I went to Akita Inaka school, based on Oriental Pearl's recommendation a few years ago, and it was really amazing. Shout out to Sayaka-san! If you're a Japanophile and want to experience the "real" Japan, go to this school. They are located in a tiny town (Kosaka) where you will get to know all the locals who are super friendly. If you want to just learn Japanese as quickly as possible to pass the N2 or N1 exam or something like that, then maybe consider a city-based traditional language school instead.
Thanks for sharing this info. I never thought I would be looking into this and there are these types of courses for short term without having to worry about the Visa process, while also experiencing life in Japan as a student. This is something in my consideration list and interest.
I spent 16 years teaching English in Japan and rather than discouraging me to go back, this video makes me wanna get on a plane right now and go back there immediately.
No respect ..what a shocker..blonde american woman saying this is crocodile monster face..you're teaching that crap to teenagers..students in any country will take advantage! If you teaching for your own benefit..you're not a teacher.stop putting up videos to put people off going to japan.!
So, now the question is whether going back to Japan to teach is practical or wise. You must sacrifice to the god 🙏 of key money! 😅😅. The salary might not be that high. Finally, if you want to teach as an ALT, the dispatch companies do have to want you back. I am not meaning to criticise you, I am just saying that it is highly competitive.
I am not a teacher but occasionally I helped a Chinese friend teach English at his school in China. I found two things that I found to be important that are likely overlooked by people. the first is to teach them how to position the tongue when pronouncing letters that are pronounced differently in their native language. the classic is Chinese saying "Sank you" rather than "thank you". I taught our house keeper how to position her tongue and she pronounced it perfectly straight away. The other is acknowledge that in reading we use a different part of the brain to read words than they use to read symbols. Even just saying the first letter of a word can often jog your memory of what the word is as they treat the whole word as a symbol. Once it is explained to them they improve remarkably. I like the fun in your classes.
Each language brings its own culture. And Japan is bad in this regard with a ranking of 50 out of 52 countries in the Asian continent In English fluency .
Some adults and even kids can't be taught if they don't care about language that much. My wife is a smart person, but her interest is not in language. She's a business person. I could tell her a 1000 times how to position her tongue, she could do it but would not make a conscious effort to make that automatic, so she would revert to the way that's easy for her. But for something that is important to her, she will find a way to achieve it.
Fascinating. I hear all these stories of people going overseas to teach English in these countries but seldom have I heard as much about all the downsides. Thanks for sharing, Pearl!
I looked into Japan, Taiwan, and S. Korea. China pays similar but offers housing and has more options. Oriental Pearl has good advice. Better work in China or in the USA, save money, and visit Japan on a long vacation.
OH Lord, being a foreign teacher... another thing that you did not mention is that on top of feeling often like a clown in class, you also have A LOT of pressure from the school management to get results... it is VERY difficult to make lessons entertaining and fun but also make sure that the kids are really learning and that at some point they will be able to speak the language and have good results in whatever official exam they will be taking (IGCSE...). And management and parents want results, no matter what. Also the struggle is even worse for MFL teachers because at least the students know that English will eventually be useful... but most of the time they have no idea why they are learning MFL... and Spanish and French can be way more difficult to learn than English in Asia... oh well.
You’re right. I originally said the word clown in the video, but I took it out because it sounded harsh. But yeah, the test score expectations are something I should have put in.
I would really love to learn more about your experience teaching in Japan! I was curious if the kids would learn any English the way you were describing it in this video. And I also wanted to say this video was really sweet 💕, even if your role as the foreign teacher was to be a “class clown” so to speak, I think it’s really wonderful you gave these kids a period in time where they can relax and socialize and everyone has a smile on their face! I know they won’t forget the fun times they had in that class with you, I still remember my Spanish teacher who I had a lot of fun times with! ☺️
@chcc3934 Sometimes the ALT or English teacher is in an emvironment where the Japanese (or Korean) management has vetoed things that would really help the kids learn and enjoy English. They may force you to use very inadequate textbooks, refuse to invest in resources, or expect you to create a whole curriculum for 5 year olds from on very limited picture book. It is a cheapskate approach, but the parents still want top quality twaching.
I went to Akita Inaka school, based on Oriental Pearl's recommendation a few years ago, and it was really amazing. Shout out to Sayaka-san! If you're a Japanophile and want to experience the "real" Japan, go to this school. They are located in a tiny town (Kosaka) where you will get to know all the locals who are super friendly. If you want to just learn Japanese as quickly as possible to pass the N2 or N1 exam or something like that, then maybe consider a city-based traditional language school instead.
I went to the MSU-Akita school way back years ago when it used to be called that. It was a very small campus and has since gotten much bigger and upgraded. One of the best times of my life.
Did you follow the same rule as in Middlebury Language school? Native language is never allowed while in Middlebury. Any use of native language will result in dismissal without refund. And results are miraculous.
Oriental Pearl, this video was a shocking revelation for me. Thank you for sharing it. People usually hide the harsh sides of a given situation to present an illusory picture of reality and not to be seen that they made some wrong decisions or for other reasons. It's good that you show both sides of the different countries of Japan.
I taught English as a foreign language on Okinawa I had a wonderful time I especially loved the little children at the daycare centre it was so much more fun and they didn’t misbehave I couldn’t understand why those preparing for college were not interested in learning they always slept during the class I’m very happy to have had the experience then that was in the 90tees and probably not so competitive thanks for sharing your video
I taught English in Japan for two years. On the whole, it was a good experience, but yeah, it definitely wasn’t all smooth sailing. Congratulations on lasting out five years. I subscribed.
As someone who qualified as a secondary school teacher in the UK decades ago, and later switched to teaching English to non-native speaker adults from around the world, I find a lot of points need clarifying. When I started in language teaching, although I had qualified as a "normal" teacher and was educated, I knew very litttle about teaching my own language. Language schools in the UK were then staffed by a motley group of "teachers": some were retired army officers; some ex-vicars or lawyers; some young graduates of various subjects, but none had been professionally trained as language teachers to non-native speakers, as there were no specific courses at the time. From the 1970s, onwards, many people fought really hard to get English language teaching established as a proper profession with qualifications specific to language teaching. Universities; colleges, and examination boards developed this provision and some teachers started to become specifically qualified to teach English to foreigners. However, the idea that, if you could speak English, and it was your mother tongue, you could naturally teach it, continued. Many young people who wanted to travel the world got jobs, often in privately-run institutions, where they taught English. They knew nothing about language or about how to teach it. Sadly, decades on, this idea still persists in many places. It happened, and presumably, still happens, in Japan, and around the world, with systems like the JET scheme, that people who teach may be university graduates but have no training in teaching a language to non-native speakers. You mention English teachers in Japan being viewed as "entertainers". This is obviously because previous "teachers" have done this; however, even if expected by the pupils, there is no need for subsequent teachers to copy it. Teachers would be much more respected if they were profesiional and did not act as clowns. It is possible to teach in a professiional way and still give lessons that are enjoyable and interesting, without it being like a loud circus performance. It also seems that such "teachers" have not shown respect for Japanese cultural traditions of maintaining personal space; not touching, and not being loud. I would like to hope that, in Japan, there are some English language teachers who have specifically been trained in the teaching of English as a foreign language; who know something about language itself (and by that I mean more than just knowing grammar and vocabulary,) and who can make their lessons interesting and enjoyable without it being like slapstick comedy. Japanese students deserve better. I should also point out that, by teacher training, I mean substantial training that leads to internationally recognised qualifications, not just a week's introduction to language teaching, as sometimes happens. You can't learn how to teach a language in a week!
There are people who take the job seriously and have the experience/credentials to teach English as a foreign language abroad. Granted, they are not the majority. So you have to ask yourself, why? First, the pays abroad are low (relatively speaking). If you're an English major with a graduate degree and experience, you'll make far more money teaching in your home country than abroad. Second, you'll be in a foreign environment, meaning you have to navigate all the aspects of life in another country/culture. Most would prefer to stay surrounded by their fellow countrymen and culture, making cross cultural challenges zero. Third, you mention the need for an international standard for teachers. Just looking at the testing systems alone should clue you into how impractical that is. Considering the UK has IELTS, the US has TEFL, Europe has CEFR, and etc. Good luck getting these groups to agree to one uniform rating system. The best you can expect is the equivalents from one to another. Similarly, teaching qualification equivalents already exist. However, each foreign country sets its own guideliness as to what is acceptable experience/qualifications. Japan is no different there. Putting these together means that the majority of ESL teachers that foreign countries get are generally those with less experience/qualifications since they are the ones; wiling to work for less, willing to be in a foreign environment, and have the minimum "equivalent" experience/qualification that said country requires. On the edutainment aspect of teaching, the problem is that expat teachers have NO real say in the educational process. The local administration determines what you CAN and WILL do. In Japan, you're an entertainer/dancing monkey. In addition, most Japanese take English lessons as a hobby. Few have any real interest in being fluent. Add to that, their crazy schedules (at all ages), which stack the deck against having "serious lessons" from the expat teacher. Thus, this is why things are the way they are in Japan. Could they be improved? Sure, but it would take a ton of changes, which are unlikely to occur anytime soon.
As an experienced, now retired ESL teacher, I have always maintained that in order to teach your own language, you must have learned to speak another language yourself. Here in Canada when I was in 9, that was French.
