3. BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SCHOOL

THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

Schools everywhere are basically run as a community; a small world living inside the walls of the local community. This sense of community is very important in Japanese culture; everyone needs to feel that they belong to something. That’s why uniforms are so important in Japan. Everyone from the local refuse collectors to taxi drivers have their own uniform showing their affiliation.

As an ALT in a school, you become a member of that community. In order to function well within that community you must respect the way that they do things. Schools are usually very receptive to ALTs, but to a point, the responsibility is yours to assimilate yourself into the school. A knowledge of Japanese can help you to get to know other teachers in the school and allow you a better chance to communicate with all members of the teaching faculty and students, however, most teachers have some English ability and are usually quite excited about the opportunity to use their English with you.

While Japanese skills are not a pre-requisite to teaching in a Japanese school, making some effort with the language goes a long way to building relationships. In the morning, say ‘Ohayo Gozaimasu’ as you walk into the teacher’s room, and you will be well received.

HOW TO ASSIMILATE YOURSELF

Beyond coping with the language barriers, the best thing to do is just abide by the rules of the community. Adopting a “when in Rome” style approach to everything is very key. If you are new to Japanese culture some things may seem strange at first – the Japanese seem to overuse certain pleasantries, sometimes to the point that they seem a little insincere and almost derogatory. Basic tip: look at how others are interacting and behaving and do the same.

You will of course always be different. You will probably work in your school somewhere between 8:30 and 4:30, while other teachers work around 8:00 to 8:00. You can’t communicate with all teachers as well as you’d like, and you can’t really be apart of school meetings.

But the more you try, the more rewarding both your job and your time in Japan will be.

With This In Mind… ‘Some Basic Dos And Don’ts!’

DO’S…

• Try to initiate conversation with other staff members: They may be afraid to come to you first.
• Learn some Japanese: You’ll gain respect from this as it shows that you are trying hard to get involved. You are also in the perfect environment to practice as well.
• Offer help whenever possible: Again, take the initiative. If you say “I can help if you like” the polite JTE will respond “No thanks, I’m fine”. Approach it more along the lines of, “Do you have any marking or lesson planning that I can do, I want to help?” and you’ll get something to do and look more like a motivated teacher in the process.

I was once working in one school, and found myself in a conversation with someone unrelated to JHSs about an ALT in another school who was apparently ‘super wonderful’ and all they had done was mark some homework for their JTE. But in Japan people talk and the word gets around, hence your image is important, as is your ability to assimilate yourself into the community.

• Always use the correct channels to get things done: If you have a request or concern, go through your headteacher (or the person directly above you) first and let them deal with those in higher positions. Plus, always think of the school first and yourself second. For example, if you need time off.
• Show your commitment to the school community: Staying those extra few minutes and getting involved when need be will help your image no end! Even if you have little to do on certain days you are still trying to show your commitment to your school.
• If you are offered something, accept it!
• Join in with the school activities: As much as possible. This includes things like cleaning time, sports days, lunchtime, ceremonies, and after-school activities.
• Bring some omiyage: On your first day, and after you come back from a trip, bring some chocolates! You’ll be a star! Gifts are the glue that binds Japan together!

DON’TS…

• Don’t be overbearing! A loud and boisterous personality may scare some of the more timid of the Japanese workers. Look at other teachers in the teacher’s room. The teacher’s room is generally a relatively quiet place, remember…

If You Stick Out, You Don’t Fit In!

• Don’t use your JTEs as sounding posts: Don’t use the JTE as someone to complain to about Japanese culture or problems at work or in your life. This can be an easy trap to fall into as the JTE could be one of the few English-speaking people with whom you are in contact during the week. JTEs will generally feel uncomfortable discussing their culture when done in a derogatory fashion. It’s conversations like these that could perhaps be left for teachers’ meetings.
• Remember that you are representing your school even when you are not at work: Be assured that whatever you do, wherever you are, somebody knows you. This obviously includes disorderly behavior in and around your school but also making any flip comments about your school or students at any time.

WHY IS ALL THIS IMPORTANT?

Your job as an ALT undertakes two major roles. Teaching in the classroom is only part of the job and will only gain you the respect of the students and the JTE. To excel as an ALT you also have to be a success within the ‘School Community’!

