Teachers will have full access to all terms and conditions of the SESJ contract prior to committing themselves to a year (or more) in Japan. It is vital that the teacher reads all the documents provided BEFORE making a commitment.

Length of Stay

• All initial contracts are for a period of 12 months [and never less]
• Subject to the agreement of both parties, contracts are renewable at the end of that period.
• Teachers must complete their first year contract, thereafter two months' notice is required (so a teacher does not have to stay for the entire duration of second year and subsequent contracts)
• There are good internal career development prospects, with promotion to Senior Teacher, ADOS and DOS.
• Teachers can also transfer to other SES schools in Asia (China, Taiwan, Vietnam) after contract completion.
• Average length of stay with SESJ is currently 20 months
  

Holidays

• Around 6 weeks of paid annual leav
• Includes non-working periods of at least 6 days in spring ('Golden Week'), 8 days in summer ('Obon') and 10 days at Christmas/New Year
• Teachers will need to work some national holidays, but there are extra Shane holidays scheduled througout the year in lieu
• Unlike in most Japanese companies teachers do not work at Christmas!
• Holidays are laid out in the Annual Teaching calendar and teachers cannot take extra days off outside the set holidays.

233-Day Contract

• Teachers work 233 days per contract year.
• There are the equivalent of only 44 teaching weeks and 220 regular teaching days for a teacher in a year, so teachers will work 13 six-day weeks (233 minus 220)
• Teachers may work 2 or 3 six-day weeks in a row followed by a month or two of just 'regular' five-day weeks (teachers never work 7 days in a row, even if they volunteer to help their bonus!).
• The 6th day of work may include teaching (e.g. covering for absent colleagues, or doing demonstration classes on special promotional 'open days') or not (e.g. undergoing additional training, attending social events for students).

Professionalism

• The Japanese expect the standards of dress and appearance of teachers to reflect their professionalism. There is therefore a strict dress code for teachers at all schools.
• Hairstyles must be conservative (for men excessively long hairstyles or shaven heads would be deemed inappropriate) and clothes must look appropriate to a business environment.
• Male teachers are expected to wear a shirt and tie with formal trousers (never jeans) and shoes and be clean-shaven, while female teachers need to wear clothes suitable for an office or business situation i.e. a blouse with a skirt or trousers, or a formal dress.
• Punctuality and good time management essential