Dear Jon,

You can post my message on the list.  I think there are a lot of teachers 
who need to know how conversation schools are in Japan so they can make an 
informed decision.

Jamie

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This message is for the person who wrote asking about AEON, a language
school in Japan.  AEON is a conversation school and I have heard that it is
just like all the other conversation schools in Japan.  You work long hours,
get little preparation time for the classes you teach, and you have to
follow the school's own English teaching "system" even if you don't like it. 

  If your friend has a Master's degree in ESL or even a certificate in ESL,
he/she will probably be the only qualified ESL teacher in the school, since
they will hire anyone who is alive and speaks English.  If your friend wants
a real teaching job in Japan, then a conversation school isn't the place to
go.  I taught at NOVA, another conversation school in Japan, for a year and
was really happy when my last day of work rolled around.  There is no real
satisfaction working at one of these schools because, if AEON is a typical
conversation school, the only focus is keeping the students happy so they
will continue to buy more lessons.  Professional English teaching is
secondary, and teacher satisfaction is way down on the totem pole. I know I
sound very negative about conversation schools, but having had the
experience of teaching in one, I know MUCH better jobs are available, and a
conversation school should be a last resort.