Japan and ESLTeaching Contracts What You Need To Know Before You Sign
f you’ve spent any time at check your e-mail during contact
all browsing through forums hours—though you can during
on teaching English in regular office hours at most
Japan, you’ve probably run across regular jobs.
more than a few horror stories.
Topics range from working hours The point is -- if you directly
and conditions way in excess of compare office hours and teaching
what’s in the contract, to contact hours, you’re comparing
horrible living conditions and apples to oranges. 45 contact
exorbitant rent. Some of this is hours will grind you into the
avoidable if you take a careful dirt in no time (in addition to
look at your contract and ask the being illegal) whereas 45 office
right questions before you take a hours won’t. Be careful when you
teaching position. One of the look at ads. And don’t be afraid
most important part of the to ask questions.
contract are the contact hours.
We’ll look at this first. Another point to consider when
you sign a teaching contract is
Contact Hours – What They Are contact hours and stated hours.
Often schools will state 22-25
Contact hours are actual hours teaching hours in their contract
spent teaching or being “in but they don’t mention office
contact” with the student. The hours. These are hours between
industry standard for full-time classes where you perform
sponsored ESL instructors is services for your students. For
22-27 per week. They are not the example, chatting with students
same qualitatively as office and evaluating and grading their
hours. You can’t get up and get a work. If you’re grading reports
glass of water, chat with a in between classes instead of
friend at the water cooler or preparing them, it makes for a
long day. So when you negotiate,
make sure you get the “total Let’s not forget health
time” that is involved in the insurance. Most employers provide
job. health insurance for free or at
least subsidize it. If you’re
Teaching Contracts and Salaries getting stuck with the whole
bill, make sure the deal is
Ah yes…salaries. Expect to be sweater in other areas like
paid 250,000 yen per month for a salary or vacation days.
standard contract. This is the
“minimum wage” for full-time Teaching Contracts and
sponsored ESL instructors. This Accommodations
is considered an entry-level
salary for conversation teachers Living in a nasty apartment will
with little or no experience. make your stay in Japan…
well…nasty. Schools that provide
Other Perks you with a working visa,
generally take care of
Look carefully at vacation days. accommodations as well. It’s
Ask for a total of weeks off per important to make sure you have a
year. Expect at least 2. Also private apartment if you don’t
make sure to ask if the time-off want to share. Don’t assume
that is quoted to you is in you’ll have your own private
addition to national holidays. place!
Also be sure to ask which
national holidays the school Your Rights as a Teacher
observers. Some schools that are
generous with paid holidays will Many teachers are easily
give you every one off, others intimidated by contracts or
won’t. believe them to be the final
word. The reality is that any labor laws. If you feel you’re
contract is subservient to being treated unfairly, you can
established labor laws. Labor contact General Union for
laws are the final word – not representation (by joining the
your contract. union) or contact the Labor
Standards Office for help in your
It’s important to know your disputes.
rights as a worker under Japanese
About the Author:
You can find more detailed information about what to expect teaching in Japan at http://www.all-about-teaching-english-in-japan.com
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