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Shakota
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:12 pm Post subject: too old? |
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| Hi--this is my first post. I'm doing volunteer ESL and am thinking about getting my TESL certificate (have BS) and going to Japan. I am 56 years old and female (yikes!). And I don't want to work full-time as I have a chronic pain disorder. What's the age limit and the part-time feasibility of being almost self-supporting in Japan for 3--6 months? |
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azarashi sushi
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 562
Location: Shinjuku
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| Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:30 am Post subject: |
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Hi Shakota,
I don't think your age is such an issue. I've met a few teachers over the years in their mid fifities who have been teaching here in Tokyo.
I think the problem you may run into is that you would need to initially get a full time job in order to get sponsorship... And of course it wouldn't be very nice to get a full time job and then ditch it as soon as you get to Japan. Part time jobs don't usually offer sponsorship and without a valid work visa, you won't be able to get any work.
Also, depending on how part-time you would like to be, I think it would be very difficult to support yourself on a part-time salary, at least in Tokyo. |
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kdynamic
Joined: 05 Nov 2005
Posts: 562
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:53 am Post subject: |
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You failed to include some key information like what country you are from, so it's hard to answer specifically.
I don't think age alone with be a problem though. I have run into some middle aged teachers. There is one woman in my area who I see now and then. Her problem is that, being 20 years older than her supervisor and having taught previously, she thinks she knows better than everyone else and all she does is complain constantly and act bitter. Don't be like her! No matter what your age, if you're just starting work as an English teacher in Japan, you're entry level and will be the new kid and have to deal with that. |
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Sweetsee
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: ) is everything
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| Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:31 am Post subject: |
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| Good point Kid. Don't see a problem with age at all, in fact the older the better. I replaced a gentleman in his 70's at a public high school, if you can believe that. |
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Big John Stud
Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 513
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| Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 4:14 am Post subject: Re: too old? |
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| Shakota wrote: |
| [color=olive]Hi--this is my first post. I'm doing volunteer ESL and am thinking about getting my TESL certificate (have BS) and going to Japan. I am 56 years old and female (yikes!). And I don't want to work full-time as I have a chronic pain disorder. What's the age limit and the part-time feasibility of being almost self-supporting in Japan for 3--6 months? |
[/color]
I agree with most of the other post. Your age is not an issue! But you will have trouble getting sponsorship for a visa if you only want to work part time. Unless you have a Japanese husband I don't think you will be able to get a working visa. If you changed your mind and took a full time position, you should have no troubles  |
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J.
Joined: 03 May 2003
Posts: 327
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:16 am Post subject: Part time may be possible down the road |
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When you first come here, as others have said, you will need a full-time job to get a work visa. But, if you can find some contracts (classes) on your own, you can "self" or "multi" sponser, which means that you will be free to work just enough to make around the minimum wage these days, about 200,000 a month. That means that you will indeed be working "part-time", though the times may vary from day to day, and you will probably be working a few nights, afternoons or mornings depending on your schedule. But you will indeed be able to have at least two days off a week and probably will be able to reschedule classes so that you can travel for longer periods, from time to time.
About the older experienced teacher who is "bitter and complaining". I don't know her but I suspect if she is in what passes for a school here, ie an eikawa, she has plenty justification for her complaining and I bet she's not the only one either. Aren't you "typing" her as "bitter" mostly because of her age? |
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Shakota
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 1:28 am Post subject: Are most contracts a year in length? |
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hi, and thanks so much for responding to my query re: 56 yr old female new ESL teacher wants to work PT in Japan. Most contracts are for a year, yes? Also, what does full-time work actually mean. Are you on-site for more than 36-40 hours or less, perhaps?
Thanx. |
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Sweetsee
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: ) is everything
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 1:48 am Post subject: |
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Depends on the job Shakota. At my job I am free to come and go as I please as long as I cover my 19 lessons, 14 last year. Also have bi-monthly staff meetings, a weekly department meeting and a weekly meeting by grades. Was pretty clean when I used to live near the school, popping home on my breaks.
Bring it on!
