Job Discussion Forums

[rxk22]

I am changing my JHS next month. I will be going to one of the worst schools in my prefecture. Not that I mind, I already had a bad SHS. What makes me ask, is that my company asked me if I would be ok, and they told me that the last ALT had a lot of trouble.

They said that she had a hard dealing with how 'energetic' the kids were.
Just wondering, what do you do to deal with the bad schools? Mostly curious about your xp

[It's Scary!]

Talk up their future with the yakuza or package delivery services...

[rxk22]

[move]

I wouldn't recommend arm wrestling. I broke my friend's arm at an izakaya one night doing just that. But that's a story for a different time.

How to deal with a bad school/students? Well, realize that you only have so much control in this situation. If they are trouble in your class, they are most likely trouble in other classes. Furthermore, the responsibility for discipline in the classroom should primarily be with your JTE. Although you might be with some fresh uni graduate who has little experience in this situation.

Find out about the problem students. Ask other teachers for advice. If there is a teacher who seems like they have good control of their classes, talk to them directly. Or if you can't speak Japanese enough to communicate with them, ask the JTE to talk with them on your behalf.

Also, talk to the homeroom teacher. That person will know that student and their home situation better than anybody on the staff.

Talk with your JTEs, figure out an approach to the situation. Set rules for the classroom, and stick to them.

Classroom wise, it can help to have a warmup, something simple like shiritori for 5 minutes to get a bit of the energy out. I like to follow that with a listening so they have to be quiet and focus. It all depends on the class though, some of mine are way too genki and they don't need a warmup.

Think about how you pair up students in the class. In general, for rowdy classes I will pair them with the person next to them, which becomes boy-girl, which they hate but is easier to control. If they are well behaved they can choose their own partner. Let them know that you are rewarding them for their good behavior and that this isn't a given in every situation.

I try to avoid activities where they have to stand up and mingle, aka "find someone who..." That always turns into cluster around a table and copy everybody else's answers.

Keep them in their seats. If people are talking, wait. There's many ways to handle students that are talking and disrupting class but I won't go into that here.

Don't expect perfection. There will always be a group of boys when they do an activity that will screw around. As long as they don't bother the others that want to learn, I don't mind too much.

Probably the most helpful thing I can say is to get to know your students. Learn their names. Learn which clubs they are in, talk to them in your free time. Visiting clubs goes a longgg way to developing relationships with your students. You will still be seen as a teacher, but they just might think you're alright and not screw around as much next time in your class.

[jcook77]

The above advice is pretty solid. One thing to keep in mind is that a "bad school" usually means a few awful classes with lost cause students, and other classes which are probably rowdy, but could be controlled with proper classroom management. I agree that keeping over-the-top students in their seats is best. Allowing freedom to move around the classroom will result in zero learning and can incite even worse behavior. Also, it's a good idea to keep tabs on who the HR teachers are. I've found that HR classes often take on the personality of their HR teacher and/or exploit said teacher's weaknesses. In the past, I had success by meeting with the head English teacher and HR teacher and asking directly why their students were so disrespectful and unwilling to behave in class. At the very least, the onus then falls on the HR teacher to improve the class environment -- it's shocking how many teachers don't give a rip until they've been called out. Like move said, you might also want to try talking to students on a personal level; find out what the big interests are in the school and see if you can get on common ground. Some kids will come around once they realize you're not some knob trying to bust their chops about English. I once worked at a pretty bad HS/JHS where soccer was the big sport. I'm not exactly knowledgeable, but I dropped a few player names and talked about Japan's national team, and that won over a few of the worst kids, which in turn made lessons much more tolerable. As for girls, good luck! As a male teacher, I have had my struggles with rude, chatty girls over the years; the best you can do is ask for help from a Japanese staffer (have them come in and observe the lesson/monitor) or separate the blabbermouth girls who sit near one another. I put four challenging girls in the four corners of the classroom a couple years ago and it worked wonders. Above all, remember that your responsibilities have limits -- don't get too down on yourself if a class is just plain bad. Sometimes that's just the way it is.

Best of luck!

[rxk22]

[rxk22]

[steki47]

[Inflames]

[rxk22]

[It's Scary!]

[rxk22]

[Glenski]

If you already know you are being sent to a bad situation, then the first thing I would suggest is to look for a different job. No sense in suffering from day 1.

As far as rowdy or chaotic classrooms go, you've already established yourself with the boys as arm-wrestling king, so that macho image is in place. I wouldn't have recommended it, but that's in the past. For now, you need to hold your temper in check (I can't believe you actually assaulted a student, and yes, that's what it is when you put a finger on them, let alone put them in a headlock!). If the JTE chooses not to do anything, that is the class you are in. You are an ALT, and your employer is not the school where you work, right? Why are you risking your job and the employer's image by interfering physically like that? It will serve no good purpose except perhaps for the moment. You need to keep your employer informed about what is going on at all times, and nothing more. Let the JTE do whatever they want, including talk to HR teachers, coaches, principals, and parents.

If the situation is not all that out of control yet to establish your position in the class, I'd suggest keeping your hands in your pockets and your voice low, but to be an imposing figure in every other way. Hover near students a lot. Use facial gestures. Talk in a low voice but firm. Use a little Japanese if you can, but realize how stupid and ineffectual it will be if you don't know enough, and certainly how it will fail if you use English instead.

[bobbysix]

Having been a teacher in the UK, you really need to get your behavior management up to speed.
I wouldn't recommend shouting, believe me I know that it doesn't work and only makes you look like you have lost control.
Positive behavior management is touted as best practice, which means giving lots of praise when students are getting it right. You can try having a reward system but if you are only seeing the class once or twice a week it is difficult to implement.
You also have to understand that as an ALT, you are an unqualified teacher with little experience in behavior management. It is unfair for your company or your JTE to expect you to manage the class when they are unable to do so.
My advice would be to not take it upon yourself to manage the students' behavior and leave it to the JTE or HR teacher. Do your best but don't beat yourself up about it. There is only so much you can do.

[rxk22]