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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Why I won't teach in the US.

Almost unfailingly, when people see/hear/learn I've been in Japan teaching these past few years, they ask if I plan on teaching back in the states. Another friend asked that via email just recently. And hell, what else is this blogging nonsense for if not working out whatevers going on in my brainpan?

I don't imagine I'll pursue teaching in the states. Actually, I know I won't. I have thought about it, moreso in the early days of being in Japan, when I kind of realized I was getting a kick out of it. But even the most cursory of research into the American educational system these days is rife with bureaucratic regulations and nonsense of the highest order. There's at least as much bureaucratic nonsense here, of a slightly different sort, but by virtue of my position here - not to mention the language barrier and the somewhat, ummm, racial, expectations of foreigners in Japan - I'm effectively removed from 99.9 percent of it, of which the net result is awesomeness.

Plus, here I get all the good parts of teaching - the teaching and connecting with kids parts - while having little to no responsibility at all for things like discipline and grading. Shoot, the sheer amount of rough housing, wrestling and judo I play with the elementary and Jr high kids would be enough to get me barred from most schools in the US. And while the slightly conformist nature of Japanese culture still can rub me the wrong way, in schools - it, um, works to my advantage. So my powers of denial deem that an acceptable trade-off.

And while I've not any teacher experience in the states to compare with, there's so little disciplinary difficulty here... regular disciplinary issues are things like dyed hair and short skirts. Maybe sleeping or being a little noisy. I mean, come on. And schools and teachers are still deferred to by parents in Japan, not the - obviously - other way around in the states. Where insane and irresponsible parents hamstring the educational system in the US with their sense of entitlement, leaving teachers and administrations living in fear of the inevitable lawsuit. At least that was my impression as the husband of a high school teacher for a few years. And from reading too much on the internets.

As an aside, there's actually a rise in this kind of parental behavior here in Japan, called "Monster Parent" - so much so that it achieved the pinnacle of Japanese culture last year - The TV Drama.

Monster Parent - DramaWiki:
"Monster parents-a neologism that denotes parents who repeatedly make unreasonable demands to their children’s school and prevent it from functioning normally. Takamura Itsuki is the ace lawyer of a major law firm. One day, she is assigned on a case requested by a school board, and learns of the existence of 'monster parents.' She meets a parent who wants the school to fire a teacher with a dialect for fear that he may exert bad influence on her child, a parent who insists that her son get a regular position on the soccer team, a parent who refuses to pay the lunch fee because it doesn’t taste good and so on. She is, at first, reluctant about this case, but gradually becomes determined to solve the problems. --Fuji TV"

Conservative Japanese, of course, blame this type of Monster Parent behavior on "foreign" influence. Sigh.

11 comments:

  1. It's funny how people from similar geographic locations can observe the same thing, or in this case experience the same thing, and yet have such different views of the experience.

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  2. Mostly on the discipline front...I don't think even the teachers address things in their own classroom. I mean even the simplest of issues. Example, yesterday there was a 2nd grader sleeping at his desk during the class, of course during the English lesson (after 8 months of observation). This kid is often avoiding the requirements in this class (not saying that it's ok), but this time he was in the front of the class and his behavior was in view of the other students that were doing what they were supposed to be doing. So, I made mention of it to the JTE. The JTE full well knowing this kid's behavior turned to me assuming that because I cannot fully communicate my opinions in Japanese that I must somehow be retarded/blind said he is not feeling well. Anyway, the different views that you and I have are that I think that not only do the parents seem not to care, but the teachers seem to just make excuses and avoid the problem vs. addressing the students and maybe in some small way change behavior. I get it (not). The teachers don't seem to want to give anything that might resemble "negative re-enforcement"...
    Oops...maybe that is the "foreign influence" that you were referring to?

    There is much more, but I guess what I'm saying is that there are many more discipline issues that need to addressed and not avoided, in hopes that the problem will disappear if we just ignore it. At least in the US teachers can expect some sort of support if they give re-enforcement. Whether it is the Principal, Police, or the Court.

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  3. So yeah, okay, I've been thinking and ruminating on a lot of what you said, and it hit a buncha different things in a couple different veins of thoughts, which is why it took so long for me to write up a response...

    First, when you talk of "avoiding the requirements in this class" the thing you're missing is that, actually, there are no 'requirements' of the class. A kid can graduate Jr High simply by *showing up*.

    Seriously... if you don't know, a kid can fail *every* test in *every* subject and graduate Jr High.

    And that is the way that the system is *designed*. The purpose of Jr High, as delineated by the national Ministry of Education is NOT to educate, but to develop good and well rounded citizens. Whereas socialization is a by-product in the US education system, here it is the PRIMARY GOAL.

