Hello!
I’ve never worked in Japan nor an English school so I’m unsure of how any of this works. I have an interview on Wednesday for a small Eikawa co- owned by a Japanese man who speaks great English and an American man. As far as I can tell, I will be their first teacher outside of themselves. They seem very nice. What should I expect? What will they ask me? I do have an extensive ESL background but not in Japan. I’m very nervous!
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5 comments
Small schools can be hit or miss. Could be a great place to work, where they really value you. Could be a disaster. Interviews are interviews. You’ve done them before, it will be similar, maybe less formal
It’s always a good idea to have a couple of questions that you want to ask them. Ask about the company, why they’re expanding, future goals, the schedule, living arrangements, local accommodations, reasons they would suggest living there, etc.
Do a bit of research about the area they’re located yourself, so you know at least a little bit and show you’re invested in the interview with their business in particular.
Firstly, congratulations!
They likely have seen something they liked in your application as to invite you for an interview.
They may ask you questions such as;
– What are some of the main differences in teaching 1st grade and 6th grade students?
-> Generally the attention span of 6th graders will be higher and you can spend longer on each activity.
-> The goals of 6th graders may differ as they may be aiming to pass different exams.
– What is the difference between “lend” and “borrow” in English (I’ve seen this come up a few times.)
– Tell me about a time where you overcame a challenging situation.
– What do you already know about our company?
As others have said, it’s good to have some questions for them too, some of my favourites are;
– What would a normal day look like for me? (This gets them to imagine what it would be like for you to work for them.)
– Who are the people I’ll be working with on a daily basis?
You’ll want to make sure you find out about when you get paid, holiday entitlement, bonuses, pension and health insurance.
Good luck, it sounds like it will be a new experience for the staff there. I suspect they will be excited to meet you!
I think the best advice is that if you have quals and take teaching seriously, that you avoid Japan.
at some point ask about National insurance and pension and whether they will help with it.