Here is my current situation
I am going to a U.S. University in NY, currently at the end of my third semester. By the end of my 4-year program, I will be certified to teach English. I’m half-Japanese and I can speak natively since I lived in Japan for my whole life.
I want to teach back home.
It’s not that I hate it here, in the states, the observations are quite fun and I am getting pretty acclimated with the public school system. It’s just that I feel more comfortable in Japan as a person. I understand that my reasoning is vague and unprofessional, but I also believe that my sense of belonging lies in Japan.
I enjoyed my international school experience while I was in middle and high school. I was supported by great educators and I want to pay the favor forward for students in Japan. I just want genuine feedback on the chance of getting some form of employment when I return home.
I understand that my worries seem pre-mature, but I am just a huge worrier and just need some form of feedback.
P.S. Should I go to grad school as well? I also want to be certified for IB but I need 3 years of experience, can I get that experience in Japan?
10 comments
I get it bro and Japan’s a great place been there a few times. Loved it.
I’d aim high and have your end goal in mind. Shoot for a professorship at a University or start your own company later down the road and work you way back down see what you eed to get there whether that means a PHD-degree or more connects in the industry doing what you eventually want to do.
The low-level teaching English Japan is filled with Jets and other foreigners with limited capabilities and low reputation. I wouldn’t recommend you jump into that fray. You’d be lumped in with the rest of them and get the same crappy treatment.
Anyways nobody can plan your future better than you. Take some time and mull it over.
I know someone who gave up her Japanese citizenship to become a JET and then regretted it for years to come after she finished JET … as she got older, she realized that she wanted to live in Japan but had forfeited that right when she was young and so proud to be Canadian.
what does “certified to teach English” mean? If it means your major is education and you will get a teaching license, I would suggest to teach in America a few years to look more attractive as a candidate. You will need to get licensed here to teach as a solo teacher. Each prefecture requires a seperate license and a school who wants you licensed will help with the process or you can do the Japanese one if they let you take it.
If it means ESL or you have 12 years being educated in English I would look at what better paying schools require for hiring you before committing to life in Japan.
Are you a citizen of the US or Japan?
I think you’d have an easy shot teaching for JET program or an eikawa, but international schools in most countries require many years of professional experience in public schools in your country. NY initial teaching license also expires after 5 years, with 2 or 3 of those years needed to be working in a NY public school, on top of taking all the exams and going to an accredited college; to keep the license you must have a master’s degree that is appropriate to what you will be teaching. If you want to teach at an international school, unless you have many years of experience, a TESOL or TEFL certification/degree or a master’s appropriate for your major, it will be longer than 2 years or so for you to have an easy time teaching at any international school, let alone Japan’s stricter guidelines.
If you get a teachers license and work at a public school, you will have a very comfortable life. Especially in the NE where, contrary to popular belief, teachers are paid very well. I was an ESL teacher in MA and it was incredibly lucrative and fun. Good luck!
Edit, I misunderstood your post. But actually, this is exactly what I did. I was a licensed teacher in MA but returned to Japan.
You will struggle to make even 1/3rd the salary you would make in the US and you might be relegated to ALT/eikaiwa work. This was my situation but I am currently in the process of starting my own school here in Japan to get out from under the thumb of low-paying, inneffective English teaching positions. I have friends who work at international schools teaching English and they still don’t make half what they would in the states. But if you love it here then you need to chace that dream. At the very least you will not be unemployable.
I think it is admirable that you would give up a potential high paying corporate job for much lower pay to teach and inspire young Japanese students. I don’t know the answer to your question but I wish there were more people in the world like you. I hope you get it sorted out.
What is more important to you, earning money and getting paid properly for your work? Or making sure that your students will be actually learning and improving their english abilities? If you come back to Japan and work for someone as an employee, you will get paid shit and not have much freedom in the way you want to do things. Different story if you create your own english school. Unfortunately no English teacher really makes a big difference. Out of all the Asian countries Japan is by far the worst at speaking English! They’ve had English taught to them since WW2 and look at the state of the English abilities in Japan. So if you come back looking to make a difference, good on you! But you are not going to be able to really get ahead financially. It’s one or the other. Be prepared for that! Good luck 👍
I want to respond to your last question about getting certified for IB. Once you get your teaching license, just go get actual teaching experience. IB is all about actual teaching experience and then slowly doing workshops to sharpen your skills. If you are really keen, pay for the Category 1 workshop for MYP or DP but after that, it is all about experience.
I would actually think going to grad school would hurt your chances at IB schools as a newbie. On most salary scales at international schools in Japan, having a Masters means you are automatically bumped up on the salary scale. A school would much rather hire a non-masters teacher with 2-3 years teaching experience than a teacher with a masters degree with no teaching experience. A teacher with a relevant masters degree and years of experience would be a different story.
Good luck! You have a great attitude in why you want to be an educator. Just get some experience, get that initial interview and you can really sell your own personal journey going from an IS student in Japan to an IS teacher.
Thank you, for all the comments thus far. I understand that there are many factors going into my future and all of you have been helpful in showing me the duality of harsh realities and positive experiences to educate in Japan. I understand that I’m a very young guy and it really is not the best time to worry about these things, but I really appreciate the feedback.
On that note, I have another question.
As you already know I will already be certified to teach English in the state of NY by the end of my program. I have recently done some ***light*** research, not an amount to be proud about (as indicated there by the bold and italics), regarding teaching in some U.S. military bases. If any of you have some wisdom regarding this matter I would greatly appreciate it.
All in all, I appreciate the kinds words and great advice. Honestly was not expecting Reddit to be the place to come through with this.
Thank you.