#teaching abroad

[ourjapanadventures]

May 1, 2024 (Kyoto Day Trip Part 1)

[otaku-tactician]

My Experience in Japan

I thought I should be brave and share my rare negative experience of working as a teaching assistant in Japan. Sadly I got harrassed and mistreated in my place of work, but this became a taboo. When I tried to post my article to the official newsletter; they censored most of my original message and classed my bullying as simply 'cultural differences'. Sadly this means my article was unable to reach the target audience.

I wrote this article for any other teaching assistants who may be having a tough time teaching abroad, as well as a mode of release for myself.

Hope you like it!

The Stigma of Cutting one’s Contract: Why Leaving Mid-Contract isn’t Always as Bad as it Seems

Sometimes, teaching in Japan isn’t as great as it’s cracked up to be. Here are some tips on how to navigate working in Japan if things becom

[dizzydennis]

I had to create a character profile for my English board at work and there was only one possible choice!

[siempre-selamat]

Giving elephants a mud bath in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

[geek-fashionista]

Now that I’m not working at my job anymore, I can talk a little more about it, especially since there’s a lot of misinformation about the place on the internet.

I worked at MeySen Academy in Sendai, Japan. If you’ve ever considered teaching English in Japan, you’ve probably heard of them, and you’ve probably stumbled upon some recent posts claiming that it’s a cult.

It’s not a cult.

(I know the person who made the Reddit post claiming it is.)

It’s a school that was originally founded by missionary families. These days, it’s more of a business, which is a disappointment for people who work there hoping to do more missionary/outreach stuff. It’s a very prestigious school, too. Our kindergarten students speak more English than 90% of the Japanese population. Parents put their kids on the waitlist from birth. People move to Sendai just to enroll their children in the school. It’s a big deal (and MeySen is super humble about it).

The school is founded on Christian principles and teaches its students about the Lord. Nothing specific to any denomination. Nothing extra-Biblical. If you’re not a Christian, they won’t force you to become one or treat you any differently. And if you are a Christian, they won’t suggest you go to any one church or believe a certain way. There’s nothing weird or shady going on. It’s just a workplace, like anywhere else.

But if you’re thinking about applying there, I will warn you: This is not a job for just anyone.

If you just want to go to Japan, make money, travel, and have very little responsibility and a ton of free time, this isn’t the job for you. Become an ALT instead.

MeySen Academy is a real school that needs real teachers who are committed to serving the community. It’s not perfect, and the administration is taking steps to make sure no one is working at home, staying late, or feeling overwhelmed, but you’re still going to be working your butt off. That includes physical labor, too!

If you want to know more about my time there, or about working for the company in general, I’m happy to answer questions.

(And seriously, if you don’t care about kids and have no intention of loving my sweet babies, don’t even bother applying. You don’t deserve them. 🙃)

[her-majesty-theking]

To Whom it might concern:

Not many of you know this but I am studying to be an English teacher (TEFL). Specifically, to teach abroad.

Now, I would like to ask you;

How was your English teacher if you had one?

How did they teach you? Anything you like that they did? Anything you disliked?

Anything interesting that they did that genuinely helped you learn English?

Something I should avoid? Something I should probably look out for?

What is something YOU did to teach yourself English? If that is the case with some of you.

I am a Native English speaker, is that something preferred?

Tell me what you think.

[myseoulfullifedaily]

Day 2

So far so good! Were already into day 2, and we haven't skipped any days yet haha. Today, I stayed quite late at work since there was a lot that needed to be done before Friday. I am currently working at a 학원, which I had mentioned in my first ever post!~ A 학원 is an academy, or cram-school. They are usually quite intense, and need a lot of hard work (not that other teachers don't work hard, they are surely putting their blood, sweat, and tears for their students <3). It's really rewarding though at the end of the day. No matter how hard it gets, when I see my students growing, gaining new skills, and being able to speak more and more with both me and their peers, it makes all the tough parts disappear!~

That being said, I'm not sure how many more years I have left in me for teaching as it is very mentally and physically draining. Also, I put a lot of pressure on myself to try and make the students feel safe, comfortable, and seen in class. These days, I'm trying to build a portfolio and try out new hobbies / things and seeing where they may lead me. I'd still like to tutor part time if I stop teaching, since it is very rewarding and I love to help others, especially when it comes to languages. But, I think it would be nice to explore other options. What do you think? For those of you who know me, or are new here, any recommendations on different professions / options I should look into? ^^

[gzteacher]

So do any other teachers just stare at a wall an hour before class and think, Wow... I have no idea what I'm going to teach today 🙃

Or is it just me?