スミス英会話フランチャイズ校のオーナー講師になるかなり前に、アメリカ陸軍キャンプ座間内の大学のクラスで教授が日本では英語教師がどれくらい稼げるかという話しをしていたのを覚えています。1990年のことです。当時、彼よりも英会話講師のお給料の方が良かったので少し妬ましげでした。その当時の英会話講師のお給料は25万円からスタートで、生活するのに充分でした。しかし、事情は変わりました。

2023年現在、彼らのお給料は変わっていません。市場には派遣会社が参入しました。英会話講師の仕事を探している人は派遣会社へ申込をして、派遣会社から英会話講師を必要としている会社やスクールを紹介されます。悲しい事に英会話講師のお給料は30年前と変わっておらず、派遣会社へは派遣料金の支払いもされるため変わっていないというだけではないかもしれません。

Sagamihara Smith’s School of English Owner is Happy!

Long before owning a Smith’s School of English franchise I remember sitting in a university class at US Army Camp Zama Japan and our professor was going on about how much money English teachers could make in Japan. That was 1990. He was a bit envious because they were making more money than him at the time. And at that time, a starting salary of 250,000 yen per month was good. Very liveable. But things changed.

Now in 2023, the salary remains the same. Recruiting companies have entered the market. Potential English teachers apply to the recruiting companies, and the recruiting companies introduce them to other companies and schools that are in need of English teachers. It is sad that the salaries remain the same some 30+ years later. But even that isn’t true because the recruiting companies take money from a teacher’s salary if they are hired. So they are earning even less.

Mark Smith knew this was going on when he opened in 1996. He envisioned a franchise system that excluded recruiting companies and high fees, but allowed people from other countries to own an English school in Japan. And whoever owned that English school could earn as much money as they wanted. “Wanted” means effort and work. I worked hard for those other companies, but was never rewarded. So here I am, working within the Smith’s School of English franchise system. We earn as much money as we want to,  but never at the expense of our students (customers).

Getting started is not easy. It’s not easy in any business. Establishing and  getting known takes time. Smith’s School of English Sagamihara is well known now, and I am so happy to be able to provide this service to the community and my students. I’m free now, and love it.

Earning as much money as I need and being my own boss allows me to focus on looking after my students and not worry about money. I’m not rich but I’m happy.