Whether you're an ALT or a homeroom teacher being a teacher can feel like a very tough and thankless job especially if you're new to this whole thing. I've spent countless hours and nights staying up late grading papers, looking for projects and organization ideas on YouTube, Pinterest and pretty much anywhere else that you can imagine. I used to arrive to work 3-5 hours (yes you read that right) early to organize folders print worksheets and make arguably illegal copies from my students textbooks in preparation of the day and month ahead. I am a self-proclaimed workaholic and I am passionate about teaching, but teaching students in a new language that you'd hope to become their second language is a challenge and your day (or year) will not always be picture perfect and your cookie-cutter methods and plans that may have worked in the past in America or even Japan won't necessarily go as smoothly as you expected from school to school or class to class.
Here's a list of ten things (in no particular order) that I think every (English) teacher in Japan should try their best to keep in mind.
1.) Remember You're Being Paid (You're The (Teacher) Adult Here!)
Whenever I feel really stressed out I remind myself that I am being paid generously with "hush money" to put up with it. I get a free 3 month train pass to go anywhere I want between Kyoto and Osaka. I have 1 month of paid vacation, 7 sick days, I'm also making a name for myself and my community, I am doing what I love which is teaching but with a purpose, AND I get a visa to stay in this beautiful country. More importantly I am helping my students prepare for their adult lives by teaching them the language of the world... English. Your hard days will be worth it in the long run. It's always sad and hard to say goodbye to your students as you watch them grow-up and graduate or simply move to another city/prefecture. Even if you don't enjoy working with the kids personally, it's definitely a great learning experience both for you and your resume!
It's a chance for you to learn and grow. I have learned a lot about teaching, caring for children, and preparation. I have improved my public speaking skills and I have great (and embarrassingly bad) pictures and videos from work to add to my portfolio/resume.
Don't let your students or your coworkers get the best of you! You have to try your best to remain professional at all times. Regardless of whether they walk out of your class with new found knowledge and understanding or not, you will still be paid your hourly or monthly wage as compensation for all that you're doing (see number ten for more). Remember at the end of the day the jokes on them! You're still getting paid regardless of how much they learn or how much you actually teach.
They're kids and they're overworked as it is. They will make mistakes, zone out, have bad days, or months, but you're getting paid to do this. I don't know about you but I'd much rather teach bad kids than have angry Christmas customers through their merchandise and Driver's Licenses at me upon being told you need to show ID to use a check. Who even pays with checks anymore (this was back in 2013)?!
You have to be mature! Don't stoop down to anyone's level. Remain calm and quiet. Save your time and don't add any unnecessary extra stress to your life. I know it's hard but you will feel so much better if you stop allowing little things at work to make you so angry.
2.) Have Some Patience
Everyone learns differently in many ways. Not all of your students will be excited about learning English especially if they're young and they're taking classes with you at a cram school. These kids have had a very long day full of rules, dress codes, non-stop lectures, difficult kanji, math (BOOOO!) and every other boring and hard thing imaginable. Then to top it all off their parents have forced them to listen to some random foreigner for 30-minutes-3 hours (I have many students who take 3 hour English classes at my job!). I struggled to make to 2:30PM and in High school 3:15 was a nightmare for me. Imagine being in school until 3:30PM and then taking English lessons until 7:30PM and then having piano/violin lessons until 8:30PM and then you have to practice, study finish your homework etc. upon actually getting home that is after you've walked miles all day long to and from the train station to your front door carrying your heavy backpack.
Anyway my point is some kids will be excited about your class because its fun to learn new words in a new language or simply because they know how important English will be for them in the future (it's used for both acceptance into good schools and for employment at major/good companies with high salaries and good vacation and retirement plans).
Japanese students aren't robots although it may seem that way at times! They're still kids and teenagers (or even adults). They will make mistakes. They will have bad days. Some students learn better through hands on or physical (conversational) activities others through reading and writing. Not everyone is the same! Don't get frustrated with your students because they can't understand you! Sometimes you might feel tempted to use a little Japanese when students seem lost, sleepy or frustrated but this should be avoided at all costs unless it's an emergency situation as most jobs (and parents) ask that you refrain from using any Japanese. The idea is to provide students with an immersion lesson.
Understand that practice makes perfect! Figure out what works best for your students both collectively and on an individual level. Your job is to get everyone involved and to make sure that everyone can understand the material that you are teaching. Don't embarrass students for not understanding. Have some patience. Learning English can feel like potty training a toddler sometimes.
Speak softly and slowly. find fun games and activities or even videos and songs based on the topic that your students are learning. Encourage your class to try their best and to not give up.
Offering a variety of learning methods will also help students to focus and keep them from becoming bored.
3.) Reward and Praise Students for Good Behavior and Effort
Don't get too caught up with unruly students! Never overlook the students who are trying their best to learn, improve and putting the work and effort. Be sure to praise and compliment students who are listening to you and following your directions by name. I highly recommend saying something along the lines of "Great job Maho! Thank you so much for listening! Can you give me a high-five?!" This is great because it will make the students who aren't listening to you feel jealous and it will also encourage your "good noodle" to continue doing the right thing, that is paying attention in class and following your directions.
