Any English teachers out there?

[janel_lynn]

Hi,

I'm interviewing with GEOS in a few weeks for an English-teaching position.
Anyone have an opinion about them? It's been sort of difficult to find much info beyond their official site..

Is there anything I should specifically ask about? What do they leave out?

Thanks for your help!

Janel

[Taro Toporific]

I'm interviewing with GEOS in a few weeks for an English-teaching position.
Anyone have an opinion about them? It's been sort of difficult to find much info beyond their official site..
Is there anything I should specifically ask about? What do they leave out?

"Opinions are like...
...anyone has one."

You left out one BIG detail. Are you interviewing in or outside Japan?

The employment terms offered the big schools like GEOS are wildly different for an "in-country hire" with a valid Japanese visa.

Other nice details to start offering any advice to you would be:
Do you have real ESL/EFL experience/degree?
Do you have any real Japanese ability?
How much daily BS do can you take on and off the job?
What's your height, weight, age, cup size---oops strike that, only Japanese will ask you that...

Basically, look at GEOS as only stepping stone to a real job and way to get a proper work visa, possible housing and the dread "guarantor."

[janel_lynn]

Oh, sorry. I'm interviewing outside Japan.
I have some teaching experience, but not in ESL.
The Japanese I currently know is pretty basic, but I could get around. I think. I'm working on it.
My official career is in theatre, and I therefore have an excellent tolerance for BS..

You left out one BIG detail. Are you interviewing in or outside Japan?

The employment terms offered the big schools like GEOS are wildly different for an "in-country hire" with a valid Japanese visa.

Other nice details to start offering any advice to you would be:
Do you have real ESL/EFL experience/degree?
Do you have any real Japanese ability?
How much daily BS do can you take on and off the job?
What's your height, weight, age, cup size---oops strike that, only Japanese will ask you that...

Basically, look at GEOS as only stepping stone to a real job and way to get a proper work visa, possible housing and the dread "guarantor."

[Kurofune]

A woman who used to work for GEOS told me that teachers are expected to press students into buying supplementary texts and tapes. Most conversation school prefer to leave that to the Japanese staff, which is of course the better way.

[Taro Toporific]

Oh, sorry. I'm interviewing outside Japan.
I have some teaching experience, but not in ESL."

Non-ESL/ELF experience is not valued very much (for good reason because teaching in Japan has NO correspondence to teaching in public school in the West).

Normally I would notoffer this url of this "other" Forum, but this thead does answer cover many of teaching questions VERY well and honestly.

http://pub26.ezboard.com/frealdiscussionboardfrm11.showNextMessage?topicID=40.topic

[ramchop]

Normally I would notoffer this url of this "other" Forum, but...

This Site is for "Members Only" as of March, 2003! Anyone may view and post messages, but non-members who post non-Japan related posts and flamethrowers will be deleted.

Hey, isn't around about the same time that FG removed the box-on-head Guests? Does this mean that <name deleted> (not "<name removed>" as there is another :P and I don't wish to confuse the issue) was spreading himself around?

[American Oyaji]

I thought that <name deleted> was <name deleted>?

Im confused.

[Taro Toporific]

I thought that <name deleted> was <name deleted>?

Im confused.

Dang, I guess I created that confusion. Techically there are two <name deleted>s.

I've been calling both <name deleted> since Mr can't-take-joke-threatens-a-lawsuit <name deleated> is not important enough to argue about.... and the other, <name deleted>-kun, just needed some lighthearted teasing.

[ramchop]

Techically there are two <name deleted>s.

Technically there's one <name deleted> and one <name removed> so there really shouldn't be any confusion. Confused?

[American Oyaji]

I see.

So that white ghetto kid that thought his golden shaft was heaven's gift to Japanese women is <name deleted>.

And that scumbag fellow that was cheatin businesses and harrasing people is <name removed>.

Crystal clear now.

[GomiGirl]

And that scumbag fellow that was cheatin businesses and harrasing people is <name removed>.

Must of missed that one.. who was he?