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flyingkiwi · Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:41 am Post subject: Conservative prats

To tell you the truth, I am very glad to be leaving my school when my contract finishes.

The reason is my school's innate, over-the-top conservatisim, i.e. anything that is too 'fun' for the students is banned.

Case-in-point: I will make a farewell speech this Friday and I was looking forward to playing a song 'let it be' on the piano, as a way of saying goodbye (after my speech of course). However, my JTE said 'no, this is not a culture day, and it is not needed'. I wanted to say to him that I thought it was ridiculous, but I held back.

I am sick of this over-the-top conservatism and I hope I don't find it in my next school. Another example was the JTE refusing to play a game (that was demonstrated to us in an ALT mid-year seminar) because it involved a toy, plastic dart gun. What a load of rubbish. So, the students were bored with the activity and guess who they blame? You guessed it.

Thank you for listening to my rant. Comments welcome. Smile

Sour Grape · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 241

Without knowing what the plastic dart gun GAME is, I have to agree with the JTE on the face of it. How many of your teachers when you were at school used plastic guns? I think the trick is to find ways of making English fun without making it infantile and there are plenty of games and activities that achieve this. Unless you're teaching very small children, I'd say a dart gun is inappropriate - too far towards clowning and away from teaching. If I'm wrong, please explain how the game is played. To be honest, if I were you I'd be more worried that without the plastic gun, the lesson was boring, and I'd work on finding some middle ground.

As for them now wanting you to play your song, the reason why you want to play it has probably gone over their heads. They will want to hear you say how much fun it was teaching them and wish them well for the future (which I'm sure you intend to do in your speech) and playing Let it Be perhaps sounds a bit new age and self-indulgent to them.

ETA the word game to the opening sentence.[/b]

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:55 am Post subject:

flyingkiwi · Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:21 am Post subject:

I meant playing it on the piano.

For the game, which I got from the ALT seminar, not an original idea of mine:
I split the class into groups of four. Then I play a sound on a CD, like an animal sound, or an everyday sound. The first team to guess what the sound is in English gets X number of points. Then, as a fun bonus, have a target on the blackboard, then blindfold that student. Have that student's team members give directions as to where to point the plastic toy gun, such as 'up', 'down', 'left', 'right', etc.

I got it from the seminar, I thought it was a good idea. The first JTE really liked it and we had a lot of fun, laughter (it was my last ever class with them) in yesterday's class. But, I told the other JTE about, and he choked at the mention of 'gun'. I did say 'toy gun'. But he has always had a low opinion of me anyway and always undermines me in class so I will be glad to get away.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

ALT midyear seminars are like a box of chocolates...

I had one seminar leader tell me I needed to make more gimmicky cards and nonsense to make my lessons 'better'. She couldn't tell me what the language point was for her lesson.

Please be careful what you bring back from these seminars led by people who may be imaginative, but know little about how to lead a lesson which actually gets the kids using whole language in an enjoyable way. This takes, training, practice and a bit of talent.

I'm with Glenski. Lead, don't teach (it's not your job, it's the JTE's job), a language activity, not a game, that involves all students.

About your goodbye. Most schools are more than satisfied if you give a speech with a positive message. Boost your kids and fellow teachers on your way out.

gaijin4life · Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:40 am Post subject:

kiwi,

Dont let it get to you and try not to take it personally.. The school is how it is and will always be that way. Try and see it from their point of view, if you can.
- Do they want to keep farewell assemblies more of a formal affair ? The toy gun game sounds a little risky in that anything using a gun can be misinterpreted and blown out of context ..

Put it behind you and move on. You had good intentions but maybe they were a little too far out of the comfort zone of some of the other people involved.

flyingkiwi · Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:48 am Post subject:

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Believe me I am over it. I just thought I'd have a vent yesterday to get it out of my system.

Now, I just have to concentrate on how the heck I am going to speak in front of 400 people (with a microphone). I usually freeze when in such situations.

gaijin4life · Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:24 am Post subject:

flyingkiwi · Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:35 am Post subject:

That's so funny! One minute ago I was chatting to one of the chief teachers and he joked that he also thinks of the students as vegetables!!

I might try to get a few laughs to start off with, to get them laughing. That normally relaxes me.

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

You can't make a speech in front of the school but you can play the piano? I played the guitar in one school festival and I co cked up about six times. Didn't help that they'd strapped a Britney Spears-style mike to the side of my head.

Just get used to it, some JTEs are up for stuff and others aren't. Some will let you do whatever you want and others will pick everything to pieces.

flyingkiwi · Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:38 am Post subject:

Of course I can make the speech, I just naturally get nervous speaking in front of 400 people, as do most people I think.

User N. Ame · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 222 Location: Kanto

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

It's not just Japan. Games (especially featuring any kind of gun) aren't appreciated in much of Europe, either...)

Alberta605 · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Japan

Fun and Education don't seem to complement each other too well in Japan. One indicator might be that my Japanese sources say that teacher on student violence is on the rise, but I've not personally seen anything to support that. Any remarks on that issue would be welcome.

Perhaps the dart-gun game may be a good idea because it tricks the students into thinking they are having fun when really they are learning something (whatever that something was). The thing is that some ideas while identical in their intended function just don't have the same feel to them when used in practice, even though the outcomes would be exactly the same.

I support ideas that trick students into working, but I have to remark that I do find it hard to support the JET scheme. I'm hardly surprised that a JET scheme originated idea fell flat in the Japanese state system as they are generally incompatible.