Student Teachers

For the past three weeks, we’ve had two student, English teachers come and train at our school. A couple points about that:

1. The teachers both went to this school when they were junior high students. Apparently, all student teachers get placed at their hometown school if it’s possible.

2. Kae was responsible for supervising the teachers, but she sat out the lessons. I taught the lessons with them while Kae sat in the back.

3. Going over lessons with the new teachers was entirely tedious. One of them spoke practically no English. (“How is she going to teach English?” you might wonder. “Entirely in Japanese” is your answer) They insisted on going over every point of the lesson with me. Whereas Kae takes for granted that I can read the example dialogues she write, the new teachers wanted me to practice with them. Maybe they just wanted to practice reciting the English, but they way they approached it was as if the practice was for my benefit. I know how to read and speak my own language, thank you very much. Also, these detailed goings-over included things like “now I will put the picture you are talking about on the board.” As if I would get confused/angry if they suddenly put up a picture of the very thing I’m talking about. (Here’s what that would look like: “This is Ken… what… what are you doing? What’s that picture of Ken doing on the board? You never said anything about a picture! Take it off the board! Now, get out of my sight! You’ve failed the student teaching seminar!)

4. The students were so respectful of the student teachers. Even the class that usually goofs around was stone-cold silent and obedient. I was amazed. In America, whenever there’s a new teacher – substitute or student – the kids always test them to see what they can get away with. I remember. I did that as a kid. I mean, sometimes these kids don’t pay attention, or they talk to their friends, but they never maliciously challenge a teacher’s authority like American kids do. In fact, they behaved better with the guest teachers.

At the end of the day, after brass band club, Kae asked me to stay a little longer because we were going to have a small going away party for the student teachers’ last day. I was promised cake, so I stayed. This brings us to 6:30. Everyone sits down in the tea room, with their cake, and instead of just having a pleasant goodbye snack, there had to be speeches. Japanese people can’t do anything without formality getting involved. By the time the closing speeches were made, the little cake get-together lasted almost hour. So I didn’t get home until almost 8 – on a Friday. And I left early. Most of the other teachers are still there.