This almost always works especially with kindergarten students who tend to be very competitive.
Remember effort is just as good as perfection! Just because a student's work isn't perfect doesn't mean that you shouldn't reward them for their handwork and effort. As a teacher your job is to encourage your students too! Try saying something like this "That's a good guess Keishi! It's very close to "b" base rhymes with vase but "vase" is spelled v-a-s-e . Vase starts with "V" as in violin not "b" as in boy." Try not to be too critical or harsh on students as you'll discourage them from ever participating in class by raising their hands, trying, or working all together.
It's easy to judge students and critique poor performances but don't forget to to give praise too! Take note of little improvements too such as a student who never talks in class that voluntarily raises her hand in an attempt to answer a question. A simple "High-five Aoi-chan!" can go a long way.
4.) Just Keep Teaching (Don't Feed The Bears)
No matter how crazy things get NEVER yell at your class. You have to stay calm and keep your cool as a teacher. The joke's on them when they try to get into a prestigious high school or college or when they're ready to become salarymen or salary women and their English speaking/understanding skills and test scores are too low to meet the minimal requirements for acceptance. Not to mention when they decide that they want to befriend or date a "foreigner".
If you always stop your lesson and feed into the negativity you'll only encourage the students to act a mess overtime they see you. This is also unfair to the students who are listening and ready to learn. The worse thing that you can do as a teacher is punish/reward everyone for the good/wrong doings of a few. Instead just make notes and talk to your manager and the child's parents about their unpleasant and disruptive behaviors.
I personally did this for 2 of my classes and my boss was very hesitant about doing this as I'm sure she feared that the parents would be offended. Well after I had a sit down with the parents my worse student came to class next week as an angel and a few of the other students mothers observed the class to ensure that their child wouldn't be a burden. A few of the parents personally apologized as they had no idea that their child was bad in class as nobody had ever told them after 2 years of learning at the same school! I was overwhelmed with the parental support 2 parents made their child bow and apologize to both me alone and then before the class for being a disturbance and 1 of the dad's yelled at his son in front of everyone after class.
You might be the first person to ever be brave/bold enough to complain about their child. Of course keep things realistic and professional. Kids are... well, kids. They will laugh at you and make jokes. They will mimic you. They will not always listen to your every word and sometimes it will drive you crazy, but don't let this consume you and cause you to become so angry that you forget to teach the class. Have realistic expectations. Take baby steps. It is possible to to have harmony in the classroom but you must be willing to compromise.
Remember your job is to teach! Sure this involves a little bit of discipline and parenting for/to your students too but the main focus should be on presenting learning materials. Once you've finished your job explaining the rules/ lesson etc. then you can begin to focus on individual behaviors. Ignore the bad students and reward the good. Just keep teaching and talking no matter what! Nicely ask for your student to be quiet and listen. Tell them that you will talk to their parents about their behavior and follow through! Again don't forget to get support from your boss/management. Explain to them that when the kids act out it hinders the other well behaved students from learning and this makes it nearly impossible for you to teach. Ensure them that you understand that they're kids and that the class won't be perfect but imply that there is an easy and sure way for improvement with both the student's and parent's cooperation. I would also mention that most of these parents probably have no idea how bad their kids are behaving in the cram school thats costing their parents $100-$600 a month! It's easy to become angry and to just give up. Sometimes I too want to yell at my class or worse as it is very clear that most of these kids aren't being disciplined at all when they're at home, but it's not my job or place to do so. Remember you're being paid for this! Both the good and the bad it's all your job! You have to stay focused and remember that your job is to teach. Don't feed into the negativity.
There's nothing wrong with addressing bad behavior but don't let that be the only thing that you notice.
5.) Keep Track and Organize Everything You Need For The Month
I like to spend the last weekend (sometimes week) of the month in preparation for the month that's to come. In my classes I focus on one chapter/theme for each month (5 weeks actually). Decide what pages your student will learn from and make a generic outline of the days focus and homework.
For example if the chapter is on Days of the Week find a few videos to show the class, a few worksheets and make additional copies of the workbook so that students can try to answer the questions correctly again. Don't be afraid to reassign the same classwork. It makes great practice! Most of your students will only see you once a week and therefore only "study" while they're in class with you. I am amazed at the number of students that I have whose parents clearly don't pack their bags or check their homework.
Here's a sample of how I conduct my class taken straight from my Pages documents.....
Of course life happens, things change, and sometimes we are short on time so I have to maker adjustments to this but again this is just a rough outline based off of the usage of "Super Kids & Super Tots". With my younger students (preschoolers) I don't assign any homework but I maintain a monthly theme such as colors. Each day of class is about colors through various means such as stories, crafts/projects, videos etc..
I have 1 folder for each class and I keep track of all of the assignments that we have done. At the end of the unit I give my students all of their completed assignments to take home and show to their parents.
I take and keep notes of my students behaviors and skills/abilities that I have noticed during class. This is very helpful for days when you can't make its to work and you need someone to substitute for you. They can simply look over your student notes and view your monthly folder to get an idea of what to expect and some ideas in regards of what and how to teach.
