CHANGES at WORK for the new year
Each spring (April 1st), the entire staff changes where they sit. Each grade sits together and teachers usually move grades with their students so they have the same classes for the entire 3 years. I am losing some good friends (and mentors) on staff with the upcoming change and will have a new supervisor (who is awesome!) and Department chair, but there were also some really strange and unexpected changes.
Changes in my Immediate Zone
The first one concerns one of the 1st year English teachers who was held back for another year with the new 1st years. Being a 1st year homeroom teacher is stressful and a lot of work, and all the other gakunen (grade group) homeroom teachers were moved up without her - meaning the students will stay with all the same teachers through high school, except for this teacher. Maybe you have to be in the system here to understand how it was sort of a shocker for some people, but I'm pretty sure it's something the teacher staying behind might not be happy about.
Another 1st year biology teacher also got held back in the same grade, but that one was less unusual as she didn't have a homeroom. The biggest change, however, is probably that they are dropping Oral Communication (a mandatory course that I teach) all together.
This news has apparently been circulating around a very exclusive group of English teachers since last winter, but I just found out about it last week and was pretty surprised - especially since our new classes start in 2 weeks and this means a total change to the system.
Issues with Dropping OC
I think dropping "OC" will equal less in-class time for me at my base school, but I don't particularly agree with the change. The government is currently pushing this "teach English IN English" initiative to get Japanese teachers of English to actually use English in their classrooms, but I almost feel that the initial approach is going to restrict the success of the whole project. It's really unexpected considering the major role Japan plays in the international community and the fact that English is mandatory (and most students take it for at least FIVE years), but there are so many English teachers don't use any English when they teach the subject. They only teach the grammar (but in Japanese)... and now the problem with the initiative is that this change will allow for some schools to drop Oral Communication (the time that focuses on actually speaking English in class) because they assume it'll be done in all classes. But it just doesn't happen.
Long story short, I can understand if authorities don't need there is a need for curriclum to focus on speaking with a native speaker in the classroom, but the reality is that some Japanese teachers (of English) rarely use English in class. Others are just shy to use it - so they don't - and their skills have gotten rusty (and pronunciation is off). I have met trained and licensed public school English teachers in Japan who can't understand me when I speak slowly and ask simple questions, yet who are promoted at their jobs and are very popular/powerful at work because they teach (ie - make the kids memorize) the regimented grammar that is used on entrance exams. I'm not saying that is the case at my workplace, but I have definitely encountered several of these staff members and it's like a big secret that nobody will admit or really wants to change.
Back to the Point
It's crazy to me, but the biggest concern (and point with this whole little rant) is that my school has built a really strong international program and there have been positive results... I just don't want to waste all that opportunity! Even if a kid can pass an English section on an Entrance exam, is it really success if they then turn around and can't have a very simple conversation (literally anything beyond "Fine, thank you, and you?") after over 6 years of studying the language?
Changes in my Immediate Zone
The first one concerns one of the 1st year English teachers who was held back for another year with the new 1st years. Being a 1st year homeroom teacher is stressful and a lot of work, and all the other gakunen (grade group) homeroom teachers were moved up without her - meaning the students will stay with all the same teachers through high school, except for this teacher. Maybe you have to be in the system here to understand how it was sort of a shocker for some people, but I'm pretty sure it's something the teacher staying behind might not be happy about.
Another 1st year biology teacher also got held back in the same grade, but that one was less unusual as she didn't have a homeroom. The biggest change, however, is probably that they are dropping Oral Communication (a mandatory course that I teach) all together.
This news has apparently been circulating around a very exclusive group of English teachers since last winter, but I just found out about it last week and was pretty surprised - especially since our new classes start in 2 weeks and this means a total change to the system.
Issues with Dropping OC
I think dropping "OC" will equal less in-class time for me at my base school, but I don't particularly agree with the change. The government is currently pushing this "teach English IN English" initiative to get Japanese teachers of English to actually use English in their classrooms, but I almost feel that the initial approach is going to restrict the success of the whole project. It's really unexpected considering the major role Japan plays in the international community and the fact that English is mandatory (and most students take it for at least FIVE years), but there are so many English teachers don't use any English when they teach the subject. They only teach the grammar (but in Japanese)... and now the problem with the initiative is that this change will allow for some schools to drop Oral Communication (the time that focuses on actually speaking English in class) because they assume it'll be done in all classes. But it just doesn't happen.
Long story short, I can understand if authorities don't need there is a need for curriclum to focus on speaking with a native speaker in the classroom, but the reality is that some Japanese teachers (of English) rarely use English in class. Others are just shy to use it - so they don't - and their skills have gotten rusty (and pronunciation is off). I have met trained and licensed public school English teachers in Japan who can't understand me when I speak slowly and ask simple questions, yet who are promoted at their jobs and are very popular/powerful at work because they teach (ie - make the kids memorize) the regimented grammar that is used on entrance exams. I'm not saying that is the case at my workplace, but I have definitely encountered several of these staff members and it's like a big secret that nobody will admit or really wants to change.
Back to the Point
It's crazy to me, but the biggest concern (and point with this whole little rant) is that my school has built a really strong international program and there have been positive results... I just don't want to waste all that opportunity! Even if a kid can pass an English section on an Entrance exam, is it really success if they then turn around and can't have a very simple conversation (literally anything beyond "Fine, thank you, and you?") after over 6 years of studying the language?
posted by Brenda Ann Elizabeth McKinney @ 6:10 AM
1 Comments:
At 7:20 PM,
Two said…
Whoa! WTF! The teaching of English in English is wishful thinking especially if they think it's going to happen in grammar, writing and reading classes. It's funny cos everyone in the Philippines speaks better English than Japanese people despite 0 formal learning. Many people there asked me to ask Japanese people to learn better English becuase they expect that they can but when they try to talk to Japanese tourists they can't. Straight up Ka-razy!
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