Calling all teachers, artists & musicians to help in a preschool in Yokohama, Japan

Detalhes

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  Descrição

  Hello Workawayers! My name is Sybrina. I'm a qualified early childhood educator and I own a small, play-based, English-immersion preschool & kindy in a quiet suburb (Aoba-ku) of Yokohama, Japan.
  Please read through my post carefully, as I've taken the time to include lots of information and details about this position, and many of your questions may already be answered here.
  
  *Please note that a valid Work Visa for Japan is required for a paid position with us.*
  
  I first opened my school in 2014, and in 2019 completely renovated an old Japanese house to become the permanent home for my school. With the help of some really awesome and talented Workawayers over the years, I’ve managed to create a beautiful space - which I hope inspires the children everyday! I want to host Workawayers who are: great with children, artistically or musically talented, and can help continue to make our school spaces an amazing place for the children to learn and grow!
  
  There is always some project going on around school. Currently I need help with:
  ~maintaining our garden space,
  ~protecting our extensive library of children's books with plastic film,
  ~organising classroom materials,
  ~helping to create interesting shelfwork materials (see photos for examples), and
  ~being more active on our insta
  
  Other skills that are much appreciated are: photography/videography, and being able to play the guitar, ukulele, or drums.
  
  **Since we hold an Annual Children's Art Exhibition at the end of each school year; extra hands are especially needed in the months of May and June**
  
  Times when school is CLOSED (and therefore will be NO work available) is:
  > Golden Week (April 28~May 6)
  > Obon (August 11~20)
  > Christmas & New Year (December 24~January 5)
  
  ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
  
  Besides hosting short-term Workawayers, I'm also interested in meeting individuals who would like to join our teaching team for one full school year or longer. For those interested in working long-term as a member of our teaching team, here's some info:
  
  We are a play-based preschool & kindergarten, taking inspiration from Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, and Waldorf-Steiner early educational approaches. As a play-based school, we understand that play is the most important work of the child, so in our Morning & Afternoon Work Cycles, children are allowed to play freely in order to learn about taking risks, sharing, role modelling, and resolving conflicts. Imagination is nurtured through storytelling, nursery rhymes, finger-plays and songs. Children can express themselves artistically through drawing, painting, clay modelling, loose parts, light & shadow play, and seasonal crafts. During our Morning Circle, children become more confident and comfortable participating in group activities as they sing and move together. Our goal is to evoke a life-long love of learning and maintain school as a place that every child looks forward to coming to everyday.
  
  The school is in a house with a small garden located in a quiet suburb of Yokohama city. It is about 30 minutes by train to either Tokyo (Shibuya Station) or Yokohama city centre. There are two great parks just a few minutes away and we have a small veggie patch on-site where we grow strawberries and flowers with our littles.
  
  School is in session September-June (with Summer Session on in July & August).
  The tasks we require help with daily can include:
  1) taking photos, assisting with art & cooking projects, setting the lunch table, attending school field trips, creating classroom materials, event preparation, and general childcare which includes: changing diapers/helping children use the bathroom, & playing together with students.
  2) keeping the premises tidy, taking out the trash, & light garden work.
  
  If you can play a musical instrument, enjoy cooking/baking, or have some other skill or talent, we'd love for you to share it with us from time-to-time! If you possess any artistic abilities, your creativity will be much appreciated when doing the many art projects we have planned (with kids & also for decorating the classrooms)!
  
  We want to host someone who understands that this position is a very serious commitment:
  1) to our co-teachers - so that we may be able to offer this great space of learning,
  2) to the students you will be caring for who can become attached to you, and
  3) their families who are entrusting you with their treasures.
  
  This is not babysitting - rather educating - and many people depend on us. Therefore, we need someone who is responsible, respectful, self-sufficient, and energetic with a bright personality who adores children above all, and can be committed for the entire time they promise to be with us. Please understand that since this position involves childcare, we ask candidates to be able to:
  1) commit to at least one full school year,
  2) provide a background check from your local authority (translated to English),
  3) provide two character references (from past employers or volunteer work with children), and
  4) have a video chat over facebook messenger/Google Meet
  ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
  
  VISA SPONSORSHIP: For those people that come from eligible countries, I can be your guarantor for a Working Holiday Visa, which allows for a 1-year stay. I will not sponsor a Work Visa, however, for someone I have never met in person or seen working with my students, and the immigration process is quite lengthy. Please understand this, and do not ask me to sponsor a Work Visa for you. I am also not an immigration officer or an employee of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so please research accurate and up-to-date information pertaining to Japanese visas by consulting official immigration centres and embassies.
  
  HOW TO APPLY:
  1) Please send me an initial message introducing yourself; I’d love to get an idea of your personality. Please also tell me: are you hoping to stay short-term or long-term? Other important points to mention are: when you plan to come to Japan, how long you can stay, and the visa status you will have when entering Japan.
  
  2) I’ll let you know if I’m interested, and will ask you to send your most current CV by email. I do not have What’s App, but we can use Google Meet for a video chat.
  
