I want to get my ticket sooner rather than later because I'll save an exponential amount of money. I was placed in the West region of Japan for a March start. I have no idea about the specifics like when I will start straining and where. I plan on getting a ticket where I can change things around if needed, but just to be safe: where should I arrive if I'm working for the West region? And approximately when should I get there?

Thanks for your help!!

Hi everyone. Do you know any Board of Education hiring an ALT as a direct hire? Please let me know in the comments, 🥹🙏🏻

I'm currently under a dispatch company rn and my contract is about to expire. I'd like to work in a new environment and ngl, the cost of living is hitting me up these days leading to more expenses so if there's a bigger offer I'll try and give it my best shot!

テスト

TL/DR: When I'm speaking in Japanese among coworkers, I generally use -kun for boys and -san girls or when addressing a student. Why is the owner of the eikaiwa I work for correcting me when I use -kun for elementary and preschool boys at our school?

I use Japanese considerably between coworkers, and while I'm still learning (working on N1), I'm pretty sure I understand when to use -san and -kun. I also avoid using -chan, especially when speaking about students between two teachers.

As I understand it, -san can be used with both boys and girls, but in practice, I hear most teachers using -san for girls. I'm know there are exceptions to this rule as -san is a polite form, but from my observations of Japanese professionals speaking to their students, -san is used predominantly for girls. For boys, I typically hear teachers (particularly at my elementary school and private kindergarten) using -kun all the time. I'm sure there are exceptions, but even my JTE is on the phone with his student (like when his student is out sick), he's referring to the student as ~kun.

So why is the owner of the eikaiwa I work for correcting me when I use -kun for elementary and preschool aged boys at our school? I can't seem to wrap my head around it. She corrects everyone, and even some of the Japanese teachers find it odd.

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.

Please keep discussions civilized. Mods will remove any offending posts.

Years ago I worked at an ekaiwa. A colleague always said he would write a book about his experiences when it was all over. Not a book to help others prepare for it or give advice. More a slightly comedic book, maybe slight fiction amassing the experiences he and his friends had. Even a novel, it would make for an interesting setting. For inspiration think Ricky Gervais drawing on his real experiences working in an office to create 'The Office'.

Alas he never did it, but is there anything remotely like this out there? Would love to look back on that time with some relatable anecdotes.

I am a skilled American business English teacher, living in Thailand. I teach business English to students I acquire on Xaiohongshu [Little Red Book,] a widely popular forum in China.

I'd like to find Japanese business people and/or recent graduates wanting to work for an international company, who want to improve their English. Can anyone recommend a suitable forum or other venue to fish for such students?

BTW, I have over 25 years' international business experience with large companies, including IBM, Fujitsu, Amdahl, and Huawei among others.

Hello I want to get everyone's perspective about finding Jobs, and preferably from both sides Owners and applicants. want to ask this question to the community.

I am an English school Owner and owner of Kids Event company. (I'm not trying to self promote but find a solution) I face many issues trying to find teachers because the job listing sites are so skewed to corporate entities. They are also expensive for smaller companies to use .

The reason I am making this post to ask questions and get advice and find a solution.

Issues I see:
-I saw a job post in the thread asking for schools who allow married people etc.
-Personally, Today I went to ad a job post in a few locations one is in a review, one moved to paid and very expensive, another got taken down by a competitor (I'll never understand)
-expensive for owners
-teaching abroad has more issues for example visa status etc.
There must be more...

My solution:
Create a matching solution for owners and applicants with more details.

This may be a strange post for this thread but if the mods allow it I would like to hear everyone's input.
Self promotion: I have 25 years in Japan and have created more that 20 companies here. I want to create a job matching site to fix all issues everyone has. At the same time fix my issues of finding staff, and help others who want jobs find the small English schools that sometimes have difficulties finding applicants.

Hi! Anyone worked/work here? Looking to find out more information regarding the school community, and dynamics among school leadership, including the school board. Thank you

So my coworker is switching out here soon. She actually ended up being one of the best friends I’ve ever had in my life. I really love her.

When she leaves the school, whats a good gift to give her to show my appreciation for everything? Please give me some advice. What have you given your coworkers in the past??

