The Work Update

Usually I would clear my head by writing in my journal...I guess this is kind of like that, except with an international audience.  So if you are not interested in a post without photos, but rather a slew of my thoughts, then skip reading.  Otherwise, I am going to run down how the job search has been going and brainstorm my final decision.  If you are still reading this by the end, feel free to comment/help me make a decision.  Honestly, I am going back and forth.

When I first arrived in Tokyo, I hit the ground running on the job front.  There is a job website specifically for employers in Tokyo and surrounding Japan to post employment opportunities.  Basically, I completed a detailed resume and uploaded a standard cover letter.  Then every opportunity I got (evenings, lunch breaks, early morning), I would read through the list of posting for 'teacher' 'English instructor' etc. and apply for the job- this meant sending them my resume and tweaking my cover letter and sending that as well.  I was quite shocked when employers started responding right away! I had an interview within the first 12 hours of sending out my information! The first interview was a good experience on several different levels:
1. I needed to buy a suit!! (everyone in the group interview was wearing a basic, yet formal 3-piece suit).
2. I was well qualified for the positions I was applying to
3. I really needed to decide what kind of teaching position I was interested in pursuing

Ultimately, this first position did not work out because they wanted someone to start right away and at the time I was still in the TEFL course. No worries, good practice, back to the drawing board.

A week later I interviewed at another school- their website seemed promising: an international school serving kids from preschool through high school.  When I arrived at the location, I was met by the staff- one director, one bilingual secretary and one music teacher in a room about the size of my living room back home.  We talked for over two hours.  I really agreed with the mission of the school and the direction where it was headed, but as it turned out...they didn't have any students yet!! And they could only offer me a part time job at a rather low salary.  They did offer me a position, but I wanted something a bit more secure!

Then I interviewed with what Larry calls a "corporate" English school.  Nova has many branches and locations all over Tokyo and as an instructor you provide 50 minute English lessons to small groups (from kids to adults) following a very scripted curriculum.  So your 8-hour work day (usually from 1pm to 9pm) consists of 6-8 one-hour shifts with a new group of students (or private lesson) each hour.  Teachers are required to wear business attire at all times, nylons for women, pressed shirts, no sleeveless tops, no visible tattoos and no jewelry apart from one piercing in the ear.  It didn't feel right, so when offered a position, I again turned them down.

Now to the actual meat and potatoes of the job search and consequently my dilemma.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ENGLISH- Yokohama (about 20 min. from downtown Tokyo by metro).  I had a phone interview first.  That went really well and I was invited the next evening for an in-person interview at the school.  Its a beautiful building with an "old English" charm to it on the inside.  All the furniture is dark polished wood and each room has unique and really pretty wall paper.  (Auntie Leza, you would love the decor!).  The director of the school, a British man who spent a good part of his life growing up in Long Beach, started the school about 15 years ago and has two locations. The entry has a secretary's area and then a hallway with about 7 small rooms (classrooms) and a small teacher's room.  Each room is equipped with a table and several chairs, manipulatives, whiteboards, cd players and a closet full of supplies.  The teacher's lounge has all the curriculum materials to serve students from age 3 all the way through business professionals.  Students of English come to the school for private/semi private and group lessons (no more than 6).  Each lesson is between 40-50 minutes long.  Lessons start at around 1pm and run all the way until 9pm.  Each teacher has two days off (not necessarily Sat/Sun).  When you come in to work, you look at your schedule for the day and prep your lessons.  Each student has a file where the lesson planning is documented and the next teacher can see what the student has completed, what he/she struggled with and what is currently being worked on.
After my interview, where we talked very candidly about the position, and my current situation in Japan, I was given a tour of the facilities and asked to come back the next week to do a demo lesson with students.  I just completed my demo lessons today.  I went to the school at 1pm this afternoon and one of the head teachers walked me through preparing the two lessons I would be delivering later that afternoon.  I had a one-on-one with an adult at the intermediate level and I had a group lesson with four 4-year-olds.  All the rooms have cameras, so I was observed by the director and the head teacher who were watching from a tv monitor/head phones in a different room.  Both lessons flew by quickly.  There was a lot to cover.  I stumbled a bit with the private adult lesson, no quite sure how to handle a few things that came up.  The kids were all over the place it seemed.  One didn't want to talk at all, one held on to his mom, before finally joining us, one kept speaking in Japanese.  They were excited by all the games and toys I had to share with them and we got some learning done.  According to the head teacher who was observing me, she though I did great! She was impressed that I had them engaged and participating in the lesson, even if they were a bit squirmy.
That evening the director called me and offered me the job! Now he wants to know if I will take it and he has only given me about 18 hours to make the decision.  I would start Monday with a week of training and be paid a starting salary of $3,350 a month.  That would be great if that were the only job in front of me.

