ECC or international preschool ?? I got three interviews coming up.

10 comments

1. Preschool will have the most consistent schedule out of them all.

2. I can explain that most ‘international preschools” are normally not really an international school. For example The American School in Japan is a real international school with a license etc. Most international preschools are basically just a daycare with an ekaiwa attached to it later. You will be teaching very young kids English usually and you will almost always have some kind of afterschool ekaiwa. Your hours will be pretty long normally as they will try and get as much work out of you as they can. You’re basically on the same level as an ALT or ekaiwa worker. The real question is do you like working with kindergarten age kids? If you do then might as well try an international kindergarten.

   I tried it and the mixture of stress from kids trying to kill themselves, hours worked, and management just proved to be too much. I was younger then but it was a low point to be sure. Some people can do it though.

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   As for vacation, the preschool will have the best structure as it usually follows the academic school year. But, some also keep the whole “day care” theme going and you may still have to work.

3. You’re not going to have real ‘proper holidays’. These are all service industry jobs so you will be working during summer/winter vacation since kids continue to go to such lessons even when school is out.

4. Preschool is daycare in Japan. They have holidays when the parents do on the three national week long “vacations”. Japanese compaies close for three one week “holidays” at new years, golden week and obon. The problem is 80% of companies close and every tourist spot is packed. Flights are double.

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   Eikaiwa (ECC) usually has the same schedule and will often close for the 3 weeks. Legally they only have to give you 21 days PTO which includes sick time. They can dictate 50% of that time if they close. That 21 days is really 10 because they will force you to use them for NY, GW and Obon. You are left with only 10 days for vacation AND sick time. If you try to take more than one week off, they will say no. Usually they only allow you to take 2 to 3 days at a time.

5. For kinderkids it really depends on how that particular school is managed. The Nagoya school was brutal then they fixed it when more than 50 percent of the staff quit, including Japanese staff. Don’t know if it’s back to bad. If you are interested in teaching (very) young kids they have a good system to learn. It’s run like an English factory so don’t expect your ideas to matter.

   Can’t comment on the other 2. Eikawa doesn’t really connect to other industries except maybe customer facing sales. Might be worthwhile to get ideas for side gigs. It’s “experience with kids” if you aren’t asked to teach adults. I get the impression ECC is adults only.

6. International preschools vary A LOT, so it’s good to look into them individually. Looking at Global Village’s website, I can’t say I’m super impressed. I don’t see much English being used (which means there’s a chance that the assistants will use Japanese a lot to “make things easier,” which in turn limits your ability to communicate with them), and all other subjects are completely absent. The Cambridge YLE is being pushed, and it’s a fine test, but I wonder if you’ll be expected to push for higher scores on it.

   The daily plan seems easy, if a little under stimulating. You’ll do circle time and a craft and spend the rest of the day playing, feeding them and changing diapers. But that probably means you’ll need to do after school, too. (The better international schools hire other teachers for after school) That can be really overwhelming because preschool requires a lot of prep time. You can’t expect a 2-year-old to sit down with a worksheet to kill 10 minutes.

   But, it’s worth taking an interview. If anything I’ve mentioned concerns you, ask them.

7. I used to work at an “international preschool” that is similar to the ones describes by others here: 0930-1430 is the baby class, basically day care in English. 1530-1800 is afterschool classes, kindergarten or elementary. Then 1800-2100 is private 1-1 classes usually for adults but some kids too. However, it was a small business with 2 locations and run like a sinking ship lol.

   I would suggest that if you work somewhere like this, to do it part time. I did about 25 hours a week, and supplemented my income with cafe lessons. It is way too hectic and draining to do as a full time job in my opinion, as you’re expected to teach all the different classes when in reality they all demand very different skills.

   Like another commenter said, a good school will hire teachers specifically for each class – but most expect you to do it all. I worked there for a long time and I negotiated having 0 evening lessons, but newer teachers had to do whatever the boss told them to, sometimes changing at short notice.

   The school was closed Sunday and Mondays, and I worked all national holidays that fell in the week. The schools calendar was broken down into 4 week chunks, so if one month had 5 Wednesdays then the 5th Wednesday would probably be closed and a day off.

   I was part time so can’t say much for paid leave, sorry. Sick days were okay but frowned upon because they didn’t have any back up teachers… again sinking ship. I could arrange holidays pretty easily but my boss would always ask if I had any “friends” who could come in and teach in my place while I was gone lol. I think this is way more lax that kinder kids or global village, but it definitely depends on the branch!

   My advice is to go to the interviews and ask as many questions as you can, sit in on classes if possible, do trial lessons, get info and experience and make a decision 🙂

8. There all shit but ECC flushes down the bowl easiest and can be reclaimed water later

9. Proper holidays so you can…? I mean… who knows if you can come and go freely at that time anyhow.

10. Definitely talk to the teachers working there. A lot can be said by the mental and physical state of the teachers.