I used to train English teachers in the school I worked at. The number 1 mistake/trap I saw EVERYtime from new teachers is they'd start off as the "friend" or "cool teacher". Goofy, giving candy etc and lose the respect of students from day 1. Despite that clown expectation being there, you don't really need to follow it. It's much better go in as an asshole/strict, and provide games, fun, and silliness as a reward. If anyone acts up, the fun is stripped away. It's basic reward/punishment bias. They learn what keeps class fun and what makes it boring. "Ok since Jonny is being a little shit, no games for anyone today. Writing books out!" I know punishing a group due to the behavior of one is frowned upon, but it works. The risk of ostracism is a powerful psychological trigger. And, the blame for the boring class is redirected from you to the student who caused it. If you feel bad about being strict, then also know that children, while they may look like they’re laughing and having fun disrespecting you, actually feel higher levels of stress when they don’t feel boundaries from an authority figure. If you nail it, you can have both a fun class and respect. Going in as "I'm the fun teacher and I'm your friend" always got disrespect and those teachers fought an uphill battle since. I remember taking over classes after they'd left and it was always a process akin to domesticating wild animals. Infact, your English teaching experience will largely depend on who the teacher of your classes was before you. Hopefully, you had someone who knew what they were doing, so you inherit a well-behaved class. If the kids are assholes, you know the teacher before you was trash.
It is basic psychology, this principle works in general. Don't let people feel entitled to your time or they won't take you seriously. It feels counter intuitive but being stricter and having clear boundaries works better than letting others trample you as they please.
You are soooo RIGHT ! Yes, the respect MUST come first ! Never play this game here! NEVER let them con you into accepting fun fist, respect later ! If they don't like that sometimes---then too damn bad !
When I was a student, I actually enjoyed strict teachers instead of fun goofy one that in the end turned the class into disrespectful mess and I couldn't study a thing among them Now I'm a teacher for the 5th year, it took me 5 whole years to learn this experience. My class still have new young teachers who have this mindset, and as much as I adore them, truth to be told, my students' behaviors are turned upside down when those young teachers take my class. I don't blame them, I was like that years ago too. I just wish this advice more well-known among young teachers
I’ve seen kids and adults take their own lives because of mass punishment the pressure of making a mistake is extremely overwhelming! Mass punishment never works simply because of that reason!
Whew..that must have been extremely hard. You are super entertaining and up beat but I'm sure it took a toll after awhile. I'm glad you had some really good moments too❤
A relative of mine was an English teacher in South Korea. Exact opposite behavior from you. They were strict and did not let the kids get away with fooling around. They were as strict or more strict than the native teachers. It's all about how YOU present yourself to the students. You choose to present yourself as an entertainer, not a teacher. It seems maybe you did not have a background in education from the start.
I think it is pretty typical for people who teach English in other countries to not have backgrounds as teachers. My older brother taught English in South Korea for 7 years, and he went shortly after graduating from college as a history major. He never had experience teaching - not even volunteering as a camp counselor or something along those lines. I know he did teaching through a program called EPIK, and for the first few weeks during his stay, he attended EPIK's own version of "schooling" to help introduce them to Korea. My brother participated in Korean language classes, classes about teaching, and also attended outings centered around Korean culture (ex. attending a taekwondo performance and participating in a taekwondo class). Maybe it isnt as common as I thought, but I've watched a lot of videos where foreigners go to teach English in Japan, S. Korea, and China, who have never had prior teaching experience. Also, I don't think my brother was extremely strict. He still had fun with the kids but also laid down the law for anyone who acted out.
The role of a teacher is NOT to entertain. You set yourself up to fail. Teaching is a skill in and of itself. The children responded to your entertaining presentation. Introspection is needed here. Instead of Giving up teaching after 5 years maybe you should get some serious training- change your negative “blame it on the kids” attitude.
You would get fired in China, and the other Asian countries popular with esl teachers sound pretty much the same. You may wanna do some research on their education systems and why so many commit suicide, and then try to understand there are a lot more things going on in these countries that shapes a foreigner teaching English within these systems.
Nine year veteran of teaching English in Japan here (late 90s and most of the 2000s). It seems that nothing has really changed apart from the bad parts getting worse. If anyone asked me about going over to work in Japan, especially as a teacher, I would say: Plan to do it for only a year. If you love it you can stay, but if you hate it you'll be home soon-ish!
Super good examples of pro and cons! Your videos are fun and informative. Though I am a high school science teacher and really enjoy teaching, I am very glad to know of this school for learning Japanese without having to go the teacher route. Keep doing what you do and thank you for introducing Nomad-San.
6:29 In my country it was because if students finds out you speak their language they won't try to speak english again so foreign teachers didn't allowed to speak local language even some local teachers had to act like foreigner too.
Interestingly, my school does not enforce this rule at all, and so I always find it surprising to hear how much schools discourage it. Everyone knows I am studying Japanese but that I am not fluent, so the students still try to speak with me in English, and if they do hit me with some complex Japanese (I always find it funny when some kid rattles off in fast Japanese with the delusional belief that I can understand them, it cracks their friends up), they eventually catch on to the confusion on my face lol. My JTEs have no issue making the kids aware that I am learning and have called attention to it, cause the students can see that I am also trying and making mistakes but passionate about language learning. That being said, I still stick to English primarily when communicating, simply because it is my native language lol. But I’ve done some exercises with students or asked clarification questions in Japanese if the context allows and it hasn’t been an issue yet. I think both languages can be used without it crippling the students as much as schools fear.
That school looks really well-funded and clean and even as a middle school class, they get to have fun! When I was a JET, I taught 4 elementary schools and 1 middle school. It was in a pretty small town and only one of the schools was really “nice” and clean and the others were old and basically for the elementary school classes, I was on my own. I had to make my own stuff for class, and basically just had a chalk board to work with. I “got” to do whatever I wanted so I did games and activities and the kids liked it a lot for the most part, but it was exhausting. Sometimes I had all 6 classes and other times I only had 2 and then nothing to do the rest of the day 😅 and at the middle school, the JTEs only used me to say things from the textbook and then the rest of their entire lesson was in Japanese and it was sooooooo boring. The kids hated it. And I asked so many times to do activities or games that I prepared, but they never let me. Except for once when a teacher didn’t show up to school and they asked me to just go in his class and improvise. I ended up doing a really fun game and everyone was loving it, but then when it was over, the other JTE told me, “Oh, the kids like you better than me…” and instead of letting me do that game again, she just kept doing her regular boring lectures in Japanese. New teachers would come in and try to do fun things, too, but always ended up copying the senior teachers. It got so frustrating. I was fluent in Japanese and had already lived in Japan before and knew the culture, etc. but they kept shutting me out. I wasn’t invited to the lesson planning meetings the English teachers had. It was so upsetting. Once, I visited a different middle school in our town and had a much nicer experience. I feel like I wasn’t treated well at my placement, and I had friends on JET who had amazing schools and co-teachers. I left after 2 years even though I had planned on staying until my 5th year. Now I live in Korea and it’s very different because most people speak English decently and their kids are expected to learn it, too. In Japan, most of my students could barely answer simple questions. They just have this mentality that English is “too hard” so they will never learn it. Some of my students, I still remember fondly and they were so sweet and talked to me a lot and I really wish them the best! I have great memories as an ALT but also really awful ones. It was a mixed bag, for sure. I’m glad I did it but it totally depends on your personality and placement!
The issue will not be "kids being naughty" but when the management and others "respectable" teachers (by the kids) don't do anything to stop that behaviour that those teachers themselves would never allow... management neither... that is why Japan is fucked up... double standard... still a nice place, but just for tourists... if you are not Japanese borned and raised there... good luck really (compared to any other western country)...
Naughty kids at 3:15. Japan is also known for having the worst bullying in high schools. It is even more severe than bullying in America. Some students have even died from as a direct or indirect result of the bullying from fellow students.
I'm a much more engaged teacher than I'm a student. Why is that, because I was a guest instructor for one or two classes which made my material different. As a student, I had to learn, my way. It depended on the course and my personal inclinations as to what kind of student I was. I'm sure my teachers in the past, and those that I have now would still say Jim is intelligent, but does not properly apply himself to the curriculum. So nope I'll not be teaching English in Japan. Japan is a country and a culture that has attracted my interest. I'm going to continue visiting and trying to improve my Japanese language skills and usage. Hey those of you who view this channel, but aren't subscribed - WHY NOT. You get entertained, Anming 7 is very entertaining as Tommy Sensei. You'll see and learn things about China and Japan that you didn't know. In spite of yourself, you'll learn stuff. Most of all Anming 7 won't sugar coat things for you. She'll tell it like it is, and as long as you don't give up on yourself, she won't give up on you. So Subscribe and if you want more, become a Patreon like I have. I benefit and consider it monies well spent.
Thank you so much for your support Jim. You may enjoy teaching English for a day or even a week. I could see you teaching high schoolers. Looking forward to your trip here soon! We have lots of fun stuff planned for you.
@@OrientalPearlEach language brings its own culture. And Japan is bad in this regard with a ranking of 50 out of 52 countries in the Asian continent In English fluency .
As a japanese, if i can watch how the chinese students react in studying english, I'd love to subscribe😊 it'll inspire my interest in learning a foreign language,
Hi Pearl, Great vid. Much depends on having realistic expectations, good ESL teacher training and an abundance of flexibility. Also, as in most of life, knowing yourself is essential in making good choices of where to teach. Those choices can lead to disaster or fulfillment. Thanks for your insightful pros and cons of teaching middle school. I taught there for over 20 years and experienced the full range of results :)
Hi Again - Mmm, I feel part Japanese - I've learned so much from that culture and those people. You've been learning a lot too ! Would like to share stories sometime :) Genki de ne !
