For ALT's: Keys to Teaching Well with Japanese Teachers

Mother-Baby Crying Bears at Odaiba

ALT stands for Assistant Language Teacher. 

Because an ALT is an assistant in the Japanese classroom, there's a Main Teacher. 

The Main Teacher is a Japanese Teacher who is believed to be competent enough to teach English. They are called JTE. How competent the JTE's are to teach English is a possible point of contention. (I'll write on it next year when I'm done with my job.hehe!)

JTE's are expected to teach with ALT's at least once a week. However, to what extent should they work together depends largely on the JTE. 

Here are the types of "team teaching" of ALT-JTE in Japan:

• ALT teach during the whole class period while the JTE stands at the back of the room. The JTE will only help when asked. 
• ALT  do the reverse- they stand at the back of the room and will only help when the JTE request for assistance. 
• ALT  is given half of the class time. I like this kind of ALT-JTE team teaching. I get to teach but half the effort.
• But my favorite is when the ALT and JTE actually teach as a team. It's when I can rely on the JTE to support me and when the JTE can also depend on me to deliver a great lesson.

I've worked with more than 10 JTE's in my 3 years in Japan but I've only experienced consistent great team teaching with 3 JTE's. Because of this, they're my favorite JTE's, unsurprisingly.

So what makes a good ALT-JTE tandem for team teaching?

Why the Japanese Live Longer

Giant Buddha at Kanaya, Shimada

Long time no write.

I had some pains on my right hand so I gave it a rest from typing.

Now that I'm feeling a little better, I will let you on to the Japanese secret of long life.

Their secret is really no secret at all. But the Japanese are just more observant of what science says to have long lives namely- healthy food, regular exercise and a safe environment.

The Worst Student in Japan

credit: http://singleuserdash.joe.im/

Japanese students are pretty easy to deal with. 

Most of them are generally well-behaved. They follow school rules. They respect the teachers. They're organized. They're trained to do tons of homework. Even the few problem students are still manageable. 

However, there's one kind of Japanese student that I detest dealing with.  I personally call them the "silent *itch."