I always find posting in forums terrifying that I’m breaking some rule and some bossy moderator is going to pwn or punish me.
My noob question: is there some sort of summary thread or sub that talks about teaching English in Japan from zero to hero?
Forgive my insolence for asking a stupid question, dear moderator god.
9 comments
No stupid questions.
What is ‘hero’ in this context?
Do you have a bachelor’s degree?
all these jobs accept overseas applicants.
https://jobsinjapan.com/?s=&location=&category%5B%5D=education-teaching-training-coaching&type=&_noo_job_field_english_level=998&_noo_job_field_japanese_level=997&_noo_job_field_employer_type=&_noo_job_field_overseas_applicant=1005&post_type=noo_job
Get at least a bachelor’s degree and apply to JET or other alt company. Do an online teachers license or MA while working, apply to be full time k-12 teacher or adjunct uni teacher. Do this and get IB certs if k-12 or do PhD if uni. Finish terminal degree. Make half as much as your tech friends who did half the work. Retire, regret everything.
There are some books on the topic. Check the library (and interlibrary loans).
A **Zero** is someone in an “F” tier job such as Eikawa, ALT etc. There is no future here.
A **Hero** is someone in a “B” or “A” tier job such as international school, direct hire private school, licenced public school or full-time university position.
So how do you get from Zero to Hero?
Simple, you work on professional development. You get licenses, certificates, MA etc. You network. You don’t just sit and do nothing thinking opporunity will come to you.
If you do this, you can become a Hero.
If you don’t bother devloping yourself profesionally, you will remain a Zero.
Teaching isn’t an exact science. In no field is this more true then EFL/ESL.
You can find as many opinions on the ‘best’ way to teach as you can find teachers. The reality is that what works and what doesn’t changes from day to day depending on dozens of factors that you have absolutely no control over, from how the kids are feeling that day, their home lives, and what they ate or didn’t eat for breakfast.
Look up a textbook summarizing TESOL if you want a quick overview, and then know that TESOL is just one framework for viewing EFL / ESL.
Then, getting into Japan to teach really depends on whether you have blood at a temperature above 35.5 C and below 38.0 C *and* a bachelors degree.
Zero: I can speak English. I got an English teaching job to score an easy visa to stay in Japan.
Hero: I love teaching, it’s my passion, I have certificates and I used to be a teacher back in my country.
I think this pretty much sums it up.
1. You need a bachelor’s for a visa
2. Two types: private and public (JET). jET involves sitting around a lot if you’re sent to the country.
3. Don’t do it after your 20s unless you own a school
4. The hardest thing is conserving money. Learn to cook a batch of rice and use it through the week.
5. If you don’t like your job, you can quit and keep the visa, but have a job lined up before hand
6. If all else fails, there’s a lot of nice real estate in the mountains, which is full of abandoned villages
7. LEARN THE LANGUAGE EVERY CHANCE YOU GET