My staff and teachers already know I’m leaving, but I haven’t told me students yet. My BOE says I can tell them whenever. When is everyone else doing it? 2 weeks prior? A month prior? Last Day of school?
I’m not leaving, but I think a couple of weeks is what I’ll do. (Maybe a month but that might be a bit long and they’ll forget again). Definitely not the last day of school. That’s a bit mean as some will want to get you presents/cards I’d imagine. I had a co ALT swap schools here and the teacher told all the students a week and a half before, so they had time to get him some cards.
As I don’t spend much time in classrooms I don’t have a hugely personal rapport with most of my students. It’ll probably be a ‘last class together’ kinda thing.
I told them at the end of the previous semester. The sooner the better.
It depends on the frequency of your classes. I have multiple schools so if I were to leave I have to tell the kids way in advance because while the last day would be a month away, I would probably only have 1 or 2 classes with them til then. I didn’t leave but I had to change schools so it’s kinda similar.
Formally I would tell the kids or JTE to tell them at the end of the 2nd to last class, so they go into the last class knowing it’s the last. Usually even the bad kids are on their best behavior.
Informally if I’m just talking to kids like prior to class or what not I just tell em whenever.
I told my JTEs back in January when I refused the 6th year offer and they told the students. I might have to tell them again soon… but I’m thinking maybe it’s best not to.
Usually they change teachers every year, specially ALTs. They are used to it, we arent that special for them, its usually us who get attached to some of our favorite students.
Anyway, for me its hard to say good bye, even after so many years of being an ALT, thats why I usually say I dont know if Im staying in that school or if they will send me somewhere else.
I’m planning to tell them at the beginning of July. It seems appropriate to give them about a month’s warning, it’s not too early but also not too short to appreciate the time we have left.
At my former base school, all of the teachers that move to different schools will be presented (they go on a stage) during the school closing ceremony so that all the students know who’s leaving. At the same time they know the names of the new teachers.
In my case, it was the closing ceremony before summer and I had to make a speech in Japanese. Made everyone cry and laugh at the same time. I got to wear hakama as well (despite protests from the new principal)
When I change schools, I prefer not to tell the students I’m leaving. They sometimes ask if I’m coming back next year, and I just tell them I don’t know yet.
There are really two reasons for this:
1. Japanese teachers I’ve worked with tend to do the same. 2. I think it’s a little arrogant to make a big deal about it.
I wonder how many JETs have been in a scenario like this: homeroom teacher, who the students have known for 2+ years and had hundreds of classes with is being transferred, and doesn’t say anything until the closing ceremony.
ALT who the students have known for 12 months starts jumping up and down and making a big deal out of their last class, expecting presents and cards.
Wild.
Depends on the kids. I don’t plan on saying anything to the 1st and 2nd graders at all since they’ll likely cry if I tell them I’m leaving.
I’ll probably tell the other kids in July about 2 weeks ahead or so.
Yesterday was my last day with the kindergarten class I was assisting (in the US), and some of the students I’ve been with the entire year only found out yesterday that I’m leaving for Japan and they won’t see me at school next year. The teacher was the one to break the news to them, when we were saying our end of year goodbyes. Others were told by their parents previously, who found out when the Head of School announced it to the community a few weeks ago. One of the parents asked me to not tell their youngest (my student’s sibling) because he’s set on being in my class when he gets to kinder and would be heartbroken to find out I’m leaving… I think I would save it for the last class together, as a form of goodbye/farewell in the future as well.
I told them like 6 months ago.
I’ve mentioned it in passing to students and coworkers if they mention me doing something next year, and made sure my English club students knew last month since it’s just me and the two of them every week, but I don’t make a big deal out of it.
Idk why people are being so negetive. Sure if you only see a class once every two months and are only here for a year or two, it’s harder to build up a rapport, and maybe you don’t have a personal connection to your students. But you can’t assume that that’s everyone’s situation, or even the norm.
One of my JTEs literally became an English teacher because of her HS ALT. The woman who led my pre-departure orientation Japanese class said she learned English and moved abroad because of her ALT. I’ve had students tell me that I was the reason they started to like English. Teachers can have an impact on their students lol.
I told my closest ones ( the ones who’d regularly attend the after-school english conversation class) about a month before I left, and the others about 1-2 weeks before.
I’m trying to think of what to say to my kids after 6 years together.
Not sure entirely what to say but I do want to make sure they know that I’ll be cheering them on in life and that I want them to not be afraid of making mistakes. I also want to tell them that even if they don’t like English, it’d be great if they keep on challenging themselves to learn – May it be English or some other language or subject instead, it doesn’t matter. Lastly, I want them to know that I enjoyed my time with them and that I hope they treat their new ALT the same as they did with me – kindly and willing to speak lots of English with them.
Also, I don’t think you need to stay a long time to give messages to your students. Even a short but sincere one is good enough imo.
You’re probably going to be in front of an assembly – or on video if your school isn’t doing assemblies.
Prepare something to say then.
Probably last lesson, or just sneak out without mentioning it.