Alt at JHS where all the student have a laptop and the JTEs seem to encourage their use. I know plenty of them use Google translate partially or to check their work. I also know there's a few who chuck an entire page in and copy it word for word.

When I'm marking or checking work im the ALT who will try to re-write a weird sentence to help. I often find it difficult to decide if work with ambitious English has just been thrown into translation and copied, or if the student has made a legitimate attempt at using English beyond the expected level. If the work has just been translated with no thought then re-writing the sentence to help is wasted effort.

I'm just wondering if there's any consistent signs I can look out for with Japanese to English translation?

Working at an Eikaiwa. I really hate this one teacher who is very demanding and very vague about their instructions. I will try to follow them, but they still berate me even to the point of coming into the class and showing me how to do things. The thing is I have been doing this for about 14 years. I just can't deal with this teacher anymore. I am ready to just say I quit. Am I being too hasty? I guess that would ultimately be up to me though. Other than this teacher I really like the job.

Edit: It just boggles my mind though. I am 38 an adult, married and maybe someone in their 60s woman, not married is treating me this way. I want to bring it up to them face-to-face, but I know that isn't the Japanese way. Are they jealous I recently got married?

Title really. Today I had a 6YO poo himself, pull it out from within his trousers and put it in the bin. Not shaming the poor lad, but I had a mini meltdown.

I'm leaving my current job and every single person that has applied for the opening has been over 40 years old. The position is the typical entry-level, 250k/month eikaiwa gig, so it's not something that requires certificates or upper-level degrees or anything. I expected most applicants to be younger with less experience.

Has the weak yen stopped younger people from deciding to come over, or something?

It's more of a curiosity I have. Whether they find someone or not doesn't effect me greatly.

Hello, my wife and I currently live in the UK. She is a Japanese national from Kagoshima. She has started missing home very much and wants to move back.

My job requires a 1 year notice period to leave, and since I don't really know any Japanese, after googling a bit it seems the only job I'll be able to really get is as an English teacher.

I was curious if there was much work in Kagoshima, and how easy it is to actually get a teaching job in Japan, before I pull the pin and commit to moving?

EDIT - Just looking for answers to the question, not further life advice. Cheers

I've got my heart set on teaching in Japan - I'm going to apply for JET next year. I know I have the temperament and skills to do a great job but the only problem is my appearance. I was heavily into the metal scene in my early 20s and have tattoos on both of my forearms and gauged ears to 10mm. For those not familiar with ear stretching, this is not a large size, but the holes are clearly visible when not wearing jewellery. I know that tattoos must be covered at all times and I am fine with this -I have plenty of long-sleeve shirts! The ear piercings will be harder to hide though, so I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and have the surgical procedure to have them closed up. I really don't mind doing this, its just the cost involved that is prohibitive. Has anyone had any experience with teaching with tattoos/piercings? Will my application be rejected outright if these are visible? Please let me know your thoughts.

P.S. If you're going to berate me for my poor life choices, please don't bother. I will pursue this dream regardless of whether its a pipe dream or not.

Hi! I am kind of thinking about changing my job and came across a post by Jstyle. Anyone worked for this company or interviewed with them? Would love some insight before hitting the apply button.

So we all know dispatch ALTs don't necessarily make a lot of money. A lot of people on this sub call ALT wages poverty or slave wages. However, I recently searched on a job site and was rather shocked to see that there are many normal Japanese jobs that pay either the same, ever so slightly more, or even less. These jobs included things such as hotel front staff, factory jobs, etc. I have even seen many of those 地域おこし協力隊 jobs for Japanese people that pay less than an ALT. I think anyone would agree these jobs are significantly harder than being an ALT and also require good Japanese. So why do people generally not consider these jobs to be poverty or slave wages despite making roughly the same as an ALT for significantly more work?

I'm preparing for JET and other ALT interviews and one thing I'm worried is if they ask me how would you react if someone asks you about being Iranian or if Iran is a terrorist country. For background I pretty much lived in the states all my life, never ever felt like an outsider (maybe because as a kid I subconciously realized I should try to hide being Persian), look white, go by an Americanized preferred name, and in the times that it did come up I just told people the truth that my parents weren't muslim and fled to a country where they can practice christianity in peace. And I also say that the image of Iran is tarnished because the government is filled with religious extremists but most Iranians these days, according to independent surverys, aren't even Muslim and the ones who are are much more tolerant than the extremist regime.