@@blanne9628 The Gakuran (Japanese male school uniform) and the Kim Jong Un suit (or sometimes referred as Mao's suit) are basically came from European military uniform (mostly German uniform) from late 19th century but the Mao's suit had some slight change such as the collar is not stand up.
The ONLY downside to teaching English in Japan is the salary, the rest of it pretty good. I've taught in Japan for 7 years and my only issue was about the low salary. I would say all of the other reasons are normal for teaching English in another country *I've taught English for 24 years and you slowly learn that some of these things are similar, unless you put your foot down*
Try an experiment. In your next class, if there is one, follow the Japanese teacher model. Firmness and business. Let's see what happens. Thank you for the glimpses of real Japan. Merry Christmas !!!
Speaking as somebody teaching English in Japan I'm not sure you've got the right approach. As somebody else has already commented it's important to set the boundaries for the kids. I've had "naughty" kids in my lesson who aren't really that bad, simply nobody has told them where the boundary is. As soon as I stop the lesson and clearly indicate they shouldn't do that, things rapidly improve. If you have an assistant teacher in the classroom and they aren't stupid, they'll translate the important parts into Japanese. I don't need to show anger, just that I'm serious. With younger kids it can help to pretend to be upset, that can be effective. They soon learn. I find teaching English in Japan to be thoroughly rewarding and somewhat of a privilege. I would recommend reconsidering your approach. I think it's okay for the kids to know you speak Japanese but the focus is on encouraging them to try and speak English which is why you shouldn't engage in Japanese with them. If they say things in Japanese to you make it a teaching opportunity and bring the other students in on it. Say, okay how do you say that in English and you can go from there. It seems to me that you are the kind of person who can adapt and if you do, much of the stress will disappear and you'll feel different about teaching. Good luck!
I actually have done research on this topic for foreigners coming to Japan and teaching English. All the points mentioned in this video are very accurate. Another thing that was also not mentioned here is that English programs like the JET for example, when they sent out foreigners to teach there, usually it's the location where they're going to be placing them. And not the other way around like choosing where, and also usually on a rural area side of Japan. Thanks for sharing this video I really do appreciate the honesty and the other points not mentioned often of the negatives.
This was really informative and sweet. A departure from the language videos to give an honest glimpse into life as a foreign English teacher in Japan. One of her best videos in my opinion, especially for anyone considering this occupation. Being a teacher anywhere is hard.
The problem is that she is treated differently from other teachers. Normal teachers can teach classes without pressure to always joke and play games. They can give detention to rude students.
Thinking about it I guess that the reason why the kids behave like that with foreign teachers is because they dont have to hide anything and they can be more open with a foreigner teacher instead of a local teacher and due to the same reasons they do it in a way that is more uncomfortable for the teachers because they are used to hide their feelings and they dont know or have enough experience showing that inner part of them (It happens a lot to me in a way that Im not used to defend myself verbally with people, so when I have the opportunity to defend myself I cant never do it properly so I have to shut my mouth because I dont know what to say even if Im correct) Thats what I would like to believe because japanese people are not those people that want to be disrespectful for no reason. I guess But like people say in the comments, Kids will be kids anywhere in the world.
The biggest problem is the super low pay that has not progressed in over 10 years. And dispatch companies ruining the quality of teachers expected by hiring bottom of the barrel people who should not be teaching just so they can pay them low. Ugh.
Also it’s not the teachers driving it down. It’s the predatory dispatch companies and people thinking they can come and teach with no qualifications. Yes go be a student.
@@uhm175 Hello from Europe. That's chicken feed. Source; I'm a teacher in Ireland. I met teachers from Oklahoma and Texas and whatnot over there and they were in Japan to escape poverty. I was there for the experience. America is not the world.
It's only a short video, but I got the impression that you didn't act like a serious teacher to them so I'm not really surprised they did not respect you as a one. I get the idea that you wanted to make school child-friendly and funny, but that's probably the 'issue' in such a conservatiive country.
Idk if u ever have been to Japan or a collectivistic culture in general. In her position especially in a school system, it is quite hard to do what you want because you are fed up with the system you are in. Because the group stands over your individual opinion. That said and adressing what Pearl said at the beginning of the vid. They have a certain expectations of your role that u then have to fulfill. And if you dont you are pretty much shunned out or fired. So she just did that. I have been in Japan for 7 Months and having been there I can understand her point of view a bit better.
Thanks for the insightful video. As a former student who spent six years learning English in Japanese schools, I can relate. Having native English teachers, I never really thought about why they chose to teach in Japan. Once I started working at a Japanese company, I realized how rare it was to encounter native English speakers. I almost forgot everything I had learned! However, when I started working with Vietnamese colleagues, I was motivated to learn Vietnamese to build a stronger team. One of them told me he came to Japan to experience the country, so I made him a Vietnamese language guidebook and took him skiing. Teaching English to Japanese kids who are more interested in playing might be frustrating for some. If you're considering teaching English in Japan just to experience the country, I'd suggest looking into something like Akita Inaka School, where you can learn about Japanese culture and language. This kind of interaction could foster a genuine interest in English among Japanese people.
I worked with a Japanese crew in a Japanese company for six years. It isn’t just teaching. If you aren’t Japanese they treat you like second class. Respectfully treat you that way but nonetheless second class.
Great video! I got a degree in ESL and secondary education to specifically move and teach haha it wasn’t always enjoyable. No real plan or curriculums at times and used as a tape recorder lol but some schools had it together. It was a good experience though. It’s not for everyone.
You are awesome. I taught computers and internet etiquette back in the early 2000's and that's how I done it as well. If people have fun while learning they will enjoy learning.
I wasn't sure if the students you were playing with were your students because you acted as if you were one of them. As a teacher myself for many years, I have always had my boundaries between my students and myself. Also, I don't think I would feel right to film my students and put them on UA-cam unless I had the permission from their parents. Perhaps this is okay in Japan.
I have been teaching English here for many years. High school and junior high school drove me crazy. Yes, I agree with your observations. After going back to graduate school, I was employed in Japanese Universities which was a much better gig. Better money, hours and tons of vacation time.
My teacher of English was really strict. We took it seriously. Here in Zambia. You also can't go to university in Zambia without passing English at 12th😊
If it's Malaysia, I wouldn't expect foreign language teacher to speak local languages either. But not for the reason you thought, it's because you need the students to be fully immersed in the language taught. In fact, there were seasons when other languages or dialects spoken (local or not) other than the language of the session, will get you, as a elementary/primary school students, fined for a few cents. In fact, in Singapore they used to have something called Mandarin month or English Month where street hawkers were not allowed to sell you food if you speak something else.
There are many negative comments about teaching abroad, but much of the experience depends on the school itself. As a teacher in an international school, I’ve observed the clear differences between government schools, private schools, and international schools. In many government or private schools, foreign teachers are often hired to "show a foreign face" and act more as entertainers than educators, with limited expectations regarding teaching quality or student outcomes. In contrast, international schools have much higher standards, with a strong focus on curriculum delivery, academic achievement, and fostering meaningful learning experiences. The attitudes and behaviors of the students also reflect these differences, making the role of a teacher far more fulfilling in an international setting.
I went to Akita Inaka school a few years ago and it was a great way for a tourist to see a lot of local places that you wouldn't normally get to see. You meet a few local people but not loads as of course locals are going about their normal lives and the school building is located well out of town. The language instruction was pretty casual at intermediate level, just conversational practice, so it's really better for beginners who got structured tuition. There isn't a lot to do in Kosaka and without a car it is difficult to travel around the area, but the school offers a lot of excursions which are well worth doing. The small school staff are great and work very hard.
Japanese student is So cute I wish they have good future but they must be speak good English Because English is international language Although I can speak Japanese but is not more people will learn foreign language So English is So Convenient
Nice work Alyssa. The hard truths explained well. It was great to see the kids from Hatchimantai again, being a repeat visitor to Akita Inaka School ,brings back touching memories. Great to see you being such an ambassador for the school. ありがとうございます🦘🐨🪃
For me I feel absolutely suffocated living in LA and don’t get along with my immediate family, I’m more than willing to go through everything you did if it means I get to be in a new country with a fresh new start
You are better off living with roommates and working 2 jobs with the goal to save money. Do this for a year and use the money to rent long-term places in the off season in Japan or S. Korea. You could rent a nice place for $400-600 a month. This allows you time to sightsee.
The classic "too much supply not enough demand" I think is prevalent everywhere, and it seems that it behooves people to know their worth and not take peanuts just for the experience.
I taught English to adults from different countries in Hawaii. I, also, have 39 years of experience teaching K -12 grades. 😮I feel i have class management skills down and I would not be having my class view me as an entertainer. I would establish myself as the TEACHER and they are the STUDENTS and would have conversational English and English from the workbooks. Now, presently, there is more access to videos and audios and other teaching aids. I would use those to supplement and reinforce my lessons. The objective is to have them love the subject, English, and use it in meaningful ways,, and to communicate with it, and i would have them think of situations where they would like to use it in their lives. I would like to develop a personal relationship with them. These students are not silly or dumb, or inclined to be disruptive, they have to have boundaries, and structure, and then they will give respect in your classroom. If you establish that is fun in your classroom, they will comply and act accordingly. If you establish that you are teaching and they need to learn, they will also respond in kind. They have been brought up in a culture that is respectful as that is what they would expect in a japanese classroom. These students are acting and responding as to what a Gaijin would expect in the Gaijin's country (that's what I see), probably because of what they see in American movies.
