Job Discussion Forums

[Glenski]

I've had a few conversations online recently about the differences between public and private high schools (and/or junior high schools) in Japan. I've never worked for a public school, but I currently work for a private one.

I could be wrong, but I think most of the public school opportunities for full-time teachers are taken up by JET ALTs, with a smattering of other ALT positions from recruiters and such. I have never run into a foreign teacher who works at a public school, so I think it would be interesting to compare notes on what work is like, not just for my benefit, but for the benefit of others here.

Any takers?

In my private school, since they are dependent on money from parents, they try to tout many things about the school. Zillions of club activities, tons of computers, an overseas trip or two, speech contests (internal and external), etc. Of course, what this means to teachers is longer working hours (and most private schools didn't opt to cancel their Saturday classes like public schools were forced to recently). It is also not unusual to have meetings late into the night and on Saturday. (I just had two of them today, Saturday, and nothing was accomplished except to air a major complaint in excrutiating detail for 2 hours!) Also, with private schools, they are not so much forced to use government approved textbooks, so we find ourselves (at my school, anyway) looking into new ones every year. We have a huge room already full of sample copies of books that were tried and failed. Moreover, with the multitude of extracurricular events, school festivals, sports events that take place in the daytime, etc., classes are often compromised to the point of leaving a huge gap between one and the next. (I met one class 3 weeks into the term, then didn't see them again for 4 weeks. They had the same total number of classes per term as others, but such a gap as that makes it impossible to teach lessons with any consistency or retention.) One more thing...remuneration for assisting with extracurricular activities is paltry, despite the fact that taking part is mandatory.

This message is not meant to be a complaint about my school. I've made these remarks before. It is just to get the ball rolling on a comparison with other private schools and (mostly) with public schools. What say you, folks?

[guest of Japan]

I also work in a private high school. I'm new to the position, so I don't think that I am an expert in any way. I was hired through a dispatch company. This means that my salary is lower and that I don't have to be on site as long as the other teachers. However the school has a long history of using foreign teachers who are direct hires, so my workload is more than I can do in my paid hours.

I think many of the things Glenski mentioned are also common in my school, ie. many clubs, special events, infrequency of classes, we don't use the official texts, Lots and lots of computers and gyms. We have a brand new quarter million dollar language laboratory that no one knows how to use.

To make everything a little more interesting. My school is one of the lowest level schools in Japan. We accept anyone with money, which makes for a student population which is largely unteachable. I mean unteachable in the sense that they refuse to acknowledge they are even in school much less try to learn something. Sorry if this is a rant.

And, I'm the only foreigner.

On a positive note. I live in a rent free house and I get a very long vacation in August, paid.

[Mike L.]

I'll concur with you guys about private high schools.

I work for a dispatching company too. Fortunately, I don't have to be in school when I have no classes, the students are low-level but genki, I get lots of paid vacation and my guidelines for instruction are "conversation English." Many of my co-workers at other schools do not have it nearly as good as I do.

The problems that both of you mention are pretty much the same at my school. I think they have me and another foreign teacher simply to say to parents "look we have foreign teachers."

I don't think the quality of instruction is any better than the public system, but I doubt they would ever let me teach what I want every class at a public school.

That's my experience from 3 years on JET anyway.

We also have incredible gaps between instruction for festivals and such, so I doubt the students are recieving more instruction time than public school students. Of course I can appreicate the paid time off but it doesn't help the student's "communicative fluency" when I don't see them for weeks at a time

Guest of Japan is on to something about taking anyone's money regardless of the student's academic ability. My school has just expanded the 1st year cohort from 10 to 15 classes. The level os some classes is very low compared to lat year's students. Many private schools are facing declining enrollemnt and will do anything to stay viable, including sacrifice acedemic standards.

As I mentioned before, I worked as an ALT for 3 years, mostly in Junior high schools. Conditions were simillar to those that Glenski and Guest of Japan mention in private schools.

I had to sit through long pointless meetings. For the Japanese teachers it was much worse. We had numerous textbooks and other materials sitting around the teachers room that had been purchased but never used. We also had one of those SONY built language labs put in one school that nobody could use.

I would like to hear from someone who is teaching or has taught in any capacity in a public high school.

[Brooks]

I work at a private high school in Tokyo.
Previously I taught at a private junior high.
There I had to join a club, clean, and I had to attend meetings.
After nine months we didn`t have to go to meetings any more. 90% of what was said didn`t concern us. I know they wanted to include us but I couldn`t contribute to discussions. At the junior high they wanted Americans to assimilate.

At the high school
We have to be at school on Saturday even though there are no classes.
The only way out of it is to take a sick day. I get twenty a year, but I tend not to use them because I may need them if I really get sick.

I think my school uses clubs as a selling point. I think some parents want their kids involved so they stay out of trouble or so the parents don`t have to deal with them. But it means that some students are at school every day, which means that they are always tired and therefore harder to teach.