This will also help you to memorize your students! If you take and keep notes of what happens during each class you will quickly become familiar with your students names, faces, and behaviors.
You can also leave book marks and take notes to help you keep track of where you left off at.
6.) Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help (Students Parents, Co-workers, Management)
Sometimes you'll feel lost and that's okay too! Teaching isn't always an easy job and it most certainly does't come naturally for everyone but it is a skill that can be learned and even perfected! Sometimes it's best to just ask for advice. Maybe your coworkers can tell you what the previous teachers have done. You can learn about what has or hasn't worked in the past.
If you are having a hard time controlling your class just speak calmly take a deep breath and explain (in a professional manner) your frustration/dilemma to management. They will work with you to resolve your problems but you have to speak up! Once again many parents have no clue that their beloved little babies are being bad in class. You shouldn't have to fear or dread going to work.
Remember it's all about how you make the suggestion. I had a really bad kindergarten class 2 of the boys in particular would fight non-stop until I suggested that a phone call to mom and dad be made. I asked that she simply say that I am concerned that they might have a learning disability such as ADHD as I noticed that it is very difficult for them to pay attention, sit still, or focus for any length of time. I also emphasized that this unruly behavior is unfair to the difficult students peers/classmates and that it's disrespectful words me as the teacher.
My boss hesitated to do so but the parents had no idea that this was even going on and seemed to have been rather embarrassed by their child's behavior and were very apologetic. Discipline starts and ends at the home! Don't try to take matters into your own hands. It's not only illegal these days but it's simply not your job. Again you never want to make accusations but simply suggest what you think is the problem and hint at a few ideas of ways that this problem can be resolved (if appropriate).
These parents are paying hundreds of dollars a month and MOST of them don't want they money to go to waste because their kids was busy being a class clown.
You might feel incompetent and unprofessional because you're the teacher yet you're asking for help but as a teacher you have to know your limits and set boundaries to keep your own sanity.
7.) Make Plans for "Me Time"
All work and no play is a major no no here in Japan. You'll become overwhelmed and you'll find yourself eyeballing TripAdvisor and Priceline for the cheapest and fastest flight back home. It's very important that you find time for leisure. If you think you don't have time you'd better make some! Work in Japan is very stressful and time-consuming. Between the endless showers, nearly 2 hour train rides and hour long walks to and from everywhere you'll feel exhausted. Working with kids is very hard. Of course the sweet little cupcakes that listen and that are studious, and eager to learn are the greatest but this isn't how everyone is going to be. No matter how much you think you love/like kids and no matter how many children of your own that you have being a teacher to someone else's kids is very challenging. All of this plus the added language barrier and you're in for a ride!
Find groups to join or download some old reliable social media apps (I'll make a post about my recommendations for meeting people in Japan). Don't be afraid to ask your coworkers to go out for lunch or dinner during the weekend. You can play a day the aquarium, a theme park, a trip to the mall or for some fun at the arcade. This is a great way to relax and get to know one another. You can even have a language exchange or possibly find that special someone.
It's okay to love your job and your students, but be sure to love yourself even more!
If you never make time to meet new people, hand out with your friends or to simply enjoy the things you've purchased like your new clothes, CD's, video games etc., you'll be miserable and will always be in a bad mood because you will of course naturally feel underpaid, taken advantage of and drained of your energy. You're more than an English teacher. You are a human being with emotions and you deserve to have weekly treat for yourself.
If you think that you don't have enough time consider cutting back on the time you spend planning lessons. You can consider moving closer to your job if you live more than 30 minutes away (it will be worth it in the long run). Don't arrive to work so early and don't stay too late! Schedule your private lessons/students on weekdays only (avoid having private lessons during the weekend).
If you're not having fun and enjoying yourself you will not last long as a teacher in Japan.
You don't have to have crazy drunken parties every weekend or waste money going out every night. All it takes is a simple bubble bath, playing some video games, streaming music, catching up on some TV shows, drawing, painting, taking some photos, or even exploring your neighborhood to make you feel relaxed.
You have to give yourself something to look forward to after work (always).
8.) Set a Budget (for Yourself and Your Students)
As a teacher sure you're not making billions of yen a year but you definitely should be with the amount of work and love you're pouring into your job and your students. I often times find myself getting a bit carried away and I tend to splurge a little bit too much on both myself and my students. It's okay to think about other people and want to buy school supplies and materials for that awesome Pinterest or YouTube craft that your mother emailed, or to decide that you'd like to make Pokemon Cake-pops for the monthly birthday babies but don't go overboard! Decide how much you'd like to spend each month and stick to it! Personally I'd never spend more than $100 USD per month on my students and for myself I try to spend $100 or less for my breakfasts and lunches for the month during the work week. Avoiding fast-food and nights of heavy drinking with your coworkers is a must if you want to have money to travel to other countries, make a trip back home or to explore Japan during your vacations and time off from work.
You should really spend much less than this for your students and some months I don't buy anything for my classes. $100 may seem like too much to some people but I often times find good ideas for classroom learning and projects from the internet so I have to be construction papers, stickers, glue, crayons, and other miscellaneous supplies. I like to buy or sometimes make a small card with a gift card and treat for my students birthdays.