I lived in Japan for two years nearly 50 years ago and never saw Japanese students behave in this way in any situation. I am also a retired high school teacher in the United States that was honored on the national level. I was strict in my expectations but was popular in the schools I taught at. Kids honestly are more comfortable with boundaries. If I were to go to Japan and teach English today, I would never succumb to this “pressure” to be the fun and “cool” teacher. The teacher has the responsibility to set the tone in the classroom. Students recognize what they can and can’t get away within minutes of their first interaction with a new teacher. If the prior teacher of your subject matter let them be “wanpaku” in the classroom, it makes controlling the behavior of the students to your expectations more difficult, but far from impossible. You must possess a “toolbox” of classroom management techniques. They may resent this unexpected classroom atmosphere in the beginning, but in a shorter amount of time than you might expect, if you respect your students while demanding a well structured set of classroom behaviors, they will respect you. The atmosphere of learning can never be allowed to be dictated by outside and student expectations. The tone of respectful and enjoyable learning is always set by the teacher. In short, if the behavior of the students is unruly and exhausting, the only person responsible is yourself.
7:17 I am danish but was raised in the U.S. My parents always spoke danish with each other but english to us so when we visited our family in Denmark my danish had an american accent. (Mom taught us kids to read and speak danish which wasn't too hard since we understood it already) One day I was making a purchase in a shop. The cashier was obviously not danish yet spoke danish with no accent and when she heard my american accent she reverted to English. That annoyed me so much. I am actually danish and speak danish, hello! Sigh......
This is a great glimpse into English teacher life in Japan. It's an interesting dynamic between the kids and the teacher. I never thought of it as you'd have to be entertainment to the students as well as teaching and pretend not to know any Japanese. The students really enjoyed you being their English teacher with their goodbye and the kind gifts they gave to you. 💜
Thanks for watching Whushaw. Yeah, China has the same system too. I was scolded quite a lot for using Chinese with the students, even after class was over. It’s like they wanted me to be a teacher 24 hours a day.
It really depends on the situation. Not every teaching job is the same. I was relegated to an aid at school and I was a real teacher in America before going to Japan. On the other hand, some of my friends were basically treated like another teacher even though they had no experience. My enjoyment came more from what I did outside of school. I started clubs, coached sports, gave dancing lessons, had watch parties for movies/events, did English classes for people who wanted to travel and assimilated myself into the community. That’s where I got respect from students and parents. The other teachers at my school couldn’t have cared less about me. So, I guess it is what you make of it. I would advise not to expect too much satisfaction at work.
I taught in many different schools and conditions in Japan. Ibaraki, Tochigi, Kanagawa, and Tokyo. Some schools were strict with the no Japanese rule and others were not. From my experience, people in a particular school district tend to have their own protocols, yet try to convince you that this is the way it is done in all of Japan. Also, while I would entertain on occasion I was much more serious with them. Still, this did bring back some positive memories. Thank you.
I have enough trouble with my three teenagers, not sure I'd want to manage 30 of them in a classroom! However, I would encourage all of them to try living in Japan if they want to experience living overseas as most young New Zealanders aspire to live in the UK (especially London) as their Overseas Experience. It isn't that much of a different culture from New Zealand as we like pretty much the same sports, speak the same language, have similar cuisine and there is such a large Kiwi and Aussie expat community that you tend to be drawn into that world instead of experiencing British culture.
As a teacher in the US, we very much have to keep our students engaged (administrators constantly railroad that term) all day. We have turned into performers as well- keeping the children entertained!
Wow! I taught English in Japan back in 1997-1998 and I must say that it was completely different from what I see in this video. Times have really changed. I would have loved to have kids be so energetic. It was hard getting the adolescent kids to even speak. They were so shy. The kids 10 and under were a lot more talkative and energetic. I did love playing games with them. It was honestly the best job I’ve ever had. I loved it. It totally fit my personality. But it sounds like the pay hasn’t changed in 30 years. Back then I made like $30-35K/year. The difference was that they took out way less taxes than the US. But you’re right, it’s super expensive there. But it’s crazy they haven’t increased the pay.
I taught English in China for 3 years. I was there mostly to learn the language and learn about the culture, but because all my time was spent planning and teaching, I felt like my language progressed very slowly. I came back to America and continued studying Chinese. Now, I actually teach some Chinese, and actually some Spanish, in the US. Once my Chinese level is even higher, I'm probably about an HSK 5 nearing HSK 6, perhaps I'll go back and be able to teach better. I do enjoy teaching but I enjoy learning about language and culture so much more! With experience teaching in the US, perhaps going back and teaching in Asia in the future will actually be fun for me. I understand classroom management and how to keep students attention so much better than when I was teaching English.
This is the kind of teacher that these kids will remember even after thirty years and i know this because i still remember the beautiful and the caring teacher that taught us another foreign language when were kids.
Just learning Japanese (and not gotten very far), but super interesting to get some insight into the day to day stuff as an English teacher in Japan. I love documentaries and behind the scenes type stuff, so while I have no goal of becoming an English teacher I still found this very fun and interesting to watch :)
Great video!! I loved your edits! It was such an interesting and wholesome watch 🙏😊 I really love your style of teaching! If you had taught English to Eastern Europeans, I would’ve loved to be in your class when I was a kid 😊🙌🙏! Wow, that's crazy they didn’t let you speak Japanese in class! I feel like using both languages at the same time really helps the words stick, you know!? By the way, did you see Robin-san’s video about teaching UA-cam to students? It was super interesting and insightful. Fun fact: I actually found your channel through Robin-san’s video! Lol nomad-saaan!!
I really enjoyed watching this .The double standard of all foreign english teachers being scolded if they speak Japanese makes no sense. I'd think that it'd be advantageous that you can speak the language to explain some words or sentences re teaching english if a student needs that . Idk ?
Merry Christmas! I really enjoy your videos! P.S. I am originally from the Detroit area as well. Born in Ypsilanti, then Redford then Northville, Michigan!
A friend of mine (with whom I've since lost touch) taught English in Kobe, Japan, in 1994. She never said anything negative about the experience. I think her students were a few years older than the ones in the video.
I started my own school. We were doing big money until the world lost its mind. Lost half my students because nobody wanted to bother to learn how to use zoom. And also lost the place we were renting, it's still closed and the geezers that run it are still terrified of the rona. But this is the only job that makes me happy every single day, so I'm not giving up yet. And if teaching in Japan is truly a passion for you, then the only way is to start your own business/school. It's a lot more difficult, but so much more rewarding.
Sign up for your own Japan traditional school experience as a student here: akitainakaschool.com
I went to Akita Inaka school, based on Oriental Pearl's recommendation a few years ago, and it was really amazing. Shout out to Sayaka-san! If you're a Japanophile and want to experience the "real" Japan, go to this school. They are located in a tiny town (Kosaka) where you will get to know all the locals who are super friendly. If you want to just learn Japanese as quickly as possible to pass the N2 or N1 exam or something like that, then maybe consider a city-based traditional language school instead.
Thanks for sharing this info. I never thought I would be looking into this and there are these types of courses for short term without having to worry about the Visa process, while also experiencing life in Japan as a student. This is something in my consideration list and interest.
Recurring theme ❤
Hi american sister putin is crazy because he invaded ukraine unbelievable
It’s good to see you again american sister god bless You and bless Your family ❤
My cousin used to teach English in Japan, now he teaches Japanese to English speakers at a college in the US 😅
Is it an improvement?
I think so yes. To be able to teach a language youre not native in to others is hard.@kgspollux6998
@kgspollux6998 Be realistic please
@@longiusaescius2537
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Whoaaaaa AWSOMEEEEEE ❤️🇯🇵❤️
I spent 16 years teaching English in Japan and rather than discouraging me to go back, this video makes me wanna get on a plane right now and go back there immediately.
Your an S
Same!
Well, good luck with that ❤
No respect ..what a shocker..blonde american woman saying this is crocodile monster face..you're teaching that crap to teenagers..students in any country will take advantage! If you teaching for your own benefit..you're not a teacher.stop putting up videos to put people off going to japan.!
So, now the question is whether going back to Japan to teach is practical or wise. You must sacrifice to the god 🙏 of key money! 😅😅. The salary might not be that high. Finally, if you want to teach as an ALT, the dispatch companies do have to want you back. I am not meaning to criticise you, I am just saying that it is highly competitive.
I am not a teacher but occasionally I helped a Chinese friend teach English at his school in China. I found two things that I found to be important that are likely overlooked by people. the first is to teach them how to position the tongue when pronouncing letters that are pronounced differently in their native language. the classic is Chinese saying "Sank you" rather than "thank you". I taught our house keeper how to position her tongue and she pronounced it perfectly straight away. The other is acknowledge that in reading we use a different part of the brain to read words than they use to read symbols. Even just saying the first letter of a word can often jog your memory of what the word is as they treat the whole word as a symbol. Once it is explained to them they improve remarkably. I like the fun in your classes.
Each language brings its own culture.
And Japan is bad in this regard with a ranking of 50 out of 52 countries in the Asian continent In English fluency .
Many Japanese people also say 'Sank you' and 'I sink'. 😅😂
Some adults and even kids can't be taught if they don't care about language that much. My wife is a smart person, but her interest is not in language. She's a business person. I could tell her a 1000 times how to position her tongue, she could do it but would not make a conscious effort to make that automatic, so she would revert to the way that's easy for her. But for something that is important to her, she will find a way to achieve it.
Excellent advice. It makes perfect sense.
@@DeniSaputta…😢
Fascinating. I hear all these stories of people going overseas to teach English in these countries but seldom have I heard as much about all the downsides. Thanks for sharing, Pearl!
