Aside from the hour or so I spent before writing the "While I'm Thinking About It", I have not sat down and outlined or thought about what I wanted to write...it was never my style in school and why should it be now? I feel like I get across what I want to get across easier if I have free-flowing thoughts. All that said, I took a few minutes to think of six pretty important obstacles I'm encountering while teaching in Japan. Some of them I've learned to deal with and some I am still feel pretty lost but here they are. I know there are, at least, a few teachers that read this and maybe you'll sympathize - or maybe not because they may be too specific to Japan.
Obstacle #1 - The kids are really cute.
I am having some trouble figuring out whether this is Japan-specific or not, but I am leaning towards thinking it is. Obviously there are cute kids everywhere - by the same token, there are unfortunate looking kids everywhere. What separates American and Japanese children is that there more cuter kids in number than in America, I think. I am going to stick with that theory but I do understand the counter-points - I have fewer children in total than American teachers would, it's only been ten weeks, the kids are from more affluent families and I cannot understand most of what they say (more on this later). As a whole, I think that Japanese parents have more concern with the way their children look than American parents. Maybe I've forgotten or something but my memory of American children but I am just picturing strange fitting clothes with random stains. That doesn't really happen here - maybe it's because Japanese adults don't really walk around in comfort clothes or maybe it's because most Japanese women are stay-at-home Moms and they have the time and the money to keep the kids constantly clean and dressed well. Most of the younger kids come to my classes dressed nicely - polo shirts, button down shirts with pants or shorts and a lot of dresses on the little girls. They look like children that belong in magazines. Most teachers I've spoken with seem to share the belief that the cuter the kids look, the easier it is to become lenient with discipline or with sticking with a lesson. I wouldn't say it's been a huge problem for me but I've noticed it.
Please let me share a story that wholly disagrees with my theory. Two weeks ago, I had this little boy in a private lesson. I was transitioning between parts of the class. He did not say a word - in Japanese or in English but as soon as I knew it, there was a pee puddle in the middle of the room. I've had no siblings, no real experience babysitting or teaching or any other child waste evac training so I panicked. I opened the door and motioned for him to come. We needed to get downstairs to the bathroom. I should have just picked him up but my mind was racing so he just kinda cowboy walked in his pee pants to the stairs and headed to the bathroom. I opened the door, he put on the bathroom slippers and lifted the toilet seat so I figured he could take it from there. Nope, he got his pants down and hugged the toilet bowl. Hmmmm...as I was planning my next action, I looked down and saw a poop nugget making its way out. My muscles seized but I snapped back pretty quick and lifted him onto the toilet. I gave him the thumbs up to make sure he knew what was going on...he stared blankly. I closed the door and got my manager. She barged into the bathroom and as soon as she did, he bolted out of the room - with only a t-shirt on. The moms who were watching my agony starting frantically pointing because he still had poop coming out!! My manager got him back into the bathroom and eventually he finished the job. I presume manager was calling his mother during this time but she told me, "Please continue the lesson." Shocked and awed, we went back upstairs and I went fifteen minutes past time with a basically naked boy. As I maintained my distance, he was spreading eagle in liberated glory all over the room as the frightened foreign teacher ran in circles trying to avoid contact. Thankfully it all ended with a barrage of 'sumimasens' from his mom...this ordeal was not cute.
Obstacle #2 - Communication
Well, duh...right? Communication is difficult for the four thousand reasons you think of right away. Past the normal communication barrier between adult and child, it's exponentially more difficult when neither the child nor the teacher totally understands what the other is saying. Aside from learning some Japanese by exposure, I really cannot tell what my kids think or say unless it's in English or by gestures.
Thankfully, communication the world-over is not entirely about the words you use. Many messages and points can be delivered by the tone of your voice or with non-verbal communication. A pissed-off stare means the same thing in Japan as it does in America. On the flipside, kids have the tendency to talk 'to you' while they do something - they are talking so that you'll listen but don't care whether you answer or what your answer is - so a few well-placed "ohhh"s or "mmm"s does the trick. I've used this with kids from all different cultures with the same results. Of course this also works a lot with adults too. Also tried and true.
Obstacle #3 - Crazy kids are everywhere
I have a group of five 8-9 year olds each Tuesday evening and I truly feel like if I had to deal with that everyday, I would be an alcoholic. My situation is a little different because the structure of school is not really present so I don't have that to rely on but I have a new respect for 3rd or 4th grade teachers. Also I have a couple of kids throughout the week that are just a little bit nuts. I always like to say that they are the kids that stand with both arms behind their backs and the left hand holds the right elbow and they sway back and forth. They are the same kids who are forced to play little league and spend the time squatting in right field picking dandelions. I've noticed about the same ratio of normal to abnormal here as America.
