you enter the school, take off your outside shoes and slide them into a little box marked "ALT" and put on your inside shoes, then you go up the stairs to the Teacher's Room which is already full--the teachers came in about 30 minutes or an hour before you and they're all trying to finish their coffee before the daily school meeting at 8:30. the bell rings, you stand up with the rest of the teachers and bow--"ohayogozaimasu!" everyone sits and the vice principal (kyotosensei) opens the meeting. he calls on a few teachers, they all speak and then when it's all over everyone says "ohayogozaimasu" again before the different groups (the first, second and third year teachers) begin their meetings.
you sit and watch everyone move around you, maybe the other special teachers will say "ohayo" to you or, more probably, they'll bow and begin to arrange their desk. you'll get up and walk over to the pad of paper by the door--450 yen (4$) for a lunch that consists of a box of rice and another, larger, box of veggies, a meat, and some pickles--you write your name and a circle to show you've paid....then you drop the money into the box, hoping that there's correct change...
you go back to your desk, the meetings are all ended and the teachers all get up to go to their homeroom classes--you're free to do as you want until about 9...when first period starts. You'll pull out your schedule and see how many classes you have, with who, and if you have them planned or not yet....
On a good day you'll have 4 classes and you'll have them planned ahead of time--but that depends on the school....at many schools you'll be forced to wait until the break BEFORE the class to even find out if you have a class or not...the teachers who are better at English will be much better about telling you ahead of time, better at actually meeting with you...just..BETTER, but then there's the other 20 percent of teachers who can barely speak English and don't seem to mind.
it's hard not to get a little angry when you're waiting for your class to start and the teacher keeps avoiding eye contact....and harder not to get angry/stay motivated when your classes seem to cause the teachers physical pain... they're not REALLY stressed out by you, but by the system that expects them to work 12 hours a day...the teachers are counselors, coaches AND teachers all for 1 low salary....pity them and just try not to let their sighs, their passive aggression..all of it..try not to let it get to you.
today the schedules changed and you only have 2 classes, this isn't rare, so thank god you brought 2 books.... a teacher or two may give you a bad look, but remember that you're other option is to sit and twiddle your thumbs..... try to meet with teachers so you can actually plan lessons--at least that's better than not doing anything AND it makes the classes more interesting for everyone involved, BUT also don't be upset if the teacher sets you up to fail---it is rare, but a little bit of the anti-individuality complex still exists and you may have stepped on a toe or two inadvertently.... (remember the one time your teacher recommended that boring by the book exercise and you suggested something else, something MUCH more complicated but also probably more rewarding if set up correctly..and..then..the teacher just stood back and didn't help.....and then, after the class, remember how they went directly back to the book..yeah...that sucked).
finally it's nine and the teacher is back to take you to class--if she/he speaks English well they'll probably want to practice their English, but if not..expect them to speak a lot of Japanese--you'll get into class and it will go one of 3 ways:
1) the JTE will call on you when needed (ie to read things)
2) you and the JTE will work together--they'll check for comprehension and translate if necessary)..this is by FAR the best (and the rarest) way
3) the JTE will stand aside and expect you to teach
....let me break the awful, forced 2nd person..schtick..sorry...
I want to say a few things directly to all people considering the ALT position...
FORGET THE NICETIES, many of the JTE's won't understand "would you be so kind as to.." or "could you please.." you'll need to practice your simplest English--"please read this" "please translate this." BUT be very polite--if you aren't careful they'll see you as just another added stress and you'll become a fixture of the teacher's room....
LEARN at least a little Japanese--especially how to apologize and a few basic questions/answers...you'll be spending a lot of time bored and alone and you'll REALLY want to chat with a few teachers or the Janitor or Secretary if you want to keep from dying of boredom..AND the janitor, secretary, nurses..they're the least stressed of all the faculty and often really funny people.
LUNCH! If you have special dietary needs don't expect any help--they might offer, but they're under stress...just expect to make your own lunch....SPEAKING of which--if you do learn a little Japanese this is the time to use it--you can make a lunch friend and make your school life that much more fun.