Japanese teachers really have to do a lot. Much more than American teachers. We don`t have to be in a club. If I helped out with one I think I would get paid extra but I don`t know how much.

We have had a new principal since April of last year. People have complained about him. The school year has gotten longer and we have events now on Saturday instead of on Fridays.
So my vacation has been cut.

A few problems: a couple of my classes have at least thirty students. I don`t know how to teach conversation to so many at one time.
Considering the amount of money parents pay I think my school could hire an American to help, in order to reduce class size.
Another thing is that we have a few students who are either retarded or have a learning disability. But there is no special education for them.
We also don`t have any psychologists or guidance counselors. We really could use them. It isn`t fair to burden the homeroom teachers.
10th grade homeroom teachers have 40-43 students. At public schools this is not possible, because 40 is the maximum for class size as set by Mombusho.
A public school would then have eleven homeroom teachers in order to reduce class size.

Like other schools, it seems that if parents have the money, their children can study here. There are fewer teenagers, so schools are competing with each other.
One thing that one teacher said was that over the past seven years, the academic abilities of the students has fallen. Our school seems to attract students who couldn`t get into better schools or are returnees or want to go to our university. My school has divisions from K to university so when a
student starts at one school he/she can automatically go to the next level. What this means is some kids don`t need to study much.
But to get into the university they need a C- average.

Generally, girls do better than the boys. Girls also make up 61% of the student body.

One of my students estimates that 60% of the students go to juku, either to earn admission to a better university or to pass our university`s entrance exam.

A good thing about my school is that it has a respected music program and has many subjects the students can learn. We have something called free study(or jiyukenkyu). The students have over eighty choices
(including sports). So if they want they can learn the tea ceremony, judo, kendo, shodo, baseball,etc.

But I get a good salary and two bonuses a year. So that is the trade off.

Brooks

[buffy]

I am also at a private high school. I agree with what has been said above. My situation might be a little different, though. My school has had foreign teachers throughout it's 116 year history, including during the war. Foreign teachers have always been an integral part of the school and thus have never been treated differently. I have the same responsibilities as my Japanese colleagues and receive the same salary, research budget and other perks. The meetings can be tedious but I wouldn't have it any other way. Guess that is why I have held this job longer than any other I have had and have no plans on leaving it.

[Glenski]

[buffy]

[Mike L.]

[Brooks]

at my school maybe 50-60% go on to our university.
Almost half go somewhere else, which means that they go to juku.
They go to juku because the entrance exam for our high school is different than the ones they want to go to.

Brooks

[Glenski]

Well, so far, there have been no posts from people working at public schools. Interesting. I wonder why.

[tjpnz2000]

Hi,

I'm a public school ALT.

I work in two public junior high schools in the Tokai area, usually week about. I work for a recruiting company who contracts with the local board of education in different localities in a tendering process each year. My contract is one year and I make the average, 250,000 yen, we all do.

I start work about 8 every morning and I am usually out the door by 5.15. I average about 4 classes of 50 minuets each a day. Class size averages 16 students, but this is misleading. The first year classes at one school and the second and third year classes at the other are split in half. Average full class size is 35, but these are only about 40% of the classes I teach as most are half. As in all English classes some students are great, some are average and one or 2 sleep. One the whole the rather remind me of myself and my friends at there age.

In class I am definately an `Assistant` English Teacher. The class is the Japanese english teachers show and my job is what they tell me it is. This can range from listern and repeat only through to `You have 20 minuets please teach the students English` (ie, Your on your own). The school uses the New Horizon text book series.

School lunch is provided and is good (most of the time), hot and rock bottom cheap. Best meal in Japan for 235 yen.

I can get involved in after school club activities if I want but as it is optional I don't get paid extra. I would say this is fair, wouldn't you? Sometimes I play soccer for the fun of it.

I get 6 weeks off in July and August (I'm off to Cambodia and Thailand if anyone wants to come. Sorry to pu this in my post but I did England and Spain solo last year and would like to share this vacation with someone... anyone... anyone at all... just looking for someone to talk to on the bus[I'll shut up now]) and about a month for christmas and New Year and about about 2 to 3 weeks in March/April and the usual public holidays here and there. (I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to any Nova teachers out there, I used to be one of you. Please don't flame me/hate me for my holidays!)

Because I am an ALT and because my Japanese is limited (it's not enough to keep up with a room full of adults speaking at full speed) I am not really involved in the planning aspect of running the school. This is in regards to setting the curriculum and so forth.

I have tried to keep the above as unemotional/ unbiased/ unconnotative/ balanced, as possible, sorry if it has bored you. The thing is, I don't have an axe to grind.

