[kamome]

Been there, done that. Being an ALT was ok, but it would have helped to have Japanese English teachers who could speak English and weren't threatened by having a gaijin in their midst. The sad thing is that the kids really want to learn, but the teachers stunt their growth by focusing on rote memorization and uninspired teaching methods.

[cstaylor]

Been there, done that. Being an ALT was ok, but it would have helped to have Japanese English teachers who could speak English and weren't threatened by having a gaijin in their midst. The sad thing is that the kids really want to learn, but the teachers stunt their growth by focusing on rote memorization and uninspired teaching methods.

That's funny... "nihonjin English teachers who could speak English"... no wonder they were threatened... talk about knocking them out of work.

[kamome]

Yep, having a native speaker of English in the school completely exposed the Japanese English teachers for what they were: frauds. Maybe I'm being harsh, but we all know that English education in Japan is pitiful. I've seen with my own eyes where it all start. And instead of trying to fix the system with curricular changes, relaxation of exam-focused college admissions process, and improved teacher training, Monbusho just brings all these ALTs from the West and asks them to "internationalize" the classrooms and "teach" conversational English. No wonder Nova and Aeon are so popular.

[Crispy]

I'll probably be applying for that job after college, along with some other similar ones (there is one local to Kawagoe). I really wanna see how one of these schools works firsthand. I know lots of people are fairly bitter about the state of schools and especially English teaching in Japan, but I wanna give it a try anyway.

[kamome]

Well, working for a private school like Nova is different from working at a public high school or middle school. Nova might give you some extra flexibility in designing a curriculum and implementing different teaching methodologies. Public schools are generally more rigid and follow the seniority system--i.e., the oldest and worst speakers of English get the plumb teaching jobs. The younger, more English fluent teachers get stuck at crappy schools.

[Crispy]

Just because they are crappy schools doesn't mean they need good English teaching any less...

[kamome]

Crispy, you're right about that, but my point is that the system rewards the wrong people. The best teachers/speakers of English should be the ones promoted, but they're not rewarded for their ability. So the "elite" students--the ones at the best schools who are likely to go on to the best colleges and become Japan's future leaders--are exposed to the worst English because the worst teachers are being promoted to those schools. Students at the "lower" schools are less likely to need or want to take advantage of the English resources available to them, even though the younger teachers with better ability are there.

[Crispy]

Hm, I see your point. Yeah, I have heard all about how the Japanese promote exclusively based on seniority and not merit. Of course, when a company does start promoting based on merit, you have people dying from overwork...