Teaching English in the JP

[jasonbvr]

Most of the JET gatherings when you first arrive are not only to learn how to work as an ALT but also to learn how to live in Japan. We, English teachers and other foreigners in Japan, will always learn a lot from those here before us.

Even when working for a private company, you will still have to go to numerous work related functions of the same kind and often with JET participants. The point I was trying to make was that JET's are simply more likely to meet a lot more people because of being in the JET program.

If I was offered a position in JET, yes I would probably take it because of the money. The reason I haven't applied, I enjoy the fact I can live where I choose to at the moment and if I needed or wanted more income I could simply get a few weekly private students.

Working for my company has been a good experience. I have been told that they are one of the best in the region, but now that it is nearing the end of my contract period I may be moving on despite how good they are or how much I like my school.

Why? Just to see if 1) I can get a better offer and 2) getting a better job is fairly easy once you have that first year of experience.

[Xlll]

So far, I would much rather work in a private company rather than the JET Programme since you can ensure yourself the place you want to work in, I hear in JET you have a less likely chance of teaching in the area you much prefer. Also, why do they call them "private companies", aren't they just companies?

[jasonbvr]

Originally Posted by Xlll

So far, I would much rather work in a private company rather than the JET Programme since you can ensure yourself the place you want to work in, I hear in JET you have a less likely chance of teaching in the area you much prefer. Also, why do they call them "private companies", aren't they just companies?

I don't know why, but when you tell someone you are an ALT they ask, "Are you a JET?" To which we answer, "No, I'm a private." JET's actually call the program their company. Whenever the program does something for them they say, "My company provides this wonderful book." And people ask, "What company do you work for?" Then they say, "Oh, I work for JET."

[Hatredcopter]

I think the term 'private company' is used specifically in contrast to the JET Program because JET is an institution run by the Japanese government and not a business or company.

[Xlll]

Originally Posted by jasonbvr

I don't know why, but when you tell someone you are an ALT they ask, "Are you a JET?" To which we answer, "No, I'm a private." JET's actually call the program their company. Whenever the program does something for them they say, "My company provides this wonderful book." And people ask, "What company do you work for?" Then they say, "Oh, I work for JET."

That's where my point come across, I have no interest in working in a program. I would much prefer to work in a company rather than say, a social club for English teaching, mind me. To me the JET Programme is a great way to learn and teach to the Japanese audience, although I also feel it has its major drawbacks, such as being overcrowded and the draw out orientations when first arriving in Japan (i.e. JET lag), and not to mention, the time frame when applying for the program itself. Also, another thing about the orientations, I hear many people skip out on it due to sheer boredom and also to explore more of Tokyo. I'm sorry, but to me it just reminds me of high school all over again, but thats just me, and I'm not into that cycle anymore. So yes, the JET Programme is not looking to good for me at the moment, and I can't say I'll have a change of heart in the near future as well.

[Hatredcopter]

Originally Posted by Xlll

That's where my point come across, I have no interest in working in a program. I would much prefer to work in a company rather than say, a social club for English teaching, mind me. To me the JET Programme is a great way to learn and teach to the Japanese audience, although I also feel it has its major drawbacks, such as being overcrowded and the draw out orientations when first arriving in Japan (i.e. JET lag), and not to mention, the time frame when applying for the program itself. Also, another thing about the orientations, I hear many people skip out on it due to sheer boredom and also to explore more of Tokyo. I'm sorry, but to me it just reminds me of high school all over again, but thats just me, and I'm not into that cycle anymore. So yes, the JET Programme is not looking to good for me at the moment, and I can't say I'll have a change of heart in the near future as well.

I still think you're getting the wrong idea about JET. There's a lot of participants, but what matter does that make? It's not like you share the same school or even the same city with all of them. You'll likely not be working with any other foreigners at the school you're sent to. After arriving in Japan, the orientation in Tokyo is only three days in length - not exactly high school.

Another thing to consider is that you can hop aboard JET with no Japanese experience. Getting a teaching position elsewhere will be more difficult if you haven't learned a good deal of Japanese already. It's a bad idea to come to Japan before you know you have a job secured, so you'd have to learn [some] Japanese before coming.

The JET Programme is by and large considered to be one of the best programs for people to get working in Japan. Your life wouldn't be that much different were you teaching for a private company - you'd get up in the morning, leave your Japanese apartment for a ridiculously long commute to your school, and be an assistant language teacher.

It's rather unsettling to hear you have such a low opinion of the JET Programme when you don't seem to have a decent idea of what exactly it entails.

[jasonbvr]

The ALT's that are usually moving around from one school to another do not usually have that far to go. The rest of ALT's hired by companies are usually placed close by them the same as a JET.

Working as an ALT for a company versus for JET, there are practically no differences as far as what you do for work.

Working as an ALT rather than an eikaiwa teacher, there are going to be a lot of differences.

[Xlll]

Originally Posted by Hatredcopter

I still think you're getting the wrong idea about JET. There's a lot of participants, but what matter does that make? It's not like you share the same school or even the same city with all of them. You'll likely not be working with any other foreigners at the school you're sent to. After arriving in Japan, the orientation in Tokyo is only three days in length - not exactly high school.

Another thing to consider is that you can hop aboard JET with no Japanese experience. Getting a teaching position elsewhere will be more difficult if you haven't learned a good deal of Japanese already. It's a bad idea to come to Japan before you know you have a job secured, so you'd have to learn [some] Japanese before coming.

The JET Programme is by and large considered to be one of the best programs for people to get working in Japan. Your life wouldn't be that much different were you teaching for a private company - you'd get up in the morning, leave your Japanese apartment for a ridiculously long commute to your school, and be an assistant language teacher.