    The vast majority study and perform in order to do well on high school exams and gain entrance to the HS of their choice, but school is only mandatory through JHS. And academic achievement is not the primary purpose of JHS, but instead making "good" citizens and socializing kids.

    Secondly, when you talk about "avoiding the problems" or "negative re-enforcement" I do think your projecting a very western perspective on Japanese culture/education. I mean, for whatever reason, Japan - generally speaking, of course - is not a culture that values or finds effective the art of *confrontation.*

    Confrontation is NOT the Japanese way, for good or for ill. That's just the way it is. Maybe because it's a small country with limited resources that require intense cooperation for survival, but in Japan, you really don't confront or call out people on their shortcomings in public. You privately, and surreptitiously cajole people in to contributing to the greater good and into doing their part. So to confront a kid in the middle of class, maybe embarrass them or correct, yeah... that really isn't go-to move for any Japanese teacher.

    Now, I do have one teacher that will embarrass a kid in class. But he's told me on more than one occasion how the "Japanese" way is too limiting and he wished he could use more Western methods. But it's not very "Japanese" to do that kind of thing.

    Your frustration, really, sounds like it comes from a foundational frustration with Japanese culture - which might be well deserved, but who are we to say? - and not with the Japanese school system.

    What I'm saying, I guess, about disciplinary issues, is really this - in the 3 and a half, almost 4 years of teaching at the elementary and Jr High school level that I've had - I haven't seen one fistfight between kids. I haven't seen or heard one kid raise his voice in a disrespectful manner towards a teacher or staff member. I mean, that's kind of phenomenal.

    And when you think about it, you're talking about a kid sleeping in class. In the US you need worry about kids bringing guns to class. Whole different world.

    And FWIW, when kids are sleeping in my classes, I don't talk to the JTE, I go and pop 'em on the head or shake 'em around for a bit. "NO SLEEPING!" I say as a crazy gaijin. Because that's what I can do.

    But I've got a familiarity with my school/kids/teachers :)

    Lastly, your assumption, though humorous that you must be "retarded/blind" is filled with negativity and self esteem issues... Love yourself Anton!

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  4. Well to be completely honest, I did not know the students could just move through the system. I mean, I kind of had that feeling in elementary, but not JHS.

    With guns not being legal in Japan, I agree that things here are a bit safer than back in the states, but really "The purpose of Jr High, as delineated by the national Ministry of Education is NOT to educate, but to develop good and well rounded citizens" is an injustice to Japanese people everywhere.

    Further more, I'm not projecting anything on the Japanese society. I believe that as adults/educators (using that loosely) it is our responsibility not only to assist in the linguistic development of these children, but also teach manners, respect, and ethics as well. Because when it comes right down to it English is the number one used language in the world. While you may not believe the Ministry of Education's goal is to educate, I disagree. I think that for the same reasons that you stated in your e-mail to me, Japan NEEDS educated people that are SOCIALLY EXCEPTED not only in Japan, but GLOBALLY. I don't think Japan or any country for that matter wants the masses to be unemployable due to the lack of education (that maybe a stretch).

    Like you said, "The vast majority study and perform in order to do well on high school exams and gain entrance to the HS of their choice," so why don't they address the issues that are disruptive to the educational development of the student that is trying to get an education. Sure if the MOE's main concern is the socialization of the kids then let the ones that are trying to get an education and conforming to societies norms do so. The other children are going to end up "Yankee" anyway, right? Those are the ones hanging out smoking in front of the train station exit blocking the "good citizens" from being productive members of society, by getting to work on time.

    You and I both know that the younger you are when you learn something the better you retain it, so why not start now?

    By the way, I have seen three fistfights, two between boys and one with the girls. On several occasions I have seen boys disrespect teachers with out any reprimand, well at least I wasn't witness to the reprimand. It happens.

    Maybe the reason you have not had the pleasure is due to location. I mean, your kind of out in the countryside, right? Where everybody knows everybody? I know that the kids out on the island were really well behaved and respectful.

    I guess this is just the way I see it. I got a whole different impression of Japanese society from the behaviors of the Japanese people I knew in the U.S. and my Japanese wife.

    Sadly, as I wrote this I had a voice in my head that kept telling me that I may expect too much from people. No dime store psychology about voices in my head please.

    Later,
    T

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  5. Voices in your head? Too easy.

