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Rezz
Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 95
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 Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 4:18 pm Post subject: Eikaiwa to ALT work |
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So, I've been teaching in Japan for 6 months so far at a big name eikaiwa and I'm thoroughly enjoying the experience so far. I'm hoping to move on to working in a public school when my contract is completed in February 2011...... my question is - how?
I really want a bit more freedom with lesson planning and would love some direct involvement in Japanese schools. I want to be able to get to know the kids better and be in less of an English speaking bubble. The working hours would also be better for me as well as the other obvious benefits such as public holidays and school dinners 
However, my current apartment is tied into my eikaiwa contract, so when I finish, I'll be out of a place to live. I have a 3 year VISA but my Japanese ability is very basic. I understand it might be difficult to sort an apartment, and would feel a bit wary of signing a contract without a job lined up. I've been looking at Interac who seem pretty decent, but I'm not sure what to do for the best. Any ideas or suggestions appreciated! |
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Bread
Joined: 24 May 2009
Posts: 318
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| Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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It's really liberating when you finally get out of company housing. If you don't want to take the plunge on an apartment, just move into a guesthouse for a while (or permanently, if you like it). If you want freedom of lesson planning, go for elementary level. Elementary ALTs are often given almost complete freedom over lesson planning, while junior high is usually controlled by the Japanese teacher.
Beyond that, just apply to any ALT jobs that you find appealing. You most likely will NOT have a definite answer in February as to whether you will have a job in April, because the boards of education wait until the last possible minute before making their choice of dispatch companies. You'll pretty much have to find a place to live and wait to hear from whatever company has tentatively accepted you. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:58 pm Post subject: Re: Eikaiwa to ALT work |
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| Rezz wrote: |
| So, I've been teaching in Japan for 6 months so far at a big name eikaiwa |
Why do people start posts with the word "so"?
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| and I'm thoroughly enjoying the experience so far. I'm hoping to move on to working in a public school when my contract is completed in February 2011...... my question is - how? |
You either get a rare direct hire position as an ALT/AET/CIR, or you work for a dispatch agency as an ALT, or you get work as an ALT through the JET program (apply while you are in Japan, but you'll have to return home for the interview).
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| I really want a bit more freedom with lesson planning |
ALT jobs may or may not give that to you.
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| and would love some direct involvement in Japanese schools. |
There are also private schools, not just the public schools. I used to work at one.
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| I want to be able to get to know the kids better and be in less of an English speaking bubble. |
To both of these I would have to say yes and no. You may not have as much of either one as you like. Case by case. Bear in mind, too, that an eikaiwa class of 5-10 students is a heckuva big difference from a mainstream school of 30-45 kids. (My HS classes were 40-47 kids in size, and only sometimes were they split in half to be co-taught by a partner.)
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| I have a 3 year VISA |
No, you have a visa. VISA is a credit card. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:04 am Post subject: Re: Eikaiwa to ALT work |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| Rezz wrote: |
| So, I've been teaching in Japan for 6 months so far at a big name eikaiwa |
Why do people start posts with the word "so"? |
My guess is that people use "so" because it's often used as a discourse marker to change topics in spoken English.
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| I really want a bit more freedom with lesson planning |
ALT jobs may or may not give that to you. |
Very true, and in my past experience as an ALT and working for an Eikaiwa, I had *much* more freedom in lesson planning when I worked for the eikaiwa. That was my personal experience, and it'll vary depending on what the eikaiwa you work for is like and what the school(s) you work for is/are like. The old JET mantra holds true: ESID.
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| and would love some direct involvement in Japanese schools. |
There are also private schools, not just the public schools. I used to work at one. |
From what I understand from friends' experiences, there is usually more lesson planning freedom working at a private school than at a public school. Not sure if that is often true, but in my experience it is.
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| I want to be able to get to know the kids better and be in less of an English speaking bubble. |
To both of these I would have to say yes and no. You may not have as much of either one as you like. Case by case. Bear in mind, too, that an eikaiwa class of 5-10 students is a heckuva big difference from a mainstream school of 30-45 kids. (My HS classes were 40-47 kids in size, and only sometimes were they split in half to be co-taught by a partner.) |
I'd say that you're likely to get out of the English-speaking bubble if you work as an ALT, as you'll likely be surrounded more by teachers and school staff that do not teach English. Students, for the most part, will not be as focused on English, either.
As far as getting to know kids better, that is hit or miss. Some ALTs rotate between a number of schools and only see each kid a couple times a month - hardly enough to get to know them. If you work at one school, and teach only a certain number of kids (e.g., only the 1st years, or only oral communication classes), then you might be able to get to know them well.
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| I have a 3 year VISA |
No, you have a visa. VISA is a credit card. |
Right, and he probably has a humanities visa, which might need to be changed to an instructor visa if he works for a public school, right? I'm guessing that while some places might not care about him having the right kind of visa, public schools will probably want to do things by the book. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:23 am Post subject: Re: Eikaiwa to ALT work |
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| rtm wrote: |
| Glenski wrote: |
| Rezz wrote: |
| So, I've been teaching in Japan for 6 months so far at a big name eikaiwa |
Why do people start posts with the word "so"? |
My guess is that people use "so" because it's often used as a discourse marker to change topics in spoken English. |
And, since this post started with the word "so", instead of changing topics within the thread, I find it unnecessary. But, let's not get hung up on such things. It just irks me. Nothing more.