Enjoy,
s |
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Venti
Joined: 19 Oct 2006
Posts: 171
Location: Kanto, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 3:07 pm Post subject: Re: too old? |
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| Shakota wrote: |
| Hi--this is my first post. I'm doing volunteer ESL and am thinking about getting my TESL certificate (have BS) and going to Japan. I am 56 years old and female (yikes!). And I don't want to work full-time as I have a chronic pain disorder. What's the age limit and the part-time feasibility of being almost self-supporting in Japan for 3--6 months? |
I was an ALT in a small town a couple of years ago and my predecessor was a B.O.E. direct hire who was female, and in her mid 50s at the time. She was loved by everyone in the town and was considered a pillar of the community. I was told, quite often, that people were so glad to have had a well-aged foreigner living in their town and working for the benefit of their children. The locals didn't dislike the younger ALTs like myself, but we couldn't touch the reputation of the foreign 50-something lady who made such a lasting impression on the people of the town. |
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brichm01
Joined: 03 Oct 2006
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:02 pm Post subject: Additional question... |
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Since we're on the topic about older people teaching ESL in Japan. Can anybody suggest a good way to get started for people who aren't right out of college?
I'm 43 American man with a Bachelor of Science in math and computer science. I'm interested in teaching ESL in Japan. What is a good way for someone like me to get started? From what I've read, it looks like Eikaiwas are quick and dirty way to get started. I understand that they are business and business is their primary end. I've worked in corporate America for 20 years so I think I understand how corporations work and the politics.
One of my primary goals for going would be for language learning. I've read on this board that with my goal in mind, it's best to try and find something in the smaller cities.
Thanks in advance for any advice. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Since we're on the topic about older people teaching ESL in Japan. Can anybody suggest a good way to get started for people who aren't right out of college? |
Sadly, this is all dependent on one's degree and teaching credentials.
1. If all one has is a bachelor's degree, you have to start at the bottom run with conversation schools or the JET program. JET's official upper age limit is 40, but they have been known to accept people older. G Cthulhu has stated here that his experience as a JET and now JET interviewer shows the program is looking for more of their ALTs to have some teaching background, too.
2. If one has a master's degree, but no teaching experience, read #1.
3. You can bypass the degree requirements for a work visa if you have 3 or more years of teaching experience.
4. Some places, like Westgate Corporation, will take only people who have degrees and teaching experience. See their web site for details.
5. If you have just a degree, you MIGHT get a job with an ALT dispatch agency (outsourcing), but I don't recommend them in general.
6. If one wants a job in a mainstream school, it depends on whether one is looking at public or private schools. Public schools are populated mostly with JET ALTs or non-JET ALTs. There are some rare cases in which the school or board of education will hire directly. Your chances are better, in my opinion, if you look at private schools instead. I've seen some people report being ALTs there, but you can probably get FT jobs as solo teachers more commonly. (PT jobs are also available, but that doesn't qualify you for a work visa.) Usually, to get FT work, you need a year or more of teaching experience in Japan (even eikaiwa will do in most cases, it seems). Private schools usually hire foreigners under contracts for a year, renewable twice, then you are out.
7. If one has a teaching license from their home country, look at international schools. You'll probably need a couple of years of experience, too, though.
8. Lastly, colleges, junior colleges, and universities. These almost always require a minimum of a master's degree (in a teaching/EFL related field, as opposed to all the other options above, except #7), 3 publications, some teaching experience in Japan, some measure of fluency in Japanese, and various intangibles like references. Contracts are pretty much the same as mainstream secondary schools; that is, short-term renewable are the norm.
Whether someone is a young or old teacher, they have 2 options to finding a job here.
1) Look for the very few places that recruit from abroad with jobs that offer visa sponsorship. I've posted a zillion times the 10-12 that I know.
2) Fill your pockets with money and come to Japan (preferably at the right time of year to avoid doldrums in hiring). It's expensive to set yourself up, so plan on bringing the equivalent of US$4000-5000 to support yourself for 2 months. Plan on at least that amount of time, because if you are hired in the first month, you still won't see a paycheck for 4-6 weeks. Some places provide loans to their employees, so this is an option for short-term survival, but you will have to pay it back in your first few paychecks, which means living on less income.
The main thing to be concerned with is what sort of visa are you qualified for. Oddly enough, you get hired before you get the visa (unless we're talking about working holiday visa, spouse visa, dependent visa, or student visa), but you still have to go through immigration in order to start working.
Both options above have their good points and bad points. Write me if you want a listing that I made. Too long to post here.
[email protected] |
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