Festival Fun
The past few days have rocked for me! The Obon festivities were so much fun, I am glad I get to see them one more time before I leave Japan. I have a ton to type and a few pics to post as well but I am tired at the moment and want to get some sleep.
I may write an entry tomorrow describing everything but if I were going to guess it will probably be the day after that before I get around to it. Tomorrow, I am going out of town to sub for a class and I won't be getting back until later in the evening. When I do make the all encompassing Obon entry, expect pics of candle lit lanterns floating down a river, fireworks, the hillside of Kyoto aflame with Kanji characters burning on the slopes, and my trip to a very cool shrine to the homeless and vagrants of Kyoto. Its been a good past few days I must say.
But for now, I need sleep and when I do post, it will be a long and detailed entry. This was easily some of the most fun days I have had since coming to Japan and I want to share everything with everyone.
Oh, one more thing, I have been getting a few questions from people that are thinking about coming to Japan and teaching with Peppy Kids Club. If you have questions regarding anything about that, just leave a comment on this post. The earlier post that people have been commenting on is getting pretty crowded with comments and its further down on the list of posts now. I like answering the questions so do not hesitate in asking them, just leave comments on the most current post that I have made on here. That way they are easier for me to see.
Night Night!
9 Comments:
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
hey mogwai. I've been lurking your blog for the last few months off and on on the pkc fence as well. your replies to Peltzer make me wanna give it a shot. i read online that training is really tough. did you find that to be the case? also, did you teach or have any experience with kids before going to peppy's? I don't and don't want it to mess up my interivew. i have also read that the kids are hard to handle. what are your thoughts?
Howdy!
Training is not so much tough as it is long. For two weeks, you only get one or two days off and those days of training are very long. It is really easy stuff though and it drags because it isn't challenging. Once you get past the training, its smooth sailing. Seriously, training is the most work you will do while your with PKC. :)
As for my previous experience, I am a certified Secondary Ed History teacher. I have taught junior high as well as substitute taught in high schools. Your level of experience does not matter though. As long as you have a degree, can speak English, and say you are good with kids, they will be happy. Previous experience with kids is probably a plus but I doubt it makes too much of a differnce now that I have seen a lot of people PKC hires.
As for the kids, some of them are harder than others. Out of my entire month, I only dread two classes that I teach. One of the classes is because of one kid and the other is because of four. For the most part, the kids are pretty good. Just keep in mind they are kids and even the best ones can go kind of nutty sometimes. Another thing to keep in mind is that especially with some of the older kids, their regular schooling is pretty hardcore and by the time they get to you they have had a long day and want to let loose a tad. Most of the kids are pretty good though.
If you have other questions, let me know!
is it harder without a degree? I do not have one or do you feel it isn't a huge deal? you've eased me some though on no teaching experience. the best experience i have with kids is as a baby sitty. :p
As far as I know, you must have a degree in order to get hired. Japan will not let people have work visas without a four year degree from what I have been told.
If you are getting a working holiday visa, you do not need a four year degree but if you plan on getting a full work visa, a bachelors is a must.
I am from Australia and think things are a bit different here. will look into it for sure. you wrote another poster that the interview is a breeze. they are having sessions here sometime within the next few months. i read online that you needed to do teaching demos and such but you posted that this was not the case. i suppose the process is different for all involved.
i also read that peppy's coordinators are hard to talk with and that one kid saying something mean about you could result in being fired. same goes for being late only once.
any truth to this or are these just paranoid internet folk?
Hi, thanks for the reply! Now I don't have to worry so much about buying more formal clothes. Hopefully, I'll be out there training in October so I am just counting down the days now. Can I ask, have you renewed your contract with PKC?
To Jake and Y,
First, yeah, I am going to be here until at least February of 2008, I renewed my contract a couple of weeks ago.
As for lateness, technically if you were really really stupid, you could be fired after one late. Peppy goes by a point system when it comes to lateness. If you are late but it doesn't affect anyone, you only lose one point. IF you are late and a parent complains, 2 points. If you are late, a parent complains, and you don't fill out the proper paperwork, three points, etc. You would almost have to try to get fired after one late.
As for communication within Peppy, it all just kind of depends on who you are trying to get ahold of and how much time you have to do it in. Peppy's communication is really good in some areas and really crappy in others. Usually, the further out of your teaching group you try to communicate, the harder it gets. Your boss and your boss's boss are usually easy to get in touch with but after that, it can get shakey depending on what you need. The big thing is that you do not expect answers to stuff immediately. But stuff usually does get done.
Oh, and as for the kid complaining once and you being fired, its only happened once or twice and its been about sexual stuff both times. Sexually related complaints are about the only thing that will get you booted out of Peppy immediately.
Post a Comment
<< Home