Job Discussion Forums

[goldhair]

Hello everyone! My name is Keith and I am a newbie to the world of teaching English overseas. I have a dual degree in special and elementary education and have been teaching special education for 5 and a 1/2 years. After I become TESOL ceritified, I hope to start teaching in Japan, China, or South Korea sometime at the end of June or the beginning of July. I was wondering if anyone can give me some gerenal adivce about the interview process, contract negotiations, expectations once I start teaching and the 3 countires I am considering teaching in. Any other advice that someone is willing to pass along would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Glenski]

Do your degrees and experience mean you have a teaching license from your home country? If so, you are eligible for international schools.

Look at the Japan forum FAQs (3 of them) and then ask specific questions about Japan. I'll be there.

Till then, realize that your timeline of teaching in Japan in June or July is fairly ambitious, as it takes a couple of months to get a work visa. So, if you got hired today, you might (maybe) start in June, but realistically, give it 3 or 4 months.

Oh, and school terms in Japan begin in April, so you are pretty much out of the running for public or international schools at the moment unless someone unexpectedly bails out after just starting.

That means getting entry level work, even with your qualifications. Entry level means conversation schools or lowly dispatch ALT. Gotta start somewhere.

[tedkarma]

Do a little research and give serious thought to international schools. A good place to start is www.iss.edu

You can earn far more, in much better positions with much better benefits and a FAR better future. Don't start at the bottom of the heap if you don't have to.

Spend the time and figure out your options. Yours is one case where it is worth seriously waiting and sorting it out. I promise.