[typing]

Speaking on ESID ((Names have been changed to protect the innocent and guilty)

I've worked at the BunnyCo English school (You know what I'm talking about) Work wasn't bad, their method of working is pretty okay, easy lessons, easy teaching but unless you go up in the ranks one year of teaching the same lessons again and again and again and again will drive you NUTS. Especially since you're not really supposed to deviate from the textbook.
The reason for this is because with the Bunny system students can have lessons whenever THEY want. Brilliant on the one hand, terrible because they're getting a multitude of teachers each expecting something different with a different style of teaching. Hence, cookie cutter lessons.

A friend of mine works at GeeOllys school (*WINK*) is generally permitted to teach her class any which way she wants. In fact is encouraged. Unlike Bunny, she makes her own classes and has the same students every week, so she can help them progress.

At my current Eikaiwa, it's more like GeeOlly, I get set classes and usually I can choose which books the students are in, but sometimes they have books they want to be taught from. I can teach writing or grammar or just spoken English.

I also part time at an all girls high school. ALT work.
In one class I'm the talking parrot, only good as a human recording device.
In one class I'm resource material, so the teacher can check what's current.
In another class I AM the teacher. The other teacher sits down and only translates what I say when the students get really lost (Because it's a current events debate class so it's HARD)
In my last class I am just a marking device, and Human recorder but also for 1/2 of the class (2 hour class) I'm the teacher, giving homework (That I then have to mark >_< bah!) and asking questions. The other teacher is there to bail me out when the students get lost (Because this is a writing class not a spoken one so a lot of them can't talk)

I could totally teach the writing and debate class forever. But the other two classes, well if I'm not being used I tend to sit on a stool in the corner and doze off. Which can't look good. ^_^;

For the most part, I've had a good time in Japan, the work itself is nice, easy and usually fun. I've had bosses whom where hell and I've had co-workers I've wanted to choke. I've had stranger roommates whom I wish I had a lock on my door for and roommates I'm still good friends with. I LOVE my boss now. I want to take him home with me he's such a nice guy. At my ALT job my boss is super nice, but a bit scatterbrained but I think that's because the school had the same ALT for 7 years so he has no idea what to do with a new teacher so he forgets to tell me... well everything. >_>

Each experience is different and a lot of working here depends on what you're looking for. Quick cash, Culture Love, Actual teaching.

I'm planning on going back to my home country come March when all my contracts are over, but that's just so I can get my TESL and TOEIC training and maybe even finish my teaching degree. I think I might stay in Japan for another 5 years. Or at least until I complete my original goal of saving 2grand