Hi!
I currently work as an Eikaiwa teacher in Tokyo. I have a bachelor’s degree in *Geology a*nd have a license back in my home country. I could say that teaching is my passion especially when it comes to general science.
I’m just wondering if there is a possibility for me to shift career in the future as a Science instructor. I have an N3 level Japanese language (hopefully this year N2).
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Any advice would be of great help! TIA!
4 comments
A BS isn’t enough for college, international school is a whole other track to get in to, and to have a ghost of a chance of solo teaching any subject in a JHS/SHS you’d have to get a special teaching license and be able to teach the subject 100% in Japanese. You’d likely also have to take on the other responsibilities of a “normal” teacher such as club duty and/or home room.
The jump in requirements and expectations from Eikaiwa/ALT to legit teacher is really massive with not much in between, and few to no tools to get there while in Japan.
For what you are asking you need at least a masters degree and published papers.
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If you can’t get a real deal classroom teacher job in your home nation, you won’t get one here.
https://jalt-publications.org/jobs/27249-ibdp-biology-teacher-eisugakkan-junior-and-senior-high-school-hiroshima-73
Becoming a real school teacher in Japan is awfully difficult. In University we have (up to 8 per year,
so ~120 lessons in total) special classes for people who want to teach in middle/high school after graduating. I’ve heard that some of these classes are really tough to pass from my classmates.
Along with that, a license is required as well, so you’d have to pass the license tests. On top of all that you’d need to speak Japanese fluently, which is far above N1(unless you’re planning to be in an International school but idk about that).
I mean, *good luck*