A-S-K. Ask.
That's what you do to have your own laptop in school.
I know a lot of ALT's who do not have their own laptop in their schools. In fact, the previous ALT in my current school worked here for two years without his own laptop. He just used the common computer in the teachers' room to print worksheets and visual aids he made at home. When I told him that I have my own laptop in the same school, he asked me what did I do. I told him what I just wrote down- I asked.
However, it doesn't mean that I just simply approach a staff and demanded I should be given a laptop. It doesn't work that way. It wouldn't work that way. (Even if it did, it is considered rude.I did it in a polite and non-direct way with the help of another Japanese.
Usually, before school starts the ALT and a Japanese bilingual staff visit the school/s. The ALT will be introduced to the principal, to the vice-principal and to the English teachers. Then, the Japanese staff, the ALT and the vice-principal will have a small talk on the working conditions in the school. That's the perfect time to bring up the topic having your laptop. Through the Japanese staff, ask the vice-principal if it's possible to have your own laptop in school. If not, ask if you can bring your own. Most schools prefer to provide laptop for the ALT than for the ALT to bring a personal one. Hence, asking if you can bring your own is a great way to sort of pressure the school to provide you a laptop.
Some ALT's don't want to be considered demanding so they don't ask. Then they'd suffer the whole year (or 2 like my friend) without one. ALT's have loads of free time at work but you can't just sit and look as if you're not doing anything. The answer to this is: THE LAPTOP. It would help you make use of your time wisely. You can make worksheets in advance, browse for great visual-aids, read teaching strategies or even blog about your frustrations. (Yep, that's me!) Take note though that you can only ask laptops from your main school. If you visit a school only a few times in a month, I don't think you'd have lots of free time. There's no need to have your own personal computer. But you can still try.
So ask and, chances are, it will be given to you.
That's what you do to have your own laptop in school.
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| credit: http://www.mactoons.com |
I know a lot of ALT's who do not have their own laptop in their schools. In fact, the previous ALT in my current school worked here for two years without his own laptop. He just used the common computer in the teachers' room to print worksheets and visual aids he made at home. When I told him that I have my own laptop in the same school, he asked me what did I do. I told him what I just wrote down- I asked.
However, it doesn't mean that I just simply approach a staff and demanded I should be given a laptop. It doesn't work that way. It wouldn't work that way. (Even if it did, it is considered rude.I did it in a polite and non-direct way with the help of another Japanese.
Usually, before school starts the ALT and a Japanese bilingual staff visit the school/s. The ALT will be introduced to the principal, to the vice-principal and to the English teachers. Then, the Japanese staff, the ALT and the vice-principal will have a small talk on the working conditions in the school. That's the perfect time to bring up the topic having your laptop. Through the Japanese staff, ask the vice-principal if it's possible to have your own laptop in school. If not, ask if you can bring your own. Most schools prefer to provide laptop for the ALT than for the ALT to bring a personal one. Hence, asking if you can bring your own is a great way to sort of pressure the school to provide you a laptop.
Some ALT's don't want to be considered demanding so they don't ask. Then they'd suffer the whole year (or 2 like my friend) without one. ALT's have loads of free time at work but you can't just sit and look as if you're not doing anything. The answer to this is: THE LAPTOP. It would help you make use of your time wisely. You can make worksheets in advance, browse for great visual-aids, read teaching strategies or even blog about your frustrations. (Yep, that's me!) Take note though that you can only ask laptops from your main school. If you visit a school only a few times in a month, I don't think you'd have lots of free time. There's no need to have your own personal computer. But you can still try.
So ask and, chances are, it will be given to you.
