Discuss the state of the teaching industry in Japan with your fellow teachers! Use this thread to discuss salary trends, companies, minor questions that don't warrant a whole post, and build a rapport with other members of the community.
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I went to visit our sister school in Korea and I was shocked at the difference between systems here and there. Granted, I don’t work at a public school in Japan but there are several huge differences I’ve noticed. This is a junior high school.
1) literally every English teacher I met could hold a conversation with me and we discussed curriculum differences and pedagogical best practices. I’ve never met a JTE who could do that, but of course, my sample size is small.
2) They have a woodworking class (or makers class). They literally make their own bookcases and stools when they renovate a room. I saw multiple smaller “reading rooms” with student made furniture as a place for kids to read after school in addition to the main library. The woodworking teacher showed me plans for them to make a gazebo in the middle of campus during the next academic year.
3) Standing desks in the back of each classroom for students who feel sleepy.
4) a student run greenhouse that they use to grow saplings which are then transferred to small vegetable plots.
Among many other differences. Meanwhile, Japanese middle schools seem hyper focused on SHS entrance exams and don’t give two shits about enrichment activities. This happens in the States too, as districts compete for funding with test results. I was lucky enough to grow up before No Child Left Behind really shafted the arts and this Korean school really reminded me of all the good times I had in non-testing electives. The Korean teachers said the testing and hard studying starts from high school.
I don’t have experience with Japanese public schools, but the kids that came to our school from the public school system were also impressed.
Does anyone here work at a school with such “non-academic” enrichment classes / activities? How’d you guys get started on it? Is it mostly relegated to clubs?
Oi can we rename this to “Station Beer Chat”?
No ALT in Japan has ever had a ‘water cooler’ moment but we’ve all stood outside a FamilyMart with a tallboy after work.
Not sure if right thread but I’m a US licensed teacher with a masters degree and dreams of teaching abroad but don’t wanna be an alt – I hear it’s like an aid instead of a main teacher.
Is there any reading anyone can recommend or resources to educate myself on the job prospects, applying and such?
If we get another EF EPI “Japan’s English rank going down” again next year I’m going to blind myself.
Always amazed at which friends over the decades in TEFL went the TEFL influencer route. Making a channel where they upload videos on grammar, or some pronunciation errors, or pragmatics etc and kinda build a small fan base of upper intermediate/ advanced learner as subscribers. Guessing they use it to pull in private lessons or something, or selling online lessons of some sort.
What type of questions would be asked for an interview for a part-time university position?
Through a connection, a friend put in a good word for me at her university and I got an interview! It’s a high ranked university in kansai (not top 5 but still up there) and it’s a really good opportunity for me. I don’t want to mess it up.
I think it’s just my nerves speaking but I want to prepare as best as I can. I’m not sure what the actual interview would entail or even the type of questions.
Figure I will put numbers for my job uni search for others to compare. 10 apps, 3 interviews, 1 offer, 1 waitlist.
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