Working with Us
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Jobs at Rainbow Bridges
Rainbow Bridges is an American-owned English language academy in Fukuoka City with a mission to make the world a better place. We’ve been in operation since 2005 and offer delivery lessons for students of all ages, produce learning materials, and build open-minded communities.
Check this page for opportunities to join our team.
English Teacher (Full-time)
Are you looking for a growth-oriented teaching position?
At Rainbow Bridges, you’ll develop your ability to lead others more effectively, hone your communication and teaching skills, and work on a supportive team that wants to see you succeed. Together we’ll inspire children with a love of learning and prepare them for their futures with real-life communication and thinking skills—all while having fun!
We offer this chance in the form of a full-time teaching position, primarily for children. We’re searching for an engaging person who loves kids, learning, and helping others to learn, and who is open to a long-term commitment to our community and student-centered teaching approach.
What you'll do
You’ll be a teacher of English for (mostly) children in small classes. You’ll also take part in staff meetings and ongoing professional development sessions as well as events. Furthermore, according to your specific skill set and interests, we offer the opportunity for you contribute to the school in ways beyond classroom teaching, such as with computer skills or abilities in art, music, or other fields.
What you'll accomplish in the first year
- Learn how to be effective teaching in our student-centered approach
- Lead periodic teacher meetings and possibly present at conferences or expos for teaching organizations
- If desired, take one or more of our project director positions in curriculum, extended reading, events, materials development, social media, blog, website, or music and video
What you'll need
If you think you can accomplish the above, we want to hear from you. Realistically, you’ll need the following:
- At least a bachelor’s degree and the ability to learn complex concepts quickly
- Excellent native-level English communication skills to enable you to contribute positively to staff meetings and participate in professional development
- An open mind and a desire to understand new and different ideas, people, and ways of doing things
- Interpersonal skills to understand your diverse students, helping them find their motivation and develop their talents
- Japanese proficiency to enable you to get to know students better
- A love of children and life to keep your head up through the challenges of teaching and help you inspire young learners to have fun developing themselves to the best of their abilities
We are looking to set the successful candidate up with 1-3 days a week of work to start, with applicants needing to be available to teach on Thursdays and Saturdays at minimum. As the school is expanding and in a time of transition, we would like to hire someone who can remain flexible with scheduling and take on more work in the future. Candidates with a valid driver’s license and vehicle to travel around Fukuoka will be favored.
Reasons to be excited
- Encourage students to find a lifelong love of learning
- Work in an open-minded, bilingual, synergistic environment
- Be a part of a growing organization connected to cutting-edge English language teaching influencers throughout Japan and around the world
- Help children and teachers everywhere with our original learning materials as well as educational music and videos
- Flexible paid vacation, taken when you prefer
- Enjoy daily opportunities to learn, grow, and make the world a better place
Position overview
- Position: English Teacher
- Status: Full-time (Part-time is also possible)
- Salary: Full-time starts at 230,000-250,000 per month
- Benefits: Health care, pension, unemployment insurance, flexible annual leave system, optional car
- Trial: 3-6-month trial period
- Start: Soon if possible
- Location: Fukuoka City: Headquarters in Arae, Jounan-ku; Class locations may vary
How to apply
Please email your resume with a photograph and a cover letter to Tristan Scholze at tristan (at) rainbow-bridges.com. In the cover letter, we hope to read about what student-centered teaching means to you, and how you might be able to contribute to the school in ways beyond teaching, so please take time and care in your application. Please explore our website to learn about what we do and consider how you might fit into our school’s culture.
The education revolution
“Civilization is a race between education and catastrophe.”
Is our world’s education good enough now to meet the challenges of the 21st century? Would you like to do something about it?
Rainbow Bridges began with recognizing that true learning comes from within the learner, because learning what one wants to learn is enjoyable and empowering. Helping others find their love of learning and develop skills to face the challenges of this new century is what we do.
The study of communication, language and culture can open people’s minds and hearts to creative ideas and a greater understanding of themselves, their society, and others. Being an independent school, we can take a revolutionary approach to helping all students realize and develop their natural individual talents.
Our thoughts on education are inspired by the videos in this playlist, starting with Sir Ken Robinson’s “Do schools kill creativity?”
