Job Discussion Forums

[englishtutor1378]

To all Present and Past ALT's,

This issue has not been talked about too much in the past. For those of you who are ALT's please shed light into this difficult and ever growing concern.

Have any of you who used to work in a Junior or Senior high school ever had problems in this area?

- Physical confrontation
- Pushing and shoving
- Threats and acts of aggression

I was wondering how you deal with it and if any of you have ever had the experience of escalating this issue. (Ie. Board of Education, International Affairs, Embassies, etc..).

I mean, what protection do we have as teachers under the Japanese law and how do we protect ourselves in a community where it seems everyone is against you since you are non-Japanese.

[fluffyhamster]

Luckily I am large and imposing enough (when I need to be!) that direct physical assault, certainly at JHS-level, has never been even a remote possibility (and I'd've been reasonably "handy", though at I should stress defending myself, even if it were - all that karate, judo etc!); the problem has and probably always will be, in most AETs' experience, that of purely witnessing fights developing among pupils and wondering whether to step in or not (in order to prevent injuries among said pupils). Again, I have been lucky in that I haven't had to witness really any at all serious school fights.

The standard line, certainly from dispatch employers to their AETs, is to not get involved (although doubtless most AETs would, if serious injury were to be averted) and leave things to the Japanese teachers to sort out, and it seems that this (foreigners daring to "involve themselves", "poke their noses in") is the main context in which the Japanese do indeed "close ranks" and the foreigner considered expendable regardless of the merits of the individual case. (Just going from a few incidents I've heard about, after which other AETs were basically dismissed from their jobs after parents of the "little darling(s)" kicked up an indignant self-righteous fuss - the rights of the perpetrator and all that!).

Anyway, I find it hard to believe that foreigners would be coming under unprovoked and sustained attack (intimidation, threats, physical assault etc) without the Japanese teachers doing anything to help to counter it, but like I say, perhaps I've been lucky, and being a large bloke must have helped. But if things really were so bad that an AET was considering 'escalating' the issue, I very much doubt if the average BoE (in the case of dispatch/ondirect hire) would be too bothered about helping much, and the job would probably be long gone before anything got to international scandal/embassy level! (And it would certainly be easier, unfair though that might seem, to move on to a better, more rewarding job). Are you personally in that nasty, less-than-ideal job/school, Englishtutor? If so, maybe tell us a bit more about it?

Note by the way (not that you've mentioned 'em) that I wouldn't class the occassional rude, obnoxious or even hurtful student comment (if the AET understands Japanese) as anything to get too upset about - professional teachers should be made of tougher stuff than for names to break their backbones! And you should be within your rights to at least bristle and glare occassionally (ignore me, I've just been watching Hilary strutt her stuff in Freedom Writers!).
http://forums.eslcafe.com/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=9261

[eLayla]

Hm, I haven't been in Japan yet, and it's probably worse in Korea from what I hear (haven't been there either), am curious about this a bit too.

From the Japanese dorama /grin/ I've seen and even from some threads on this board, it seems that some bad manners or even 'bullying' or 'unnecessary violence' by young Japanese males or even girls (to their classmates or even Japanese teachers-?!) seem to be tolerated and it even seems sort of expected and respected (??) by the general environment, or even their teachers? And new students and teachers must 'earn respect' (?)
(Maybe it's a cultural thing, cause they weren't allowed to have military for so many years etc?)
Or maybe I just watched too much Japanese dorama??

My sister (who has been to Japan, not as an ESL teacher though) says that indeed some kids seem to be in schools just to pass the time and basically usually they all pass.. (?) It's about the same in some Slovenian schools here too, especially those struggling for students..

It probably depends on what kind of school you are at, and the principal and the school policies...?

Can you get advice from other experienced teachers who do not have problems with that class? (They can perhaps suggest activities that will work well in a class, or body language tricks etc...
Maybe even dressing differently, more 'business-like' or 'grown up' (if you are young) and looking more 'cross' can help. Never smile too much or be too friendly at the first lesson, especially if you are young and cute. Some reasonably attractive teachers here say you must 'Look like a terrorist' and scare them proper on the 1st day, then you have peace all year-?? Not sure if that translates to Japan well too?
Can you talk to the past or present homeroom teacher of the students for advice? Some 'bullies' may be eg afraid of their Mum or Dad or Grandma, and this may prove effective in talking to them, etc.)

[Glenski]

Bullying is sometimes accepted, but it is not respected. Get that straight.

Also, get Japanese TV dramas out of your head. Is life in your own country like the programs you see on TV?