Job Discussion Forums

[Japanology]

Hello. I�m just interested in some informing perspectives from JET MEXT teachers.

I work in an off-shore MEXT Japanese curriculum school. I report to my non-Japanese school director, who, by law, needs to be a citizen of the host country, even if it is an MEXT school. S/He is not Japanese. The whole school is employed by this person as far as immigration is concerned. My English department staffs are all highly talented, well paid, fully licensed teachers in the host country and most of us have TEFL Masters.

I often wonder if the Japanese teachers here are importing an expectation state when dealing with Western English teachers and if this potentially inappropriate expectation state is being influenced by the JET program in Japan. The Japanese teachers often create an atmosphere that implies a political position of power that is somewhat superior in nature to us, when, in fact, they are just our colleagues of equal status.

It is a little confusing for us because the MEXT Japanese teachers come here for two years and then return to Japan. Meanwhile, some of the Western English Teachers have been here for years, but we are often dealt with like undergrad university classroom assistants and the co-teaching dialogues often imply like they have been told that they are our boss or that they are responsible for Western teacher quality control, when in reality, no such function exists. Our quality control and accountability system are external from the MEXT system and is done through the School Director�s quality control system. Also, this perceived scenario is only between teachers. Real MEXT line management (the Japanese teacher�s bosses) are very polite and respectful towards our English department. Why does it seem that we are not given an equal status with the JTs but we are with their line management?

Working closely with Japanese teachers in Japan as a JET, can any of you JET MEXT teachers share what you think the Japanese teacher's expectation states may be when they leave Japan to another MEXT (exact physical replica) school when working with Western English teachers that are outside of their management jurisdiction and share the same international employment identity as they do? What�s going on over there?

[Glenski]

[marley'sghost]

So, the school is a Japanese school, the students are all children of Japanese nationals living in the host country. Right? I think I know what you are talking about. I work as an assistant English teacher (like a JET, mostly). Years back I had a principal at one of my schools , who had previously been a principal at a Japanese school in Brazil. Is your school that sort of thing?
One more question to add to Glenski's list. What is the ratio of Japanese teachers to non-Japanese teachers? Are there non-Japanese teaching science and math and whatnot?

[Japanology]

The school is 1 of 88 Japanese MEXT schools abroad. They are called Nihonjin Gakkos. They stretch from Nairobi to Moscow and they cater to Japanese families abroad. When on the premises, the whole scene is an exact replica of a MEXT school in Japan. That is, except for the school director being a host country national by law ( groomed by the Japanese Gov't from an early age ) and the foreign language teachers. The students wouldn't even know they were outside of Japan if they slept there.

The feeling of being in Japan is so strong that if somewhat feels like the JTs operate within a socio-political context as if they feel they are in Japan, and we, the non-Japanese staff, are being misplaced under the "guest" status that ALTS in Japan may be in. Perspective matters, and I think there is some different ones going on at my place of work, and it often causes cross-cultural strains.

That's why I am interested in hearing some random thoughts from some ALTS in Japan if any of this may interest them.

[Glenski]

A clearer picture. Thanks.

Could you address the other questions now, too?

[marley'sghost]

[Pitarou]

Basically, you are not expected to be a professional teacher. You are a native speaking resource for the Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) to draw upon, at the JTE's discretion.

Above Elementary School, the Japanese model of English teaching remains: grammar explained in Japanese, vocabulary & spelling tests, English->Japanese translation, and reading English passages aloud. All the stuff you've been trained in will be utterly unfamiliar, and I think most JTEs will not trust that your methods will deliver the results they need. So they will treat you as a hired hand who is paid to do what he is told, not think and plan.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

OP,

The last couple of posts have been a bit harsh sounding (that doesn't mean that the information isn't correct, though, as far as it goes).

Maybe it won't seem so harsh if you just remember the hierarchal nature of the Japanese workplace. This:

[marley'sghost]