Job Discussion Forums

[jademonkey]

I have four years experience teaching at Nova (which shows I have endurance, if nothing else) and this year I will complete my secondary teaching postgrad qualification. I will also pick up a CELTA certification.

I intend to return to Japan at a later date (I already have a spousal visa), and was wondering what kind of jobs I should aim for. High school? Universities? I'm hoping with all the extra qualifications that I don't have to return to McNova.

[Glenski]

If I understand you correctly, you are licensed to teach in your home country, correct? If true, and if you have a year or 2 of teaching experience there, you are eligible to work at an international school.

No university work for you (full-time, anyway).

Your spousal visa means you are married to a Japanese, right? (I ask because many people misconstrue that sort of visa with a dependent visa that is given to people married to fellow foreigners.) The spouse visa will let you do any sort of work, but you must show to the employer that you are qualified. In my mind, you seem qualified for almost any teaching opportunity.

What "later date" were you shooting for? April is the start date for high schools, elementary schools, and universities/colleges.

[jademonkey]

Yeah, by the time I finish my course, I would be licenced to teach in Australian high schools.

I'm married to a Japanese, so there's no visa issue,

I have recently returned to Australia, so perhaps either later this year or even early next year I would think about returning to Japan, most likely Tokyo.

[canuck]

[jademonkey]

I was considering actually teaching here (australia) for two years before I headed back to Japan.

[canuck]

[jademonkey]

OK, I'll definitely have to keep job fairs in mind.

[johanne]

Actually, most international schools would prefer to hire locally. If you are qualified, and for any accrediated school this means the teaching certificate plus 2 years of full time classroom teaching, then you would probably be able to land a position, especially if you are looking in Tokyo.

Three years ago I was planning a return to Japan with a Japanese spouse and I applied directly to 17 international schools in Tokyo and Yokohama. I had 5 interviews and 3 jobs offers. 2 of the offers were from accrediated schools and the 3rd was from an international kindergarten that had a 50/50 split of Japanese/foreign children. I came with a BEd, a teaching certificate and 5 years of classroom teaching experience in Canada.

I personally know over 10 teachers who were hired locally, with most of them having a Japanese spouse. Schools like to do this since it is cheaper to hire locally than to go to a job fair. As a local hire you receive the same salary but you don't get the perks such as airfare home every summer or having you shipping paid for. As well if a school can hire locally they don't have to pay the recruiting company a placement fee. Also they like to know that the person is already adjusted to life in Japan and that culture shock will be minimal. These are the reasons given to me by the headmistress at the international school I'm currently working at.

FYI, the recruiting season for international schools in mid-January to mid-February. By the end of February most job fairs are over so most schools have filled their vacancies. Any earlier than January and schools don't really know yet who is staying and who is going.

In my opinion a job fair is not an option for someone in your situation. Most recruiting agencies who run the fairs will not sign up someone with a non-teaching spouse and the only big one who does, CIS, requires that all their teachers be willing to accept positions in at least 2 continents. That is pretty standard for international school recruiting fairs. They are all by invitation only.

If you would like more info about salaries, working conditions and/or particular school please feel free to PM me.

[jademonkey]

Johanne,
Thanks a lot for your help. I'll likely end up teaching for two years (if I can!) in Melbourne and then possibly heading back to Tokyo. By the way, what's the salary like in an international school? Obviously they vary, but what's a ballpark figure?

[johanne]

For someone with 2 years experience the salary ranges from 4 million to 6 million yen a year. The more established schools (i.e. the ones who have been in business for a few decades) tend to pay at the higher end while the ones that have opened up in the last 10-15 years tend to pay at the lower end, but this is just a tendancy. Tokyo International School which I believe has not been opened that long pays in the 6 million range. Any accrediated, reputable school will also give you approximately 14 weeks of paid vacation.

It's not a bad deal, but you work hard as you are expected to help get your students into a decent collage in North America or the UK, generally speaking. Parents, or their employers, are usually paying about 2 million yen a year to have you teach their children so they are pretty on top of what you are doing and you'll hear about it if you slack off. I work much harder than I did teaching ESL years ago in Okayama, but not any harder than I did being a classroom teacher for Vancouver public schools. The summer definately lets you recharge your batteries. Good luck with it. I'm certainly enjoying it.

[womblingfree]

If you've got your teaching liciense you should go for international schools. You wouldn't have to necessarily teach English either as English is pretty much spoken by most students.

Decent university work is out without an MA.

The CELTA wont help much but will look good alongside the post-grad.