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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka
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 Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:55 am Post subject: |
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| seklarwia wrote: |
| Sure cultural exchange is a part of the job, but certainly not the main focus for an assistant language teacher. So if that is all you can bring to the table... |
At the interview for my ALT job, I was told that my role cultural ambassador is more important than my role as a teacher. I play bingo a lot... |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:16 am Post subject: |
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| steki47 wrote: |
| At the interview for my ALT job, I was told that my role cultural ambassador is more important than my role as a teacher. I play bingo a lot... |
You work for a dispatcher, right? If so, of course they did! I'd imagine they'd put a lot of people off if they were so bluntly honest as to tell you in the interview that you are a product that is being sold to the schools and that if the product doesn't meet the schools' expectations (whatever they might be... don't forget ESID) it gets recalled and you could find yourself out of the job come next spring.
And just out of interest, why is a cultural ambassador playing bingo a lot? Unless you are from the UK and over 60 I can't see that being an intergral part of your culture. 
At my old JH, the only class that got to play bingo often was one of the special classes, and that only because we had a lot of autistic students in that class, the worst of whom could get really distressed if there wasn't some semblance of routine to lessons - a short game of English bingo was normally enough to keep him happy and eager, but the first class of any new topic he was unfamiliar with was always a struggle.
Here's the overall objective for language learning in ES:
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I. OVERALL OBJECTIVE
To form the foundation of pupils� communication abilities through foreign languages while developing the understanding of languages and cultures through various experiences, fostering a positive attitude toward communication, and familiarizing pupils with the sounds and basic expressions of foreign languages. |
And for JH:
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I. OVERALL OBJECTIVE
To develop students� basic communication abilities such as listening, speaking, reading and writing, deepening their understanding of language and culture and fostering a positive attitude toward communication through foreign languages. |
And finally, a more compresive list of objectives for HS English (as opposed to just having an overall objective for foreign languages as is the case for ES and JH):
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I. Comprehensive English
1. Objective
To further enhance students� abilities such as accurately understanding and appropriately conveying information, ideas, etc. and enable them to use such abilities in their social lives, while fostering a positive attitude toward communication through the English language.
...
II. English Comprehension
1. Objective
To further enhance students� abilities to accurately understand and information, ideas, etc. and deepen independent thinking, while fostering a positive attitude toward communication through the English language.
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III. English Expression
1. Objective
To further enhance students� abilities to evaluate facts, opinions, etc. from multiple perspectives and communicate through reasoning and a range of expressions, while fostering a positive attitude toward communication through the English language.
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IV. Cross-cultural Understanding
1. Objective
To develop appropriate attitudes toward and basic abilities for engaging in proactive communication with people of diverse cultural backgrounds through the English language, while deepening understanding toward foreign countries and cultures.
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V. Current English
1. Objective
To develop basic abilities to understand the English used in newspapers, TV programs, communication networks, etc. and select and use necessary information. |
So yes culture exchange is a part of it. Otherwise it's all about fostering a positive attitude toward communication through the English/foreign language  |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:55 am Post subject: |
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| steki47 wrote: |
| seklarwia wrote: |
| Sure cultural exchange is a part of the job, but certainly not the main focus for an assistant language teacher. So if that is all you can bring to the table... |
At the interview for my ALT job, I was told that my role cultural ambassador is more important than my role as a teacher. I play bingo a lot... |
Yeah, I was told the same thing. ALT is basically a half @$$ed version of JET.
I too play Bingo a lot. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Xanato wrote: |
| Also, I posted a sample answer for that inquiry here, but no one has given input so far. |
For the second time, just what was the question? All you have told us is this:
when he asked me about working with children
I gave you feedback and asked for clarification, but got zip in reply. |
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Xanato
Joined: 04 Feb 2011
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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| If I recall correctly, it was, "How do you feel about working with children?" My apologies, Mr. Glenski. Please don't hate me. =( |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you, Xanato.
So what was your "poor answer" anyway?
BTW,
I don't "hate" you (or any poster). I don't even know you. Oh, and please just use "Glenski", no Mr. in there. |
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Xanato
Joined: 04 Feb 2011
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:11 am Post subject: |
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The answer I gave on the phone (with some hesitation and "um"s) was along the lines of not actually having experience with children, but having positive experiences in tutoring young adults in ESL and feeling that those times of successfully clarifying things gave me the confidence to try working with a younger audience. In retrospect, it was a lousy response, but I honestly couldn't think of a way out. From my perspective, I was damned if I simply claimed to have no experience with kids and was equally damned if I said I'd be great with kids without backing myself up with evidence.
My revised, beat-around-the-lack-of-teaching-experience-bush answer in this thread was:
"While I haven't worked with children before, I think that being in a classroom with young students will offer a great opportunity to learn the values, interests, and beliefs of Japanese youths and instill in them an interest in and understanding of America culture that will strengthen as they get older." |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:35 am Post subject: |
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It wasn't a lousy first response, but it was weak. Its strength was in not just saying you have had no experience.
Your revised response is even weaker IMO because it focuses on you, not the students. Employers largely want to know what you bring to the table, not what you will pick off it.
Tell them what you offer that will make teaching young kids interested in learning, excited about a challenge, happy to return, thrilled about being in the room with you, etc. If you have no experience teaching children, then rely on other experiences you have had with them. Babysitting? Your siblings' kids? Youth camps? Sunday school? Bazaars? Swimming lessons? Even if you have had none of those things, project a feeling of enthusiasm towards helping the kids in some way, not in getting some on-the-job training.
