Random JET Programme Mid-Year Conference Ruminations...

This past week I had to go to a two day seminar for folks in the Fukuoka/Kitakyushu area on the JET Programme.

Random:

- 2 days at this thing is far too long, with too much padding, too much dead time, and no efficiency whatsoever. The conference is about 2-3 hours of worthwhile material stretched out over 2 days. And yes, I actually did fill out the post-seminar feedback eval, and pretty much said the same thing. So I'm not just whinging. With better planning, it could easily be knocked out in day. Especially if you cut out the workshops by JETs who were clearly coerced into doing a presentation about something they really didn't care about and didn't know that much about.

- while, otoh, I can admire and respect those ALTs filled with both enthusiasm and optimism for improving and changing some things about the ways English is taught in Japan, there gets to be a point where it strikes me as hubristic arrogance. Of, almost, the culturally imperialistic kind. It's that fine line between "Let me help to make this better" and "Let me show you what you're doing wrong in the two years I'm here in your country. Then I'll return to my nation, having fixed yours."

That might be a slight overstatement, but at one point, walking around during lunchtime, I heard this winner of a quote - "Well, if they really understood what education is for, then they'd change things."

And see, in theory, I agree with a lot of the criticisms of the Japanese educational model. It is overly rigid, overly structured, and too reliant on by-the-book memorization and testing skills. And actually learning to speak the English language is hamstrung by a lot of the teaching methodology.

But.

See, the thing is... it's their country. And their system. You are just visiting. You, in your role, are never going to be able to effectively institute systemic educational changes in your role as an ALT. Your place, for lack of a better term, is culturally defined to prevent that.

Again, do I think that's a good thing? No, not really. But it is what it is. And to try and change that, is, like pissing into the wind.

But a lot of that perspective is something I've probably come to over my own 3 and a 1/2 years here. And I've felt for a while that the most effective thing you can do as an ALT is try to make genuine, individual connections with as many students and teachers as you can. That's how you actually make any kind of change, person by person, individual by individual...

But what do I know?

And in the very cool Japan category, coming home from the conference on the 2nd day, the JR train station had put up their Xmas tree, and a bunch of yochien [kindergarten] students were singing Xmas carols in Japanese. Too unbelievably cute for words, and I wish I'd had my camera. Plus they had a Santa Claus give out presents, and some of the yochien kids were apparently the younger sisters and brothers of my elementary school kids, as I saw/played with a bunch of them while waiting on my ride.

But hands down, the best thing of the two day seminar was having to take the train out to Sasaguri both mornings. Why, you ask? Because both going to and coming from, I ran into a bunch of my former JR HS kids, on their way to [and coming home from] high school. And to a person they were all tickled and delighted that not only did I remember them, but that I'd come over and say "hi."

Even with my paltry Japanese, I can't even express how gratifying it was to hear one girl talk with her friend [in Japanese] after I'd briefly visited with them - "Hey, he really remembered us! That was cool! Yeah!"

Just spending a few moments to say "Hi. Long time no see! What high school are you at? Do you like it? Is it hard? How have you been?" and letting them know that YES, OF COURSE I remember you. And you mattered to me. And it was really good to have known you. THAT's the JET Programme, I think. Really. Not the whole English teaching part. [Though that's good too.]