The Challenge Class

It's Shannon, blogging at work. Haha! Sometimes it feels good to do "rebellious" things, like use the internet while you're at work. (Also of note, ever since our 2nd year started, I have ceased to call this 8-5 pm time commitment "going to school" or "I'm at school".... it has now, officially, turned into "work." :(

In any case, today I am at a certain, nameless elementary school, which for the entirety of last year was my "challenge school." By this, I mean that it was my toughest elementary school (or even school) to be at. I dreaded coming to this school last year, and every morning upon waking I would consider calling in sick so I wouldn't have to come to this school. What made it so bad? Well, the challenge in this school- which often spreads to other parts of having this job for ME- was the fact that these kids were NOT excited to meet me. They weren't excited to talk to me, they weren't even excited to do the infamous gaijin-stare at me... because I did not look foreign to them. When they saw me for the first year (it's also my biggest school. I only see each class three times a year) they had no idea who I was, didn't care, and just thought I was a visitor. This made teaching class even worse... Being of Asian-descent on the JET Programme is something that I thought I had trained myself for before leaving. I attended all the pertinent workshops and learned as much as I could about being in Japan and being of Asian descent... alas, these things did not help me at this school. Blatantly, the kids weren't excited about me because I did not LOOK foreign.

This happened to me all the time when I first got here (or wait... still does now). If I would walk around with my friends (other foreigners who are clearly foreign), students would stare and ooooh and ahhhh and ask for autographs. At first, I felt a little left out of the Celebrity Club. I was like, HEY! I am practically white okay? I am exciting too!!! (or the opposite, Japanese people would be offended and think I am extremely rude for not following Japanese customs and speak in polite Japanese? I didn't even know "Ohayo Gozaimasu").... I felt this intensely at this school. (However, over the past year and a half, I have realized the ENORMOUS benefits of people mistaking you as Japanese... I can hide myself and it's quite a relief) So long story long, this was my challenge school.

Every six or eight months, there is a "challenge school," or more recently and the longer I stay here, just a single "challenge class." This current elementary school was my challenge for so long... but I am really excited to say that today, this school has officially graduated from my challenge course! It is such a great feeling to finally be where I wanted to be for so long with the kids and the teachers and my team-teaching-partner. I am not sure what it was exactly that changed things, but I can honestly admit it took a change in me too (as much as that sounds like a wheel-of-cheese)  For one, I always eat lunch in the staff room here, which is bizarre for elementary school visits. This school had also my "challenge" team-teaching partner (making me dread things on multiple layers), but we have really worked on our relationship and things are now quite comfortable. I just started roaming around the school grounds awkwardly and alone during lunch recess since none of the kids wanted to play with me. Luckily, as uncomfortable and weird as that was, a few kids saw me in the hallways and would talk to me... six months later, that led to getting invited to play dogdgeball and lunchtime games. Now, I have a 10 year old future husband who vows he will marry me upon turning 20 years old.  I think comparing this school with my other elementary schools really got me down. At my other schools, kids literally FIGHT each other to sit next to me, and drag me out before I am done eating to play games... Well, I am sitting here, after having taught four great classes, heaving a sigh of relief and thinking about my other challenge classes.

What's funny about the Japanese education system is that the kids endure so much, so quickly. Junior high school is so many things crammed and shoved into three years that there is barely enough time to take it all in...It is, in many ways, SO much more demanding than the American system. But what is rewarding as a teacher in Japan is that you see the students change so much and very quickly. Take for instance my junior high school challenge class. A certain 2nd grade class (8th grade American) at one of my junior high schools was ridiculous. Not even the Japanese teachers wanted to teach them. They were either rowdy, talking over the teachers, would get up in the middle of class.... or they were silent zombies, stuck in a comatose state. What's funny is that they will graduate to the 3rd grade in March. (Wait that's not actually the funny part...) What's REALLY funny is that they have matured so rapidly within the last two months. They are serious about their work now and have ACTUALLY learned things. I used to die inside when my teachers would ask me to go to that class, and now I kind of like it. (Yeah... still, kind of..) I think the longer I stay here, the more I really enjoy teaching.

I say that, although I enjoy teaching... we don't actually "teach" as ALTs. We are assistants, tape recorders stuck on repeat, cultural ideals and in many ways eye candy. But what I do love about this job, above all the retarded politics, the awkward staff room moments, or the weird passive aggressive behavior, are the kids. the KIDS. I have been wondering if I made the right decision in staying another year. The politics of this job are tiring. The unspoken, vague expectations are frustrating. Life is fun, yes very fun, but every little thing is stressful even if we don't know it. (I should probably explain all this to someone who may not understand the weird politics of this job and the Japanese System) But... I am staying together with Japan for the kids. We'll stick it out another year for the kids, we'll fight behind the kids back and pretend to love each other most days for the kids. Of course, there are the perks... but I don't know a single person who has better kids than me. :) Sorry to break it to you Matsubabies, but my kids are the best! (hahahah just kidding.......?)

Now that I have been using the internet for almost an hour and kyoto-sensei (the vice principal) may or may NOT be giving me the stank eye (who can tell when he is wearing his mask and the mask is in turn fogging his glasses) ... Time to get off.

Tonight we will have a Matsubaby birthday party and I can't wait. I am so so blessed to have the best friends, no matter where I am in the world.

Japoakland OUT.