Last edited by Glenski on Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Shimokitazawa
Joined: 16 Aug 2009
Posts: 458
Location: Saigon, Vietnam
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| Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:18 am Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
| steki47 wrote: |
| seklarwia wrote: |
| Sure cultural exchange is a part of the job, but certainly not the main focus for an assistant language teacher. So if that is all you can bring to the table... |
At the interview for my ALT job, I was told that my role cultural ambassador is more important than my role as a teacher. I play bingo a lot... |
Yeah, I was told the same thing. ALT is basically a half @$$ed version of JET.
I too play Bingo a lot. |
Yes, culture is important. In fact, JET is all about being a "Cultural Ambassador", with English language teaching secondary. I'm confused why anyone with any experience as a JET / ALT would say that "culture" is not part of the NST's job. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:37 am Post subject: |
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| Shimokitazawa wrote: |
| rxk22 wrote: |
| steki47 wrote: |
| seklarwia wrote: |
| Sure cultural exchange is a part of the job, but certainly not the main focus for an assistant language teacher. So if that is all you can bring to the table... |
At the interview for my ALT job, I was told that my role cultural ambassador is more important than my role as a teacher. I play bingo a lot... |
Yeah, I was told the same thing. ALT is basically a half @$$ed version of JET.
I too play Bingo a lot. |
Yes, culture is important. In fact, JET is all about being a "Cultural Ambassador", with English language teaching secondary. I'm confused why anyone with any experience as a JET / ALT would say that "culture" is not part of the NST's job. |
That's the problem with the ALTs/ALT industry here, lot of pointless carryover from JET. They basically saw that the JET program was a good thing, and copy and pasted it. Which just made sure that nothing was fixed. Which is why it is messed up and pointless now. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Shimokitazawa wrote: |
| Yes, culture is important. In fact, JET is all about being a "Cultural Ambassador", with English language teaching secondary. I'm confused why anyone with any experience as a JET / ALT would say that "culture" is not part of the NST's job. |
I disagree. That may be the way it was viewed twenty years ago and is still the public perception, but that's not what JET hires for these days. Teaching comes first. Culture will come naturally simply by being there and selecting for people Who Aren't Jerks.
I'd say it'll be another ~5 years before that perception really makes itself felt out there though, and the despatch companies are doing everything in their power to stop it because it's very much not in their interests. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 2:00 am Post subject: |
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| G Cthulhu wrote: |
| Shimokitazawa wrote: |
| Yes, culture is important. In fact, JET is all about being a "Cultural Ambassador", with English language teaching secondary. I'm confused why anyone with any experience as a JET / ALT would say that "culture" is not part of the NST's job. |
I disagree. That may be the way it was viewed twenty years ago and is still the public perception, but that's not what JET hires for these days. Teaching comes first. Culture will come naturally simply by being there and selecting for people Who Aren't Jerks.
I'd say it'll be another ~5 years before that perception really makes itself felt out there though, and the despatch companies are doing everything in their power to stop it because it's very much not in their interests. |
This may be how it is designed, at this point. Though how it is implemented, that is completely different. I as an ALT/FLT don't teach, if I do teach it is a minimal point. As the JTs want to teach the textbook, so the kids will pass their entrance exams. What I do, is review with them, which is really just me helping them maintain their basic English. Such as 'what is your name'.
Besides, there really is no opportunity to teach as an ALT. You have JTs who get in the way, and can veto anything you propose. The kids see you as a tape recorder, and the whole system is still set up like it is team teaching.
I find alone at ES, I can actually teach, while at HS and JHS, I am a tape recorder. Just the way it is. |
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Sour Grape
Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 241
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| Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:34 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
You had no questions? Very bad, IMO. It has nothing to do with "bonus points". This shows you are just shotgunning resumes and/or have not thought through the whole process at all. Some employers will even take this as a sign that you might be a risk for various reasons:
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Apologies for selectively quoting you - the rest of your post seemed quite helpful, to me.
But surely only the most paranoid of employers would even suspect for a second that an applicant was a pedophile simply because he had no questions to ask them. Not particularly interested in doing the job well, perhaps (as you said).
My first thought would be that they are maybe nervous at being interviewed. Agree that it isn't a good sign. however. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:26 am Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
This may be how it is designed, at this point. Though how it is implemented, that is completely different. I as an ALT/FLT don't teach, if I do teach it is a minimal point. As the JTs want to teach the textbook, so the kids will pass their entrance exams. What I do, is review with them, which is really just me helping them maintain their basic English. Such as 'what is your name'.
Besides, there really is no opportunity to teach as an ALT. You have JTs who get in the way, and can veto anything you propose. The kids see you as a tape recorder, and the whole system is still set up like it is team teaching.
I find alone at ES, I can actually teach, while at HS and JHS, I am a tape recorder. Just the way it is. |
You do realize that you're hired as an assistant and aren't a licensed teacher in Japan, don't you? I understand that your schools may suck or your JTL's don't trust you to teach (or any number of possible other reasons) but there's a reason that "ESID" is in use.
Some people do teach. Some don't. The number that do is increasing rapidly. Heck, there are even <gasp> non-Japanese that're licensed these days! Get over it. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:29 am Post subject: |
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| Sour Grape wrote: |
| My first thought would be that they are maybe nervous at being interviewed. Agree that it isn't a good sign. however. |
Speaking from the interviewing side of the table (for JET and professionally) I would say it comes down to how it comes across. Some people are clearly too nervous to remember questions. Others come across as simply not caring. Or cocky. Or just downright creepy. Or many other things. Not having questions in and of itself isn't a problem, it's the context that becomes important.
All IMO. |
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