I looked into Japan, Taiwan, and S. Korea. China pays similar but offers housing and has more options. Oriental Pearl has good advice. Better work in China or in the USA, save money, and visit Japan on a long vacation.
OH Lord, being a foreign teacher...
another thing that you did not mention is that on top of feeling often like a clown in class, you also have A LOT of pressure from the school management to get results...
it is VERY difficult to make lessons entertaining and fun but also make sure that the kids are really learning and that at some point they will be able to speak the language and have good results in whatever official exam they will be taking (IGCSE...). And management and parents want results, no matter what.
Also the struggle is even worse for MFL teachers because at least the students know that English will eventually be useful... but most of the time they have no idea why they are learning MFL... and Spanish and French can be way more difficult to learn than English in Asia...
oh well.
You’re right. I originally said the word clown in the video, but I took it out because it sounded harsh. But yeah, the test score expectations are something I should have put in.
@@OrientalPearl I am curious how was your experience with management and parents in Japan and China.
I would really love to learn more about your experience teaching in Japan! I was curious if the kids would learn any English the way you were describing it in this video. And I also wanted to say this video was really sweet 💕, even if your role as the foreign teacher was to be a “class clown” so to speak, I think it’s really wonderful you gave these kids a period in time where they can relax and socialize and everyone has a smile on their face! I know they won’t forget the fun times they had in that class with you, I still remember my Spanish teacher who I had a lot of fun times with! ☺️
@chcc3934 Sometimes the ALT or English teacher is in an emvironment where the Japanese (or Korean) management has vetoed things that would really help the kids learn and enjoy English. They may force you to use very inadequate textbooks, refuse to invest in resources, or expect you to create a whole curriculum for 5 year olds from on very limited picture book. It is a cheapskate approach, but the parents still want top quality twaching.
I went to Akita Inaka school, based on Oriental Pearl's recommendation a few years ago, and it was really amazing. Shout out to Sayaka-san! If you're a Japanophile and want to experience the "real" Japan, go to this school. They are located in a tiny town (Kosaka) where you will get to know all the locals who are super friendly. If you want to just learn Japanese as quickly as possible to pass the N2 or N1 exam or something like that, then maybe consider a city-based traditional language school instead.
I went to the MSU-Akita school way back years ago when it used to be called that. It was a very small campus and has since gotten much bigger and upgraded. One of the best times of my life.
Did you follow the same rule as in Middlebury Language school?
Native language is never allowed while in Middlebury.
Any use of native language will result in dismissal without refund.
And results are miraculous.
we’re calling weebs japanophiles now ?
I love your videos and approach to them. You also have a very likable personality. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Gabrielle. I love making these indoor talking videos.
The best insight into teaching English in Japan along with Abroad in Japan. Kudos! and ありがとうでございます！
You don’t need the で
@わかります
Oriental Pearl, this video was a shocking revelation for me. Thank you for sharing it. People usually hide the harsh sides of a given situation to present an illusory picture of reality and not to be seen that they made some wrong decisions or for other reasons. It's good that you show both sides of the different countries of Japan.
I taught English as a foreign language on Okinawa I had a wonderful time I especially loved the little children at the daycare centre it was so much more fun and they didn’t misbehave I couldn’t understand why those preparing for college were not interested in learning they always slept during the class I’m very happy to have had the experience then that was in the 90tees and probably not so competitive thanks for sharing your video
Periods, man
I taught English in Japan for two years. On the whole, it was a good experience, but yeah, it definitely wasn’t all smooth sailing. Congratulations on lasting out five years. I subscribed.
As someone who qualified as a secondary school teacher in the UK decades ago, and later switched to teaching English to non-native speaker adults from around the world, I find a lot of points need clarifying. When I started in language teaching, although I had qualified as a "normal" teacher and was educated, I knew very litttle about teaching my own language. Language schools in the UK were then staffed by a motley group of "teachers": some were retired army officers; some ex-vicars or lawyers; some young graduates of various subjects, but none had been professionally trained as language teachers to non-native speakers, as there were no specific courses at the time. From the 1970s, onwards, many people fought really hard to get English language teaching established as a proper profession with qualifications specific to language teaching. Universities; colleges, and examination boards developed this provision and some teachers started to become specifically qualified to teach English to foreigners. However, the idea that, if you could speak English, and it was your mother tongue, you could naturally teach it, continued. Many young people who wanted to travel the world got jobs, often in privately-run institutions, where they taught English. They knew nothing about language or about how to teach it. Sadly, decades on, this idea still persists in many places. It happened, and presumably, still happens, in Japan, and around the world, with systems like the JET scheme, that people who teach may be university graduates but have no training in teaching a language to non-native speakers. You mention English teachers in Japan being viewed as "entertainers". This is obviously because previous "teachers" have done this; however, even if expected by the pupils, there is no need for subsequent teachers to copy it. Teachers would be much more respected if they were profesiional and did not act as clowns. It is possible to teach in a professiional way and still give lessons that are enjoyable and interesting, without it being like a loud circus performance. It also seems that such "teachers" have not shown respect for Japanese cultural traditions of maintaining personal space; not touching, and not being loud. I would like to hope that, in Japan, there are some English language teachers who have specifically been trained in the teaching of English as a foreign language; who know something about language itself (and by that I mean more than just knowing grammar and vocabulary,) and who can make their lessons interesting and enjoyable without it being like slapstick comedy. Japanese students deserve better. I should also point out that, by teacher training, I mean substantial training that leads to internationally recognised qualifications, not just a week's introduction to language teaching, as sometimes happens. You can't learn how to teach a language in a week!
There are people who take the job seriously and have the experience/credentials to teach English as a foreign language abroad. Granted, they are not the majority. So you have to ask yourself, why? First, the pays abroad are low (relatively speaking). If you're an English major with a graduate degree and experience, you'll make far more money teaching in your home country than abroad. Second, you'll be in a foreign environment, meaning you have to navigate all the aspects of life in another country/culture. Most would prefer to stay surrounded by their fellow countrymen and culture, making cross cultural challenges zero. Third, you mention the need for an international standard for teachers. Just looking at the testing systems alone should clue you into how impractical that is. Considering the UK has IELTS, the US has TEFL, Europe has CEFR, and etc. Good luck getting these groups to agree to one uniform rating system. The best you can expect is the equivalents from one to another. Similarly, teaching qualification equivalents already exist. However, each foreign country sets its own guideliness as to what is acceptable experience/qualifications. Japan is no different there.
Putting these together means that the majority of ESL teachers that foreign countries get are generally those with less experience/qualifications since they are the ones; wiling to work for less, willing to be in a foreign environment, and have the minimum "equivalent" experience/qualification that said country requires.
On the edutainment aspect of teaching, the problem is that expat teachers have NO real say in the educational process. The local administration determines what you CAN and WILL do. In Japan, you're an entertainer/dancing monkey. In addition, most Japanese take English lessons as a hobby. Few have any real interest in being fluent. Add to that, their crazy schedules (at all ages), which stack the deck against having "serious lessons" from the expat teacher.
Thus, this is why things are the way they are in Japan. Could they be improved? Sure, but it would take a ton of changes, which are unlikely to occur anytime soon.
As an experienced, now retired ESL teacher, I have always maintained that in order to teach your own language, you must have learned to speak another language yourself. Here in Canada when I was in 9, that was French.
I used to train English teachers in the school I worked at. The number 1 mistake/trap I saw EVERYtime from new teachers is they'd start off as the "friend" or "cool teacher". Goofy, giving candy etc and lose the respect of students from day 1.
Despite that clown expectation being there, you don't really need to follow it. It's much better go in as an asshole/strict, and provide games, fun, and silliness as a reward. If anyone acts up, the fun is stripped away. It's basic reward/punishment bias. They learn what keeps class fun and what makes it boring.
"Ok since Jonny is being a little shit, no games for anyone today. Writing books out!"
I know punishing a group due to the behavior of one is frowned upon, but it works. The risk of ostracism is a powerful psychological trigger. And, the blame for the boring class is redirected from you to the student who caused it.
If you feel bad about being strict, then also know that children, while they may look like they’re laughing and having fun disrespecting you, actually feel higher levels of stress when they don’t feel boundaries from an authority figure.
If you nail it, you can have both a fun class and respect. Going in as "I'm the fun teacher and I'm your friend" always got disrespect and those teachers fought an uphill battle since. I remember taking over classes after they'd left and it was always a process akin to domesticating wild animals.
Infact, your English teaching experience will largely depend on who the teacher of your classes was before you. Hopefully, you had someone who knew what they were doing, so you inherit a well-behaved class. If the kids are assholes, you know the teacher before you was trash.
It is basic psychology, this principle works in general. Don't let people feel entitled to your time or they won't take you seriously. It feels counter intuitive but being stricter and having clear boundaries works better than letting others trample you as they please.
Exactly, don't set the expectation you're going to be an entertainer, because once you do that, they will not view you as an educator.
You are soooo RIGHT !
Yes, the respect MUST come first !
Never play this game here! NEVER let them con you into accepting fun fist, respect later !
If they don't like that sometimes---then too damn bad !
When I was a student, I actually enjoyed strict teachers instead of fun goofy one that in the end turned the class into disrespectful mess and I couldn't study a thing among them
Now I'm a teacher for the 5th year, it took me 5 whole years to learn this experience. My class still have new young teachers who have this mindset, and as much as I adore them, truth to be told, my students' behaviors are turned upside down when those young teachers take my class. I don't blame them, I was like that years ago too. I just wish this advice more well-known among young teachers
I’ve seen kids and adults take their own lives because of mass punishment the pressure of making a mistake is extremely overwhelming! Mass punishment never works simply because of that reason!
