Hello guys,
I am currently finishing my Master of Education in Germany with English and Philosophy/Ethics as my majors. I am currently on a 3 month trip through Japan and Tokyo has absolutely stolen my heart.
I started reading a lot into the topic of being a teacher in Japan but the results were mostly negative/mixed.
The salary seems very low (about 50% of what I would make in Germany), but I think I would be willing to take the hit for 1-2 years before I start my career in Germany.
I plan on doing my 1,5 year apprenticeship in Germany starting in January and then look for positions in Japan/Tokyo.
Now I have a few questions that I hope you can help me with:
1). Is it realistic for me to even consider teaching in Japan given that my native language is not English? I am not really interested in Eikawas or ALT positions. However, I am really passionate about teaching English in particular and would love to gain professional expertise and cultural experience in a different country.
2). Is the pay generally good enough to live decently in Tokyo?
3). Are Schools hiring teachers for only a few years or are they looking for long term commitment?
4). Are my subjects in demand? There seems to be a high amount of English teachers trying to make it in Japan so I wonder whether my chances are generally bad.
5). What other steps can I take to improve my chances of making this dream come true? I have thought about working on publishing papers during my apprenticeship.
I took a Japanese seminar in university but my Japanese is still not good enough for conversations. I am still studying a few times a week through Busuu but will look into more serious learning when I get back home.
P.S. The apprenticeship is basically 50% teaching in a school and 50% seminars. This is mandatory to be able work in public schools in Germany. I could potentially already work in private schools in Germany with my Master of Education
Thank you all for your time, I hope I am not too delusional haha
by SwaggyBone