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