Whew..that must have been extremely hard. You are super entertaining and up beat but I'm sure it took a toll after awhile. I'm glad you had some really good moments too❤
A relative of mine was an English teacher in South Korea. Exact opposite behavior from you. They were strict and did not let the kids get away with fooling around. They were as strict or more strict than the native teachers. It's all about how YOU present yourself to the students. You choose to present yourself as an entertainer, not a teacher. It seems maybe you did not have a background in education from the start.
I think it is pretty typical for people who teach English in other countries to not have backgrounds as teachers. My older brother taught English in South Korea for 7 years, and he went shortly after graduating from college as a history major. He never had experience teaching - not even volunteering as a camp counselor or something along those lines. I know he did teaching through a program called EPIK, and for the first few weeks during his stay, he attended EPIK's own version of "schooling" to help introduce them to Korea. My brother participated in Korean language classes, classes about teaching, and also attended outings centered around Korean culture (ex. attending a taekwondo performance and participating in a taekwondo class). Maybe it isnt as common as I thought, but I've watched a lot of videos where foreigners go to teach English in Japan, S. Korea, and China, who have never had prior teaching experience. Also, I don't think my brother was extremely strict. He still had fun with the kids but also laid down the law for anyone who acted out.
The role of a teacher is NOT to entertain. You set yourself up to fail. Teaching is a skill in and of itself. The children responded to your entertaining presentation. Introspection is needed here. Instead of Giving up teaching after 5 years maybe you should get some serious training- change your negative “blame it on the kids” attitude.
You would get fired in China, and the other Asian countries popular with esl teachers sound pretty much the same. You may wanna do some research on their education systems and why so many commit suicide, and then try to understand there are a lot more things going on in these countries that shapes a foreigner teaching English within these systems.
Nine year veteran of teaching English in Japan here (late 90s and most of the 2000s). It seems that nothing has really changed apart from the bad parts getting worse. If anyone asked me about going over to work in Japan, especially as a teacher, I would say: Plan to do it for only a year. If you love it you can stay, but if you hate it you'll be home soon-ish!
This is solid advice. Thanks for sharing your experience teaching here.
Super good examples of pro and cons! Your videos are fun and informative. Though I am a high school science teacher and really enjoy teaching, I am very glad to know of this school for learning Japanese without having to go the teacher route. Keep doing what you do and thank you for introducing Nomad-San.
6:29 In my country it was because if students finds out you speak their language they won't try to speak english again so foreign teachers didn't allowed to speak local language even some local teachers had to act like foreigner too.
Interestingly, my school does not enforce this rule at all, and so I always find it surprising to hear how much schools discourage it. Everyone knows I am studying Japanese but that I am not fluent, so the students still try to speak with me in English, and if they do hit me with some complex Japanese (I always find it funny when some kid rattles off in fast Japanese with the delusional belief that I can understand them, it cracks their friends up), they eventually catch on to the confusion on my face lol. My JTEs have no issue making the kids aware that I am learning and have called attention to it, cause the students can see that I am also trying and making mistakes but passionate about language learning. That being said, I still stick to English primarily when communicating, simply because it is my native language lol. But I’ve done some exercises with students or asked clarification questions in Japanese if the context allows and it hasn’t been an issue yet. I think both languages can be used without it crippling the students as much as schools fear.
I am going to Japan for the first time in April of this year. I love your videos.
Have a nice time!
That school looks really well-funded and clean and even as a middle school class, they get to have fun! When I was a JET, I taught 4 elementary schools and 1 middle school. It was in a pretty small town and only one of the schools was really “nice” and clean and the others were old and basically for the elementary school classes, I was on my own. I had to make my own stuff for class, and basically just had a chalk board to work with. I “got” to do whatever I wanted so I did games and activities and the kids liked it a lot for the most part, but it was exhausting. Sometimes I had all 6 classes and other times I only had 2 and then nothing to do the rest of the day 😅 and at the middle school, the JTEs only used me to say things from the textbook and then the rest of their entire lesson was in Japanese and it was sooooooo boring. The kids hated it. And I asked so many times to do activities or games that I prepared, but they never let me.
Except for once when a teacher didn’t show up to school and they asked me to just go in his class and improvise. I ended up doing a really fun game and everyone was loving it, but then when it was over, the other JTE told me, “Oh, the kids like you better than me…” and instead of letting me do that game again, she just kept doing her regular boring lectures in Japanese. New teachers would come in and try to do fun things, too, but always ended up copying the senior teachers. It got so frustrating. I was fluent in Japanese and had already lived in Japan before and knew the culture, etc. but they kept shutting me out. I wasn’t invited to the lesson planning meetings the English teachers had. It was so upsetting.
Once, I visited a different middle school in our town and had a much nicer experience. I feel like I wasn’t treated well at my placement, and I had friends on JET who had amazing schools and co-teachers. I left after 2 years even though I had planned on staying until my 5th year. Now I live in Korea and it’s very different because most people speak English decently and their kids are expected to learn it, too. In Japan, most of my students could barely answer simple questions. They just have this mentality that English is “too hard” so they will never learn it.
Some of my students, I still remember fondly and they were so sweet and talked to me a lot and I really wish them the best! I have great memories as an ALT but also really awful ones. It was a mixed bag, for sure. I’m glad I did it but it totally depends on your personality and placement!
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Again a great and informative video. I remember Mr. Alligator from my childhood in the 90th.
Kids will be kids anywhere in the world it seems! .. This is a unique insight into English teaching in Japan Awesome stuff!
The issue will not be "kids being naughty" but when the management and others "respectable" teachers (by the kids) don't do anything to stop that behaviour that those teachers themselves would never allow... management neither... that is why Japan is fucked up... double standard... still a nice place, but just for tourists... if you are not Japanese borned and raised there... good luck really (compared to any other western country)...
thankyou for the wholesome and informative information Alyssa
Thank you so much for watching! Please enjoy more of my videos today.
Very honest video. So needed
Glad it was helpful! Thank you.
You won't stop me from trying! You're having all the fun! I'M GOING TO GET MINE!
Naughty kids at 3:15. Japan is also known for having the worst bullying in high schools. It is even more severe than bullying in America. Some students have even died from as a direct or indirect result of the bullying from fellow students.
They should be severe punished by that,sorta of"re education camp"
Japanese society thrives on conformity. You cannot have conformity on a country level without your peers being involved in your discipline.
@@SilverPaladinHow very sad. 😢
@sfrjenkins it is for those who can not conform. I have hope that will change especially with exposure to other cultures.
@ It might! Every culture has its good and bad. Here in the U.S., the gun violence is out of hand. I’m guessing that is not a problem in Japan.
Bit sad you’re not taken more seriously but was a fun video! Merry Christmas to you and your hubby! From Anne in Australia xx
Wishing you a merry Christmas from Japan to Australia.
I'm a much more engaged teacher than I'm a student. Why is that, because I was a guest instructor for one or two classes which made my material different. As a student, I had to learn, my way. It depended on the course and my personal inclinations as to what kind of student I was. I'm sure my teachers in the past, and those that I have now would still say Jim is intelligent, but does not properly apply himself to the curriculum. So nope I'll not be teaching English in Japan.
Japan is a country and a culture that has attracted my interest. I'm going to continue visiting and trying to improve my Japanese language skills and usage.
Hey those of you who view this channel, but aren't subscribed - WHY NOT. You get entertained, Anming 7 is very entertaining as Tommy Sensei. You'll see and learn things about China and Japan that you didn't know. In spite of yourself, you'll learn stuff. Most of all Anming 7 won't sugar coat things for you. She'll tell it like it is, and as long as you don't give up on yourself, she won't give up on you. So Subscribe and if you want more, become a Patreon like I have. I benefit and consider it monies well spent.
Thank you so much for your support Jim. You may enjoy teaching English for a day or even a week. I could see you teaching high schoolers. Looking forward to your trip here soon! We have lots of fun stuff planned for you.
@@OrientalPearlEach language brings its own culture.
And Japan is bad in this regard with a ranking of 50 out of 52 countries in the Asian continent In English fluency .
As a japanese, if i can watch how the chinese students react in studying english, I'd love to subscribe😊
it'll inspire my interest in learning a foreign language,
I taught middle school and high school foreign language in the US, and I can relate to a lot of this, particularly the stuff that leads to burn out.
Hi Pearl, Great vid. Much depends on having realistic expectations, good ESL teacher training and an abundance of flexibility. Also, as in most of life, knowing yourself is essential in making good choices of where to teach. Those choices can lead to disaster or fulfillment. Thanks for your insightful pros and cons of teaching middle school. I taught there for over 20 years and experienced the full range of results :)
That’s amazing that you got to teach here for over 20 years!
Hi Again - Mmm, I feel part Japanese - I've learned so much from that culture and those people. You've been learning a lot too ! Would like to share stories sometime :) Genki de ne !
Amazing video. Thank you for sharing your experience.
You are so welcome! I had a really great time sharing that story.
Their uniforms are really pretty and neat honestly
all the boys are wearing kim jong un outfits
@@blanne9628 The Gakuran (Japanese male school uniform) and the Kim Jong Un suit (or sometimes referred as Mao's suit) are basically came from European military uniform (mostly German uniform) from late 19th century but the Mao's suit had some slight change such as the collar is not stand up.
These were originally military uniforms tho.
