First English Word?

[Paul]

Thanks for telling me who I am and what I do, seriously is the air thinner up there? To whom and in what language I reply is of no concern to you and of no relevance to this thread

This comment alone deserved it's own reply........

You brought up the analogy and all I did was place a return comment.

You didnt like the response and replied.

Fine well and good we are all entitled to our own opinions, which includes me too ya know.

but I can safely say that I don't respond at all to hasty replies and pithy jabs.

Thank you , then I know that you didn't find my responses to be so hasty or pithy as to not deem a response here!

Have a nice day!

[bum1]

Nintendo will bounce back up and down forever. It always does. It doesn't fail to profit. Look at the big picture especially with the economy where it is now. Nintendo was selling for this much 3 years ago before the "crisis" even started. As for the employees buying Panasonic products... I don't know what the F that is about so you have me there. I was thinking about their hiring process and their management hiarchy. That's not really very forward thinking... The "American business model" is flawed all over the place too.

[bum1]

Amanosan said
"Be it on your own head if anything bad happens in your class, whilst the school would be wrong for allowing you to do something you are not certified to do, it would ultimately be you that paid the price."

I'm afraid that is not how it works. It would be on the JTEs head who was sceduled to teach that class. I am not flying airplanes here I am teaching English. I am surrounded on all sides by good people who are willing to help me if anything ever happens in my classes. It may be illegal but I for one don't mind and it's not an everyday occurance. It is a practice that has been used in "emergencies". The main point is it's not my crime and I don't care if I'm asked to do it occasionally.

[Otaku]

About responsibility and where it falls...

I didn't respond to that statement by Amansan because I thought (s)he made a glaring mistake, which I thought was odd considering his/her knowledge of the Japanese system.

There could be an argument made that responsiblity would fall onto the ALT IF the ALT was jumping up and down at the opportunity to teach a class by themselves. However, we all know this isn't the case.

Anytime the ALT is teaching solo, in all my years of experience, the ALT has first been asked by another teacher. AND, by the time the request gets down to the ALT, the whole school, including lunchroom ladies, knows of the request.

If something went wrong, responsibility would not fall on the ALT. There could be an argument about responsibility falling on:
1. The person who asked the ALT.
2. The kyoto sensei because they would have known about the situation.
3. The kocho sensei because he has to take the blame for anything bad happening in his/her school.

But, this is Japan. People take responsibility in groups. The blame woudl fall on the BoE for letting something like that happen.

However, let's not talk fantasy. In all the years ALTs have been in Japan, I have never heard of this type of 'crisis' happening where an ALT has been teaching by themself. So, hype can be given to the 'what ifs', but it doesn't mean much to me if the past doesn't show the 'what ifs' of the future to be true.

[crustpunker]

What would actually occur if something "happened" in a class that was taught without a JTE in the room really?
Worst case scenario a fight breaks out and a student punches the teacher or vice versa (God forbid). Any class that had that kind of potential is VERY unlikely to NOT have a JTE in the room. Otherwise in the cases of a JTE sudden abscence or a schedule change I don't really see the big deal with having an ALT in the classroom alone (provided he/she is fairly adept at class management and knows what they are doing)

It's not like a gaijin directly is going to get sued or something by a parent here in Japan! I'm not saying it has never happened but come on!
That kind of thing seems to happen much more in places like the states.
I taught 2 classes today on my own. One because the teacher forgot to show up and the other because another teachers father passed away this morning.
I wasn't told that I would be in there alone, The students weren't made aware before the class and I doubt if the vice p or the principal knew (or cared)
I don't even think the latter is here today. I just did my thing and the students enjoyed a lesson. At the school I work the teachers who are in the class with me are not really at all involved in the lesson anyway(as usually they aren't English teachers to begin with and generally don't speak English anyway) and only ever make themselves known if kids are getting a bit out of control.

What can I say? I guess they trust me and my kids are mature enough to not act up just because the JTE is not there once in awhile.
There are many variables and just because something is a rule here in Japan does not mean there aren't exceptions.
obviously.

[TENGU]

Thanks for telling me who I am and what I do, seriously is the air thinner up there? To whom and in what language I reply is of no concern to you and of no relevance to this thread

This comment alone deserved it's own reply........

You brought up the analogy and all I did was place a return comment.

You didnt like the response and replied.

Fine well and good we are all entitled to our own opinions, which includes me too ya know.

but I can safely say that I don't respond at all to hasty replies and pithy jabs.

