Teaching update!

Wow, so it's been more than a year since my last update on the teaching experience. I was quite blunt about it last time and will continue that now since, I wouldn't want to give anyone the wrong impression of JET (like I had). But do keep in mind that the JET motto is, 'every situation is different.'

I wrote my last post in November of 2011 and a big change happened between that post and this one - the new school year in April. Several things were a complete surprise to me since I had no idea about the changes that accompany the new school year in Japan. The biggest surprise was the giant game of musical chairs the teachers play (not actually, but I muse about it a bit in this post). When I got back from my spring vacation (time I used PTO for since teachers are expected to come to work even when there are no classes), I found new faces and a new desk placement waiting for me in the staff room. After 8 months of getting used to my role in this school, it was all about to change. Naturally I started to feel a bit nervous. Re-reading my last update, I might have sounded a bit dejected about how I'm used as an ALT, but actually I became comfortable knowing what was expected of me. New jobs always bring about challenges, but as long as you know what they want from you, it shouldn't be so bad. So new teachers, new schedules, new students, and probably some new responsibilities. At my base school, Hikami, the only change that affected me was the addition of a new JTE. Fortunately, she is the sweetest thing ever. Her name is Yamashita-sensei and although she replaced a younger, male teacher that I got along with, she is a far better teaching partner than he was. She's soft spoken, but knows how to put those freshmen in line. She doesn't necessarily make learning fun for them, but she teaches the material in a way they understand, so at least it keeps their interest. She observed a lesson with my usual JTE, Taniguchi-sensei, and now uses me much in the same way he does - to write out the exercises on the board, pronounce words, correct papers, give special lessons, get insight on confusing English, and the like.

At Hikami Nishi (HN), my visit school, everything changed. I even go there on different days than before. Before I came in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but now I come on Mondays and Thursdays. My weeks used to drag, but now since I change up my environment more often, every time I turn around it's Thursday and only one day away from the weekend! Another plus is because I don't prefer my visit school to my base school (for many reasons), whenever we have Monday off as a holiday (which is quite often), I miss a day at HN. Woo hoo! As for the actual teaching changes, two out three JTEs were replaced. All three were pretty incompetent, so I traded up for sure. Since my last post, I did realize that the reason these incompetent JTEs always had me come up with the lesson plans was because they just wanted a break. Nothing wrong with that, but they wouldn't tell me what the kids were learning so those lessons were not all that beneficial for the kids. I can tell though that under the new JTEs the kids have actually been learning. I am used more like I am at Hikami and so, although my job is easier, I'm at least being effective on their studies. The only problem is that for some reason, the new young female teacher doesn't seem to like me very much and so I only go to class with the other male teacher. We definitely have more in common anyway and even talk outside of class, so I don't mind. The third JTE (part of the original three ) was made into a part-time teacher so he's not at the school on the days that I am - bliss!

These are the actual changes that happened, but how about my attitude? It was pretty bad when I first got here, I'll admit. I hadn't been around that many kids in long time and considering some other messed up circumstances with other aspects of JET life, I let it seep into the teaching experience as well. Now though I am perfectly content and confident playing my role in both my schools. It's not personally fulfilling or challenging, but I do understand the impact I'm having on the education of my students and so I take that role seriously. I provide them with a positive, non-threatening experience with a foreigner (you may underestimate how important conidering how homogenous the Japanese society is). I gently correct their English in class and encourage them to continue their studies beyond high school. I give them an idea of how other people in other parts of the world live, whether it be by presenting my opinions on a subject, or with my occasional cultural lessons. I don't tolerate any inappropriateness you'll hear other JETs complain about so hopefully that communicates a respect for women and people in authority. Just my appearance is literally something to make their day a little different and more exciting. Outside the class, students will call at me from every direction just so they can wave at me. At restaurants in town, I'm sometimes spotted and am pointed out to their family. And most precious to me the unspoken bond we share: When they catch me making a face because I didn't know they were looking, or I when try to be funny behind my JTE's back and it works; When they want to stand next to me at assemblies; When they point out my hair, nail, or eye color and just stare; When they shyly come to my desk with a drawing, origami, handmade cards, or other stuff for me; And even if I (still) don't know their names, I'll always remember their faces as they are now.

So yea, now instead of annoying little brats, now I think my students are adorable (even if they are high schoolers already). I'm genuinely sad, but happy for my seniors who are going to graduate at the end of this month since they are the students I'll have had the longest. I'm happy to go to class knowing exactly what I'm suppose to do and being completely comfortable with my students and JTEs. I know other JETs got to experience this right away, but it took until almost the end of my first year for me to get it. Ironically, that is exactly the amount of time our liason at the Japanese consulate said it took her when she was giving us a pep talk at our pre-departure meeting.. It's one argument she made for us to consider staying a second year and now I can totally agree.