Now this is a mouthful in America, let alone to a Japanese kid or even an adult for that matter. At the same time I feel like I can't give the classic redirect answer of "oh actually Iran is better than you see on TV, definitely go visit!". What I might mention is that Iranians do really love Japan (anime is very popular among the youth, who use VPNs to pirate it and make their own sushi) or something like that, but in the interview stage, which will test how i will handle questions in real life, And for JET especially, which is a government program, I don't want to shit on another country's government (as much as the facist iranian regime deserves to get shit on) so I'm worried about saying "iran loves japan and wants freedom". I'm really worried what to say and how to approach myself.

Hi

I teach Art part time at a private JHS and quit with end of the second semester/ end of December. The last class this semester is December 5. I was just told in an e-Mail by the school that the 引き継ぎ with the new teacher will probably be mid December.

The school is 1 hour from where I live, and the dispatch company used to tell me that grading of students work has to be done on days classes are taught. They don't (want to?) pay for overtime on days when there are no classes.

So- classes are over for this semester. The 引き継ぎ can be done by my co teacher who lives very close to the school, since the class is taught in team teaching. I could be there via video call, but I don't want to go there potentially unpaid, which might depend on the dispatch company. I'm also currently pissed at them for telling me I'm not eligible for paid leave since I'm a contractor (which according to a friend recently is not true??).

Anyways- is this mandatory?!?!

Good day everyone,

I hope you are well. I have a query, I am immigrating to Japan next year and would like advice on how to handle awkward situations. Not to sound funny but I have lectured before and students did come to me with personal matters and I am expecting even more so with children. I know kids or young adults can be cheeky and will try push your boundaries and I'm ready to keep it light but firm when it comes to things like that. But what if for example a child came and confided to you about a deeply personal matter? My first instinct would be to say something like, "thank you for confiding in me, we are here to help but I think you should address Mr. / Mrs. so and so about this."

What are your thoughts? Thank you for your time.

Teachers enrolled in shigaku kyosai, what services have you taken advantage of besides the basics? Did you find it easy to access or were there hurdles?

For reference - https://www.pmac.shigaku.go.jp/index.html

So, here’s the deal: some of my kids think I smell like a dumpster fire, and honestly, it’s driving me nuts. I know exactly how this mess started. After Halloween lessons, I was rocking my usual clothes plus a Pokémon onesie. Naturally, running around playing games with a bunch of 3rd graders in what is essentially a wearable sauna got me sweaty as hell. It was still hot out, okay? Cut me some slack.

Anyway, I peeled off the onesie (probably should’ve burned it) and still had two classes left: one with 6th graders and one with 4th graders. That’s when it happened. A few of the kids clocked my sweaty post-Pokémon aroma. They tried to be sneaky about it, whispering and side-eyeing me, but I heard them. And now, only those two classes seem to think I’m permanently marinated in BO.

Since then, I’ve gone full hygiene ninja. Not only to ensure it never happens again but to try and make sure I smell GOOD enough to be noticeable without using excessive cologne or something. I use antibacterial soap, regular soap, AND a mildly scented body wash. I shave the "danger zones" (armpits and groin, sorry for the mental image), use lightly scented laundry detergent, and unscented antiperspirant. I probably smell like a damn spa, but those kids still ain't buying it.

Now, whenever I walk past certain 6th-grade girls, they hold their noses like I’m smuggling rotting fish in my pockets, making it near impossible to prove to them that I damn well don't!! The 4th-grade boys aren’t much better; they wait until I help them with something and then quietly mutter "くさい" to their friends, like I can’t hear them. Newsflash, kids: I can. And we both know it ain't true.

It’s worse during peer work. If there’s an odd number of students and I join a group, there’s giggling and dramatic stares at the poor "victim" who gets stuck with me. Honestly, the only thing that stinks here is how hard it’s become to do my damn job.

The 4th graders are slowly moving on, but the 6th graders? Nope. They’re still going strong, especially the girls. That class has always been weird—quiet, lots of note-passing, and a vibe that screams "Mean Girls: The Classroom Edition." I’m convinced there’s some sort of queen bee orchestrating this whole "Mr. Smelly" campaign, but maybe I’m just paranoid.