  
  
  I’ve been hosting people from all around the world through Workaway for many years and have really enjoyed the experience. I'm hoping to continue hosting creative individuals who fit well with my school's educational philosophies and can stay for a long time.
  See you at school!

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  Tipos de ajuda e oportunidades de aprendizado

  Projetos artísticos

  Prática de idiomas

  Ensino

  Jardinagem

  Construção/faça você mesmo

  Ajuda em fazenda

  Cuidar de crianças/atividades criativas

  Criar/cozinhar refeições caseiras

  Ajuda a cuidar da casa

  Manutenção geral

  Ajuda com computadores/internet
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  Oportunidades de intercâmbio cultural e aprendizado

  Workawayers who stay with us can:
  1) Study Japanese...one station away from the school is Tana International Lounge (community centre) that offers weekly Japanese group lessons taught by local volunteers for any ability level for ¥300/month. ---> yes, it's not a typo!!
  
  2) Learn how to cook some Japanese meals (I know how to cook typical meals like miso soup, yakisoba, gyouza, okonomiyaki, etc., so we can cook together sometimes), and
  
  3) Learn more about the Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio-Emilia teaching methods (and early childhood education in general) by working together with our experienced staff and our lovely students!

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  Projetos que envolvem crianças

  Este projeto pode envolver crianças. Para mais informações, veja aqui nossas diretrizes e dicas.

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  Anfitriões que oferecem uma remuneração de acordo com o salário mínimo do país.

  Este anfitrião oferece acomodação e remuneração.

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  Ajuda

  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Are you comfortable around young children?...This project involves work in a preschool & kindergarten and I have two children of my own. You will be around children everyday, so liking kids is a definite must!
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Can you draw or paint?...There is always some art project going on around here - not just in the classroom with the students - but for the school itself as well, like classroom decor, murals, painting new school signs, etc.
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Can you sew or are good at handcrafts?...We often make our own thematic classroom materials (see photos below for an example), most things from paper, but also many from fabric or wood.
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Can you play an instrument?...Music is a big part of our day. We learn songs from around the world and have a nice collection of instruments at school. We also make music videos for our school's YouTube channel!
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Are you tech-savvy?...At school we use Apple iMac computers for creating everything from classroom materials to new school brochures, flyers, and invitations to our events. We use high quality cameras to take photos of each child's day at school to give to parent's and make a nice yearbook.
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Can you cook?...Each month we cook a special dish from around the world with our students! I also know how to make several Japanese meals which I can teach you how to make if you're interested.
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Are you tidy?...Specifically, cleaning help needed can include: vacuuming, washing dishes, and dusting. The room offered to our Workawayer must also always be neat and tidy and I expect you to help keep the kitchen and bathroom clean.
  
  Despite the many points listed above, I should also emphasize that aside from being clean & tidy, any one person is not expected do be able to do everything listed above.
  
  *Once again, a valid Work Visa for Japan is required if you are seeking a paid position*

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  Idiomas

  Idiomas
  Inglês: Fluente
  Japonês: Fluente

  Este anfitrião oferece intercâmbio de idiomas
  I am familiar with American Sign Language (ASL), and use it with my students daily. Many of my students are from Germany, so I would love to learn German, and improve my speaking skills in French, Spanish, and Russian.
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  Acomodação

  Accommodation offered is a room in an apartment 15-20 minutes walk away from the school. The flat is furnished, and shared with another employee of the school. There is a single futon (Japanese floor mattress), and space to keep your things. Workawayers are expected to keep the room and the shared living spaces tidy, and be conservative with water and electricity usage.
  
  The apartment is in a nice neighbourhood 5-minutes walk from Fujigaoka Train Station, and 15-minutes walk from Aobadai Train station (where you can get the rapid train). It takes about 25 minutes on an express train to get to Shibuya, the heart of Tokyo, so this area is very convenient!

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  Algo mais...

  Volunteers may do anything they like in their time off. There is so much to see and do in our area, a quick Google search will yield some great recommendations. We are located close to local transport (bus & train), so it is easy to get around the city for day trips. Our favourite places for day trips are: Kamakura, Hakone, and Nikko. We are not in Yokohama City central, and not in Tokyo Central, either, but approximately a 30-minute train ride away from each. The nearest station is Aobadai Station along the Den-en-Toshi Line.
  
  We do recommend that travellers:
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️bring a plug transformer
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️bring a pocket wi-fi because you still can't buy SIM cards freely at phone shops, etc. (however, recently they have started selling SIM cards at the airports)
  *️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️make sure you download the application LINE on your smartphone as it is a great way to keep in touch through free phone calls or messaging...everyone uses it in Japan. If you're going to be in Japan, you NEED it.

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  Mais alguns detalhes

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    Acesso à internet

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    Acesso à internet limitado

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    Temos mascotes

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    Somos fumantes

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    Pode hospedar famílias

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  Pode hospedar nômades digitais

  We have Wi-fi at the school. Of course Workawayers are free to do their online work in their spare time.

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  Quantos Workawayers pode acomodar?

  1

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