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| There are also private schools, not just the public schools. I used to work at one. |
From what I understand from friends' experiences, there is usually more lesson planning freedom working at a private school than at a public school. Not sure if that is often true, but in my experience it is. |
Since I didn't work in a public school, I can't compare. I can tell you my experience in private HS involved a heckuva lot of work along with some freedom to create lesson plans. The work involved mandatory involvement in committees and clubs and dorm inspection.
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| I have a 3 year VISA |
No, you have a visa. VISA is a credit card. |
Right, and he probably has a humanities visa, which might need to be changed to an instructor visa if he works for a public school, right? |
Yes, unless he is granted special permission from immigration to work in a public school PT. |
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Rezz
Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 95
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:32 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the responses so far. Currently I do hold a humanities visa yeah, didn't realise I may have to change it.
I understand the main intake period is around April, which I was hoping would be good timing for me since I'll be available from February. However I don't really know who to or where I should apply other than Interac. I would like to stay around the Nagoya area where I am currently based so don't really want to take a chance with JET or have to fly back home for interviews.
Staying at a guest house or hostel may be on the cards for a while as you suggested Bread, thanks. As for applying to any ALT jobs I find appealing, where do I look? Gaijinpot?
Glenski - how does classroom management work with a group of 40 students? Did you have many problems? Cheers. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:41 am Post subject: Re: Eikaiwa to ALT work |
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| Glenski wrote: |
Since I didn't work in a public school, I can't compare. I can tell you my experience in private HS involved a heckuva lot of work along with some freedom to create lesson plans. The work involved mandatory involvement in committees and clubs and dorm inspection.
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This is a good point - the OP said he wanted more freedom in lesson planning, but it is good to remember that with more freedom comes a LOT more work. If you're in this teaching thing to learn something and work hard doing so, then more freedom is the way to go. If you're on a one or two year "break from reality", then there's probably no need to bother. |
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Rezz
Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 95
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:45 am Post subject: |
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| Well the freedom thing doesn't bother me that much, it's only really when it comes to playing games with the students using English vocab/phrases that I'd like to be able to use some of my own ideas rather than having to stick to a few set ones. It's not a career for me, I am only going to be here 2 years or so. |
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flyer
Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 539
Location: Sapporo Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:50 am Post subject: |
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I have been in both eikaiwa and ALT work, and yes I wouldn't say that you have more freedom of lesson planing as an ALT?
anyway you said that
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| I've been teaching in Japan for 6 months so far at a big name eikaiwa and I'm thoroughly enjoying the experience so far |
If you are enjoying it so much, why change? |
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Rezz
Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 95
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:15 am Post subject: |
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Well seeing as it will most likely be my final year in Japan, I'd like to do something a bit different and see the "other side" of teaching compared to Eikaiwa work. I find the kids classes I teach to be more rewarding than adult lessons (most of the time) and want to have a bit more responsibility in that area.
Speaking honestly, I'd also appreciate the "normal" working hours compared to the 12pm-9pm shift I do now, and of course, the public/national holidays would be nice. I'd be lying if I didn't mention those benefits, but they are not my primary reasons for wanting a change. |
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robertokun
Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 199
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:55 am Post subject: |
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| flyer wrote: |
If you are enjoying it so much, why change? |
I was thinking this, too.
If you've got a good thing going, it might not be a bad idea to stick with it. Taking an ALT job might turn out great, but you'd be rolling the dice big time with your final year in Japan. If you really need a switch and want to focus on teaching children you could always try to get a job with Peppy Kids Club. |
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kotoko
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Posts: 109
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:28 am Post subject: |
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Unless you work in elementary schools, you wont have freedom doing anything in the classroom. You will, however, have lots and lots and lots of freedom to do what you wish (in my case, read books and study Japanese) at your desk for at least 3 or 4 hours a day.
Glenski, please go into these dispatch CIRs, I don't think I've ever heard of one. I applied for CIR on JET but there are only 3 or 4 British CIRs a year from the UK and I didn't cut it. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:37 am Post subject: |
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| Rezz wrote: |
| I understand the main intake period is around April |
Start date is April. "Intake" (hiring) is earlier.
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| I don't really know who to or where I should apply other than Interac. |
Look at the FAQ stickies.
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| Glenski - how does classroom management work with a group of 40 students? Did you have many problems? Cheers. |
Forty to forty-seven HS kids is a hard thing to manage sometimes. I'm in university now and have had eikaiwa-type oral communication classes here with 50-60 students at once, and reading/listening courses of 90-120!
Not fun, believe me.
As for the HS situation, you have to deal with things by splitting the kids up a lot. Small groups, pairs, or individual surveys. Japanese don't like to be called upon to use English in class in front of others, so you also have to deal with that, sometimes identifying the few brave ones who WILL respond, or by calling on students only when they are in their groups. Some people say make teams and foster competition, but I have never found that to work in kids older than JHS.
| kotoko wrote: |
| Glenski, please go into these dispatch CIRs, I don't think I've ever heard of one |
I didn't say dispatch CIR. I said direct hire. In my area alone there are a handful hired directly by the board of education, who assigns them to various schools. Some places even have sister-city CIRs or ALTs. |
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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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| Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 2:35 am Post subject: |
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| Interac ran ads last year for CIRs. Since most users on here consider Interac to be a dispatch company, it is safe to say that Interac had been hiring for dispatch CIRs. |
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kotoko
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Posts: 109
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:18 am Post subject: |
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| Interesting.. thanks for the info. Might be worth a look. |
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