JUST DO IT...Schools expect you to just DO things that they won't ask you to do and you won't know to do...for example...they want you to join a club, they want you to eat lunch with the kids, they want you to stay after school and help out with activities...but you won't get paid for it and your pay is AWFUL...so do it if you want to. It's rewarding to hang out with the kids, but if you don't speak Japanese... ASK ASK ASK if there's something you're interested in...and don't be afraid to walk around....you'll get to talk to the kids which is really fun, BUT avoid the roof or storage rooms or places like that---those places are off limits...
Don't bother trying to reprimand--encouraging is good, but if a kid is sleeping or bullying get a teacher---if something happens that involves you..you're SOL.. let the teacher deal with it, besides the stress isn't part of your job description.
It's not your job--I sometimes correct papers for teachers, but unless it's from your class...it's not your job. HELP the teachers, but if they start to work you too hard...don't be afraid to say "no" politely. There was a week back at my old schools that I worked straight through the day--and they even asked me to stay after...I said no. They accepted it totally gracefully and I was really glad I hadn't just caved in...
WEAR LAYERS: expect to be hot in summer and in winter--air conditioning is frowned upon, but I was often too hot in the teachers office in winter--so bring a sweater to put on over your clothes. ALSO--if you help out on a sports team you can wear a track suit or something equally comfortable--otherwise, anything but jeans or t-shirts will be fine. I recommend wearing a suit for the first few days AND paying attention to when open classes (that parents can attend) and special functions are---you'll want to dress up for those too.
ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING--many many company's offer really nice rewards when you finish a contract--don't expect that as an ALT. USUALLY they'll give you an unannounced 2 weeks unpaid vacation--that's a nice 75% salary for the next 2 months.... Hopefully you've been saving... Read your contract carefully--there are several strangely paid holidays...make sure you prepare yourself for them.... ALTs DON'T MAKE MONEY. ALT's get a lot of time off, which is nice, but in a year contract you'll only be getting your full salary about...8 months of it.
I guess my summary..to this totally unedited thing...is:
if you want a pretty easy, sometimes rewarding sometimes mind numbing job and don't mind not making any money..this is a good job. AND even though you'll probably be working for a corporation, you'll almost never hear from them..which is instantly nicer than all of the eikaiwa jobs that require you to teach in an office UNDER observation... I taught at NOVA for a few months--it was alright--I miss the camaraderie that I had with a few of the teacher, but I have 5 days off for every 1 that NOVA gives and the hardest I work is 5 hours a day, as opposed to the nova 8...
you sit and watch everyone move around you, maybe the other special teachers will say "ohayo" to you or, more probably, they'll bow and begin to arrange their desk. you'll get up and walk over to the pad of paper by the door--450 yen (4$) for a lunch that consists of a box of rice and another, larger, box of veggies, a meat, and some pickles--you write your name and a circle to show you've paid....then you drop the money into the box, hoping that there's correct change...
you go back to your desk, the meetings are all ended and the teachers all get up to go to their homeroom classes--you're free to do as you want until about 9...when first period starts. You'll pull out your schedule and see how many classes you have, with who, and if you have them planned or not yet....
On a good day you'll have 4 classes and you'll have them planned ahead of time--but that depends on the school....at many schools you'll be forced to wait until the break BEFORE the class to even find out if you have a class or not...the teachers who are better at English will be much better about telling you ahead of time, better at actually meeting with you...just..BETTER, but then there's the other 20 percent of teachers who can barely speak English and don't seem to mind.
it's hard not to get a little angry when you're waiting for your class to start and the teacher keeps avoiding eye contact....and harder not to get angry/stay motivated when your classes seem to cause the teachers physical pain... they're not REALLY stressed out by you, but by the system that expects them to work 12 hours a day...the teachers are counselors, coaches AND teachers all for 1 low salary....pity them and just try not to let their sighs, their passive aggression..all of it..try not to let it get to you.
today the schedules changed and you only have 2 classes, this isn't rare, so thank god you brought 2 books.... a teacher or two may give you a bad look, but remember that you're other option is to sit and twiddle your thumbs..... try to meet with teachers so you can actually plan lessons--at least that's better than not doing anything AND it makes the classes more interesting for everyone involved, BUT also don't be upset if the teacher sets you up to fail---it is rare, but a little bit of the anti-individuality complex still exists and you may have stepped on a toe or two inadvertently.... (remember the one time your teacher recommended that boring by the book exercise and you suggested something else, something MUCH more complicated but also probably more rewarding if set up correctly..and..then..the teacher just stood back and didn't help.....and then, after the class, remember how they went directly back to the book..yeah...that sucked).