Here’s the kicker: outside of these two classes (so all my other 6th and 4th grade classes, plus of course 3rd and 5th), my students love me. This rumour is only limited to those two classes. They laugh, they participate, and they clearly enjoy having me as their teacher. But every time I finish a lesson in that one particular 6th-grade class, I feel like the kid who sat in gum on picture day.

So, what do I do? Confront them? Sniff myself aggressively in front of the class to prove a point? Pray they develop short-term memory loss? Right now, I’m just avoiding the issue and hoping they forget.

Help me out. I don’t smell. I swear.

<<Just to clarify, this only relates to the online site and freelance contracts.>>

They are moving from a "basic wage + additional for each class taught" model to a "zero-hours" model, but still expecting teachers to show up for a schedule while not guaranteeing any payment.

In addition, teachers have to apply for days off well in advance, and are expected to work on national holidays, too.

Sounds like stuff a "Black company" might do. It used to be really good.

[anonymous account, which I recommend if you want to reply]

Just a quick note, saw that Tokyo and Yokohama are both looking for ALTS, direct hire, for next year. Details on the JALT Jobs homepage;

https://jalt-publications.org/tlt/departments/career-development-corner/jobs

I'm an ALT and in my elementary school, I'm assigned to a class for lunch and cleaning time. During lunch prep, I chatted with students about food. This class is learning about food names in English already, so it was another way for them to practice what they learned in class. The class was also excited to chat with me and use what they learned. But I was told by the teacher to not speak lol.

I'm wondering, what's the point of me being assigned to classes during lunch and cleaning if I should be silent during those times? I figured I was assigned to classes during lunch and cleaning to talk with the kids, practice communicating in English, etc. The silent lunch and cleaning is common in my schools.

Has it always been like this? I heard that silent lunch became common during the pandemic.

Hi everyone.

I have a question for you all. I have a degree in foreign languages, a CELTA certification, and have 2 years of experience tutoring IELTS in my home country.

Currently, I am in my third year as an ALT, where I act as the T1 with only a supervisor observing the class. I am also fluent in Japanese, so I take part in all of the meetings and 研修. Next year, I plan on getting a master’s degree in TESOL, and I aim to transition into a main teaching position by hopefully getting a prefectural 特別免許状. If I can't get this I have to apply for a private school. In which case, do you think my qualifications and experience are enough?

I keep hearing that ALT experience will be ignored, so I'm a bit nervous about going the private school route.

I don't want to return to my home country to obtain a teaching license, as I’ve already established a life here.

Former and current ALTs / fellow English edu OGs: 20/20 hindsight please.

Seeing so many posts from well-meaning ALTs who are making a sincere effort to teach (and reach) kids and adolescents in spite of cultural misunderstandings, administrative red tape, inefficiency, power games, and culture shock inspires me to be the voice of don’t worry — it gets better. After all, unless you’re unprofessional or insensitive, chances are whatever is going wrong isn’t you.

Here’s mine:

-Students seeing the ALT as an ‘entertainer’ doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Do not feel unprofessional because students are so entranced by your unique qualities that they can’t see your pedagogical prowess. You’re interesting to them. If that’s an “in” to keep them engaged in the lesson, all. the better. 

-Students’ attitude problems are often the result of the demand to perform in the face of unusual pressure. It’s coming at them from all angles. Bullying, entrance exams. They are constantly being assessed and judged. Let your classroom be their stress release. An oasis. The whip is already being cracked elsewhere. Lighten up. 

-Inefficiency is the boss’ problem, not yours. You’re along for the ride. You’d much rather be in your position than theirs, so don’t take it personally. No one wants you to revamp their system for efficiency. Let the decision makers do their thing — you try to have as much fun on the job as you can. 

And you?

EDIT: Full disclosure, I am not an ALT, wasn't for very long, and haven't been for many years. My intention here was to toss a little optimism into the path of someone who might have their eyes on something more permanent in the future. The complaining is a bit of a letdown, but that's just Reddit I guess. Just because the system sees someone as a cog doesn't mean s/he shouldn't value what s/he does. The amount of money or respect received in the office makes the job no more or less important to the students.

Japan just gets the kids to clean because the can't afford janitors like everywhere else in the modern world. The kids don't even do a good job.