THE SUPER SUCCESSFUL ALT

IN THE CLASSROOM

Plan, prepare and teach good, solid focused lessons with your JTE. Fine-tune your skills, develop your student radar and pass on your knowledge within the school community.

IN THE STAFFROOM

Initiate conversation, maintain and develop your professional image at all times in and around the school.

EFFORT AND FLEXIBILITY

Show continued effort to change or mold yourself into a successful member of the school community and work on relevant areas of self-improvement in order to build and maintain your reputation within the school!

DAILY LIFE IN SCHOOLS

So there’s every possibility that you are going to be teaching in your new school position for at least a year, so what will you be doing day-to-day? What is life as an ALT generally like?

An Example Day

8:00 Teachers Meeting (chourei)
8:20 Homeroom (hoomuruumu)
8:40 First Period (ichi-jikan me)
9:40 Second Period (ni-jikan me)
10:40 Third Period (san-jikan me)
11:40 Fourth Period (yo-jikan me)
12:30 Lunch (kyuusyoku)
1:30 Fifth Period (go-jikan me)
2:50 Sixth Period (roku-jikan me)
3:40 Homeroom (hoomuruumu)
3:55 Cleaning Time (osouji)
4:00 Club activity (bukatsudou)

This is of course just one example, every school has a slightly different system for example the cleaning time may be after lunch or in the morning, and sixth period is also not always utilized.

A MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THE SCHOOL DAY

Teachers’ Meetings

Schools have several different types of meetings and whether you are required to attend depends on your school. There’s usually an early morning meeting around 8:00 to discuss any changes to the days schedule, this will all be in Japanese so you probably won’t have to attend, but check with the JTE as to whether anything important was discussed. It sometimes takes a while for information to come to you (Keep those communication channels open!). Curriculum meetings are held less often and can require the students to go home early. These are also in Japanese, so you probably won’t attend and may even be able to go home early yourself.

1st, 2nd …period

You can probably guess that these are the times when you may be scheduled to teach. Lessons are generally 50 minutes long but will go down to 45 minutes when students are busy preparing for other things. Check the schedule REGULARLY! Even if you are given your schedule on Monday morning, it could easily be changed by Monday afternoon!

Lunch

Pretty much as it sounds, this is when you eat your lunch. The term kyuushoku in Japanese refers to the provided school lunch. Usually the system in JHSs, all the food is delivered to the school and labeled for each class; each class has students responsible for dishing out the lunch to everyone else.

The month’s menu is available, however it is written in Japanese. The menu will probably be rice, meat or fish, some vegetables and then milk. More often than not a dessert of some kind is available. There are also ramen days and curry days. Of course if you have any specific concerns with school lunch (for example, a food allergy!) mention it to your head English teacher and find out when those days are. Meals are cheap (around 4000yen/month) and healthy. You may be able to opt out of school dinners but first check with the appropriate people.

Hint: At first, you’ll probably eat lunch with the teachers in the teachers’ room, however a great way to get to know your students better, and also break through to some of those more challenging classes, is to eat lunch in their classroom. First check with the homeroom teacher though!

Club Activities

Although it is by no means a requirement for you to get involved in the after school activities, it is an incredibly fulfilling part of the job.

Students are also not required to take part in after school activities, however around 90% do as again this is where they can affiliate themselves to a place in their school society. An interesting point to note about these club activities is how the students will, for the most part, practice unsupervised. There is a teacher responsible for each club, but given their busy schedules they often only turn up towards the end of practice or leading up to a game or performance.

After school activities may include:

• • Track and field (boys and girls)
  • Baseball (boys)
  • Soccer (boys)
  • Basketball (boys and girls)
  • Soft tennis (boys and girls)
  • Volleyball (girls)
  • Badminton (boys and girls)
  • Table tennis (boys and girls)
  • Kendo/judo (boys and girls, less common)
  • Brass band (girls and a few boys)
  • Various subject groups (English, physics, art…)
  • Etc…

Of course, each school is different.

The benefit of joining in with one or hopefully more of these clubs is that they are all done the world over, and a lot of the language used is the same anywhere you go, hence in this environment it will be easier to communicate with the children, even if you have no Japanese ability. Communication always builds confidence, and this of course increases motivation, very important to successful lessons.

Cleaning Time

As mentioned before, the community is very important in Japan. That’s probably why students are required to clean the schools themselves. Everyday students clean their classrooms, the corridors and stairwells, and also the teacher’s room. Before long vacations they also have a ‘Big Cleaning Time’ (Oosouji), where they may mop and wax the floors and clean all the windows.