Some of the things the school does I disagree with, `weeding` the school before inspection consisted of pulling up all vegetation we had leaving far more aesthetic dirt! As far as complaints go this is about a harsh as it gets. But some things I wish we did back home (New Zealand), for example elderly people who want to study a subject are welcomed into the school and take part in classes with regular students, good for both the elderly student and the regular ones. In my experience most of what the school does is dictated by students needs, budgets and the usual beaurocratic rules that apply to any organisation run by any government.

Any thoughts welcome.
[/i]

[tjpnz2000]

Oh yeah, I know for sure one of my schools has a councelor. I suspect the other one does to.

Sorry but didn't see that in the other post.

[chixdiggit]

I teach in a Public High School as well, although I hardly think my situation is typical. First off, I'm not an ALT, I teach alone to groups of 10-15. I believe I am considered Semi full-time as I teach three mornings a week, each consisting of 4 50-minute casses. I receive a salary, not a wage which is not much below the full-time average for my 12 hours a week. I believe that perhaps I have a unique perspective on this thread as my girlfriend is a Private High School ALT and we live together, therefore we constantly compare our experiences day in and day out. We both have massive amounts of paid vacation time, somewhere around 4 months a year. However, at my school the Kanagawa Board of Education requires me to sometimes show up during holidays and hanko the register. My girlfriend never has to bother with such formalities. At the same time she teaches classes of 40 students with appalling English ability. My school is not the norm as my students consist of International Economics, Info Tech and Commerce students. It's almost like a trade school or junior college.Gotta run but will post more later
Cheers,
Chix

[Glenski]

I really want to keep this thread alive a bit longer, so I hope nobody minds if I update it. I'm really looking for a few more data points.

1. If you are a public or private teacher and agree with the things already posted, just say so. Doesn't take more than a couple of seconds.
2. If you have different situations than any already posted here, by all means say so and be specific about what is different.

I am really looking for information to compare non-JET teaching in these two types of school systems.

Thanks to all who have contributed, and to those who will.

[As Das Fads]

well Glenski, you asked for it...

I work for a private dispatching company as an ALT in public (i.e. government) junior high schools. All jhs in my local BoE area have a full-time ALT, and we only have to go to two schools during one year. I also do on average one full day at elementary school per week, where a day could equal one class or 8 classes including before and after school club.

I work 8.30 to 4.30, and am out the door at 4.30 95% of the time. I am never late. ever (well okay once in 18months when the trains stopped because of a suicide). Some of my ALT collegues are lucky enough to be let go as soon as their last class is over, anywhere btw 1 and 4.30. I am not so lucky, but an 8 hour working day (not the same as actual hours worked) is sweet compared to my life in my home country.

I don't work weekends unless there is something very special going on at the school, and if so I get another day off in lieu. I have the standard 2 weeks off for winter break, spring break and 3 weeks at summer. I get all public holidays off. I get paid full pay for all holidays. I am paid ~250,000 per month, plus transportation. I have 5 days of sick leave per year ONLY to be used for sick leave and requires a medical certificate. Thus I have never taken a sick day, better to drag yourself to work and be sent home early.

I am not expected nor encouraged to participate in club activity. None of my schools has an English club, but a couple of the elementary schools have an international club which I attend occasionally as the special guest star. It depends entirely on the club teacher - some english teachers will want you to come to their school club as well, others can't get away from you quickly enough when club time comes around. The students are pretty darn serious about club so I would feel like I am intruding on their time by stuffing around with them.

My role in the classroom depends entirely on the teacher. I am the New Sunshine CD set for some; I am the dancing singing gaijin show for others; I am a nuisance or at least a mild annoyance for a few; and for (the minority) I am a professional with considerable experience and input to contribute to the lesson planning process. Most older teachers with greater responsiblity are teaching on automatic pilot, where the ALT is merely a prop you wheel out occassionally to do the same lesson you have been doing for the past 10 years. The younger teachers, especially those first year out, look at you like their personal classroom saviour. I enjoy those classes the most, the newbies are dead keen for the classes to succeed and will do anything for it.

I have also had to do classes with student teachers who are generally so nervous you end up doing the whole class on your own. I occassionally have to do demonstration classes for the local and prefectural BoE, PTA, etc etc, which are entirely different from the usual ALT lesson ie. much more participation by me.

As an ALT I am definitely on the lowest rung on the ladder in the school, and somewhat of a freak because a) I can kinda speak Japanese or at least understand most of what has been said and b) I can use hashi and c) I have no problem eating school lunch (which is definitely a bargain, but never ever hot! 4000 yen per month, if you remember to pay). If I have no classes I can pretty much do as I please, but I generally study Japanese if I have nothing else to prepare. In some jhs I teach 5 or 6 fifty minute classes a day, in other schools I teach just 3 per week.

In our prefecture dispatched ALTs are rapidly replacing JETs because we are cheaper, can be replaced easily, and are easier to manage i.e. the dispatching company middleman. Most ALTs in my prefecture burn out after about 18 months to 2 years because of the lack of intellectual stimulation more than anything else (I am reaching that point myself).

enough?