But...

BEANSTALK INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL- (Nagoya, 2 hours from Tokyo heading west towards Kyoto).  I had a skype interview with the director and one of the head teachers at this preschool last week and then was invited to spend the day at the school on Monday.  My day started at 4 am to catch the 5:17 metro to downtown Tokyo where I took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagoya.  From there I took the local subway and then walked the half mile to the school.  IF this is the job for me, I would move to Nagoya! (The director graciously paid for the expensive transportation).  The teachers arrived at 9am - and start by cleaning the school! There are three classrooms the tiny tots (2-3 year olds), middle group (3-4 year olds) and oldest group of 5-6 year olds.  Each class has between 12-20 students (depending on the day) along with a head teacher and assistant teacher. The school day is conducted entirely in English.  The students are primarily Japanese but there were also several non-Japanese students in each class. I was so impressed by how autonomous the students already were.  Upon arrival (parents drop them off at the gate), the students hang up backpacks, put lunches away, put their tooth brushes in the container, turn in their homework, hang their coats on a hanger (button them back up too) and find their work book which is set out on the table to begin their morning work.  They worked a lot on phonics and are already beginning to read and put words together.  There was time for playing, dancing, singing, stories, art projects and then lunch.  How adorable are Japanese lunches! Google bento box and you will know what I mean!  One of the student's rice balls had small pieces of nori all over it to look like a soccer ball! The kids ate a variety of tofu, veggies, fish, hot dogs and noodles.  Many had chopsticks too!

Everything was compartmentalized in its own container! It was too cute! 

I helped out with the oldest classroom and was thrown right in to help them finalize the choreography for their halloween dance performance.  

The students went home at 2:30, the teachers then got an hour break then taught some semi private English lessons to older students until about 5:30/6pm.  

I just received an email "almost" offering me the job! haha! 

There are definitely pros and cons to both positions.

ISE
PRO

• Close to Tokyo and the friends/social life I have begun to establish
• Beautiful school facility
• All materials/lesson prep is at the school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (no need to do any prep at home)
• Teaching a variety of different age groups (little kids- adults)
• Friendly teaching staff

BEANSTALK

PRO:

• Same students all day/every day (build good classroom environment)
• Singing, dancing, art, crafts, sports, 
• Performances throughout the year
• Teaching reading, writing, math, science (all curriculum) in addition to manners, social skills, life skills
• All materials available 
• Teaching assistant in the classroom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ISE

CON:

• Different group of students by the hour
• Work from 1pm-9pm (don't know if I could work that late into the night?)

BEANSTALK

CON:

• Work from 9am-6pm and maybe Saturdays as well. 
• In Nagoya- two hours by expensive train from Tokyo- have to start all over making friends/establishing myself here
• 18 month contract (commitment until April 2014)

The hours might not necessarily be cons but they are definitely different than what I am used to.  And each pro and con has a different weight/value to them.  I guess I have to sleep on it! 

On the flip side, either decision I make will be the right one, different doors will open and different experiences will happen to me based on the school I do choose.  

All I know is that I have to make a decision by 1pm, Wednesday, my time! Will I be able to sleep? haha!