Buying a bento everyday can add up quickly! Instead by some discount meat bread and vegetables and simply freeze them until needed. I like to make green smoothies/juice for days when Im in a rush so that I can just grab it and go. When I'm feeling lazy or if I have a busy week ahead I will make a pot of spaghetti, Brat-burgers, sausages, tacos (or anything else that's cheap and can stretch). The left overs can serve as both a quick lunch to take to work or as an easy microwaveable dinner for those ate nights the you don't even want to think about cooking.
I usually leave croissants, cookies, crackers, chips, tea, water, energy drinks, and jerky at my office so that even if I am in a rush I will always have some food on hand. Nothing is more embarrassing than a noisy stomach during a lecture.
It's okay to go out every once in a while with your friends or coworkers but you have to be reasonable sometimes you will have to say "no" in order to save money and stick to your budget.
Try to avoid crafts/projects that are costly or consider asking your boss to cover the expenses or to chip in and help cover the costs (maybe even the parents would be willing to put a few yen towards your ideas).
We're human we all make mistakes you might go over budget some months and that's okay, but try to avoid making fancy/expensive crafts, and konbini bentos into a habit.
9.) Don't Rush Lessons/ Classes (Set a Schedule and Make Time for Review)
I sometimes find myself moving to fast because my students are too smart and are completing their worksheets faster than I had expected OR sometimes the opposite happens. My students are having a hard time understanding the instructions that I gave them so we spend the entire class on 1 out of the 10 worksheets in the packet for the day. remember you have to have patience and remain calm. Use a friendly, calm and soothing voice and break it down in the simplest way possible (avoid using stand or big words). If students finish early have them copy sentences, write vocabulary words 3-10 times each etc.. Don't be afraid to get creative! I often times will have students listen and reread/repeat the stories, vocabulary or phonics from the unit. Theres nothing wrong with a few minute son peace and quiet. Consider working on some of the homework slowly together as a class or read a book or watch a video to kill any remaining time.
If you're always finishing too early maybe you're moving to fast for your students to really learn and memorize the vocabulary that you have taught them. Speak slowly. Offer help. Come up with a game to play together as a class.
You don't always have to punish your class with more work just because they finished early. Indoor recess anyone?!
10.) Don't Forget Why You Started!
No job is perfect! Yes you will have to work with difficult students, coworkers/teachers,and even parents at times! I always try to remind myself of how miserable I was making $8.50 and hour at Walmart and $8.35 an hour at Starbucks. I've worked at almost every retailer that you can think of and I pretty much hated all of my jobs back in America! I was overworked, under appreciated, and underpaid. I had to deal with racists and put up with disrespect. I've been cursed out and had things thrown at me and even had a run in with the law!
Whenever I think that I "hate" doing this I simply take a look back and see what I've done and been through to get here. Even in Japan I had garbage jobs! I've quit and I've been "let go of" A.K.A fired. This happened right before my birthday and Christmas and New Year by "so called" black Christians for no reason other than they didn't feel I was worth paying for (I'll explain this late but I moved and my transportation costs doubled so they came up with crap reasons to fire me). I felt unsafe working as a maid and quit due to privacy concerns (I'll explain this in a later post too).
My point is think about how much you you've done to get where you are. The countless hours in college. The nervous nights and early morning practicing for your trials lessons and interviews. All of the rejection you've experience. You have to want this just like you did before you were hired or maybe back before you had enough money to actually get to Japan.
You can do it! Don't give up! Don't let go of a good and stable job over something ridiculous and meaningless. Many people would give up and do just about anything to be in your position. I spent over 2 years binge watching YouTube videos, NHK Japan and random anime as well as scouring the web for anything related to Japan to read. I felt hopeless and wanted to give up. No matter how angry you become. No matter how much you swear you deserve more pay and appreciation (which you probably do) both you and I know that you'd seriously regret leaving.
It's okay to switch jobs or even to return to your home country, but make sure that you have a clear mind and that you aren't making decisions out of anger or sadness.
All of the hard days that you have at work or working from home will be worth it in the future. The best thing about life is that pain, sadness, and stress don't and won't last forever.
I promise that your happiness will return no matter how seemingly lost it (and you) appear to be! Coming to Japan was and still is your dream. are you really going to let someone or something else take that away from you?...
Here's a list of ten things (in no particular order) that I think every (English) teacher in Japan should try their best to keep in mind.
1.) Remember You're Being Paid (You're The (Teacher) Adult Here!)
Whenever I feel really stressed out I remind myself that I am being paid generously with "hush money" to put up with it. I get a free 3 month train pass to go anywhere I want between Kyoto and Osaka. I have 1 month of paid vacation, 7 sick days, I'm also making a name for myself and my community, I am doing what I love which is teaching but with a purpose, AND I get a visa to stay in this beautiful country. More importantly I am helping my students prepare for their adult lives by teaching them the language of the world... English. Your hard days will be worth it in the long run. It's always sad and hard to say goodbye to your students as you watch them grow-up and graduate or simply move to another city/prefecture. Even if you don't enjoy working with the kids personally, it's definitely a great learning experience both for you and your resume!