It's rather unsettling to hear you have such a low opinion of the JET Programme when you don't seem to have a decent idea of what exactly it entails.

No no, you seem to be misinterpreting my message. First off, when I meant attending the orientations at Tokyo were as if it were "high school", I basically meant the social behavior that seems to spreading when attending the orientations itself, basically some people or the "new" particpants feel the need to skip out on the orientations to explore a little more of Tokyo while they are there or due to sheer boredom or the like. Also, you seem to believe that JET is the only key program in teaching and getting in Japan, there's countless programs and or companies out there willing to provide these quality services, and a handful of them don't require you to be fluent in Nihongo as well, so that's that. As for the JET Programme vs. company debate, it's practically pointless to compare the two since what they do for work and how they do it is relatively the same. The reason why I would rather work in a company than say a program like JET, is due to personal reasons, for one, I'm getting my bachelor's degree in Business Administration, so of course its only natural for me to seek out a job occupation that has a business-like environment that I can work and learn from, say like GABA for instance.

About how I feel towards the JET Programme, I believe its a awesome program to learn and experience from in terms of just getting out there in Japan, and a great one at that. I did my fair share of research on it and also had countless discussion on it with fellow participants and retirees, so telling me I don't have a "decent idea" on it without personally knowing my stance on the whole program itself is quite "unsettling" as well. Forgive me if I sound rude or rub off in the wrong way, but thats my stance on the JET Programme.

[jasonbvr]

The best way to begin teaching English in Japan may or may not be through working as an ALT. Teaching English is the easiest way to start working in Japan, but you are right Osensei there are so many ways to do that how do you know what is best.

First the three basic options you have as an entry level teacher with no experience, well four.

1) The JET Program

As I have stressed many times before JET's are ALT's. The do the same job for a little more money. There is one entry a few pages back on the differences, but the main differences will be the hiring process is longer, you are placed where they decide to place you and there is the money.

2) Private ALT's

This is what I think you were really asking about. How do I find a good ALT company to work for? You asked what I think the best is, and to that I have to answer Interac is number one as far as being an ALT. However this means their selection process is a bit more demanding. I have an interview with Interac in 2 weeks for which I will go through a 45 min questioning, personality test (what?) and make a video for them to show to prospective schools. It is a bit over the top, but there is more upward mobility in a big company like Interac. They have a school for learning English in Provo, Utah and offer the chance to move up the ladder in Japan as well. Also if successful, I will have a wider range of locations to choose from.

After Interac, there are only a handful of companies along the same size as they are in ALT staffing. Interac is simply the largest in Kanto, but I think they have one fairly big competitor in the Kansai region. When it comes to working for the other companies, they are seriously all the same it seems. The only difference being is how much they are willing to do for you as far as getting started in Japan and monthly pay. They are all trying to make money and you are really there money makers.

If you want to talk about work environment, I can't really help you there. That is because while you are employed for this company, you are working in a school. And if you do come to Japan as an ALT, you will learn very quickly that all schools are different. They all expect different things from their ALT. You won't know if you've got a good one or a bad one until you are there. To be quite honest, my school is one of the tougher ones to work for in that my classes are run and designed by me. Without experience, that was really tough in the beginning. Some of the human tape recorder types always get jealous when I tell them this, but to be honest it is not so easy to design lessons that will get your students involved and master the skills they need at the same time.

3 and 4) The Eikaiwas

Working in a conversation would be another world compared to ALT. I list them as 3 and 4 because there are two types, big and little. Big is something Aeon, Nova, Gaba, Geos and one or two others. These have curriculums. They have textbooks. Although at Gaba you are working one on one so you are not really moving a group of students from one level of ability to the next. Little are the one shop operations you can find all over Japan. Some foreign owned and operated, as in by the teacher themself, and others are owned by Japanese and staffed by foreign teachers. Then there are a few that are owned and taught by Japanese. In a small eikaiwa, you and maybe one to six other teachers are the school. You have materials, but all the planning of what needs to be taught is on your shoulders. Some of these local operations do have a head teacher who plans and designs the curriculum but maybe not.

Working in an eikaiwa has it's benefits. Smaller classes, less of a Japanese work environment (good or bad depending on how you look at it), special events at eikaiwas are holiday kids' parties versus things at public schools like sport's days and graduation, you are not the only foreigner around in most cases, you can see your students progress more where as in the case of ALT's we only see the good and the bad at English and they don't really change (good kids go to eikaiwas), and probably some other things. This is all just speculation because I have not worked in an eikaiwa. I have done part time work for them but not much.

The best amongst the biggest, looking in from the outside I will say Aeon. Better pay, that is all I can see. Gaba is also supposedly top notch but you are basically selected by your students and then you have to design a lesson to meet their needs. Aeon and Nova, you are going to be guaranteed a certain amount of work each month whereas Gaba just depends on how much work you can get.

And that's all for now. It's Saturday. I should be playing online poker, later.

[Osensei]

Thank you for the intensive response Jason. Another question that comes to mind at the moment, so I believe; I currently hold a BA and MBA in Business Administration majoring in Project Management, and I was planning on becoming an ALT or eikaiwa teacher for a year or so until I get a clear-cut idea of what career I wanted to pursue while in Japan. Now, since my degrees and experience don't come so easily these days I'm looking foward into a high-salary paying job, well ALT or eikaiwa teacher so to speak, out of the programs and private companies that you come to know (experience or heard of), which would you recommend me? Any advice is welcomed as well.