Just had a couple things add up this morning that threw me off my groove. I teach Junior high and have three schools. this morning our schools had an online exchange with a junior high in the states. It started roughly at the time of the contract start time for our schools (8:30).
It had been a planned things, all the schools new about it, the board of education knew about it, and our JTE’s of course knew about it because they helped the students make the presentations. I also had a heavy hand in helping the English for the presentations at two of my schools. Yesterday I was talking to a JTE at one school and I luckily stumbled into a finding out when the exchange was taking place, this was the first time I learned anything about the event. Surprise, its tomorrow, and no ALTs have been given information.
Anyway I text a teacher at the school I will be at for that day and say that I will come in early to support them. She says thanks. I arrive 30 minutes early and I check my desk, no note from either of the JTE’s, I walk around the first floor, then the second, run into a student I know and asked where the speech was happening. He tells me its on the first floor in a back room.
Exchange goes how you would expect. Japanese students are nervous and try really hard. Hawaiian teachers and students don’t know how to use simple and easily to understood English, so all the Japanese students have no idea what is being said. Tech and translation problems. But we survive. This was the first time they have done this exchange so no one really minds but they have a lot to talk feedback about the experience to give to each other.
Come to the teachers room and principal is talking to the JTE’s near my desk talking about the experience I way in a word of two in Japanese, and am waiting my turn to give some feedback (had it prepped in Japanese in my head) principal gets to me, says arigatou and walks away.
Okay, at least I can talk about it to the other JTE’s. One has a class to get to, the other goes to talk to another teacher for 45 minutes. She returns to the desk next to me, I wait for her to finish up on her phone. She finishes and gets settled into her desk. I ask her how it went she murmers it was okay and goes back to what she was doing.
I’ve got no classes today, all of my prep is done for my other classes at other schools cuz I stayed after a couple hours at school yesterday to have my weekend free.
I get that I am not supposed to be pampered at my schools and the teachers don’t owe me a conversation. But sometimes it can feel shitty coming from a school where I talk with a bunch of teachers and staff, spend time with students in the halls. And actually want to stay after work and hang out and collaborate on some activities. Then come to a school where I feel extremely out of the loop teachers talk over my head all day. And even the ones that speak English and work with me every week don’t have anything to say to me.
Vent over. I’ll delete this probably.
Update:
Thanks for all of the feedback. My JTE’s are great, enjoy their jobs, and care about their kids. When we do talk its between lessons or while in class and we get along well. I don’t blame them for my shitty morning. More of just the perfect storm of ALT stuff just hit me with a one-two punch in the morning, and realizing that I would be sitting in this office for 6 more hours got to me. Typed it up, went to the bathroom to breath and calm down a bit, told the principal I was gunna take nenkyu after lunch because I have no classes.
I have not been rocked this hard by ALT stuff since about 6 months ago. But when the bad days show up it hits me pretty hard. We all know the feeling of being in a different country, having a shit day, and doing some reflection about the choices that got us here. But luckily you guys, plus some time has calmed me down a lot, and I see this as just a blemish in an otherwise enjoyable job.
I do plan on looking for direct hire positions or into getting a license in Japan. Trying to take another year to keep pushing my Japanese (Just passed N3).
I think one of the things that doesn’t work in my favor is I really value relationships with coworkers and my students. So when a class goes badly or a teacher is just too busy to chat or help me with something, I can take it personally when I know I shouldn’t. Thanks again for all the support guys. Really helped me through this morning.
Just have to survive the last hurdle. Shishamo for school lunch.
22 comments
Don’t delete it – everyone needs to vent, and your complaint is absolutely legit.
They should not be treating you this way. Even if you aren’t a teacher you deserve some basic respect. And as someone who works closely with the students, and understands their strong and weak areas, your opinion could be useful.
It sounds like you are doing all you can to fit in, be useful, and put yourself out there to show you care and want to be part of the school. Treating you like you don’t exist or matter is just plain fucking shitty.
They’re in the wrong. You deserve far more than what you’re getting.
I know you’re not here for advice. But if you really like teaching and are not here for a short stint, you really need to get out of ALT work. Find a private or international school.
Or better yet, university.
Sadly, this can be a fact and it can happen with JTEs and even other native English teachers. As an ALT or as a solo teacher in a private school.
Sometimes they don’t want anyone with different or better information or input in the situation. Heaven forbid a non-Japanese person tell JTEs how to improve some program in a Japanese school. How dare the foreign teacher show up the other foreign teachers who prefer to just write up anime word searches.
Other schools appreciate input all around.
I hope you use this as fuel to get out of ALT work. For every 1 respected ALT position there are tons that are just viewed as a replaceable part. Get some more education and find a better job.