finally it's nine and the teacher is back to take you to class--if she/he speaks English well they'll probably want to practice their English, but if not..expect them to speak a lot of Japanese--you'll get into class and it will go one of 3 ways:
1) the JTE will call on you when needed (ie to read things)
2) you and the JTE will work together--they'll check for comprehension and translate if necessary)..this is by FAR the best (and the rarest) way
3) the JTE will stand aside and expect you to teach
....let me break the awful, forced 2nd person..schtick..sorry...
I want to say a few things directly to all people considering the ALT position...
FORGET THE NICETIES, many of the JTE's won't understand "would you be so kind as to.." or "could you please.." you'll need to practice your simplest English--"please read this" "please translate this." BUT be very polite--if you aren't careful they'll see you as just another added stress and you'll become a fixture of the teacher's room....
LEARN at least a little Japanese--especially how to apologize and a few basic questions/answers...you'll be spending a lot of time bored and alone and you'll REALLY want to chat with a few teachers or the Janitor or Secretary if you want to keep from dying of boredom..AND the janitor, secretary, nurses..they're the least stressed of all the faculty and often really funny people.
LUNCH! If you have special dietary needs don't expect any help--they might offer, but they're under stress...just expect to make your own lunch....SPEAKING of which--if you do learn a little Japanese this is the time to use it--you can make a lunch friend and make your school life that much more fun.
JUST DO IT...Schools expect you to just DO things that they won't ask you to do and you won't know to do...for example...they want you to join a club, they want you to eat lunch with the kids, they want you to stay after school and help out with activities...but you won't get paid for it and your pay is AWFUL...so do it if you want to. It's rewarding to hang out with the kids, but if you don't speak Japanese... ASK ASK ASK if there's something you're interested in...and don't be afraid to walk around....you'll get to talk to the kids which is really fun, BUT avoid the roof or storage rooms or places like that---those places are off limits...
Don't bother trying to reprimand--encouraging is good, but if a kid is sleeping or bullying get a teacher---if something happens that involves you..you're SOL.. let the teacher deal with it, besides the stress isn't part of your job description.
It's not your job--I sometimes correct papers for teachers, but unless it's from your class...it's not your job. HELP the teachers, but if they start to work you too hard...don't be afraid to say "no" politely. There was a week back at my old schools that I worked straight through the day--and they even asked me to stay after...I said no. They accepted it totally gracefully and I was really glad I hadn't just caved in...
WEAR LAYERS: expect to be hot in summer and in winter--air conditioning is frowned upon, but I was often too hot in the teachers office in winter--so bring a sweater to put on over your clothes. ALSO--if you help out on a sports team you can wear a track suit or something equally comfortable--otherwise, anything but jeans or t-shirts will be fine. I recommend wearing a suit for the first few days AND paying attention to when open classes (that parents can attend) and special functions are---you'll want to dress up for those too.
ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING--many many company's offer really nice rewards when you finish a contract--don't expect that as an ALT. USUALLY they'll give you an unannounced 2 weeks unpaid vacation--that's a nice 75% salary for the next 2 months.... Hopefully you've been saving... Read your contract carefully--there are several strangely paid holidays...make sure you prepare yourself for them.... ALTs DON'T MAKE MONEY. ALT's get a lot of time off, which is nice, but in a year contract you'll only be getting your full salary about...8 months of it.
I guess my summary..to this totally unedited thing...is:
if you want a pretty easy, sometimes rewarding sometimes mind numbing job and don't mind not making any money..this is a good job. AND even though you'll probably be working for a corporation, you'll almost never hear from them..which is instantly nicer than all of the eikaiwa jobs that require you to teach in an office UNDER observation... I taught at NOVA for a few months--it was alright--I miss the camaraderie that I had with a few of the teacher, but I have 5 days off for every 1 that NOVA gives and the hardest I work is 5 hours a day, as opposed to the nova 8...
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