Job Discussion Forums

[Gusss]

Whats it like teaching in Japan ? I realise that this is a faitly broad question so just say whatever pertinent things spring to mind . What are the pros and cons of working in Japan as opposed to other countries you have worked in ?
For example what are your working hours ? What you like, what you dont like etc
Just answer in the same way as you would if one of your friends asked you at home -. I am asking YOU what YOUR experience has been like, not what you think my experience would be like.

[Glenski]

No, it is not "fairly broad". It is enormously so.

Help us to help you with information that you can actually use.

Degree
Work experience
Nationality
Long & short term goals


Teaching here (and in most countries) involves the following venues, many of which you may not even be qualified for:

public school K-12
private school K-12
kindergarten and younger
university
colleges, junior colleges, tech/vocational schools, etc.
business English companies
private work
international schools
owning your own school
FT vs PT
solo teacher vs. ALT/AET

[Gusss]

[markle]

Teaching here is like well ... like teaching in Japan. Only different.

[Symphany]

You're on ......the Japan board, just about every post here tells you something about teaching in Japan....here's a hint about Japan, the Japanese prefer you to infer something about your surroundings........

[Gusss]

My kingdom for a straight answer

Example :

What was it like teaching in Peru Gus ?

"The pay was crap, the people were friendly, the food was great and none of your students turn up on time but generally a relaxed place to work."

If anybody would kindly give me a simple answer to a simple question then that would be superb

[chinagirl]

There is no straight answer, Gusss.

I've worked in Japan on two separate occasions.

I've liked it both times.

Completely different job scenarios both times, however.

One job with low salary, one job with higher salary.

First teaching adults and kids, then teaching teens.

One job in the private sector, one job in a middle school.

But, if this is what you want:

I like teaching in Japan. The pay is good for TEFL (if you are qualified - usually here that means a master's degree), and are finished teaching your first couple of years either as an ALT or as a teacher in a language school. The people are usually/sometimes/often friendly depending on your context and situation , and the food is good (if you like Japanese food). The language is relatively easy to learn to speak (but difficult to learn to read and write.)

If you want to teach adults in the evenings here you will find that most adults (usually men, but also younger women nowadays) tend to work long hours and often miss class or are late. College students act like high school students in many cases because college is often not taken particularly seriously. The kids are like kids everywhere, generally eager to do anything fun.

Working hours vary depending on the teaching job. Corporate/business teachers sometimes teach in-house during the day, while language school teachers may work 1-9PM and weekends.

Transportation (train) is usually reimbursed by employers here.

Making generalizations such as you are asking for is very difficult. My experience in Tokyo is most likely very different from any other teacher in any other region in Japan. You want rural? Maybe someone outside of a city can give you their experience.

Teaching in Japan is what you make of it, and there is an experience out there for everyone. First year teachers generally like Japan, because it's usually interesting to live in a new culture for the first time. Once the rose colored glasses come off, it's still fun but, well, a career/job that still requires work. Some people like teaching here, some don't. Most seem to like it.

You have 5 years of experience...where? Europe? Latin America? Asia? Knowing that would help us to make some comparisons for you.

[Glenski]

"A straight answer"????

ESID (every situation is different), the motto of the JET program ALTs, pretty much says it all.

What is the purpose of shotgunning such an overly general question if we are not allowed to say what we feel your chances are here?

I've never taught in another country (taught English, anyway).

I've had 5 totally different teaching experiences here in Japan alone, so there is no way to lump them together and say, "This is what it is like to teach in Japan", and I'm not about to try explaining each situation. Not enough time.

Just to show you what I mean, let me bounce off chinagirl's responses:

She wrote:
One job with low salary, one job with higher salary.
Yet, she also wrote:

[ripslyme]

I currently teach at a private elementary school. My working hours are 8-5 M-F, occasional Saturdays for special events like Sports Festival and Open House. Generally the kids try their best and enjoy learning English. For me personally, I find working with the kids to be quite fulfilling.

I live in a suburb of Tokyo. While the air quality here may be suspect at times, at least the streets are clean and safe.

The public transportation system, especially the train, is excellent. I bike/walk to work, but if I took the train/bus, my employer would reimburse me for it.

The Japanese food here is great. Other types of food, not so much (on the whole, Mexican food in particular is terrible).

I've met some pretty cool people and some real jerks here. It would be difficult for me to generalize what this experience is like. I suppose that generally I do not get along with people here (the locals) as well as people back home. Some of that is due to the language barrier, I'd say I'm at an intermediate level of fluency. A greater factor I think is the culture barrier.

At any rate, the bottom line is: I like living and working here. It is an interesting place, and I have a comfortable lifestyle.

[G Cthulhu]

[G Cthulhu]

[stillnosheep]

[Brooks]

I have taught in Morocco, Poland and Russia.
I would say students in those countries were easier to teach overall.
But in those countries it was hard to find a stable job.
I have taught some nice students in Japan but many were lazy and spoiled.
In Japan I have had to work more than anywhere. My school has a lot of workaholics.

The pay in Morocco sucked. But I had good students.
I enjoyed working in Poland and Russia.

In Japan, I think things have gotten worse. It is getting harder to get a decent job. Next year I will work somewhere else and take a pay cut.

I think Tokyo sucks. It is big, busy, crowded and full of unfriendly people.
It is just about work and money and nothing else.
I plan on moving in March and I will either live somewhere else in Kanagawa or I will move to western Japan.

So I would say - Morocco - good students, mostly
friendly, kind people
but low pay and still had to work on Saturday
dating not so good (conservative country)

Poland - good students, mostly
nice to travel in Europe on vacation
but long vacations with no pay
preference for Brits (I am American)
cold in the winter

Russia - good students
cold in the winter
too many drunk people
pay was ok, but then got cut
However I hear pay is good these days thanks
to oil money

Japan - stable job
good salary
but too much work - workaholic culture
burnout is possible

[Khyron]

[dove]

Teaching in Japan is great when you get motivated students who have goals and who truly want to improve. It's also great when you are given the freedom to teach classes with different methods, original ideas and activities.

When you have fearful, passive, unmotivated students it can break your spirit. When you teach classes with a rigid, prescribed method that doesn't take students' needs into account, it also can be a grim.

The best classes I have taught have been with retired students at community centers (real salt- of- the- earth types who are just having an unabashedly good time learning). The worst have been teaching university students. Their passivity, timidity, and lack of effort always makes me think "Why bother?" (But I bother for the money, of course). At least they are well-behaved. I mean, no text books are being hurled at me.

Earlier this year, I spent 6 months teaching in Sao Paulo, Brazil. My students were all motivated and talkative. They were all quick learners. Unlike Japan, no one feared making mistakes. No one feared speaking too much and too well. (Some Japanese students worry that being too good at English might be perceived as showing off or even compromising their Japanese-ness.) The pay was pretty low, enough to break even, but not enough to save.

As much as I loved living and working in Brazil, I am happy to be back in Japan. There's more security here.