So unless much changes in the next new school year this coming April, I think this will be it for my teaching experience updates. From my friends, I know a little about the experiences of JHS and elementary school teachers, so please feel free to ask any questions about my or their experience if you're considering being an ALT in Japan!

Teaching..Thus Far

Since my last post, I have officially started the job for which I was hired - to teach English. Once I actually got the job, this was easily the thing I was most intimidated by. No one I asked seemed to be able to explain the teaching experience in a way that made me feel like I could do it just as easily as they were doing it. I have a friend who is teaching junior high kids and is having a blast. This is also the same person who was a trembling mess while giving a presentation in class. I couldn't fathom it, but seeing this transformation made me feel like ''if he can do it, I can do it.''

The cover slide to my presentation

I was given a whole month (but it took me 2 days) to put together my first lesson - my self introduction. I researched some ideas on the internet and although mine was more informative than entertaining, it got the job done. I first went over some 'key words' that would help them understand the presentation. I would say the word in English and depending on the year of the students, I would either give them the definition in Japanese or ask if anyone knew the Japanese word. I always enjoyed the look of surprise on their faces when I would say a word and translate it into Japanese. (that's right kids, I'll know what you think you're saying behind my back!) I talked about my family, my hobbies, my pet and also about my hometown and state. To make the lesson interactive while checking for listening comprehension, I had a short true/false quiz at the end. That had varied results with it either being way too easy or too hard. Realizing that I had put together a lesson that encompassed new vocabulary, visual stimulation, use of both teaching parties, and checked for retention, I got the feeling that my JTE's were pleased with it. By the end of my first week of teaching though, I hated repeating my self introduction. In total I probably gave that lesson over twenty times. Especially bad was the last day because I had to do it with a sore throat. Ugh. 

Since my self introduction, I've mostly taught brief lessons related to the subject of the day. For example, today the textbook had a lesson about Picasso so the JTE asked if I had ever been to Spain. I have so talked about it for a bit. Afterwards he went around and asked questions about my brief story. It's just some listening comprehension but coming from a native speaker, it helps prepares them for real life situations. So mostly I just wing my lesson on the day and has been working out for me so far. As part of my own learning process, I'm becoming more mindful of using simpler words and big gestures to not lose the kids in translation. I also write out the words on the board since I heard the students know English better on paper than verbally. After I'm done with whatever I'm saying, I erase everything and then go back and ask questions ready to write their answers in the same spot that I had just erased. Having a photographic memory myself, I know that for some kids, this helps them relate what I'm saying to what I'm expecting as the answer. Most of the time they remember which makes me feel like they actually learned it. I'll also make handouts on occasion so that they can keep the lesson for the next time when I refer to something in a previous lesson.

Now, there's no reason for a teacher without students, so they are the end all be all when it comes to lesson planning. I've had all girl and all boy classes, each grade level, and each English level, I think. Because of this, it's hard to cater each lesson to what's going on until you form a routine and have a solid schedule. So far these kids have been noisy, rude, disruptive, disrespectful, uninterested, laughing the whole time, shy, quiet, nervous - Argh! Anything but attentive, actively (not forcibly) participating, and just good. I mostly just smile and try to stay on track. I'm certainly glad though that I'm not expected to administer any disciplinary action. I would bring back the ruler and allow teachers to smack the kids if that were the case. It's hard to explain, but in general I feel that these Japanese high school kids are more sheltered and less mature than their American counterparts. Maybe naive is a better word choice than mature actually. Imagine a class of third graders - they laugh at inappropriate words, act up in class, but you also have the ones that are well behaved and decorating their binders with stickers. Nothing wrong with being naive, but the acting up thing is just not okay when some of them 18 and taller than me. Annoying as that is, I'm also trying to remember the part of it is the fact that to them this is just another subject they have as part of their curriculum. That is to say, they're not especially interested in English or excited about learning it the way I was about learning Japanese. Getting them interested and excited is supposed to be part of my job too, but I didn't realize how taxing it is until I was in a classroom full of bored students. 

To finish, I'm going to try my best to make the lessons fun and interactive, but quite frankly, I'm not clown at a party. I will make sure that the ones who want to learn will get a quality lesson as best as I can provide among the other students. I'm a teacher, not a babysitter, so the other ones can regret it when they want to talk to a hot foreigner in a bar one day. Just as I suspected, teaching won't be my career in the future but for now I'll do my best.

I'll give another teaching update in the near future to show how things are progressing!

For now here is a link to a welcome bulletin about me posted by my visit school posted.