That’s the plan dealing with some of the ALTs in the area too, just disappear into the night and have a new person rock up.
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I’m not leaving, but I think a couple of weeks is what I’ll do. (Maybe a month but that might be a bit long and they’ll forget again). Definitely not the last day of school. That’s a bit mean as some will want to get you presents/cards I’d imagine. I had a co ALT swap schools here and the teacher told all the students a week and a half before, so they had time to get him some cards.
As I don’t spend much time in classrooms I don’t have a hugely personal rapport with most of my students. It’ll probably be a ‘last class together’ kinda thing.
I told them at the end of the previous semester. The sooner the better.
It depends on the frequency of your classes. I have multiple schools so if I were to leave I have to tell the kids way in advance because while the last day would be a month away, I would probably only have 1 or 2 classes with them til then. I didn’t leave but I had to change schools so it’s kinda similar.
Formally I would tell the kids or JTE to tell them at the end of the 2nd to last class, so they go into the last class knowing it’s the last. Usually even the bad kids are on their best behavior.
Informally if I’m just talking to kids like prior to class or what not I just tell em whenever.
I told my JTEs back in January when I refused the 6th year offer and they told the students. I might have to tell them again soon… but I’m thinking maybe it’s best not to.
Usually they change teachers every year, specially ALTs. They are used to it, we arent that special for them, its usually us who get attached to some of our favorite students.
Anyway, for me its hard to say good bye, even after so many years of being an ALT, thats why I usually say I dont know if Im staying in that school or if they will send me somewhere else.
I’m planning to tell them at the beginning of July. It seems appropriate to give them about a month’s warning, it’s not too early but also not too short to appreciate the time we have left.
At my former base school, all of the teachers that move to different schools will be presented (they go on a stage) during the school closing ceremony so that all the students know who’s leaving. At the same time they know the names of the new teachers.
In my case, it was the closing ceremony before summer and I had to make a speech in Japanese. Made everyone cry and laugh at the same time. I got to wear hakama as well (despite protests from the new principal)
When I change schools, I prefer not to tell the students I’m leaving. They sometimes ask if I’m coming back next year, and I just tell them I don’t know yet.
There are really two reasons for this:
1. Japanese teachers I’ve worked with tend to do the same.
2. I think it’s a little arrogant to make a big deal about it.
I wonder how many JETs have been in a scenario like this: homeroom teacher, who the students have known for 2+ years and had hundreds of classes with is being transferred, and doesn’t say anything until the closing ceremony.
ALT who the students have known for 12 months starts jumping up and down and making a big deal out of their last class, expecting presents and cards.
Wild.
Depends on the kids. I don’t plan on saying anything to the 1st and 2nd graders at all since they’ll likely cry if I tell them I’m leaving.
I’ll probably tell the other kids in July about 2 weeks ahead or so.
Yesterday was my last day with the kindergarten class I was assisting (in the US), and some of the students I’ve been with the entire year only found out yesterday that I’m leaving for Japan and they won’t see me at school next year. The teacher was the one to break the news to them, when we were saying our end of year goodbyes. Others were told by their parents previously, who found out when the Head of School announced it to the community a few weeks ago. One of the parents asked me to not tell their youngest (my student’s sibling) because he’s set on being in my class when he gets to kinder and would be heartbroken to find out I’m leaving… I think I would save it for the last class together, as a form of goodbye/farewell in the future as well.
I told them like 6 months ago.
I’ve mentioned it in passing to students and coworkers if they mention me doing something next year, and made sure my English club students knew last month since it’s just me and the two of them every week, but I don’t make a big deal out of it.
Idk why people are being so negetive. Sure if you only see a class once every two months and are only here for a year or two, it’s harder to build up a rapport, and maybe you don’t have a personal connection to your students. But you can’t assume that that’s everyone’s situation, or even the norm.
One of my JTEs literally became an English teacher because of her HS ALT. The woman who led my pre-departure orientation Japanese class said she learned English and moved abroad because of her ALT. I’ve had students tell me that I was the reason they started to like English. Teachers can have an impact on their students lol.
I told my closest ones ( the ones who’d regularly attend the after-school english conversation class) about a month before I left, and the others about 1-2 weeks before.
I’m trying to think of what to say to my kids after 6 years together.
Not sure entirely what to say but I do want to make sure they know that I’ll be cheering them on in life and that I want them to not be afraid of making mistakes. I also want to tell them that even if they don’t like English, it’d be great if they keep on challenging themselves to learn – May it be English or some other language or subject instead, it doesn’t matter. Lastly, I want them to know that I enjoyed my time with them and that I hope they treat their new ALT the same as they did with me – kindly and willing to speak lots of English with them.
Also, I don’t think you need to stay a long time to give messages to your students. Even a short but sincere one is good enough imo.
You’re probably going to be in front of an assembly – or on video if your school isn’t doing assemblies.
Prepare something to say then.
Probably last lesson, or just sneak out without mentioning it.
That’s the plan dealing with some of the ALTs in the area too, just disappear into the night and have a new person rock up.