Guide to Japan and Teaching in Japan

Teachers working full time in the high school system have a lot of advantages. They work in the same location (like conversation schools), yet may get a higher salary. High school classes in Japan start from 8-9am to 4-5pm. The teacher would usually teach 4-6 hours a day, with 1-2 hour's preparation time. Holidays are long, including all national and school holidays.

Being addressed as 'Sensei' is perhaps a big motivation for working in high schools!

What's the downside? A Japanese environment may entail some communication problems. What the teacher thinks is a good idea may not be considered a good idea for others. Class sizes tend to be higher compared to Western classes (30-40), so maintaining student attention could be a challenge. Teaching times may be lower compared to chain schools but a high school teacher's duty usually goes beyond the classroom. This could include test preparation and marking, school trips and excursions and other out-of-classroom duties related to the school. The JET Program is a big employer of native speakers for high schools. It hires several thousand a year from various countries.

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• JET (5)
• Living in Japan (12)
• Teaching in Japan (11)
• Terminology (4)
• Universities

• Handpicked Links
• Acronyms A-D
• Acronyms E-L
• Acronyms M-Z
• Japanese ELT-related Words
• A Guide to the JET Program - The Application Process
• A Guide to the JET Program - Metropolis or Rice Paddy?
• A Guide to the JET Program - Pre-departure: Gifts to give and things to leave behind
• A Guide to the JET Program - The First Class
• A Guide to the JET Program - Japanese Students: Maybe Not Quite What You Expected!