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stuhiggers
Joined: 22 Jul 2007
Posts: 12
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 Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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| ravel wrote: |
| The comments earlier about "proper teachers" I find old and boring, I have seen as many crappy esl teachers with education degrees as any other degree, and the best teachers I have seen, none were "real teachers" |
Hi Ravel, do you have a website for your new school yet? I'd like to check it out. I'm new here too, I've only been here about 6 months. I just finished my first contract by giving my notice to the nut-job that rents the place from the Chinese owner of the building. I won't go into details because I don't want to compromise their search for another employee - but it was a dreadful little place really and for the last 2 months it was just a convenient train journey.
So - hope yours is better!
Also, what is your take on what makes 'the best teachers'? |
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womblingfree
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 826
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 1:17 am Post subject: |
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| wabisabi365 wrote: |
I agree wholeheartedly that a background in linguistics does not properly prepare a teacher for EFL in the Jr. High/HS/uni classroom. I'd go even further and say that for those teachers entering those classrooms, a few years in an eikaiwa environment will offer hands-on experience for some who have never stood in front of a whiteboard before.
Does a 4-skills EFL uni instructor need a Phd and a few other initials after their name to qualify them to teach listening, speaking, reading and writing? |
You're confusing two different disciplines.
A Phd qualified professional is unlikely to be employed as a basic EFL teacher. Why would they bother? With a Phd in an Applied Linguistics/EFL field you can lecture discourse analysis or any number of language based subjects. You'll also most likely be funded to do research.
The discipline really should be Applied Linguistics, not Linguistics, which is far less concerned with pedagogy and the social uses of language than AL.
Chances are if you have an MA or Phd then you'll already know the basics of language teaching if required, although often this isn't the case in Asia where MA's are looked up to over teaching diplomas.
If teaching in a high school's your thing then a teaching license should be required. At the very least a CELTA if you are just a visiting 'conversation' instructor.
The point I was making is that transplanting skills from an eikaiwa into a public school setting is usually wholly innappropriate. School teachers should have the relevant training in classroom management, student welfare, course development and knowledge of a number of learning styles and teaching methodologies.
Audio-lingual 101 is totally insufficient for someone teaching in a school/university environment.
Even CELTA and DELTA don't really cover these aspects as they are too pre-occupied with native speaker competence and an evangelical approach to their own brand of Communicative Language Teaching. |
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stuhiggers
Joined: 22 Jul 2007
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:56 am Post subject: |
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Number One reason for leaving? Well in little Markle's case I would think it would be himself. The problem is that wherever he goes there he is, so I would think he wouldn't spend a long time in anyone place - a bit like Tom Cruise trying to run away from his gay thoughts (Family Guy ref).
Other people could use the existence of a total pratt like Markle as their number one reason for leaving Japan too - why not, he's a very convenient excuse. |
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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:46 am Post subject: |
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Ooo I've got a stalker troll yippeeee!
Can I keep him Mummy? Can I? Can I pleeeeeease!? I'll tie him up outside, toilet train him and feed him table scraps. Of course when he gets too big I can just put him in a sack with a couple bricks and chuck him in the river.... |
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6810
Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 309
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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| markle wrote: |
Ooo I've got a stalker troll yippeeee!
Can I keep him Mummy? Can I? Can I pleeeeeease!? I'll tie him up outside, toilet train him and feed him table scraps. Of course when he gets too big I can just put him in a sack with a couple bricks and chuck him in the river.... |
or just let the billy goats sort 'im out!  |
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stuhiggers
Joined: 22 Jul 2007
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| markle wrote: |
| Can I keep him Mummy? Can I? Can I pleeeeeease!? |
Finally little Markle clarifies his mental age in a confused bed wetting rage.
But back to job related issues - Markle who on Gods Earth actually puts up with you in a business context? |
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stillnosheep
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 2068
Location: eslcafe
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Does anyone know who stuhiggers was before he was stuhiggers (so to speak)? I am of course presuming that nobody could be quite so stupid so quickly unless they were pursuing some predetermined agenda. |
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wabisabi365
Joined: 04 Feb 2007
Posts: 111
Location: japan
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| Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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| I'd say there's a distinct possibility stuhiggers is the reincarnation of Precise/nonsmoker... |
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nomadder
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
Posts: 709
Location: Somewherebetweenhereandthere
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| Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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Love the parts about what education/experience makes a good teacher. Totally jives with my ideas though I had no proof beyond the many boooorrrrrinnng teachers I had to endure in school.
