Role of the ALT & Supervisor

[Otaku]

I received this short article in an email to the site but I haven't been able to find a place on the site for it, so I thought I would post it here and hopefully prompt some discussion...

I believe the ALT supervisor should be someone who understands what it means to come from a completely different country.
The ALT supervisor needs to be someone who has lived overseas.
The ALT supervisor needs to be the best English speaker in the school.

I believe the ALT supervisor needs to inform the negative and positive situation of the team teaching in order to improve the teaching skills of the ALT.

My supervisor’s range of responsibilities is unclear. ALT supervisors should have more room in the school duties assigned to them so that they can have more room for doing the work related to supervising the ALT.

Is it possible to provide some counseling/psychological training to ALT supervisors to help them work as mediators and help them in resolving conflicts? I feel that if the relationship between the ALT and the ALT supervisor contained a closer bond of trust, then culture shock and the various other problems of ALTs would be lessened.

[jessen100]

whats an ALT supervisor?

[Otaku]

I'm guessing the person who sent in this article didn't know how to quite say what they wanted to say. I think they meant that one JTE at school that you go to when you have questions, problems, etc.

[crustpunker]

Rose colored glasses...
In my experience it seems that you should count yourself lucky if you even get someone who actually informs you when there is some event or change to your schedule let alone someone who works closely with you to help prepare the best lesson possible for the kids you teach. If this person has a good understanding of different cultures AND can speak English fairly fluently well!! I imagine that you be a great place to work! In my school there is no one who is specifically assigned to me or my classes (on paper there are but they are always way to busy to get involved with anything ever) I suck at kanji and have trouble pouring over the 3 reams of paper we get handed each week to see if there is anything relevant to me or my classes....

Not the best system but still, I have complete freedom in my classes to teach however or whatever I want so it isn't all bad I suppose. hmmmmmm...