but of course, it wouldn't surprise me if I changed my mind again.