It's a chance for you to learn and grow. I have learned a lot about teaching, caring for children, and preparation. I have improved my public speaking skills and I have great (and embarrassingly bad) pictures and videos from work to add to my portfolio/resume.
Don't let your students or your coworkers get the best of you! You have to try your best to remain professional at all times. Regardless of whether they walk out of your class with new found knowledge and understanding or not, you will still be paid your hourly or monthly wage as compensation for all that you're doing (see number ten for more). Remember at the end of the day the jokes on them! You're still getting paid regardless of how much they learn or how much you actually teach.
They're kids and they're overworked as it is. They will make mistakes, zone out, have bad days, or months, but you're getting paid to do this. I don't know about you but I'd much rather teach bad kids than have angry Christmas customers through their merchandise and Driver's Licenses at me upon being told you need to show ID to use a check. Who even pays with checks anymore (this was back in 2013)?!
You have to be mature! Don't stoop down to anyone's level. Remain calm and quiet. Save your time and don't add any unnecessary extra stress to your life. I know it's hard but you will feel so much better if you stop allowing little things at work to make you so angry.
2.) Have Some Patience
Everyone learns differently in many ways. Not all of your students will be excited about learning English especially if they're young and they're taking classes with you at a cram school. These kids have had a very long day full of rules, dress codes, non-stop lectures, difficult kanji, math (BOOOO!) and every other boring and hard thing imaginable. Then to top it all off their parents have forced them to listen to some random foreigner for 30-minutes-3 hours (I have many students who take 3 hour English classes at my job!). I struggled to make to 2:30PM and in High school 3:15 was a nightmare for me. Imagine being in school until 3:30PM and then taking English lessons until 7:30PM and then having piano/violin lessons until 8:30PM and then you have to practice, study finish your homework etc. upon actually getting home that is after you've walked miles all day long to and from the train station to your front door carrying your heavy backpack.
Anyway my point is some kids will be excited about your class because its fun to learn new words in a new language or simply because they know how important English will be for them in the future (it's used for both acceptance into good schools and for employment at major/good companies with high salaries and good vacation and retirement plans).
Japanese students aren't robots although it may seem that way at times! They're still kids and teenagers (or even adults). They will make mistakes. They will have bad days. Some students learn better through hands on or physical (conversational) activities others through reading and writing. Not everyone is the same! Don't get frustrated with your students because they can't understand you! Sometimes you might feel tempted to use a little Japanese when students seem lost, sleepy or frustrated but this should be avoided at all costs unless it's an emergency situation as most jobs (and parents) ask that you refrain from using any Japanese. The idea is to provide students with an immersion lesson.
Understand that practice makes perfect! Figure out what works best for your students both collectively and on an individual level. Your job is to get everyone involved and to make sure that everyone can understand the material that you are teaching. Don't embarrass students for not understanding. Have some patience. Learning English can feel like potty training a toddler sometimes.
Speak softly and slowly. find fun games and activities or even videos and songs based on the topic that your students are learning. Encourage your class to try their best and to not give up.
Offering a variety of learning methods will also help students to focus and keep them from becoming bored.
3.) Reward and Praise Students for Good Behavior and Effort
Don't get too caught up with unruly students! Never overlook the students who are trying their best to learn, improve and putting the work and effort. Be sure to praise and compliment students who are listening to you and following your directions by name. I highly recommend saying something along the lines of "Great job Maho! Thank you so much for listening! Can you give me a high-five?!" This is great because it will make the students who aren't listening to you feel jealous and it will also encourage your "good noodle" to continue doing the right thing, that is paying attention in class and following your directions.
This almost always works especially with kindergarten students who tend to be very competitive.
Remember effort is just as good as perfection! Just because a student's work isn't perfect doesn't mean that you shouldn't reward them for their handwork and effort. As a teacher your job is to encourage your students too! Try saying something like this "That's a good guess Keishi! It's very close to "b" base rhymes with vase but "vase" is spelled v-a-s-e . Vase starts with "V" as in violin not "b" as in boy." Try not to be too critical or harsh on students as you'll discourage them from ever participating in class by raising their hands, trying, or working all together.
It's easy to judge students and critique poor performances but don't forget to to give praise too! Take note of little improvements too such as a student who never talks in class that voluntarily raises her hand in an attempt to answer a question. A simple "High-five Aoi-chan!" can go a long way.
4.) Just Keep Teaching (Don't Feed The Bears)
No matter how crazy things get NEVER yell at your class. You have to stay calm and keep your cool as a teacher. The joke's on them when they try to get into a prestigious high school or college or when they're ready to become salarymen or salary women and their English speaking/understanding skills and test scores are too low to meet the minimal requirements for acceptance. Not to mention when they decide that they want to befriend or date a "foreigner".
If you always stop your lesson and feed into the negativity you'll only encourage the students to act a mess overtime they see you. This is also unfair to the students who are listening and ready to learn. The worse thing that you can do as a teacher is punish/reward everyone for the good/wrong doings of a few. Instead just make notes and talk to your manager and the child's parents about their unpleasant and disruptive behaviors.