    See, the thing is, while there's a bit I agree with in what you're saying, fundamentally, what you're advocating for is the Japanese system to change into being more like a western/American system. More confrontational and direct discipline as opposed to the more Japanese slow paced/roundabout/communal/cajoling style. I mean, what you're basically saying is that the Japanese style and the Ministry of Education is wrong and the American style is what they need to be doing.

    But.

    In terms of international comparison and testing, [PISA] the Japanese students always are ahead of the Americans. Worldwide 15 year old testing puts Japan in the top 6 in mathematics, problem solving and science. Top 15 in reading literacy. The US doesn't make the top 20 in any category. International Math and Science Studies [younger kids] show that younger kids in Japan rank about 5th internationally, compared to 12th for the U.S. Which means as U.S. get older, they get dumber, and worse, apparently. The US has a slight edge in Educational index, but it's decreasing in the US and increasing in Japan.

    And the societal impact and results of the Japanese style of discipline? Quality of Life is a wash. GDP, both Japan and the US are top 3 by almost any measure. Discipline? The US has the highest prison population per capita, IN THE WORLD. 793 per 100,000. Japan? 62. Murder rates? The US has 5.7 per 100,000. Japan 1.10 per 100,000. So, apparently, all that rigorous and youthful indoctrination of good order and discipline doesn't account for much.

    Bottom line, by any appreciable measure, Japan is doing something right. And it works.

    Yeah, I'll admit there are holes in the argument, and I could make some effective counter arguments myself, but the upshot of it is that the Japanese "style" works for Japanese society, which is all it needs to do.

    And fwiw, as far as Japanese folks overseas/expats/etc/etc... I'd say that this applies to pretty much all countries and people... expats and folks who live overseas, a big reason they do so is because they don't quite "fit" wherever they're from. Maybe not in significant or terrible ways or anything, but most don't swim in the mainstream of whatever culture they're from. IMHO.

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  6. Sorry for the delay. We have been preparing for exams this week.

    Again I'm not advocating a western philosophy to Japan, but in truth no one country has a perfect system or all the answers and can always learn from the way others do things. Your attempt to spin my words is no different than if I were to say that you advocate child abuse because you stated that you "just pop the kid in the head because you can". Which I'm sure you don't mean.

    All I'm saying is that it is funny, interesting how two people can see the same thing and have two completely different opinions of what transpired.

    Surely, you remember from our conversation over at "Hanada-san's" mansion, that my wife and I brought our daughter here in order to educate her "the Japanese way", because we both feel strongly that it is more effective than the US's method? And your comments "in terms of international comparison" confirms my argument that the Ministry of Education's (MOE) goal is not primarily about creating "good citizens" out of kids, but rather to educate them.

    In regards to the US having such a high number of institutionalized people as a result of "youthful indoctrination of good order" as you put it is great and affirms the points that I'm trying to make. 1) That the US method while costly it addresses bad behavior with consequences and that the Japanese legal system/law enforcement/disciplinary method is a joke. 2) That there is obviously a correlation between a lack of education and criminal behavior. Turning your head doesn't make the problem go away. 3) That knowledge bares responsibility and that means that people like you and me have the duty of fostering good ethics, morals etc, in the young people that are in our charge.

    Lastly, I just can't get behind your idea that Japanese people overseas can't hack it in their own country, but that maybe, just maybe and I may be reaching here, but I would rather believe that their reasons a much broader and more likely then not somehow a result of their own desire to be a bit more educated and if you will, more globally excepted.

    One thing that I will admit is that you are definitely a "long winded mf" and it is because of that, that I concede...you win!

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  7. Not trying to "win" or anything, just saying...

    And not trying to "spin" you either, it's just coming across to me that you were advocating a more western style system, in terms of discipline, in the Japanese educational model. It still seems that way to me, from your last paragraph.

    My point as far as prisons/murder rates go is that in spite of the western style of "punishing" bad behavior in the traditional, puritanical sense, it doesn't really seem to imbue or teach our youthful citizens very much, given we've such high imprisonment and murder stats. If the western style is so good at teaching kids to follow the rules and be good people, why are so many in prison or killing each other?

    For the testing thing, the fact that they participate and do well doesn't negate the fact that it was explained to me in an ALT meeting, by a kindly Japanese person, that the reason any kid can graduate from Jr High, just by showing up, is that the aim of the educational system through that level is the development of the "whole person" and that academic achievement is secondary.

    As for the expat thing, you'll have to note that I didn't say they couldn't "hack it" - I said that they didn't quite fit in. And you make my point, in that most folks who want to travel and live overseas have a much greater need for experience and education than the average person. Their wanderlust combined with their need to see and do more with their lives is exactly that thing which keeps them from fitting in. Hell, there are still people I graduated HS with who have never lived more than 50 miles from where they were born. Expats and folks who go to live in other countries aren't "normal"... and that's a good thing, imho.

