Teaching “observations”.
After 5 years of teaching English in Japanese High Schools, there are still some things that get under my skin. Pure incompetence is one of them.
Usually lessons are 50 minutes long, but today it’s only 40 minutes for some unknown reason. This puts a bit more pressure on me to get my content finished which is usually to the minute for a 50 minute lesson.
Today I was trying to get the teacher who I was teaching with to tell the students at various points of the lesson what I was showing on the TV. I was showing clips from the TV show “American Chopper” to show creativity and just because it’s interesting and fun. I introduced each clip and every single time the JTE (the Japanese teacher) made up a load of bollocks which did not even slightly resemble what I was saying. For example:
Me: Students, please take your seats and we will hand out your previous lesson’s worksheets.
Teacher (in Japanese): Sit down. <Proceeds to stand at the front of the class doing nothing, like a twat.>
After a few seconds of waiting…
Me: Teacher, please hand back the worksheets
Teacher (in Japanese): Ok, everyone sit down. <still does nothing about the worksheets>
Me: Teacher, please hand back the worksheets.
Teacher: Ok please start the lesson.
Me: I can’t until you’ve handed back the worksheets…
Later, 30minutes into the 40 minute lesson… I was explaining what is now happening on the screen. Bear in mind that this spider theme was introduced at the very start of the lesson and we already saw 4 other clips based on the spider theme:
Me: ”Now they are making a wheel.”
Teacher (in Japanese): “This is a new theme. New theme.”
Me: ”No, it’s the same theme. Spiders.”
Teacher (in Japanese): “Ok, it’s a new theme, new theme.”
Me: <gives up>
Now I have to go and teach another class with the same guy. Back later.