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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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 Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 10:28 am Post subject: Let's talk about your privates |
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sorry about the title couldn't help myself
I’m familiar with some of the more conventional ways of getting private students but I was wondering if there were any other less orthodox ways that others have found successful. One limitation I do face is that my place of employment has prohibited me from teaching privately, that’s the official line some of the teachers do it on the sly but discretion is the order of the day. In other words taking out a full page ad in the local paper is not an option.
Thanks for any suggestions that work. |
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guest of Japan
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 1601
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 11:32 am Post subject: |
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| I took out an ad in the local paper and didn't get a single response. I have gotten a few from some of the free services on the net. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 11:39 am Post subject: Re: Let's talk about your privates |
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| markle wrote: |
sorry about the title couldn't help myself
I�m familiar with some of the more conventional ways of getting private students but I was wondering if there were any other less orthodox ways that others have found successful. One limitation I do face is that my place of employment has prohibited me from teaching privately, that�s the official line some of the teachers do it on the sly but discretion is the order of the day. In other words taking out a full page ad in the local paper is not an option.
Thanks for any suggestions that work. |
Im not sure exactly what your employer can do to you. You are on your free time outside work hours and teaching privates is not illegal.
I use Findateacher net from which I have got 4 or 5 students, you could try flyers in letter boxes, in front of the railway station or advertise at the local Kouminkan (community center). Nothing flashy, just your name and phone number and offer a free demo lesson.
Word of mouth is the best though, but you have to have some Japanese friends who will recommend you to their friends. |
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moot point
Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 441
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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I've never had any problems finding private students. In fact, I now find myself turning down several offers because of a lack of time.
Where do you live? If you're living in an urban area, why don't you try visiting a public place like the library, beach, or local pub? In all of those places, people have begged me to teach them privately. If you're in a rural area, your neighbours will find you.
One piece of advice from experience. I think it is important to charge accordingly for your services. In the past I've agreed to teach Japanese friends for a minimal fee but in the end they never took our lessons seriously. Similarly, I find myself teaching kids at a very low fee of 500yen for a 45-minute lesson (times 8 students) but many of these kids are not interested in learning English but the moms relish the low fee to enjoy their time in the afternoon to do some shopping and get dinner on while I babysit for them.
I've found 5000yen/hour per class to be a reasonable price. It's enough to weed out the parents looking for a babysitter yet cheap enough for 3 to 5 housewives to split the cost for a lesson. |
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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 1:18 am Post subject: Re: Let's talk about your privates |
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| Im not sure exactly what your employer can do to you. |
It was written into my contract, anyway they could not renew my contract, cut my end of contract bonus etc. Basically I like where I am teaching so I don't want to jeopardize my position there.
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| Word of mouth is the best though, but you have to have some Japanese friends who will recommend you to their friends. |
I agree but I've only been here a couple months and I don't have any friends not associated with the school as yet. In fact most of the teachers here have inherited students from previous teachers, unfortunately the teacher before my didn't do privates.
Anyhow I'll follow up on findateacher and see how I go.
Thanks for the advice |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 1:36 am Post subject: |
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| It was written into my contract |
They can't tell you what to do in your free time. It's illegal, but some employers rely on the naivete of foreign teachers to believe in such clauses. If you run into problems with an employer strong-arming you on this, contact the union and see what they have to say.
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| I agree but I've only been here a couple months and I don't have any friends not associated with the school as yet. In fact most of the teachers here have inherited students from previous teachers, unfortunately the teacher before my didn't do privates. |
Even with the Internet, I still people that it takes time to build up a clientele of private lessons. Figure 4 to 6 months, depending on circumstances. New teachers need to learn the territory, spread their faces around, and get to know the area and let the area know them before they have much of a chance. Findateacher is just one web site that specializes in linking teachers with private lesson students. Here are some others.
http://www.nativeconnection.net
http://homepage1.nifty.com/y-dream-support/englishteacher/
http://www.findateacher.net
www.eigotown.com/database/teacherdb_eltnews/teacher_form.shtml
http://www.go-girls.jp/english/?GSID=626d07c639bec762408e16b841f587e3
http://www.a-kaiwa.net/english/index/indexFrameset.html
www.teacher-navi.com/home_english.html
http://englishquickpro.com/
http://www.jobsinjapan.com/classifieds/services/introduction.html
Universal Campus (Kyoto/Shiga) referral service [email protected]
Just remember teaching privately is just as much a business to you as your eikaiwa classes are to your employer. Have a business plan and act like a businessman. If you want some other tips, send me an email. I have written some information about this topic, and it's too large to post here.
[email protected] |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 3:32 am Post subject: Re: Let's talk about your privates |
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| markle wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Im not sure exactly what your employer can do to you. |
It was written into my contract, anyway they could not renew my contract, cut my end of contract bonus etc. Basically I like where I am teaching so I don't want to jeopardize my position there.
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One thing that newbies are really not aware of when they first get here, is that eikaiwa contracts in Japan are not written in stone, and an illegal clause in a contract is still illegally and therefore unenforceable. The employer can not fire you for teaching privates when it does not violate the labor standards laws and you are not breaking any laws. The contract is mainly for immigration so he can sponsor your work visa.
he puts that class in there to stop you poaching students from work or being so tired from your second jobs that you cant function at work or you are late for your main job. You will only jeopardise your position if you start coming to work late or drunk (which includes hangovers) start hitting on female students or using your students at work to increase your privates. The students you teach are your employer's customers, not your students. Like Glenski says, many employers here like to keep newbies on a very short leash and put the fear of being fired into them, to make them toe the line.
He can not tell you whom you can meet with when you are not working, nor can he fire you for teaching privates. He may use it as an excuse not to renew your contract but you can challenge him on that as it is an illegal clause. He can say anything he likes when he chooses not to renew your contract as in a sense, one does not have a guaranteed right to continued employment in Japan. that is why you have one year limits and one excuse is all they need to show you the door.
I would avoid asking people at work for privates or getting them to pass them on to you when they leave. Sometimes they may want to study with that person because of personality, friendship, teaching style, cost, close to where they live etc and they may not last with a new teacher when they are handed down to other people. Its up to the private if they want to continue with someone else, as well.
Best to put a big wall between your job and your private life and find privates independently. |
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kitano
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 86
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 5:13 am Post subject: Privates |
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| I have found people want to study close to where they live or go often. What about people in your neighbohood? Just put up signs, you'll get a better response than you think. |
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