Teaching English in the JP

[Lonewolf]

I got your email. Thanks, it's realy informative.

[nvled]

email recieved and read quite interesting
thanks for the info

[jasonbvr]

I basically typed all that stuff in one day and didn't read over it until today. I will add a little bit of info I feel that I missed last week.

Money- All those estimates are in yen unless it says dollars. I hope I didn't give anyone the impression you could make 250,000 USD a month.

Owning a car- The most expensive thing is the shaken. Jetsetjapan.com has a very good section, but I will summarize. When you buy a car, ask when the next shaken is. It will usually costs a thousand dollars more or less. I knew a guy who's shaken cost him more than the actual car. Car tax is in between three and five hundred USD. Lastly, tolls will add up (twenty bucks or so, one-way) just like the 4 dollar a gallon gasolin.

The JET Programme- website, The JET Programme--Official Homepage of The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (It's interesting that the ministry of education aims to teach American English but spells everything like they're from the UK) The hiring process is nearly a year long which I think I was incorrect about in saying it was six months. Have a look though, even if you want to go private. It will give you an idea of what they look for in ALT's.

Vacation and holidays- JET's get twenty days paid vacation and I think national holidays are paid for too. Some schools do not ask their teachers to work in August when the kids are out, but some do like mine have you there everyday. The kids will be here, just not in class. August is looking like football with the kids, but I digress. Privates will get whatever they sign for on their contract. If they are not promising you paid leave, ask if you can get ten days at the least. Say something like, "Well, I would really like to accept the position at your school but another company is offering me ten days of paid leave. Are you flexible on no paid leave in my contract?" Most likely they will give you the days because the school board is paying them when you take leave and they simply pocket the money. School holidays are different than national holidays, usually school holidays are not paid for. For example, we had four days of holiday for the New Year but only one was paid holiday.

Anyways, I look forward to your questions and welcoming you all to Japan.

[jasonbvr]

I will　probably continue to add personal experiences in working as an ALT to this thread fairly often so keep coming back for more if you like. Today's installment, the run down of a normal work day:

The students and some of your teachers come to school around 7:40 or so in the morning. Not all of the students, just primarily those in club activities like baseball or tennis club. The practice or run laps until around ten after eight or so. ALT's are required to be in by 8:30 and expected to work an eight hour day. I get in around 8:10 to be at least present for the daily morning staff meeting at 8:20. The staff meeting is run by one of the teachers making announcements and giving the floor to any other teachers with an announcement. The principal (kocho-sensei) or the vice principal (kyoto-sensei) give a small announcement or simply stand up and say, "I have no announcement today." Then the meeting turns from the entire staff's meeting to the separate grades. Our desks are sectioned off into groups of teachers responsible for each of the three grades in the school. The separate sections discuss among themselves issues about their students.

Around 8:40/45 the homeroom teachers for each grade visit the student's homeroom classroom to make some short announcement and do a quick five minute cleaning of the school before classes start at 8:50. The entire time the teachers are in the meeting and for most of the day, the students really govern themselves. This is also true of the after school club activities. They get little supervision from the teachers.

There are four fifty minute periods before lunch and two afterwards on a regular day. Special forty-five minute schedules happen when there is a staff or school meeting at the end of the day. Lunch is...well, its okay most of the time. Sometimes you get some things that not even the teachers or the students want to eat for lunch (kyushoku), but it is probably the cheapest meal you will have in Japan. Sometimes you will, should, eat with the students. Other times just hang out in the teacher's room when you want the peace and quiet. After lunch the students mill around outside and in the hallways, look at books in the library and their class representatives come briefly to the office to ask what to expect the next day from their teachers. The teachers tell them what classes they have and what to bring to class.

After classes are over, the students and teachers clean the school. You will be expected to help out on this one, morning cleaning they never mention anything to me. It is something like ten or fifteen minutes before the teachers retire to the staff room for the majority of the remainder of the day. By this time, unless there is a meeting, you have thirty minutes left before you leave. The students are in and out of the office talking to the teachers about different things before starting their club activities just before you leave. Some schools encourage their ALT's to join in the club activities too, but I once did an interview with a private school that thought that was quite an odd thing to ask an ALT to do. I'd like to learn kendo but the gear is a bit expensive. Currently it is winter as well so all my funds are committed to seeking out snow on the weekends.

There you go, the normal 9 to 5 of an ALT.

[luna2]

Originally Posted by jasonbvr

Also, if anyone wants me to take a look at their resume and cover letter before sending it off, just email me to me. But you may want to message me through JF just to make sure I actually check my mail. And if I didn't mention it before or in the document, you want to apply to about twenty different positions and tailor your cover letter to what they are looking for and any contact info they have listed. Peace!

is gettn a teachin job in japan da same as applying in da US?
or are their standards higher?

[direnchasity]

my school's Japanese teacher used to teach english in JP.

[jasonbvr]

Other Languages?

You do not have to be a native speaker of English for the JET program because they do seek other languages. Look specifically at the list of participating countries here The JET Programme - Aspiring JETs - Participating Countries to see if your country is on the list and what the embassy says about visas and blah, blah, blah

NOVA will hire native speakers of almost any foreign language. There are a few private French eikaiwas, and I believe Aeon Language services may hire a few of the others as well. But there are more jobs for English teachers which is why it is almost all you ever hear about.

[jasonbvr]

This post has been removed, sorry.

[Maku]

Jason...each post you give has loads of information in it, and it's always pretty useful.
But, do you ever do small posts?

[jasonbvr]

Originally Posted by Maku

Jason...each post you give has loads of information in it, and it's always pretty useful.
But, do you ever do small posts?

Haha, no I guess not. I have a lot of free time when outside of classes so you end up with huge posts from me. I also like explaining myself or thinking in detail. And if you start looking back on a lot of my posts, you may notice that they are nearly always edited because I have a tendency to get really picky with spelling and grammar. I am a teacher or something like it. I correct stuff and write like nine to five. Which may be the reason I can reply to a two sentence posting with a paragraph.