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Trumpcard
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 50
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 Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:25 pm Post subject: ALT rant |
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Ok, i'm now 1 month into my new job - an ALT with one of the "better" public school ALT companies in Osaka. My commute is nice 40 mins max door to door, Mon-Thu 8.30 to 3.05. I teach an average of 3 classes a day. I accepted this job solely for a Visa renewal. (Previously I've worked in a private high school part time as part of a dreadful year with an unscrupulous dishonest company whose ad begins with "Dear English Teacher....") Back to the current ALT position. This is by far the most boring and pointless jobs I've ever had. My role is a babysitter (JTs and students)/entertainer/cultural oddity. All the students are learning to be factory workers due to the school being a technical school and overall it's all a huge joke. Sure, I can use the copious free time to sit around and surf the net, study Japanese, write a book etc but I absolutely hate every minute of my time at this place. Add to this the upcoming unpaid 6 week summer vacation starting in 2 months.
I feel exhausted everyday working in this environment and although I'm aware I could be earning at least 350k a month working evenings teaching corporate classes (only 1 evening so far which bumps up my salary to a whopping 248k a month woo!).
Anyone else feel the same way? I really can't imagine doing this for too much longer. |
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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:52 pm Post subject: Re: ALT rant |
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| Trumpcard wrote: |
| I accepted this job solely for a Visa renewal. |
Dude, your problem begins and ends with that very sentence. Attitude counts for A LOT in this line of work... And if you don't have a positive one, you may as well pack it in.
Think about that. |
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Billy Chaka
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Posts: 77
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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I had a very similar situation when I was an ALT in Japan. All I can say is try to remember that there is some value just being in front of the kids, regardless of what you actually do in class or whether they actually learn anything. Just for them to realize that the whole world isn't from Japan and that the whole world doesn't speak Japanese has some importance.
Of course you'll get very little professional satisfaction out of this job (nor would any intelligent, ambitious person), but just try to finish your contract and then move on. Use the free time to pursue satisfying personal interests. |
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Billy Chaka
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Posts: 77
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:00 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Dude, your problem begins and ends with that very sentence. Attitude counts for A LOT in this line of work... And if you don't have a positive one, you may as well pack it in. |
People take jobs for various reasons. There's nothing wrong with taking a job for a visa renewal if you act professionally and try to do a good job. |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:13 am Post subject: Re: ALT rant |
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| Trumpcard wrote: |
| Ok, i'm now 1 month into my new job - an ALT with one of the "better" public school ALT companies in Osaka. |
Really? What's the name? I don't think there are any good ALT companies. If they aren't paying you the full salary over the summer break, they aren't that good.
My suggestion, start looking for work now and line something up starting in the summer. Simple.
| Trumpcard wrote: |
| I'm aware I could be earning at least 350k a month working evenings teaching corporate classes. |
It's not easy to earn 350k in Osaka just teaching evening corporate classes. I would say it's impossible. |
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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 1:45 am Post subject: |
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| Billy Chaka wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Dude, your problem begins and ends with that very sentence. Attitude counts for A LOT in this line of work... And if you don't have a positive one, you may as well pack it in. |
People take jobs for various reasons. There's nothing wrong with taking a job for a visa renewal if you act professionally and try to do a good job. |
I was fooled by the words: ...accepted this job solely for... I guess if the OP had other reaons, like wanting to do a good job, he could have made that clear.  |
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ripslyme
Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 481
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 4:05 am Post subject: |
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| JimDunlop2 wrote: |
| I was fooled by the words: ...accepted this job solely for... I guess if the OP had other reaons, like wanting to do a good job, he could have made that clear. |
I agree with Jim, that's how I read it as well. |
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freeman
Joined: 28 May 2006
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 4:30 am Post subject: |
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| Well believe it or not out of all the ALT companies out there. There is one good one which pays the full salary for the summer. Anyway, defintely one to avoid is INTERAC. They don`t really care about their employees and they have really made a lot of ALTs unhappy |
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