I left because I was lonely; lack of decent friends or romantic prospects. Boring with regards to activities you could do especially with limited Japanese. Not being able to read much or understand enough or speak properly. The coldness and uptightness. Outsideness. The feeling that it's not a place you could ever really belong to. The fact that you could only ever be a teacher and that most students didn't care that much. |
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king kakipi
Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:58 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| The feeling that it's not a place you could ever really belong to. |
I can empathise strongly with that feeling Nomadder, and I don't believe that increased proficiency in Japanese would 'cure' that feeling.........
After 10 months in Japan (and that was my 4th visit there but first attempt at living there) I felt I could endure that 'not belonging' feeling long-term by telling myself that I was quite happy being a 'non-Japanese' anyway and that I was quite happy with who I was anyway. Also, who would want to try to live with all the expectations and limitations that the Japanese have imposed upon them? That said, when I was offered my old job back in Oz, I didn't hesitate for a second and the missus (J) was also happy to escape the 'restraints' and weather of Japan to return to Oz, and that really helps you feel you've made a good decision.
With a 6 week (paid) summer holiday here in Oz in Dec/Jan we have the perfect opportunity every year to return to Japan for a month every year, see the rellies, stock up on my namesake, eat lots of fresh sushi, get a bit of 'coldness' (literally) before we return to temps of up to 44 here, see the new technology in Akihabara, Nojima etc and have a good holiday and return still liking Japan. A bit like a relative who can be endured in small doses.......
Just my 2 (Aussie) cents' worth..........
Nomadder, regards to your brother Black, btw |
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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 3:39 am Post subject: |
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Cue the violins...
| nomadder wrote: |
| I left because I was lonely; lack of decent friends or romantic prospects. |
And that is Japan's fault?
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| Boring with regards to activities you could do especially with limited Japanese. Not being able to read much or understand enough or speak properly. |
You know you're right, there really should be more interesting things for us with limited Japanese to do, maybe they could set up a 'Ministry of Activities for Those that Can't be Bothered Learning Japanese'....
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| The coldness and uptightness. Outsideness. The feeling that it's not a place you could ever really belong to. |
Oh please get over yourself will you.
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| The fact that you could only ever be a teacher and that most students didn't care that much. |
Utter BS. There are other jobs out there for foreigners they're just not as ridiculously easy to get as teaching gigs. The tens of thousands of South Americans, Chinese, Indians, etc who are here, aren't all tecahers.
I'm sorry, you do have legitimate feelings and reasons but they have more to do with your own abilities/inabilities to cope than any significant flaws with Japanese society. |
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Chris21
Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Posts: 366
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:17 am Post subject: |
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| Give it a rest, Markle. Nomadder was only conveying his experiences, which was the main point of this thread. Certainly many foreigners, even those that still live here, can empathize with feelings of alienation and isolation. |
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cafebleu
Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Posts: 404
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 5:35 am Post subject: |
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Dear me, now we know why Markle is attracting the attention of posters who seem to be trolls - as the old proverb goes, Birds of a feather ....
If you read the title of this topic, Markle, you will know why Nomadder wrote as they did. The topic is about reasons for leaving and along with Nomadder and others, I too contributed.
We do not need to apologise for pointing out why we left Japan - the point of this thread. However, your trollish and childish "Get over it" comments really are inappropriate. Just because you believe you will live in Japan for good, judging by your rush to slate those who don't want to for various reasons, doesn't mean that you will.
A change in circumstances, a change in environment and who knows? You might find yourself with similar feelings about Japan. On the other hand, maybe you won't. You sound like a few foreigners I knew in Japan who were always criticising other foreigners who found some things tough.
Usually these slaggers were quite oblivious to many things going on around them in Japan. I leave you to draw your own conclusions. And please stop trolling. |
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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:14 am Post subject: |
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"It's my thread and I'll troll if I want to ..."
OK I admit I was overly harsh and I apologise to nomadder for that. As I said these are legitimate feelings and experiences and everyone including myself, have had to deal with them.
Having said that, it is a personal issue that can occur anywhere rather than something unique to Japan, which I was really after when I started this thread, but anyway these have a life of their own so I guess I have to accept all answers.
What most annoyed me however was the tone that it was somehow Japan's fault and it was responsible for driving him away (this probably wasn't intentional but still I felt it was there) which is a bit of an affront to all the perfectly happy and pleasant people living here. |
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womblingfree
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 826
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Chris21 wrote: |
| Certainly many foreigners, even those that still live here, can empathize with feelings of alienation and isolation. |
Most migrant workers anywhere on Earth can empathise with those feelings at some point.
Thing to remember is that it's not a problem with Japan, it's a universal issue of multi-culturalism and inter-cultural communication. |
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