Nah these people mistreated you for sure. Absolutely disrespectful they didn’t treat you as an equal colleague and include you on the language exchange. Very cold indeed
Yeah I get it I just learned yesterday that tomorrow my students are having a concert and I’m supposed to be there, but I was planning on going to a walk in interview tomorrow, so they kinda screwed that up for me
Are you a direct-hire ALT with the BOE or dispatch? If you’re a dispatch ALT, your employer is the dispatch company. The schools are just the places where you work. Unjust as it may seem, that may be part of the reason why you weren’t included. The JTEs and administration may not consider you to be “part of the school”. If you are direct-hire, ignore the above. That being said, whether direct-hire or dispatch, you should have been included somehow, especially since you played a part in helping to prepare the students for their presentations.
I came to this job from working in a hospital in the UK. We were a tight-knit group in the hospital and would spend all day together, including eating lunch together. This is in complete contrast to my working environment here, so I understand where you’re coming from. Sorry you had to go through this.
I noticed you said you’re taking the afternoon off; maybe go and treat yourself to a nice lunch? And I know this information is parroted around here often, but use your free desk time to work on yourself and hopefully move onto another opportunity where you feel more like part of the team.
I think you just made the realization that your job is in effect useless extra person.
I don’t mean this in that you don’t care or try or work hard but that in Japan an ALT is regarded as nothing more than an extra body who is not required and at worst not wanted.
You are the equivalent to a tape recorder no more no less and will be used as such. It’s sad and it sucks but that’s the way it is.
Kinda mean sounding I know buts it’s not my intention. Try to look at this in the right light… You have tons of freedom and anything you do over that of a tape recorder is a win.
Sounds like you’re putting in a lot more effort than is necessary.
The amount of days I’ve had like this. I feel you.
The government says ALTs are supposed to facilitate language learning and cultural exchange but unfortunately HOW BoE’s and schools use you for that was never really spelled out to them. It results in so much wasted potential and wasted opportunities for great conversations with your students. It frustrates me so much.
Some schools get a grip and figure it out but too many don’t even know why an ALT is there.
It’s not uncommon. The teachers in my school are busy with 600+ students and tests like crazy. This past week followed by the next week are essentially a wash as even the 1st year testing seems to be given an entire week of preparation c
The amount of time for natural homegrown English conversation or lessons? Zero
The amount of non-book vocabulary allowed? Zero
You’re unfortunately not valuable to the Japanese teachers focused on testing. The students’actual abilities are secondary to the students continuing their studies.
This doesn’t mean we have no effect on the students, but the teachers just don’t see us as useful for their goals.
Gonna need a thicker skin than that lad.
I’ve had similar eikaiwa experiences, where the native teachers are left out of the loop, failures happen, and then we are just not given the opportunities to help improve things for next time. I get you want to help, and it’s so frustrating when other staff treat you as English-speaking props to harness, instead of passionate people who are capable of managing events and providing valuable feedback.
From my experience elementary schools show much more respect towards ALTs than JHS.
Sometimes these little high vis projects get foisted on the HTs & JTEs from above and just add to an already busy schedule. Often they are also held responsible for the IT end of things and forced to make do with outdated equipment. Kocho & Kyoto, BOE are present or live streaming so whatever happens has a direct impact on how they are viewed upstairs.
Deep breath. Challenging days make the rest of the week look better.
Shishimo and beer is pretty good.
Shishimo and milk, not so much.
Be well my friend.
This is going to be long. Short version? I know how you feel.
I have been in Japan for more than 10 years. The first three years I worked as a JET. Those were the worst / most unproductive years of my life.
At best I was a glorified tape recorder. At worst, I only participated in the class greeting. Then, I was instructed to go to the back of the room. Often times, students would talk among themselves and wonder why I was even there. The only original lesson I created during those three years was my initial self-introduction PowerPoint.
I would never know when events were because no one would ever tell me. To avoid an awkward situation, I always had a suit in my car, so I could change into it.
After that, I moved to a different city and worked for more than 5 years as a direct hire. This was a lot more productive. I still wasn’t in the loop, for school events though. However, in the classroom I was given more freedom to actually create standalone lessons. By that I mean, the Japanese English teacher would tell me the grammar point she or he wants me to review, then it would be up to me for the activity.
I did get quite a bit of enjoyment from this, however I still found it to be mind numbing after a few years. I began to feel a yearning sensation to be a ” real teacher.” Went to a private school, got a temporary teaching license and worked like a mule (past 2 years).