    As far as "you and me fostering good ethics"... yeah, I'll go as far as "Hey, you! stop poking your classmate in the eye with a pen!" or "You know, running over your sister with your bike isn't really a good thing..." Beyond that, whenever anybody, anywhere starts talking about inculcating "good ethics and morals" in the youth, it starts making my teeth itch. It can mean all sorts of things, and usually means fostering a sense of allegiance and submissiveness to an authority and set of rules and regulations that may or may not have anyone's best interests at heart. It rapidly approaches Godwin's Law, but, you know, WWII Japan was *great* at fostering "good ethics and morals." Highly effective and full of great things like sacrifice and patriotism. ;)

    And with that, I guess I bid you adieu. Quitter :)

    Really enjoyed kicking around these thoughts and ideas w/you...

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  8. I too enjoyed it. Enjoy the secret blog. It's just a little thing I started with good intentions in mind...trying to turn over a new leaf.

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  9. Hey guys. TLDR, but I want to weigh in on some of the points touched on here.

    Yeah, it's true that Japan ranks higher on average PISA scores, but there's a certain underlying bias there towards rote learning. Japanese students can answer questions with straight-forward questions that are either correct or incorrect. However, they are in general far less developed, and often fall short of answering questions that require lateral/critical thinking skills. There is of course a reason for this.

    The reason is the entrance examination. While I'll not comment on the theoretically evil act of subjecting 14-15 year-olds to the pressure of an entrance examination, in high school from almost as soon as they walk down the gymnasium to take their seats as first years, they are hounded as to the importance of the entrance exam.

    Not every student will go on to post-secondary education. But the teaching methodology is designed solely for those moving on to university. The entrance exam being a test, they rely on questions for which there are definite answers. The reasons for this are many, but I think are fundamentally rooted in the idea that education must be equal for all. Thus by taking out questions with fuzzy answers open to interpretation, you ensure that all students are graded equally, i.e correct or incorrect. This in and of itself isn't faulty. From a logistical, and let's face it, an egalitarian stand point, this system works well.

    But this system doesn't foster lateral/critical, and let's face it, independent thinking. Because students are all taught as if they will take the entrance exam, combined with the sheer scope of what must be covered, teachers, regardless of their own teaching philosophies, must adopt a system that focuses on correct answer acquisition. English grammar classes are almost like math classes in the formulas used to define sentence structure (s + would/should/could/might + have + p.p... = If + s + past perfect...). The idea here is that the students should be able, having memorized the formula, create grammatically correct sentences by cutting and pasting their words. This might work if the students were given a chance to make example sentence after example sentence until they got it down cold, time constraints and a need to "get through the curriculum" mean that this can't be accomplished in class.

    Ultimately, what it boils down to is this: the students have little incentive to learn things beyond the scope of the entrance exam, and in fact you'd be surprised at the number of students who complain that ALT lessons take away time that could be used revising their exam studies. Teachers, regardless of their desired methodologies, are forced into rote teaching without being able to go into the mechanics of WHY an answer is correct, by virtue of there just not being enough time in the year WITH extra morning class, extra afternoon class, and extra Saturday classes. Thus students look ONLY to subject and ideas that will show up on the entrance exam, and simply disregard anything else as useless. As rote learning focuses on memorization as opposed to active problem solving, students aren't able to develop their critical thinking/problem solving skills.

    This I think is dangerous to Japanese society. A nation of sheeple who simply accept without thinking the words of authority figures can lead to dangerous consequences. While it's true that such a system has suited the Japanese people fine in the past given their geographical and mono-racial situation, Japan no longer operates in a self-contained bubble. Japan's many failing government systems is evidence that a measure of fundamental change is necessary. What I wonder is if this current generation of (apathetic) Japanese kids will be up to the challenge?

    Phew, that was terribly long winded.

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  10. Great observations Mike. I think the excessive use of the "rote" method has a lot to do with it too. I like your use of math as an analogy for the way English is learned in Japan.

    I hope things change a little in the near future, because like you said "This I think is dangerous to Japanese society. A nation of sheeple who simply accept without thinking the words of authority figures can lead to dangerous consequences. While it's true that such a system has suited the Japanese people fine in the past given their geographical and mono-racial situation, Japan no longer operates in a self-contained bubble. Japan's many failing government systems is evidence that a measure of fundamental change is necessary. What I wonder is if this current generation of (apathetic) Japanese kids will be up to the challenge?", I really want much more for Kylie.

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