Work ups & downs; Teaching
By Oli
At 10:50 PM · Thursday, 11 December · 2003
To Diary
On the down side, recently my (very enjoyable) business English job at Sharp finished, and my ‘kids class’ quasi-baby sitting job looks set to loose about half it’s students in January. This drop in income is worrying, as we’ve got important things to save for. Also until this week nothing seemed likely to replace it.
However on the up side, on Tuesday I was asked if I was interested in teaching at local Elementary schools three days a week. This would essentially be a private ALT job, covering 7 schools and 65 classes. Even better, the Board of Education is actually interested in making the English taught both useful and fun, and has already hired a Japanese company to supply English videos and teaching materials. The company Matsuka Phonics Institute (or MPI・「松香フォニックス研究所」) actually seems to know about teaching English. Their support material contains lots of songs, games, and even an explanation of phonics for Japanese teachers. I guessed as much when I heard that a visiting Japanese teacher from MPI had taught the entire class without using Japanese. If only all Japanese students learned English this way!
While I’m excited by the chance to make a serious difference to English education here, I’m also worried that I’ll have little spare time. I presently teach most nights, so adding three full days a week will leave little time for web design (or slacking around). Hopefully the negotiations next week will make this worth my while. Next year looks to be very full — a sharp contrast to this year.
Discussion...
- 1. Comment by kevin · 12 Dec, 2003 · 9:15 AM
Once you get busy each day, how much do you think you would pay for the oportunity to spend more time doing web-design? Would it be more than what you make for teaching those extra tempting classes?
Also, what is the future value of those tempting classes? What is the future value of spending more time with web-deisgn. You might make less with the web design now, but you will always have some tempting money making proposition like the English class, and if you take that opportunity every time it presents itself, it will be hard to move on from that.
- 2. Comment by oli · 12 Dec, 2003 · 11:36 AM
Indeed Kevin. I agree with what you’re saying, but I’m also aware that I need to save a lot of money next year. We’re starting to have lots of grown-up conversations (scary!), and money is going to be a major issue in about 2-3 years (more on that in another post ;-)
I need to find out more about this job next week - we haven’t even talked about details like contact or money yet. I think it will be on a yearly contract basis, and a year of hard labour is do-able. Also if it’s possible to drop down to 2 days a week, this would leave me plenty of time for the amount of design I expect to be doing in the next year. Even three days a week still leaves me a reasonable amount of web design time, but maybe no web surfing and slacker time :-) I think my work ethic could use a decent workout anyhow!
I’d like to be doing half and half until I have enough experience/street cred to either have my own company or be working remotely for someone else. Once I reach that stage, I’m hoping I can work from home in the country, and move to (web) design as a full-time profession. I don’t anticipate moving to a big city to be part of a design company, but I’m hoping the people I’m working with won’t require it. My time frame for this is about 2-3 years.
I’ll keep you posted!
- 3. Comment by Spencer · 18 Dec, 2003 · 8:06 AM
Hi Oli. Funny I should run across your entry. I used to work for MPI from 1995-1997 and really enjoyed it. I worked as a teacher and curriculum designer and got to see a lot of Japan by conducting teacher training workshops. The people are great (the pay is o.k.) You’re right, MPI has got a good handle on teaching English to kids in Japan and there is quite an opportunity to make a difference. If you do end up working at MPI please say hi to the staff from Spencer Schneider (now living in Banff, Canada.)
Good Luck!
P.s. Feel free to email me if you’ve got questions about MPI. It’s a very “grass roots” organization and info. up front may be useful for you.
- 4. Comment by oli · 18 Dec, 2003 · 2:28 PM
Hi Spencer. Thanks for your comment - although I have to wonder how you came across this entry :-) I’ll pass on your greetings if I get a chance!
The job is from the town Board of Education, who want to use MPI teaching materials. I don’t think I’d have much to do with MPI staff, apart from the liason between MPI and the town. It’s nice to know they are as clued on as they seem though!
Presently I’m still waiting to hear more information…