I was treated just like any other Japanese teacher. I had to attend all the endless boring meetings. I had to create the curriculum from scratch. I had to keep track of 180 students grades. I made all the tests, quizzes/projects you name it. I spent the majority of my downtime grading papers or putting the grades in the gradebook.
I had to call the students parents, and ask why their son or daughter couldn’t come to school. I had to orchestrate excursions for the students. I had to babysit all the foreign students at the school. This would involve, taking them to their doctor appointments, dentist appointments etc. I was a walking talking translator/interpreter for anyone in school. I had to go to various Junior high school’s handing out pamphlets for my private high school.
So yes, I was treated like any other Japanese teacher, but I soon found out that’s not what I want to do. I want to be able to spend my weekends with my kids. I don’t want to have to work on Saturdays because the school wants to cram as many classes in a week as possible. I value time over money. Ironically enough, the high school didn’t even pay much more than my old job.
I would often come home late and exhausted. Then, before I knew it I began yearning for my old job.
Sometimes in life, the grass is not greener on the other side.
In conclusion, the main point I’m trying to get across is that at least in my case I found that becoming a “real teacher” is not what I wanted. Best is a sweet direct hire ALT that allows freedom in the classroom, but cuts out all the other bullshit that unfortunately normal Japanese teachers have to deal with.
So I am leaving my teaching job. Now? I don’t care about titles. I used to get very annoying when people would refer to me as “ALT” instead of my name. But now? I welcome it. Being a real teacher in Japan is a selfless job that requires one to forgo all other aspirations (my opinion). Not for me, best of luck to those that want it.
Sorry for the long rant.
You are a mercenary whether you like it or not. You will work in schools that accept you and welcome you, you will work in schools that don’t, and in schools that have a mix of the two. You’re there to do your job. Get invested in a school at your own peril. It’s good to care about those around you, but it’s not obligatory or reciprocal. Yet again, you are a mercenary and in the end your victories will be small. Take comfort in those.
Welcome to ALT life- no matter how much effort you put in, no matter how many relationships you try to build… you’re just a warm body sitting in a chair that MEXT says has to be there.
What you’re seeing is something foreigners will never get used to, a very Japanese concept of *honne-tatamae.* The JTEs and other school staff might be friendly to you all day, and some might even legitimately care… but the vast majority are grumbling somewhere about “Why do we have to have this foreigner in our school?”
But that comes with the territory. ALT life is relatively easy, at the cost of never being able to build meaningful relationships with other Japanese teachers.
Get used to it. You are nothing but a trained dancing clown to them.
They just don’t care.
If I can offer a little bit of different perspective…
I read your story and what I think happened (and is happening) is a culture misunderstanding. You’re upset because you are interpreting the situation like a westerner and your colleagues are being Japanese.
Two things:
First, the thing with the principal and the JTEs not wanting to talk to you about what happened. The exchange didn’t go well and they are embarrassed. They have lost face. Hearing feedback from you, the foreigner, the assistant, is only going to make them more embarrassed. They’re going to lose more face. There will probably be an opportunity for you to give feedback, just not right after it happened. You need to let the sting of losing face fade a bit before you chime in with your two cents.
Second, the thing about not knowing when and where the exchange was happening. Japan is a very high context culture, meaning that important things are often not said. This is one of the most difficult cultural things for westerners to adapt too, and one of the things that causes the most cultural misunderstandings. You have to learn how to pay attention to what is not said and interpret what it means. You have to ‘read the air’. The fact that you (and the others ALTs) were not given the info about the exchange, the fact that the JTE you texted was rather cold (only saying thank you but not giving details), the fact that there was no note on your desk, are all indications that they didn’t want you there.
I won’t speculate why they didn’t want you there, but it seems to me that they didn’t. When you showed up what probably went through their heads was something like “why is Extra_Theory4570 Sensei here?” You butted in. You overstepped. If it had gone well, then it wouldn’t be such a big deal, but since it didn’t go well your colleagues are even more embarrassed because you weren’t supposed to be there. Which is another reason why they don’t want to talk to you about what happened.
Since I wasn’t there I could be totally wrong and I don’t really have any advice other than to say that I think you need to let this one be. Give it some time and your colleagues might come around. They might even ask for your help to make the next one go better.
They don’t respect or value you. The issue is when you’re getting upset because you’re not getting the respect or value you want, when they’ll probably never give it. It’s not worth tying your feelings to crappy people.
It seems like you assumed you’d be involved, when from the teachers’ perspective, you helped students plan their work and they (wrongly or not) didn’t expect you to do anything. I think for you to be shook by the lack of info relies on you assuming you were going to be a part of the process, when it feels like you weren’t and you just walked in.