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A question to the AETS out there - do you join in any of the bukatsu at your school? Are you told to and do you do it regularly or not?

 

A local AET is having a big shouting match over this very thing right now. Doesnt want to join in, but they're telling him he must.

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I guess to each their own. I couldnt imagine not participating in clubs at school, especially as a medium in getting to know students, culture, and language more. But, its one small part of my job. What could be cooler than being the ski coach and skiing for free twice a year? \:D

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It should be there in the contract. That's what contracts are for - that's what determines whether it really is part of the job or not.

 

The old JET contract used to have a bit that said "and anything else which your supervisor tells you to do", which is pretty inclusive. I once had a contract that said something like that and I formed a union and negotiated that part out - but still did a few extracric things that I thought were worthwhile.

 

Your local AET has the right idea - but he should follow through and leave the JET program as soon as possible. And take more interest in contracts next time.

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I help out in the Interac club once a week. Not sure what the club is for but I speak english and the students look at me like I'm freakin Frankenstein.

 

Other than that I'm not expected to take part in any other after school things. Even the interac club is easy to get out of and I don't go half the time.

 

What's wrong with the JET program Ocean? From the JET point of view please.

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If you do a search on this site, you're sure to find threads discussing this. There are also at least one fairly good analysis online by an ex-JET.

 

But in a nutshell, JETs are brought here as unskilled labour, their value to all parties including themselves is similar to that of unskilled labour, and their role in Japan is based on the entirely fraudulent concept of 'internationalization' (so they're living a lie which is never a good basis for employment).

 

If they realize this and cynically accept it, then it can be a route to something else.

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....or they can do their best to do their job, make a difference, enjoy their time, enrich the lives of the people they affect, and then move onto something else using the experiences they have had during their time as an AET....

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Because mediocrity is built into the 'program' (why is still called a 'program' after all these years...?), it doesn't achieve its limited goals, and its limited goals are wrong and deceitful. (What on earth does 'internationalization' mean when foreign teachers are forbidden any sort of tenure? Before you go on any more about how 'I think I have made a slight difference', stop and answer that question... You might like to start your analysis with the Korean citizens born here.)

 

JET also trades on the goodwill of the young and innocent, exploiting them and taking some of the years when they could be doing something of genuine value.

 

Of course there are good people on it, who make something good of a bad deal, but that doesn't mean it's not basically a bad deal to start with.

 

Let me refer you to bobby12 who said all the standard lines about JET at the beginning and dismissed it harshly at the end. I have no doubt that he did his best in the circumstances and came away with something good. But the 'program' could easily, and should be designed to provide more benefits all round.

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The JET program is kind of silly is some ways. But for me I have a great time teaching and I assume my students like me teaching them as they always get sad when I am not there. I get a pretty good salary, a good amount of time off and lots of free time while at work.

 

Yes in most cases we are unskilled in teaching however we do learn quick.

In cases where people have an bad experience with JET it is usually either there own fault or there employers fault. In most cases that I know of the bad experience comes from the employers not know how to utilize there JET.

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> In most cases that I know of the bad experience comes from the employers not know how to utilize there JET.

 

Er, yes. Good point. And, er, why would that be...?

 

Imagine how much less sad the students might be if they had a real foreign teacher who was responsible for every aspect of their performance and was trained to maximize it. Gosh, but that would be impossible right?

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My employers know pretty well how utilize me and I know pretty much where I stand too and what is needed.

 

And what I do is of genuine value. Not that I really personally care, but it's pretty insulting for someone to say otherwise, without knowing all the details about me and my situation.

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Having heard the same narrow-focus guff from countless JETs over 15 years, I really couldn't care less whether a clear statement of the bigger picture offends you.

 

I notice that you don't make any attempt to answer my points about that bigger picture. Nor do you proudly produce your real teacher's qualifications, which in the real world, are actually worth more than the good self-image of JETs. That would be the only detail that would make any difference to me, and then I would have to wonder why you would be representing such a cockeyed system as something worthy of an advanced nation.

 

BTW, for anybody who is interested, Patrick Smith offers a short but very insightful view of 'internationalization' in his book about Japan.

 

So, are bukatsu required by contract or not? Does participation in bukatsu significantly advance 'internationalization' or does it not? Does strict adherence to contracts tend to advance 'internationalization' or does it not?

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As if I want to "make any difference to you" lol.gif

 

Whatever is said, it is clearly obvious that you will just carry on with the same ramblings about 'internationalization' that you persist with.

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Ocean11:


Imagine how much less sad the students might be if they had a real foreign teacher who was responsible for every aspect of their performance and was trained to maximize it. Gosh, but that would be impossible right?
I am responsible for every aspect of their performance.

I design the lessons and tests. I teach what I want. The JTE's are pretty much there to assist me. But I hate to say this "Every situation is different"

What makes a real teacher? Another year of university where you are thrown in with a teacher to watch over you and help you to design lessons. Kind of sounds like most JET jobs to me.

I have my own mantra for my job though

"I will never be paid this much to do this little ever again"
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My taxes pay for your fantasies of being a teacher, and my child's English education is being left in the hands of immature, unqualified drifters who are here on the basis of some dream of helping out in some way, however limited. I think I'm getting very, very poor value for my money, and I'd fire you if I had the choice.

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Get back to work you bloody JETS and stop complaining, you're on company time now I believe lol.gif . This topic has been thrashed to pieces before. Sure some JETS do a great job and all that, but by and large I agree with Oceans argument. The JET programme is just an adjunct to the mess which is public school English education in this country. An incredible amount of taxpayer funded resources poured down the drain. The JET teachers aren't to blame and I think most make the best of a far from perfect situation.

 

The entire system is inexcusibly mediocre from this taxpayers point of view mad.gif . Yes, the JET programme has some positive impact but it ultimately helps perpetuate the same inadeqaute results. Schools should be run a little more like businesses where things like tangible results, job-performance accountabilty and proper use of resources rule. Instead we have ossified beauracracy.

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> Why would you fire me?

 

Because you can't reliably write an English sentence.

Because you think that you are qualified to produce, administer and test a curriculum based on your degree in something else.

Because you don't look beyond what your managers specifically require of you.

Because I suspect you have yet to develop a work ethic.

 

Any one of those alone would be reason enough.

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