Thank you , then I know that you didn't find my responses to be so hasty or pithy as to not deem a response here!

Have a nice day!

Did you eat breakfast before posting this?

This is the internet matey, real life is different, really!

Anyway I get the impression you are happy so...

天狗（てんぐ）になってるとそのうち痛（いた）い目（め）を見（み）るぞ！ a little 諺 （ことわざ） featuring my namesake, which btw you painted a really skewed picture of.

...
Tengu 天狗 are mountain and forest goblins with both Shinto and Buddhist attributes. Their supernatural powers include shape-shifting into human or animal forms, the ability to speak to humans without moving their mouth, the magic of moving instantly from place to place without using their wings, and the sorcery to appear uninvited in the dreams of the living.

The patron of martial arts, the bird-like Tengu is a skilled warrior and mischief maker, especially prone to playing tricks on arrogant and vainglorious Buddhist priests, and to punishing those who willfully misuse knowledge and authority to gain fame or position. In bygone days, they also inflicted their punishments on vain and arrogant samurai warriors. They dislike braggarts, and those who corrupt the Dharma (law).

...

http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/tengu.shtml

[TENGU]

I think that amano said the school would be responsible but that the ALT would pay the price. If a child was seriously injured whilst under the supervision of a lone ALT I doubt very much whether that ALT would keep their job for much longer.

I can imagine that most dispatch companies would have away with them for whatever reason they could. I also think that parents would be very reluctant to have that ALT around their children. Whether the ALT was at fault or not would be irrelevant just guilt by association is enough to cause problems here.

Anyone who has been here for a couple of years should know that.

[jessen100]

I think that amano said the school would be responsible but that the ALT would pay the price. If a child was seriously injured whilst under the supervision of a lone ALT I doubt very much whether that ALT would keep their job for much longer.

I can imagine that most dispatch companies would have away with them for whatever reason they could. I also think that parents would be very reluctant to have that ALT around their children. Whether the ALT was at fault or not would be irrelevant just guilt by association is enough to cause problems here.

Anyone who has been here for a couple of years should know that.

any how many of these relatively specific instances have you had experience with?
you are making some very broad speculations imo.

in the event of such a situation, L2save.

[TENGU]

I think that amano said the school would be responsible but that the ALT would pay the price. If a child was seriously injured whilst under the supervision of a lone ALT I doubt very much whether that ALT would keep their job for much longer.

I can imagine that most dispatch companies would have away with them for whatever reason they could. I also think that parents would be very reluctant to have that ALT around their children. Whether the ALT was at fault or not would be irrelevant just guilt by association is enough to cause problems here.

Anyone who has been here for a couple of years should know that.

any how many of these relatively specific instances have you had experience with?
you are making some very broad speculations imo.

in the event of such a situation, L2save.

enough to know who comes off worse.

which is more replaceable

A: lightbulb ALT
B: trained teacher


I'll give you a hint, the answer doesn't start with B.

[Paul]

enough to know who comes off worse.

which is more replaceable

A: lightbulb ALT
B: trained teacher


I'll give you a hint, the answer doesn't start with B.

Actually I think you are missing something here........in reality B.

You want to know why? Just about any local education office has a list of fully qualified teachers at it's finger tips and in any worst case scenario for a school, a teacher figuratively speaking drops dead, the education office can and does supply a substitute teacher within hours or a few days.

The impression for many is that ALT's can be replaced quicker or easier because just about anyone can do the job. And while not totally a fallacy here is due to the actions of prior ALT's themselves. Too many ALT's got complacent in their jobs and got lazy as well, and the schools didnt like carrying dead weight. Systems got put into place to move people out after 3 to 5 years and just about everyone got accustomed to that including teachers, ALT's, BOE's etc etc. everyone.

So the problem widened further because of the economy, language schools, increase in awareness of Japan, and more and more "natives" found found their way to Japan to find work, many if not most on a temporary basis, and within these people as well came many over qualified teachers too.

The problems increased exponentially, anyway I digress.....

Point is that the system wasnt and is still not in many ways prepared to handle ALT's that take their job seriously and want to either make a life of it or make an effective change in the way students look at English.

Now then replacing the ALT depends upon totally the location of the school and what system the BOE or ed office has in place for hiring and firing of ALT's. Let's keep in mind that not all ALT's are native English speakers as well. There are Japanese ALT's too. Anyway it is not always easy to find someone as it seems, many places that I know about dont just take someone off the street and give them a job. Although that happens I am sure and that helps to perpetuate the problem or impression that anyone can do the job because they dont have to have the Japanese teachers license to work in the school.