@@blanne9628 金正恩が真似したんだよ
Based on Prussian uniforms from the late 1800s.
The ONLY downside to teaching English in Japan is the salary, the rest of it pretty good. I've taught in Japan for 7 years and my only issue was about the low salary. I would say all of the other reasons are normal for teaching English in another country *I've taught English for 24 years and you slowly learn that some of these things are similar, unless you put your foot down*
Merry Christmas!✝️❤️
Merry Christmas to you too!
Try an experiment. In your next class, if there is one, follow the Japanese teacher model. Firmness and business. Let's see what happens. Thank you for the glimpses of real Japan. Merry Christmas !!!
Speaking as somebody teaching English in Japan I'm not sure you've got the right approach. As somebody else has already commented it's important to set the boundaries for the kids. I've had "naughty" kids in my lesson who aren't really that bad, simply nobody has told them where the boundary is. As soon as I stop the lesson and clearly indicate they shouldn't do that, things rapidly improve. If you have an assistant teacher in the classroom and they aren't stupid, they'll translate the important parts into Japanese. I don't need to show anger, just that I'm serious. With younger kids it can help to pretend to be upset, that can be effective. They soon learn. I find teaching English in Japan to be thoroughly rewarding and somewhat of a privilege. I would recommend reconsidering your approach. I think it's okay for the kids to know you speak Japanese but the focus is on encouraging them to try and speak English which is why you shouldn't engage in Japanese with them. If they say things in Japanese to you make it a teaching opportunity and bring the other students in on it. Say, okay how do you say that in English and you can go from there. It seems to me that you are the kind of person who can adapt and if you do, much of the stress will disappear and you'll feel different about teaching. Good luck!
I actually have done research on this topic for foreigners coming to Japan and teaching English. All the points mentioned in this video are very accurate.
Another thing that was also not mentioned here is that English programs like the JET for example, when they sent out foreigners to teach there, usually it's the location where they're going to be placing them. And not the other way around like choosing where, and also usually on a rural area side of Japan.
Thanks for sharing this video I really do appreciate the honesty and the other points not mentioned often of the negatives.
What things
This was really informative and sweet. A departure from the language videos to give an honest glimpse into life as a foreign English teacher in Japan. One of her best videos in my opinion, especially for anyone considering this occupation. Being a teacher anywhere is hard.
Teaching is not for everyone and kids are going to be kids. It is a hard job.
The problem is that she is treated differently from other teachers. Normal teachers can teach classes without pressure to always joke and play games. They can give detention to rude students.
Thinking about it I guess that the reason why the kids behave like that with foreign teachers is because they dont have to hide anything and they can be more open with a foreigner teacher instead of a local teacher and due to the same reasons they do it in a way that is more uncomfortable for the teachers because they are used to hide their feelings and they dont know or have enough experience showing that inner part of them (It happens a lot to me in a way that Im not used to defend myself verbally with people, so when I have the opportunity to defend myself I cant never do it properly so I have to shut my mouth because I dont know what to say even if Im correct)
Thats what I would like to believe because japanese people are not those people that want to be disrespectful for no reason. I guess
But like people say in the comments, Kids will be kids anywhere in the world.
The biggest problem is the super low pay that has not progressed in over 10 years. And dispatch companies ruining the quality of teachers expected by hiring bottom of the barrel people who should not be teaching just so they can pay them low. Ugh.
Also it’s not the teachers driving it down. It’s the predatory dispatch companies and people thinking they can come and teach with no qualifications. Yes go be a student.
same as they do here !!!
30K+ per year sounds pretty decent imo, not really low
@uhm175 American teacher moment
@@uhm175 Hello from Europe. That's chicken feed. Source; I'm a teacher in Ireland. I met teachers from Oklahoma and Texas and whatnot over there and they were in Japan to escape poverty. I was there for the experience. America is not the world.
It's only a short video, but I got the impression that you didn't act like a serious teacher to them so I'm not really surprised they did not respect you as a one. I get the idea that you wanted to make school child-friendly and funny, but that's probably the 'issue' in such a conservatiive country.
Idk if u ever have been to Japan or a collectivistic culture in general. In her position especially in a school system, it is quite hard to do what you want because you are fed up with the system you are in. Because the group stands over your individual opinion. That said and adressing what Pearl said at the beginning of the vid. They have a certain expectations of your role that u then have to fulfill. And if you dont you are pretty much shunned out or fired. So she just did that. I have been in Japan for 7 Months and having been there I can understand her point of view a bit better.
Thanks for the insightful video. As a former student who spent six years learning English in Japanese schools, I can relate. Having native English teachers, I never really thought about why they chose to teach in Japan.
Once I started working at a Japanese company, I realized how rare it was to encounter native English speakers. I almost forgot everything I had learned!
However, when I started working with Vietnamese colleagues, I was motivated to learn Vietnamese to build a stronger team. One of them told me he came to Japan to experience the country, so I made him a Vietnamese language guidebook and took him skiing.
Teaching English to Japanese kids who are more interested in playing might be frustrating for some. If you're considering teaching English in Japan just to experience the country, I'd suggest looking into something like Akita Inaka School, where you can learn about Japanese culture and language. This kind of interaction could foster a genuine interest in English among Japanese people.
I worked with a Japanese crew in a Japanese company for six years. It isn’t just teaching. If you aren’t Japanese they treat you like second class. Respectfully treat you that way but nonetheless second class.
Just mention how Westerners are from the World's richest and advanced countries that beat Japan in WW2
@@geoff-m9w Asserting dominance
Just Talk Tuff with Japanese men,never act as a subservient with this men...
Remind the Japanese not to get cocky, because we still have a lot of nuclear bombs.
@@geoff-m9w It's frustrating, but their average IQ is the highest in the world.
So their behavior is not to be blamed.😭
When I taught English in Vietnam it was the same thing. I did love the experience. Same problems though.
Good to know. Thanks, Oriental Pearl!
Thanks for watching!
Great video! I got a degree in ESL and secondary education to specifically move and teach haha it wasn’t always enjoyable. No real plan or curriculums at times and used as a tape recorder lol but some schools had it together. It was a good experience though. It’s not for everyone.
You are awesome. I taught computers and internet etiquette back in the early 2000's and that's how I done it as well. If people have fun while learning they will enjoy learning.
Thank you Eric. Being a teacher can be a lot of fun.
The farewell fr students looks so heartwarming ❤
I wasn't sure if the students you were playing with were your students because you acted as if you were one of them. As a teacher myself for many years, I have always had my boundaries between my students and myself. Also, I don't think I would feel right to film my students and put them on UA-cam unless I had the permission from their parents. Perhaps this is okay in Japan.
I have been teaching English here for many years. High school and junior high school drove me crazy. Yes, I agree with your observations. After going back to graduate school, I was employed in Japanese Universities which was a much better gig. Better money, hours and tons of vacation time.
My teacher of English was really strict. We took it seriously. Here in Zambia. You also can't go to university in Zambia without passing English at 12th😊
japan doesnt take english learning seriously
日本に来られている英語教師の方がそのような問題を抱えているとは知りませんでした。全ての英語教師の方がそうではないかも知れませんが、学校や教育の現場の方々が個々の英語教師の気持ちに応える姿勢が必要ですね。
I really enjoyed this video. Very informative, humorous, and well presented. I’m a subscriber!😊
Thank you so much for being a proud subscriber.
@ you’re welcome!
I love your videos and I have subscribed a while back. Keep up the great content!
If it's Malaysia, I wouldn't expect foreign language teacher to speak local languages either. But not for the reason you thought, it's because you need the students to be fully immersed in the language taught. In fact, there were seasons when other languages or dialects spoken (local or not) other than the language of the session, will get you, as a elementary/primary school students, fined for a few cents.
In fact, in Singapore they used to have something called Mandarin month or English Month where street hawkers were not allowed to sell you food if you speak something else.
There are many negative comments about teaching abroad, but much of the experience depends on the school itself. As a teacher in an international school, I’ve observed the clear differences between government schools, private schools, and international schools. In many government or private schools, foreign teachers are often hired to "show a foreign face" and act more as entertainers than educators, with limited expectations regarding teaching quality or student outcomes. In contrast, international schools have much higher standards, with a strong focus on curriculum delivery, academic achievement, and fostering meaningful learning experiences. The attitudes and behaviors of the students also reflect these differences, making the role of a teacher far more fulfilling in an international setting.
Worked as a ELT part time in Chiba before and i can attest the points she makes are so true.
I went to Akita Inaka school a few years ago and it was a great way for a tourist to see a lot of local places that you wouldn't normally get to see. You meet a few local people but not loads as of course locals are going about their normal lives and the school building is located well out of town. The language instruction was pretty casual at intermediate level, just conversational practice, so it's really better for beginners who got structured tuition. There isn't a lot to do in Kosaka and without a car it is difficult to travel around the area, but the school offers a lot of excursions which are well worth doing. The small school staff are great and work very hard.
Japanese student is So cute I wish they have good future but they must be speak good English Because English is international language Although I can speak Japanese but is not more people will learn foreign language So English is So Convenient
This is gonna be a cool one 😎
Nice work Alyssa. The hard truths explained well. It was great to see the kids from Hatchimantai again, being a repeat visitor to Akita Inaka School ,brings back touching memories. Great to see you being such an ambassador for the school.
ありがとうございます🦘🐨🪃
I enjoy your videos very much. I learn a lot from you. Tell Tommy I said, "hi"!