I personally did this for 2 of my classes and my boss was very hesitant about doing this as I'm sure she feared that the parents would be offended. Well after I had a sit down with the parents my worse student came to class next week as an angel and a few of the other students mothers observed the class to ensure that their child wouldn't be a burden. A few of the parents personally apologized as they had no idea that their child was bad in class as nobody had ever told them after 2 years of learning at the same school! I was overwhelmed with the parental support 2 parents made their child bow and apologize to both me alone and then before the class for being a disturbance and 1 of the dad's yelled at his son in front of everyone after class.
You might be the first person to ever be brave/bold enough to complain about their child. Of course keep things realistic and professional. Kids are... well, kids. They will laugh at you and make jokes. They will mimic you. They will not always listen to your every word and sometimes it will drive you crazy, but don't let this consume you and cause you to become so angry that you forget to teach the class. Have realistic expectations. Take baby steps. It is possible to to have harmony in the classroom but you must be willing to compromise.
Remember your job is to teach! Sure this involves a little bit of discipline and parenting for/to your students too but the main focus should be on presenting learning materials. Once you've finished your job explaining the rules/ lesson etc. then you can begin to focus on individual behaviors. Ignore the bad students and reward the good. Just keep teaching and talking no matter what! Nicely ask for your student to be quiet and listen. Tell them that you will talk to their parents about their behavior and follow through! Again don't forget to get support from your boss/management. Explain to them that when the kids act out it hinders the other well behaved students from learning and this makes it nearly impossible for you to teach. Ensure them that you understand that they're kids and that the class won't be perfect but imply that there is an easy and sure way for improvement with both the student's and parent's cooperation. I would also mention that most of these parents probably have no idea how bad their kids are behaving in the cram school thats costing their parents $100-$600 a month! It's easy to become angry and to just give up. Sometimes I too want to yell at my class or worse as it is very clear that most of these kids aren't being disciplined at all when they're at home, but it's not my job or place to do so. Remember you're being paid for this! Both the good and the bad it's all your job! You have to stay focused and remember that your job is to teach. Don't feed into the negativity.
There's nothing wrong with addressing bad behavior but don't let that be the only thing that you notice.
5.) Keep Track and Organize Everything You Need For The Month
I like to spend the last weekend (sometimes week) of the month in preparation for the month that's to come. In my classes I focus on one chapter/theme for each month (5 weeks actually). Decide what pages your student will learn from and make a generic outline of the days focus and homework.
For example if the chapter is on Days of the Week find a few videos to show the class, a few worksheets and make additional copies of the workbook so that students can try to answer the questions correctly again. Don't be afraid to reassign the same classwork. It makes great practice! Most of your students will only see you once a week and therefore only "study" while they're in class with you. I am amazed at the number of students that I have whose parents clearly don't pack their bags or check their homework.
Here's a sample of how I conduct my class taken straight from my Pages documents.....
Monthly Lesson Guide
9 Units Per A Year
1 Lesson per a Month
42 Classes per a Year
Week 1 Lesson
- Unit Introduction
- Picture Dictionary Page observation (what do you see) Vocab introduction
- Complete 1 page from the Activity Book in class
Homework
2 pages of homework from the Activity Book
Week 2 Lesson
- Unit Review
- Practice Writing and Reading Vocab Class assignment
- Have students write each vocabulary word 5 times each in class
- Have students copy sentence samples for each vocab word in their notes
- Talk about vocabulary in detail (give examples)
Homework
Use each vocabulary word in 1 complete sentence.
Week 3 Lesson
- Unit Review
- Picture Dictionary I SPY & Vocab Review
- Complete 1 Page from the Picture Dictionary activity book in class
- 1-2 Coloring Activities/Projects (based off of the Picture Dictionary Unit)
Homework
Journal Writing Assignment (based off of the unit)
Week 4 Lesson
- Briefly review vocabulary from both unit lesson and picture dictionary
- Have students read Journal Aloud for the class
- Practice self-introduction and Greetings
- Open Conversation/AGO Cards
Homework
Write each vocabulary word 5 times each
Week 5 Lesson
- Watch 1-3 (semi-lengthy)Videos based off the the current unit
- Open Conversation/AGO Cards
- Coloring Activity/Art Project based off of the current unit
- Give Students Certificates of Completion for learning new vocabulary and completing the months lessons.
- Optional: Give a special treat at the end of class as a reward for good behavior and completion of the months homework assignments
Homework
None
Of course life happens, things change, and sometimes we are short on time so I have to maker adjustments to this but again this is just a rough outline based off of the usage of "Super Kids & Super Tots". With my younger students (preschoolers) I don't assign any homework but I maintain a monthly theme such as colors. Each day of class is about colors through various means such as stories, crafts/projects, videos etc..
I have 1 folder for each class and I keep track of all of the assignments that we have done. At the end of the unit I give my students all of their completed assignments to take home and show to their parents.