Depends on the location.

[Paul]

(not neccesarily related since i havent read most of these posts)...but

when i studied japanese in the states, in most cases addressing a japanese person in japanese would often get you a response in english, unless in an enviornment based upon studying japanese. Even the head teacher of the japanese department at my college would often respond back to you in english. (literally unless you spoke perfectly she wouldnt respond in Japanese)

Good point and something that I think teachers here should try to enforce a little more is pushing students to use what they learned practically. Ahhh but I fantasize here.

I would however love to try that one out here. Don't talk to the ALT unless you use perfect English.

on another unralated note, the song they have on repeat at my school atm.... i think its going to make me throw up

Your school has an ATM? Damn that would be dangerous for me, I'd be taking money out everyday.

[bum1]

Yeah... I don't see my BOE using time money and effort to independantly recruit Japanese teachers, yet they sure spend a lot recruiting NETs. I don't feel at all replacable. Unnessecary... maybe, but hardly easy to replace.

[jessen100]

on another unralated note, the song they have on repeat at my school atm.... i think its going to make me throw up

Your school has an ATM? Damn that would be dangerous for me, I'd be taking money out everyday.

it took me until right now to understand where you got the idea that me school has an ATM, though i suppose it was quite apparent. i was using that "atm" as an acronym for "at the moment"

sorry for the disappointment.

[Paul]

on another unralated note, the song they have on repeat at my school atm.... i think its going to make me throw up

Your school has an ATM? Damn that would be dangerous for me, I'd be taking money out everyday.

it took me until right now to understand where you got the idea that me school has an ATM, though i suppose it was quite apparent. i was using that "atm" as an acronym for "at the moment"

sorry for the disappointment.

I was just trying to defuse the feeling of tossing cookies, the bgm and music that I often hear at schools, in elevators, department stores etc etc etc here, makes me feel the same.

[gsuiris]

You want to know why? Just about any local education office has a list of fully qualified teachers at it's finger tips and in any worst case scenario for a school, a teacher figuratively speaking drops dead, the education office can and does supply a substitute teacher within hours or a few days.

Just want to say that last year we had a teacher die suddenly, and within a week to a week and a half we had a full-time replacement teacher (they had to give mourning time I suppose).

ALTs may be more replaceable, but in an emergency it is harder to find someone to take their place and get a new one to fill their position.

[Paul]

You want to know why? Just about any local education office has a list of fully qualified teachers at it's finger tips and in any worst case scenario for a school, a teacher figuratively speaking drops dead, the education office can and does supply a substitute teacher within hours or a few days.

Just want to say that last year we had a teacher die suddenly, and within a week to a week and a half we had a full-time replacement teacher (they had to give mourning time I suppose).

ALTs may be more replaceable, but in an emergency it is harder to find someone to take their place and get a new one to fill their position.

Sorry about the teacher dying.

But I will bet that no one ever thinks that it would be an emergency to replace the ALT.

[mangakk]

I am a lucky teacher. I have a different title and a different responsibility than ALTs. It's just a title, but it matters a lot to some people. They changed the title for us in my city to NET because too many teachers were behaving like assistants. The school board expressed that we were to behave as equals to the other teachers in our schools and be as involved as possible with all aspects of our schools. Sometimes I teach classes alone. I'm pretty sure we get paid more than most ALTs. Most importantly I am treated like a teacher. This is just my situation. My position is similar to that of the music teacher in that I am responsible for teaching all of the students from all of the grades. Feeling like the students are yours is a byproduct of liking your job and genuinely caring about them. I like my job. I completely understand feeling differently if you don't like your job.

In which city do you live?

[bum1]

I live in Hirakata-shi Osaka-fu

[Paul]

I live in Hirakata-shi Osaka-fu

Do you realize how jealous I am of you that you actually live in Osaka?

In my prior life as a "kaisha-iin" I spent quite of bit of time and $$$$ in Osaka-minami enjoying the nightlife and "sa-bi-su" that I received while I was there. Ahhh the memories at the Osaka Miyako Hotel.......

In Osaka I think the question should be "First Korean Word" vs "First English Word".

Damn you brought back some seriously great memories by just mentioning name Osaka

Oh the wasn't for you, but the ...........ooopppss memories!