Where did you hear this? From my understanding IB English is a subject within the IB program, an international based curriculum. The IB does not hire teachers. Schools that employ the IB curriculum do.
Is it a small eikaiwa chain in Chiba?
I’m not applying but interested to hear the salary, etc.
Tbh, checked their website. Doesn’t seem that bad as far as eikawas goes. One thing that stuck out to me (in a good way) was that they deduct the city tax directly from your salary. Every eikawa I ever worked at does no do that for you. Starting Salary seemed fare for being in Chiba as well.
They’re a smaller dispatch.
The rumor is that they pay their ALTs much more than the big names – but because their client base is so small, they take a bigger risk in doing so.
Worked for them years ago they used to be called American language school. Generally OK small Ekaiwa chain in the Chiba area and some smattering outside of kanto.
As it’s been a long time take my comments with a grain of salt:
Pros: – pretty small class sizes mostly one on one – paid on time – if you’re living in one of the apartments found for you your rent is automatically deducted from your salary and they will only charge you up to a certain amount for rent. – They’ll also set up your bills and all that for you so you don’t have to try and deal with the utilities yourself if your Japanese is not so great. – Small enough chain that you have the phone number for everyone there including the managers – They own an apartment building just outside Chiba dera station, that’s more than likely where you’ll live. – They will put you up for free in their guest house at yotsukaido station during training – Fairly decent summer and winter vacation times. – I found that most of the Japanese staff spoke pretty decent English I only encountered a few that had poor English skills. – Whatever apartment you do end up renting with them it is actually going to be furnished with the bare basics. That being said they had promised (on their website and in training) that all apartments came with a washing machine in mine and mine did not come with a washing machine so the building did have coin laundry. – Once you are in your schools and teaching your classes they basically leave you alone to do your lessons how you like. * Yearly seminar that everyone attends you get to learn some new tips and tricks.
Cons – No health insurance/ pension – When I was there I was told that they charged the foreign employees more for rent for the apartment (at Chiba Dera station) than the Japanese tenants. Can’t confirm this myself as I didn’t live there. – If for some reason you can’t get housing through them or don’t want to they’re going to give you a hard time. – They don’t really have a substitute system so if you have to take a sick day they’re really going to give you a hard time. When I was there they wanted me to call a substitute myself but since I didn’t live in that one apartment building where everyone else was placed I had no idea how exactly to find a substitute. They have no guide on who works on what days etc. – Some of the schools can be quite small so there’s a chance that you could be the only teacher there aside from the manager who’s there to answer the phone make sure the kids come etc. – No paid preparation time. You would have to come early (off the clock of course) to do any kind of prep. – The seminar that I attended (which is held yearly) had some good tips and games in it however a lot of that time was taken up by sales reps by the textbook companies advertising latest technology and their new books which of course we didn’t use/have access to.
I never really had any major problems with them. From what I remember my annoyance would generally be some thing like lack of communication if my first student canceled for some reason.
They focus a lot more on kids but there are definitely some adult lessons as well. Training was a week and I found it so-so but I do believe you have a week of shadowing and observations as well.
If you’re only going for a year or two it’s a pretty decent job you’re not too far outside of Tokyo so it’s easy to get into the city and most of their schools are right by the train stations. Most of the other teachers are pretty friendly too.
6 comments
Where did you hear this? From my understanding IB English is a subject within the IB program, an international based curriculum. The IB does not hire teachers. Schools that employ the IB curriculum do.
Is it a small eikaiwa chain in Chiba?
I’m not applying but interested to hear the salary, etc.
Tbh, checked their website.
Doesn’t seem that bad as far as eikawas goes.
One thing that stuck out to me (in a good way) was that they deduct the city tax directly from your salary. Every eikawa I ever worked at does no do that for you.
Starting Salary seemed fare for being in Chiba as well.
They’re a smaller dispatch.
The rumor is that they pay their ALTs much more than the big names – but because their client base is so small, they take a bigger risk in doing so.
Worked for them years ago they used to be called American language school. Generally OK small Ekaiwa chain in the Chiba area and some smattering outside of kanto.
As it’s been a long time take my comments with a grain of salt:
Pros:
– pretty small class sizes mostly one on one
– paid on time
– if you’re living in one of the apartments found for you your rent is automatically deducted from your salary and they will only charge you up to a certain amount for rent.
– They’ll also set up your bills and all that for you so you don’t have to try and deal with the utilities yourself if your Japanese is not so great.
– Small enough chain that you have the phone number for everyone there including the managers
– They own an apartment building just outside Chiba dera station, that’s more than likely where you’ll live.
– They will put you up for free in their guest house at yotsukaido station during training
– Fairly decent summer and winter vacation times.
– I found that most of the Japanese staff spoke pretty decent English I only encountered a few that had poor English skills.
– Whatever apartment you do end up renting with them it is actually going to be furnished with the bare basics. That being said they had promised (on their website and in training) that all apartments came with a washing machine in mine and mine did not come with a washing machine so the building did have coin laundry.
– Once you are in your schools and teaching your classes they basically leave you alone to do your lessons how you like.
* Yearly seminar that everyone attends you get to learn some new tips and tricks.
Cons
– No health insurance/ pension
– When I was there I was told that they charged the foreign employees more for rent for the apartment (at Chiba Dera station) than the Japanese tenants. Can’t confirm this myself as I didn’t live there.
– If for some reason you can’t get housing through them or don’t want to they’re going to give you a hard time.
– They don’t really have a substitute system so if you have to take a sick day they’re really going to give you a hard time. When I was there they wanted me to call a substitute myself but since I didn’t live in that one apartment building where everyone else was placed I had no idea how exactly to find a substitute. They have no guide on who works on what days etc.
– Some of the schools can be quite small so there’s a chance that you could be the only teacher there aside from the manager who’s there to answer the phone make sure the kids come etc.
– No paid preparation time. You would have to come early (off the clock of course) to do any kind of prep.
– The seminar that I attended (which is held yearly) had some good tips and games in it however a lot of that time was taken up by sales reps by the textbook companies advertising latest technology and their new books which of course we didn’t use/have access to.
I never really had any major problems with them. From what I remember my annoyance would generally be some thing like lack of communication if my first student canceled for some reason.
They focus a lot more on kids but there are definitely some adult lessons as well. Training was a week and I found it so-so but I do believe you have a week of shadowing and observations as well.
If you’re only going for a year or two it’s a pretty decent job you’re not too far outside of Tokyo so it’s easy to get into the city and most of their schools are right by the train stations. Most of the other teachers are pretty friendly too.
I hope that helps!