I take and keep notes of my students behaviors and skills/abilities that I have noticed during class. This is very helpful for days when you can't make its to work and you need someone to substitute for you. They can simply look over your student notes and view your monthly folder to get an idea of what to expect and some ideas in regards of what and how to teach.
This will also help you to memorize your students! If you take and keep notes of what happens during each class you will quickly become familiar with your students names, faces, and behaviors.
You can also leave book marks and take notes to help you keep track of where you left off at.
6.) Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help (Students Parents, Co-workers, Management)
Sometimes you'll feel lost and that's okay too! Teaching isn't always an easy job and it most certainly does't come naturally for everyone but it is a skill that can be learned and even perfected! Sometimes it's best to just ask for advice. Maybe your coworkers can tell you what the previous teachers have done. You can learn about what has or hasn't worked in the past.
If you are having a hard time controlling your class just speak calmly take a deep breath and explain (in a professional manner) your frustration/dilemma to management. They will work with you to resolve your problems but you have to speak up! Once again many parents have no clue that their beloved little babies are being bad in class. You shouldn't have to fear or dread going to work.
Remember it's all about how you make the suggestion. I had a really bad kindergarten class 2 of the boys in particular would fight non-stop until I suggested that a phone call to mom and dad be made. I asked that she simply say that I am concerned that they might have a learning disability such as ADHD as I noticed that it is very difficult for them to pay attention, sit still, or focus for any length of time. I also emphasized that this unruly behavior is unfair to the difficult students peers/classmates and that it's disrespectful words me as the teacher.
My boss hesitated to do so but the parents had no idea that this was even going on and seemed to have been rather embarrassed by their child's behavior and were very apologetic. Discipline starts and ends at the home! Don't try to take matters into your own hands. It's not only illegal these days but it's simply not your job. Again you never want to make accusations but simply suggest what you think is the problem and hint at a few ideas of ways that this problem can be resolved (if appropriate).
These parents are paying hundreds of dollars a month and MOST of them don't want they money to go to waste because their kids was busy being a class clown.
You might feel incompetent and unprofessional because you're the teacher yet you're asking for help but as a teacher you have to know your limits and set boundaries to keep your own sanity.
All work and no play is a major no no here in Japan. You'll become overwhelmed and you'll find yourself eyeballing TripAdvisor and Priceline for the cheapest and fastest flight back home. It's very important that you find time for leisure. If you think you don't have time you'd better make some! Work in Japan is very stressful and time-consuming. Between the endless showers, nearly 2 hour train rides and hour long walks to and from everywhere you'll feel exhausted. Working with kids is very hard. Of course the sweet little cupcakes that listen and that are studious, and eager to learn are the greatest but this isn't how everyone is going to be. No matter how much you think you love/like kids and no matter how many children of your own that you have being a teacher to someone else's kids is very challenging. All of this plus the added language barrier and you're in for a ride!
Find groups to join or download some old reliable social media apps (I'll make a post about my recommendations for meeting people in Japan). Don't be afraid to ask your coworkers to go out for lunch or dinner during the weekend. You can play a day the aquarium, a theme park, a trip to the mall or for some fun at the arcade. This is a great way to relax and get to know one another. You can even have a language exchange or possibly find that special someone.
It's okay to love your job and your students, but be sure to love yourself even more!
If you never make time to meet new people, hand out with your friends or to simply enjoy the things you've purchased like your new clothes, CD's, video games etc., you'll be miserable and will always be in a bad mood because you will of course naturally feel underpaid, taken advantage of and drained of your energy. You're more than an English teacher. You are a human being with emotions and you deserve to have weekly treat for yourself.
If you think that you don't have enough time consider cutting back on the time you spend planning lessons. You can consider moving closer to your job if you live more than 30 minutes away (it will be worth it in the long run). Don't arrive to work so early and don't stay too late! Schedule your private lessons/students on weekdays only (avoid having private lessons during the weekend).
If you're not having fun and enjoying yourself you will not last long as a teacher in Japan.
You don't have to have crazy drunken parties every weekend or waste money going out every night. All it takes is a simple bubble bath, playing some video games, streaming music, catching up on some TV shows, drawing, painting, taking some photos, or even exploring your neighborhood to make you feel relaxed.
You have to give yourself something to look forward to after work (always).
8.) Set a Budget (for Yourself and Your Students)
As a teacher sure you're not making billions of yen a year but you definitely should be with the amount of work and love you're pouring into your job and your students. I often times find myself getting a bit carried away and I tend to splurge a little bit too much on both myself and my students. It's okay to think about other people and want to buy school supplies and materials for that awesome Pinterest or YouTube craft that your mother emailed, or to decide that you'd like to make Pokemon Cake-pops for the monthly birthday babies but don't go overboard! Decide how much you'd like to spend each month and stick to it! Personally I'd never spend more than $100 USD per month on my students and for myself I try to spend $100 or less for my breakfasts and lunches for the month during the work week. Avoiding fast-food and nights of heavy drinking with your coworkers is a must if you want to have money to travel to other countries, make a trip back home or to explore Japan during your vacations and time off from work.
