ALT For a Day

I've mentioned many times before that my job title is an Assistant Language Teacher, but I actually run the classroom since teach at the elementary level. The government, however, has decided that starting in 2012, English will be a mandatory subject for 5th and 6th graders. At that time, my job will change from teacher to assistant teacher, and the current homeroom teacher will be in change of the English. In Ogimi, this system begins this year as one of the trial villages.

Some of the head-education-honchos came to Ogimi Elementary today to observe and videotape one of my classes. For some reason, they wanted to see me teach 1st graders. Completely unrelated, but I somehow suspect the 1st grader teacher was responsible for getting her class to be the demonstration class. She is known as 'English Michiko'-sensei, because everyone, including herself, thinks she can speak English. She just knows a lot of cliched Japanese-English that she pushes on the kids and I try to tear away. One phrase is the infamous "See you!" Also, in preparation for this class, she decided to teach the kids 'What is this month?' It may be correct, but no one says that. Besides, this is 1st grade. When would I ever want to ask a 1st grader, 'What month is it?'

About two weeks ago, we had a meeting to discuss what we would do, and we had the following conversation:

English-Michiko : In two weeks, we have a demonstration class. I will be the teacher and you will be the assistant.
Me : Ok.
EM : So, what do you want to do?

I don't like the idea of changing the way I normally run a class just because some big shots are coming. I want them to see what it is actually like. I was also upset that these people would be viewing this particular class, cause there are only four kids. My average class is around ten, and that is perfect. Four is just too few. Plus, it's 1st grade, and I don't like teaching that grade level.

To make a long story short, since she said, 'What do you want to do?', I gave her the lesson plan of what I do in class EVERY WEEK and told her I wanted 1st and 2nd graders combined to make the class bigger. She had a few of her own suggestions, though, such as the "What is this month?" stuff. Needless to say, I threw that out, and in the end, she complied with everything I said. I taught the class the way I wanted to: my way with her in the background, the way it always is.

The future problem will be how long can I get my way? I know English-Michiko is going to try to be the 5th and 6th grade homeroom teacher next year, even though there is another teacher more qualified than her that would let me do what I want. But I guess it's good experience to be in a team-teaching situation with someone you don't like. Teaches you to work well with others and all that stuff.

Afterward, the big shots and all the school teachers had a meeting where the big shots tried to reassure the teachers that they are more than capable to teach English and not to worry. None of the teachers want to teach English and none of them can speak it. It would be like Florida deciding to make 5th and 6th grade have mandatory Spanish classes.

So after lots of talking and complaining, they showed a video. The video was entertaining from an English perspective. Two funny points were:

-The title of the DVD was, 'You can do it!'.
-There was a part where the kids were singing a numbers song, and the teacher crossed out all the 3's on the board where the kids were suppose to clap. So she pointed to all the 3's and went, 'crap, crap, crap, crap, crap'.

***

To pat myself on the back a bit, this same school did a student questionnaire where the kids would give their opinions on all the classes and activities they are currently doing. Guess whose class was the only class/activity to get a 100% 'fun' ranking by every student in the school (all 50 of them)? Hint: he's the tallest guy in Ogimi.