Obstacle #4 - Rewards and Disappointments
Mentoring teenagers last year taught me that every class is building a bridge. And the next class is building that same bridge and moving a little forward. Hopefully, in time, that bridge is built and you move onto the next bridge. It's like taking the Oregon Trail and you have to see how far you can get before catching cholera, fording a river and drowning with your hundred pounds of oxen meat. Kids understanding something is a natural high that can't really be explained but I have to try not focusing on it...instead I need to build on that and hopefully something else will sink in. Everything works the same in reverse. Often times, kids are just parroting me and it becomes evident pretty quickly - it's really disappointing. I get to points where I don't know how to teach something or where I think the kids will never understand what I want them to learn. To me, it means that I have to find more ways to make them absorb the lesson and that's my main obstacle thusfar with teaching.
Obstacle #5 - Students in Japan have a different life
I won't try to guess what American kids are like nowadays and how teachers deal with them, but I can tell you that Japanese kids work their asses off. Their educational devotion is not a myth. Whether or not it's the right way to do things isn't what I'm concerned with...it's trying not to bog them down even further and makes things interesting for them. That's not only my thought - it's part of our company's mission. Kids get time off (maybe a little less than American kids) for vacations. The difference is that they are generally assigned projects or reports to do over the vacations. In addition to everyday school, kids are in prep classes, mandatory school clubs/festivals, cram schools and supplemental lessons (like mine) - and those add-on activities are increased when school is on vacation. It's really no wonder why kids show up for a 7pm lesson completely wiped-out. I can't blame them and I try to make the lesson as relaxed but educational as I can. A lot of times I feel like I am being too casual - but I would much rather that than to pile on more stress to their already ridiculous lives. Perhaps I am deluding myself but I think they learn more in that environment than if I cracked a ruler and we went over grammar for an hour.
Obstacle #6 - Inside the class - authority, Outside the class - idiot
My favorite paradox of Japan is that inside of my school building, there is absolutely no one there more qualified to teach a subject than me but outside, I know less about living in this culture and speaking its language than anyone I know. In Japan, I'm an English savant who cannot function in other parts of life without assistance or the patience of strangers.
I will include a few pictures of the cutest child known to man (Hikaru) and I'd ask you to visit my school's web page to see me horrible staff picture and the picture (in the scroll - upper left) with two of my high school students!
http://www.amity.co.jp/school/english/2819.html
And I'll answer a few questions from the emails that have trickled in -
Amanda, originally of Park Ridge, IL writes "I have a size 7.5 women's feet. Would I be considered a Big Foot in Japan? =)"
Ok, well a 7.5 American is about equal to 24cm here and that would be your shoe size. I don't know for sure about women's shoes but most of my friends have had issues. While you wouldn't be Big Foot, it'd be tough to find shoes here - also keep in mind that Japanese women have really narrow feet and width becomes a problem too. I cannot easily find shoes here...oddly the bowling alley carries larger size shoes but I've found nothing in Himeji. But...Kobe is supposedly the shoe capital of Japan - maybe I'll explore that. Amanda, come visit...we'll shoe shop!
Here's a good time to give credit where it's due. I thanked my Mom for my lack of artistic ability and juvenile sense of humor. To be honest, I thought about thanking you for my belching abilities but actually used tact for once. Well, I was caught on it, so...Mom, thank you for my belching abilities. If it wasn't for your nightly burp concerts and your constant encouragement, I would not be adequately prepared for power hours. Now onto a few of your questions:
Do the Japanese have pets (or do they just eat them)?
This isn't Korea...or Arkansas!! There are more pets here than I thought but not that many compared to the US. Most people live in apartments and that makes it a little more troublesome to have pets.
Given the warnings about bringing your own deodorant and the excessively high humidity, do Japanese people smell?
You know, not really. The only time I notice anything is after they eat certain foods and get dragon breath. Oooooh, sometimes that is nothing short of repulsive.
Do the Japanese discuss their own politics? Do they tend to be more liberal or conservative?
Maybe if I knew Japanese, I would have a better answer but I've never heard it. Something tells me the communication is different because Japan isn't a democracy but I really don't know. My guess is that they'd be conservative at heart, even if they look ridiculously liberal on the outside.
Done. Phew!
HIKARU!!!!!
Brenna using the wonderful slime that her student made in science class and gifted to her!
1 comment:
Aside from almost "sharting" over your poop story, I heard on the radio today that if your forearms and fingers hurt while playing the guitar your strings are too thick.
Love those elimination stories!!
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