You should really spend much less than this for your students and some months I don't buy anything for my classes. $100 may seem like too much to some people but I often times find good ideas for classroom learning and projects from the internet so I have to be construction papers, stickers, glue, crayons, and other miscellaneous supplies. I like to buy or sometimes make a small card with a gift card and treat for my students birthdays.
Buying a bento everyday can add up quickly! Instead by some discount meat bread and vegetables and simply freeze them until needed. I like to make green smoothies/juice for days when Im in a rush so that I can just grab it and go. When I'm feeling lazy or if I have a busy week ahead I will make a pot of spaghetti, Brat-burgers, sausages, tacos (or anything else that's cheap and can stretch). The left overs can serve as both a quick lunch to take to work or as an easy microwaveable dinner for those ate nights the you don't even want to think about cooking.
I usually leave croissants, cookies, crackers, chips, tea, water, energy drinks, and jerky at my office so that even if I am in a rush I will always have some food on hand. Nothing is more embarrassing than a noisy stomach during a lecture.
It's okay to go out every once in a while with your friends or coworkers but you have to be reasonable sometimes you will have to say "no" in order to save money and stick to your budget.
Try to avoid crafts/projects that are costly or consider asking your boss to cover the expenses or to chip in and help cover the costs (maybe even the parents would be willing to put a few yen towards your ideas).
We're human we all make mistakes you might go over budget some months and that's okay, but try to avoid making fancy/expensive crafts, and konbini bentos into a habit.
9.) Don't Rush Lessons/ Classes (Set a Schedule and Make Time for Review)
I sometimes find myself moving to fast because my students are too smart and are completing their worksheets faster than I had expected OR sometimes the opposite happens. My students are having a hard time understanding the instructions that I gave them so we spend the entire class on 1 out of the 10 worksheets in the packet for the day. remember you have to have patience and remain calm. Use a friendly, calm and soothing voice and break it down in the simplest way possible (avoid using stand or big words). If students finish early have them copy sentences, write vocabulary words 3-10 times each etc.. Don't be afraid to get creative! I often times will have students listen and reread/repeat the stories, vocabulary or phonics from the unit. Theres nothing wrong with a few minute son peace and quiet. Consider working on some of the homework slowly together as a class or read a book or watch a video to kill any remaining time.
If you're always finishing too early maybe you're moving to fast for your students to really learn and memorize the vocabulary that you have taught them. Speak slowly. Offer help. Come up with a game to play together as a class.
You don't always have to punish your class with more work just because they finished early. Indoor recess anyone?!
10.) Don't Forget Why You Started!
No job is perfect! Yes you will have to work with difficult students, coworkers/teachers,and even parents at times! I always try to remind myself of how miserable I was making $8.50 and hour at Walmart and $8.35 an hour at Starbucks. I've worked at almost every retailer that you can think of and I pretty much hated all of my jobs back in America! I was overworked, under appreciated, and underpaid. I had to deal with racists and put up with disrespect. I've been cursed out and had things thrown at me and even had a run in with the law!
Whenever I think that I "hate" doing this I simply take a look back and see what I've done and been through to get here. Even in Japan I had garbage jobs! I've quit and I've been "let go of" A.K.A fired. This happened right before my birthday and Christmas and New Year by "so called" black Christians for no reason other than they didn't feel I was worth paying for (I'll explain this late but I moved and my transportation costs doubled so they came up with crap reasons to fire me). I felt unsafe working as a maid and quit due to privacy concerns (I'll explain this in a later post too).
My point is think about how much you you've done to get where you are. The countless hours in college. The nervous nights and early morning practicing for your trials lessons and interviews. All of the rejection you've experience. You have to want this just like you did before you were hired or maybe back before you had enough money to actually get to Japan.
You can do it! Don't give up! Don't let go of a good and stable job over something ridiculous and meaningless. Many people would give up and do just about anything to be in your position. I spent over 2 years binge watching YouTube videos, NHK Japan and random anime as well as scouring the web for anything related to Japan to read. I felt hopeless and wanted to give up. No matter how angry you become. No matter how much you swear you deserve more pay and appreciation (which you probably do) both you and I know that you'd seriously regret leaving.
It's okay to switch jobs or even to return to your home country, but make sure that you have a clear mind and that you aren't making decisions out of anger or sadness.
All of the hard days that you have at work or working from home will be worth it in the future. The best thing about life is that pain, sadness, and stress don't and won't last forever.
I promise that your happiness will return no matter how seemingly lost it (and you) appear to be! Coming to Japan was and still is your dream. are you really going to let someone or something else take that away from you?...
Above all else remember that you are the teacher! You are the language expert! You have the power and the control. Only you can make it or break it. At the end of the day you are responsible for your own happiness and success. There will be bad days and you will make mistakes. Sometimes your feelings and stress will get the best of you, but there are better days to come and possibly a better job or position as well.
Be optimistic and remain positive. You're a great teacher!
If you have any advice comments, questions or tips please leave a comment below. Thank you so much for reading and I wish you the best of luck in your career and life in Japan!
If you have any advice comments, questions or tips please leave a comment below. Thank you so much for reading and I wish you the best of luck in your career and life in Japan!
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