For me I feel absolutely suffocated living in LA and don’t get along with my immediate family, I’m more than willing to go through everything you did if it means I get to be in a new country with a fresh new start
You are better off living with roommates and working 2 jobs with the goal to save money. Do this for a year and use the money to rent long-term places in the off season in Japan or S. Korea. You could rent a nice place for $400-600 a month. This allows you time to sightsee.
Russia
You know there are 50 states, right? No need to go foreign.
I'm one of those 10%. I've been subscribing to your channel for a couple of year. Merry Christmas.
I really appreciate that Joy! You’re one of the best for sure.
Im actually planning on teaching English to Japanese students and this video proves i wish to do that job
The classic "too much supply not enough demand" I think is prevalent everywhere, and it seems that it behooves people to know their worth and not take peanuts just for the experience.
You perfectly described teaching English in Japan without being too harsh.
love getting a glimpse into lives I would probably never have gotten to experience if it wasn't for you!! thank you for sharing!
I taught English to adults from different countries in Hawaii. I, also, have 39 years of experience teaching K -12 grades. 😮I feel i have class management skills down and I would not be having my class view me as an entertainer. I would establish myself as the TEACHER and they are the STUDENTS and would have conversational English and English from the workbooks. Now, presently, there is more access to videos and audios and other teaching aids. I would use those to supplement and reinforce my lessons. The objective is to have them love the subject, English, and use it in meaningful ways,, and to communicate with it, and i would have them think of situations where they would like to use it in their lives. I would like to develop a personal relationship with them. These students are not silly or dumb, or inclined to be disruptive, they have to have boundaries, and structure, and then they will give respect in your classroom. If you establish that is fun in your classroom, they will comply and act accordingly. If you establish that you are teaching and they need to learn, they will also respond in kind. They have been brought up in a culture that is respectful as that is what they would expect in a japanese classroom. These students are acting and responding as to what a Gaijin would expect in the Gaijin's country (that's what I see), probably because of what they see in American movies.
I lived in Japan for two years nearly 50 years ago and never saw Japanese students behave in this way in any situation. I am also a retired high school teacher in the United States that was honored on the national level. I was strict in my expectations but was popular in the schools I taught at. Kids honestly are more comfortable with boundaries. If I were to go to Japan and teach English today, I would never succumb to this “pressure” to be the fun and “cool” teacher. The teacher has the responsibility to set the tone in the classroom. Students recognize what they can and can’t get away within minutes of their first interaction with a new teacher. If the prior teacher of your subject matter let them be “wanpaku” in the classroom, it makes controlling the behavior of the students to your expectations more difficult, but far from impossible. You must possess a “toolbox” of classroom management techniques. They may resent this unexpected classroom atmosphere in the beginning, but in a shorter amount of time than you might expect, if you respect your students while demanding a well structured set of classroom behaviors, they will respect you. The atmosphere of learning can never be allowed to be dictated by outside and student expectations. The tone of respectful and enjoyable learning is always set by the teacher. In short, if the behavior of the students is unruly and exhausting, the only person responsible is yourself.
Your class looks SOOO fun!!!!
All my other classes at school are NOTHING like this!
Thanks. I try to keep the students interested.
Thanks! This was really interesting 👍
I’m glad you liked it. I have a few more videos about teaching English. Enjoy: ua-cam.com/video/UcaojNQ3ezw/v-deo.htmlsi=VW6pMNsT8N9jI76w
Hello From Paterson NJ, USA ...... Im a Akita Inaka School ALUMNI Summer 2023
7:17 I am danish but was raised in the U.S. My parents always spoke danish with each other but english to us so when we visited our family in Denmark my danish had an american accent. (Mom taught us kids to read and speak danish which wasn't too hard since we understood it already) One day I was making a purchase in a shop. The cashier was obviously not danish yet spoke danish with no accent and when she heard my american accent she reverted to English. That annoyed me so much. I am actually danish and speak danish, hello! Sigh......
This is a great glimpse into English teacher life in Japan. It's an interesting dynamic between the kids and the teacher. I never thought of it as you'd have to be entertainment to the students as well as teaching and pretend not to know any Japanese. The students really enjoyed you being their English teacher with their goodbye and the kind gifts they gave to you. 💜
Thanks for watching Whushaw. Yeah, China has the same system too. I was scolded quite a lot for using Chinese with the students, even after class was over. It’s like they wanted me to be a teacher 24 hours a day.
wow that kid really mocked you in the worst way 0:55
Ikr
He's just a kid. Kids in my highschool mocked every teacher, regardless of if they're a foreigner or not. 😄
I liked the video but I had never heard of you before it showed up on my recommended list. Interesting show.
It really depends on the situation. Not every teaching job is the same. I was relegated to an aid at school and I was a real teacher in America before going to Japan. On the other hand, some of my friends were basically treated like another teacher even though they had no experience. My enjoyment came more from what I did outside of school. I started clubs, coached sports, gave dancing lessons, had watch parties for movies/events, did English classes for people who wanted to travel and assimilated myself into the community. That’s where I got respect from students and parents. The other teachers at my school couldn’t have cared less about me. So, I guess it is what you make of it. I would advise not to expect too much satisfaction at work.
I taught in many different schools and conditions in Japan. Ibaraki, Tochigi, Kanagawa, and Tokyo. Some schools were strict with the no Japanese rule and others were not. From my experience, people in a particular school district tend to have their own protocols, yet try to convince you that this is the way it is done in all of Japan. Also, while I would entertain on occasion I was much more serious with them. Still, this did bring back some positive memories. Thank you.
I had no idea that teaching English in Japan was that different. Thanks for the information, a good video, I enjoyed it!
I’m glad you found it helpful and interesting.
I have enough trouble with my three teenagers, not sure I'd want to manage 30 of them in a classroom! However, I would encourage all of them to try living in Japan if they want to experience living overseas as most young New Zealanders aspire to live in the UK (especially London) as their Overseas Experience. It isn't that much of a different culture from New Zealand as we like pretty much the same sports, speak the same language, have similar cuisine and there is such a large Kiwi and Aussie expat community that you tend to be drawn into that world instead of experiencing British culture.
Yeah, London would barely count.
As a teacher in the US, we very much have to keep our students engaged (administrators constantly railroad that term) all day. We have turned into performers as well- keeping the children entertained!
Wow! I taught English in Japan back in 1997-1998 and I must say that it was completely different from what I see in this video. Times have really changed. I would have loved to have kids be so energetic. It was hard getting the adolescent kids to even speak. They were so shy. The kids 10 and under were a lot more talkative and energetic. I did love playing games with them. It was honestly the best job I’ve ever had. I loved it. It totally fit my personality. But it sounds like the pay hasn’t changed in 30 years. Back then I made like $30-35K/year. The difference was that they took out way less taxes than the US. But you’re right, it’s super expensive there. But it’s crazy they haven’t increased the pay.
Sadly I can't subscribe twice! Good luck on the goal! Love your videos
I taught English in China for 3 years. I was there mostly to learn the language and learn about the culture, but because all my time was spent planning and teaching, I felt like my language progressed very slowly. I came back to America and continued studying Chinese. Now, I actually teach some Chinese, and actually some Spanish, in the US. Once my Chinese level is even higher, I'm probably about an HSK 5 nearing HSK 6, perhaps I'll go back and be able to teach better. I do enjoy teaching but I enjoy learning about language and culture so much more! With experience teaching in the US, perhaps going back and teaching in Asia in the future will actually be fun for me. I understand classroom management and how to keep students attention so much better than when I was teaching English.
This is the kind of teacher that these kids will remember even after thirty years and i know this because i still remember the beautiful and the caring teacher that taught us another foreign language when were kids.
This is why GTO is a life changing anime.
Omg yes and gokusen
Just learning Japanese (and not gotten very far), but super interesting to get some insight into the day to day stuff as an English teacher in Japan. I love documentaries and behind the scenes type stuff, so while I have no goal of becoming an English teacher I still found this very fun and interesting to watch :)
You are a fantastic teacher
I appreciate that.
Teaching is not always fun and games, but it is more often than not. I do enjoy having my summers free!
Hats off to you girl 🙆♀️
Great video!! I loved your edits! It was such an interesting and wholesome watch 🙏😊 I really love your style of teaching! If you had taught English to Eastern Europeans, I would’ve loved to be in your class when I was a kid 😊🙌🙏!
Wow, that's crazy they didn’t let you speak Japanese in class! I feel like using both languages at the same time really helps the words stick, you know!?
By the way, did you see Robin-san’s video about teaching UA-cam to students? It was super interesting and insightful.
Fun fact: I actually found your channel through Robin-san’s video! Lol nomad-saaan!!
I love your videos, their so good
I really enjoyed watching this .The double standard of all foreign english teachers being scolded if they speak Japanese makes no sense. I'd think that it'd be advantageous that you can speak the language to explain some words or sentences re teaching english if a student needs that . Idk ?
I taught English in Japan for 6 years. It was awesome
Merry Christmas! I really enjoy your videos! P.S. I am originally from the Detroit area as well. Born in Ypsilanti, then Redford then Northville, Michigan!
A friend of mine (with whom I've since lost touch) taught English in Kobe, Japan, in 1994. She never said anything negative about the experience. I think her students were a few years older than the ones in the video.
I started my own school. We were doing big money until the world lost its mind. Lost half my students because nobody wanted to bother to learn how to use zoom. And also lost the place we were renting, it's still closed and the geezers that run it are still terrified of the rona.
But this is the only job that makes me happy every single day, so I'm not giving up yet.
And if teaching in Japan is truly a passion for you, then the only way is to start your own business/school. It's a lot more difficult, but so much more rewarding.
That’s amazing that you started your own school.