International/Bilingual School, Kobe: Kindergarten Homeroom Teacher（期限切れ）

Starting April 2022 experienced kindergarten homeroom teacher required for international school in Tarumi, Kobe. This position requires teachers to teach Tuesday - Saturday, also leading a class in our Saturday School. It is possible to move to a Monday-Friday schedule with a different grade level in future years.

Please include a personalized cover letter explaining:
• your interest in the position and what attracts you to KOBILS
• your preferred grade/age
• your specialist/preferred subjects
• any specific skills and/or interests you think could benefit the team

Due to COVID-19 immigration restrictions we cannot accept applications from overseas unless applicants have Japanese citizenship, an active work visa, or permanent residence.

The successful candidate will have:

• a teaching degree from their home country (PGCE/QTS/Bachelor or equivalent)
• at least 2 years experience teaching early years in their home country or an international school
• strong writing and IT skills
• be interested in professional development/working as part of a committee on school-wide development
• be enthusiastic working with children from age 3 to 12, beginner to native speaker

KOBILS is a small school with typically 12 children in each grade/year level. We are
growing each year so there are plenty of projects for enthusiastic teachers who are looking to make a real contribution to our friendly, motivated school community.

Our School

KOBILS was established in 2008 with an international kindergarten and after school and Saturday program. In 2017 we opened our bilingual elementary school for children aged 6-12, and began the year with a grade 1/2 class. We have expanded by one grade each year since then, and will have every grade level from K1 (age 3) - grade 6 (age 12) from April 2022. KOBILS has a strong school culture and holds the belief that children learn best in child centered lessons with the teacher as guide. Children in the Kindergarten learn Japanese on Mondays, and have Japanese lessons every day from grade 1.

At KOBILS we encourage children to develop autonomy, be creative, to love the outdoors and be active members of the community. At kindergarten we teach basic literacy and math in small groups which follow the children rather than teaching to a baseline. We do a lot of craft, and have a school farm which the children visit regularly to grow vegetables. We have a good relationship with the senior citizens center next door to our school and visit once a week working on projects together, reading to each other, and celebrating cultural festivals. Children in the kindergarten learn pianika.

We have an external, professionally taught PE program, and from elementary a number of teachers teach tennis and soccer; we regularly go hiking and climb trees! KOBILS is an active school!

Our Teachers

At KOBILS we put an emphasis on individual learning and progress and encouraging independence and a love of learning. Candidates’ teaching philosophies should also reflect this.

KOBILS teachers typically are friendly, creative individuals, enjoy project based learning, value social emotional learning which encourages children to be an active part of problem solving, see children as individuals with differing needs, and value student contribution over teacher-fronted lessons. They work well alone and in a strong team environment, and while they may have a specific interest, they can also work across all learning areas. Teachers are interested in helping children develop not just academically but with everyday life skills and a strong can-do attitude. They model these qualities as class leaders.

Our Students

Our kindergarten children love coming to school, are active and chatty and pretty noisy. They enjoy learning and are always up for a challenge be it physical or academic. KOBILS students develop SKILL. They are Strong, Kind, Inquisitive Lifelong Learners. They have few behavioral challenges despite KOBILS being an inclusive learning environment.

The Curriculum

In the early years kindergarten children follow a theme-based curriculum that is developed monthly following the children's interests. From age 5 we start to incorporate elements of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, which is used in the Elementary School from grade 1. KOBILS encourages individual progress and children pursue academic learning in small groups. KOBILS is committed to diversity and inclusion, so children learn there are all kinds of families and all kinds of people from an early age. We also have a strong health curriculum. Teacher paperwork is kept to a minimum; reporting consists of shorter progress postcards each term, and a longer end of year report.

The Work Day

Kindergarten students can be on-site from 7:30-18:00 as we offer after-hours care for children of working parents. Lead teachers start at 8:30 or 9:00 and work an eight hour day. Teachers are expected to lead one or two after-hours gakudo sessions a week. Preparation time is available to teachers every day. We finish at 3:30 on Saturdays.

Benefits

At the higher end of the salary scale, the applicant will be a qualified teacher with experience teaching at an international school or kindergarten/primary school in their own country, and be capable of taking on projects that will benefit the entire school.

Benefits include at least 25 paid holidays a year plus most public holidays. Accommodation (up to 3LDK) can be provided and sponsored at a competitive rental rate; moving assistance is available; shakai hoken health insurance/pension provided. Child-care and/or heavily subsidized tuition is available for children aged 6 months – 10 years old. Subsidized after school classes are available for older children.


The Location

Kobe is a medium-large port city located between mountains and the ocean. Consistently voted in the top three places for ex-pats to live in Japan, it has a small but vibrant international community and is within 30-90 minutes of Osaka and Kansai International Airport, and the historical delights of Kyoto and Himeji. The cost of living is comparatively low for Japanese cities. Tarumi is a suburb of Kobe, has its own beach, good shopping and access to mountain hikes.

Minimum two year commitment. We look forward to hearing from you.