Job Discussion Forums

[cvz2]

So here's my story--

I am attending WWU's Master's in Teaching program in the fall of 2010 where I'll be getting my MiT and my Washington St. Teaching Cert.

But before I start my illustrious career as a High School History Teacher in the pacific NW, I've always wanted to teach overseas. Just never had real opportunity to do it.

I have a good deal of experience with Asia. My father was stationed at Torii base in Okinawa for 5 years. I was in Oki from 2-7y before we came back to the states. But during those years we visited basically every place in Asia were America had a military base... which is alot of damn places! XD Then, much later, in college I studied abroad in Suwon South Korea for a semister (they were my college's "sister" school in Korea, so the trip was Extra cheap!).

Now, my grand plan is to take the next two years and get my MiT, living as frugally as possible and squirl away the start up money (key money and the like). Then after I graduate I come to Japan with my Masters.

That brings me to the BIG question. My Grad Program has TEFL minor. Its like 5 400 lvl classes and one practium.

http://woodknot.wce.wwu.edu/Resources/CIRCLE/Courses/Courses.shtml

Given that I'm already gonna have a Masters in Teaching, do you think I need to do the extra 20 credits + 15 of language (Japanese if i have to pick one)? In other words....

If I have a MiT do I still need the TOS/TEFL cert? Is it worth the extra 3-5000 and 2 quarters (7 months)? Or is it unneccessary?

Would it help at all if I took, say... the two or 3 most important courses, but didnt get the actual certification/minor? Got my Mit, and then the theory classes and grammar prep, but didnt finish Cert training.

Or (big finish) would you say that if I had my Masters, +TEFL Cert from a good college, and 1 year of the language, I would be able to pull some decent jobs in Japan? Or would I have to start grindin for a year like all the other newbies?

Thanks for the help in Advance,
VanZ

[Glenski]

For most entry level jobs in Japan (and you should really post this in the Japan forum, BTW), you only need a bachelor's degree in any major. Period.

No certification needed.
No master's degree needed.
No education-related major needed.

That will make you eligible for the ALT positions and the eikaiwa jobs. Anything else will require at least a year of teaching experience here or a higher degree. What sort of teaching job did you expect to pursue?

Market here is flooded now. Job hunting is always poor from Nov to late Jan. Some employers still don't care about certs or degrees, but with a flooded market, others may want to be more selective about candidates. Hard to say.

[natsume]

Yes, you need to post this on the Japan boards.

I think another question for you is what are your long term goals? Are you primarily interested in teaching HS History and staying in the states? Are you open to working overseas for many years? Is Japan just a short term goal for you? As Glenski mentioned, you are already probably qualified for entry level work in Japan, assuming you already have your BA, and may very well be a good candidate for JET.

You are well on your way towards being qualified for the best international schools, worldwide, but keep in mind that the minimum qualification there would be two years post-credential experience in your home country.

Regardless, for overseas work or stateside, I would think you should definitely finish your add-on TESOL minor, potentially very useful overseas, but also because being multiply qualified/credentialed, and hence more competative, is an increasing necessity in the states.

(I am planning on earning a masters in secondary education along with a credential in the states in the next few years, and I already have a TESOL certificate from a UC, in California.)

[cvz2]

thanks for the input.

I would have posted it in the Japan forum, but I'm not only interested in Japan, I was just focusing that country for simplification's sake.

I'm also very interested in Taiwan and Thailand. Japan just always "made sense" because I grew up in Okinawa.

[cvz2]

But as far as what I'm looking for/open too....

I am open to a variety of countries, as long as I can pay my student loans. I'm sort of considering things like Jet or Interact, but I dont relish the idea of being an "engrish monkey." I mean..... if JET wants to pick me up and pay for my flight and all, then fine. I hear JET's pretty respectable. But if I'm just catching the Redeye to Taipei, or whereever, I think staying until I finish my Master is smarter. Plus, hopefully, some of the "recession" issues will have run there course and the market will be a little better.

[Glenski]

It's JET, not Jet.
The motto in JET is ESID: every situation is different. You can end up a human tape recorder or practically teach the class by yourself, depending on the circumstances.

Be an "Engrish monkey" if you like; many do for lack of knowing what they want to do in life or for lack of knowing how to teach. You're going to have to pay your dues like everyone else, and if that means starting out as an "Engrish monkey", then suck it up and get past it. Get additional training. Network. Join a professional organization. Move up the ladder.

But don't expect a higher rung job from the start, even if you grew up here.