While you probably won’t be required to get involved with the cleaning, it is an excellent opportunity for you to get involved with the school and students and integrate yourself into that all important ‘school community’! It’s also the perfect time to speak to students outside of class.

Homeroom

Each class is divided into classes, either 1-1, 1-2, 1-3etc or 1-A, 1-B, 1-C etc. Unlike most western schools where students move from class to class depending on the lesson, in Japan, students stay in there own ‘homeroom’ and the teachers go to them. Homeroom time is when attendance is taken and important information is given to the students.

Mini Conclusion – Becoming That Super ALT You Strive To Be!

I think that it is important to mention again this feeling of ‘School Community’. Every school is different and as such every teaching position is different. As an ALT it is your responsibility to do the best job possible. What you do as a teacher is a reflection of you, where you are from and ALTs in general. Taking the initiative to take part in the extra activities and daily tasks in the school whilst not an obvious necessity, will not only improve your image within the school, but will also make your job a much more enjoyable and fulfilling experience.

THE SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

As well as the day-to-day life at the school there are also a number of other days/activities/events that go on throughout the year, which you may or may not be involved in.

Again, every school is different but here are a few examples of things you may want to be aware of.

Sports Day

Usually sometime before or after Summer Holiday and is pretty much as it sounds. Leading up to sports day you find that your teaching schedule will lighten a lot. Lots of time is taken preparing for this event, and all students must take part. Throughout this preparation time you can also get involved by either just watching or by helping with some of the activities, but just try not to get in the way, this event is sometimes more serious than it looks. Sports day is quite an interesting cultural experience, I highly recommend taking along your camera. The events are a little different to those you would see in western countries and the ‘Cheering’ competition is great fun. Basically go there with an open mind, lots of sun block and lots of energy. You may be asked to take part in the 100meters with the first years, so get fit!

School Festivals

Many schools have a school festival organized at some point during the year. These events are great. Someone may come up with a ‘Theme’ for the day and then each class will have to decorate their classroom/dress up/create an activity that fits with that theme. The theme is more often than not ‘Culture’ and most of the work done by the students revolves around making displays for their classrooms. If you can get involved in this somehow it can be great but the students can take this very seriously so make sure that you aren’t getting in the way of their preparations. Offer lots of encouragement and support and in cases try to get them to use some English in their work.

Speech Contest

This is another important part of the school calendar that takes up a lot of time with preparation, but something that you can provide a lot of support for. Preparation for the speech contest starts sometime before the summer vacation. First of all, students are selected either in pairs or alone, then scripts are chosen and allocated and then students will start their practicing. Some of the older, more versed students may write the speeches themselves and then either they or the teacher will translate it. In either case you will often be asked to correct/modify/simplify the speech. Practice goes on throughout the summer vacation so check with your school when and if you are required to go in. The competition may also land on a weekend, you don’t have to go but if you get the opportunity it is also an interesting experience, and it will also be greatly appreciated by your students and co-workers.

National Holidays

ALTs generally get all the National Holidays as days off from their school(s). However, there may be a situation where your school(s) asks you to go in on one of these days. If this is the case, it is best to attend unless you have a good reason. Remember to think about all the other days off that you could be asked to come to school but you are allowed to stay home.

Your School’s Schedule

MAKE SURE you get a copy of the year’s schedule from your JTE. Ask about events that are happening throughout the year and what will be happening at those times, not only at your school but also in the local area. Summer time in Japan plays host to a large number of festivals showing a great deal of Japanese culture. This can also be a good opportunity to see your students outside of school in a more relaxed setting.

The events that happen more specifically within the school, as mentioned before, will happen depending on the individual school’s schedule. Of course, same as above, check with the JTE as to when these events occur. With regard to all these events, try to get involved wherever possible, obviously with certain communication barriers you won’t be able to assist too much, but at least being present can show your commitment to the school community. The most important of these are the opening and closing ceremonies. Even though your participation in these will be minimal, you are required to attend. A word of warning, sleep well the night before, the principles speeches usually last a long time and when you don’t understand much Japanese, you find the eyes may get a little heavy. No head bobbing allowed at Japanese ceremonies! (However, if you keep an eye on the other teachers you’ll often find a few cleverly disguised sleeping beauties!)