6) Talk to the teachers.
Not only the JTEs. Talk to the other teachers, and the office staff too, if you can. And don't forget the teachers in the school infirmary too. It's a good chance to practice your Japanese, and you learn a lot about how the school works.And many teachers are easy on the eye too. And you don't get left out of school events. Because you don't know Japanese and because many JTEs are so busy they don't have time to tell you what's happening, you might find yourself sitting alone in the staffroom wondering where everyone has gone (it happened to me so many times in my first year till I put my foot done, started reading the kanji on the board or asked a teacher), and you take a walk around the school, and oh no what's that - they're having a sports event without you. You might not mind it once, but after repeats of that, it gets old, you get the feeling you keep being left out, and chances are, you get very very very sad.
7) Be yourself.
I lied. A little. Be yourself but also be a little of who you've always wanted to be, or who you think will be liked by the teachers and students. And think long-term. A loud, funny and irreverent ALT is nice to have around for a while, but in the long run, it can chafe. Dial it down a few notches, feel your way around, then slowly show your true colours. Haha. Make yourself lovable and you will be loved.
I don't really like talking to people, but as an ALT, I get teachers and students coming up to me wanting to practice speaking English, so I put on a smile and I oblige. And guess what, 100% of the time that happens, I always end up feeling happy I pushed my introverted side away and forced myself to talk to people.
You might think you know who you are and you don't want to change. I say, be flexible about that. Take this time away from what you've always known to see if you are really who you think you are. You might find out things about yourself, good things. And the bad as well. Know thyself, the Emerson dude once said. He's a dead white guy, but sometimes they're right.
8) If you're bored, ask to do things.
It is true. Oh so true. But there's only so much facebooking you can do before you go delirious with boredom. The school always has a year calendar. Use it. Find out what's happening and whether you can plan things for the students. After-school talks on Halloween or on your own culture, English camps, if your school doesn't already have one, the list goes on.
But I admit, this is easier said than done. A lot of what you can and cannot do depends on
1) how good your relationship with your JTEs is,
2) how busy or how adverse to work your JTEs are,
3) school resources,
4) school policies
5) how charming and persuasive you can be.
For me,
1) It's pretty good. They are supportive and take my ideas into consideration.
2) They are busy, but since my 1) is on the higher end of good, and they are one of those gems of a teacher (there are many of such around, actually) they will take on the extra work and be happy doing it.
3) for my school's English Seminar, the English department managed to find some money to help out in the expenses. If it's good for the students, Japanese schools are notoriously generous.
4) some schools disallow any activities which seem all fun and no learning. To get around that, have a good proposal and plan and spell out clearly how it will benefit the students' education.
5) I'm not very. But because my 4) was pretty ok, it worked out.
Boredom was one of the reasons I had for wanting to leave after a year. I had to literally beg for marking to do (click here:) but at the end of last school year (March 2011), one of my JTEs remarked that he will allow me to do more work now, now that he's seen that I really want to help out (sounds a little patronizing in English right... ). BUT STILL. I'm busier this year, happily so!
Alright. More to come! Stay tuned!
Not only the JTEs. Talk to the other teachers, and the office staff too, if you can. And don't forget the teachers in the school infirmary too. It's a good chance to practice your Japanese, and you learn a lot about how the school works.
7) Be yourself.
I lied. A little. Be yourself but also be a little of who you've always wanted to be, or who you think will be liked by the teachers and students. And think long-term. A loud, funny and irreverent ALT is nice to have around for a while, but in the long run, it can chafe. Dial it down a few notches, feel your way around, then slowly show your true colours. Haha. Make yourself lovable and you will be loved.
I don't really like talking to people, but as an ALT, I get teachers and students coming up to me wanting to practice speaking English, so I put on a smile and I oblige. And guess what, 100% of the time that happens, I always end up feeling happy I pushed my introverted side away and forced myself to talk to people.
You might think you know who you are and you don't want to change. I say, be flexible about that. Take this time away from what you've always known to see if you are really who you think you are. You might find out things about yourself, good things. And the bad as well. Know thyself, the Emerson dude once said. He's a dead white guy, but sometimes they're right.
8) If you're bored, ask to do things.
It is true. Oh so true. But there's only so much facebooking you can do before you go delirious with boredom. The school always has a year calendar. Use it. Find out what's happening and whether you can plan things for the students. After-school talks on Halloween or on your own culture, English camps, if your school doesn't already have one, the list goes on.
But I admit, this is easier said than done. A lot of what you can and cannot do depends on
1) how good your relationship with your JTEs is,
2) how busy or how adverse to work your JTEs are,
3) school resources,
4) school policies
5) how charming and persuasive you can be.
For me,
1) It's pretty good. They are supportive and take my ideas into consideration.
2) They are busy, but since my 1) is on the higher end of good, and they are one of those gems of a teacher (there are many of such around, actually) they will take on the extra work and be happy doing it.
3) for my school's English Seminar, the English department managed to find some money to help out in the expenses. If it's good for the students, Japanese schools are notoriously generous.
4) some schools disallow any activities which seem all fun and no learning. To get around that, have a good proposal and plan and spell out clearly how it will benefit the students' education.
5) I'm not very. But because my 4) was pretty ok, it worked out.
Boredom was one of the reasons I had for wanting to leave after a year. I had to literally beg for marking to do (click here:) but at the end of last school year (March 2011), one of my JTEs remarked that he will allow me to do more work now, now that he's seen that I really want to help out (sounds a little patronizing in English right... ). BUT STILL. I'm busier this year, happily so!
Alright. More to come! Stay tuned!
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