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alainabertrand
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Location: Houma, Louisiana, USA
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 Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:20 pm Post subject: Has Anyone Ever Worked for These Schools? |
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| I am thinking about accepting a job with either Maple English and French School in Japan, or Little America in South Korea. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with these schools (good or bad). |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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Your best indidcator would be to ask the school to put you in contact with some previous teachers. (more than one) Someone who has completed a contract will have a better idea about the place.
If the school refuses or gives you a bunch of bogus email addresses....
well, I think you can guess what that might mean. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: Has Anyone Ever Worked for These Schools? |
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| alainabertrand wrote: |
| I am thinking about accepting a job with either Maple English and French School in Japan, or Little America in South Korea. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with these schools (good or bad). |
The Little America Chain has a less than stellar reputation. Many of the schools in that chain have been blacklisted over the last 5 or so years. Do a search.
Check with the current teachers about conditions at that particular academy. Talk to MORE THAN ONE teacher. Get their e-mails so you can talk to them when the boss isn't looking over their shoulder.
ASK specific questions about NHIC medical, pension, OVERTIME and creative book-keeping to avoid paying overtime. They USUALLY (heresay from teachers I knew who worked at that chain) never paid any of these.
Ask about the number of classes per day, per week and per month.
Ask about class time length and calculation of teaching hours. (reports of up to 140 classes per month).
ASK about required time in the school (unpaid management/prep time).
ASK about holidays - when and how long for each break.
ASK about housing - size and condition. Don't accept shared housing.
If you don't ask, then be prepared for a long and ugly year.
Sorry if this is primarily cut and pasted from some of my previous posts but the message to ALL newbies should be the same. |
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alainabertrand
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Location: Houma, Louisiana, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:14 pm Post subject: Thanks for your help. |
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| Thanks for the advice. Oh, I also wanted to know if it is common for teachers to have to pay for their airfare and rent in Japan? |
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braunshade
Joined: 19 Apr 2006
Location: Somewhere better!
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| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Check your PM. |
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just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Location: Changwon - 4964
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| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:05 pm Post subject: Re: Thanks for your help. |
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| alainabertrand wrote: |
| Thanks for the advice. Oh, I also wanted to know if it is common for teachers to have to pay for their airfare and rent in Japan? |
Yes |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:14 am Post subject: |
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| To teach in Japan, you need a decent amount of cake to set yourself up. You pay your own rent and pretty much everything else. |
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brento1138
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
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| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:24 am Post subject: |
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| jacl wrote: |
| To teach in Japan, you need a decent amount of cake to set yourself up. You pay your own rent and pretty much everything else. |
Then why do people choose to teach in Japan if the deals there aren't so good? |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:45 am Post subject: |
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Pay has always been good although it has recently taken a bit of a slide. Don't quote me on this, but I think a newbie can make 250,000 yen/month. That's apx. equivalent to 2.5 million here. Privates are legal and people openly search for lessons (on line too!) and they pay pretty well. Maybe 3-5000 yen/hr (not sure). Some employers, however, son't want you teaching them (I think). Plus a lot of jobs require wearing a suit and tie. That means no dockers and just dress shirts. Life could also be boring there maybe. And a lot of things are expensive. A lot of employers expect you to be there all day even though you only have 25 teaching hours/wk. Also, some may send you to two or three schools in one day. A lot of jobs require and international driver's license and they provide a car.
I think the main reason against it though is the cost of living.
Reason for could be that some teachers earn 300,000 yen/month and can legally teach privates (and find them easily). |
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