MENTOR TIPS
Here's a collection of tips and advice we gathered from experienced Iwate JETs!
Try to celebrate even the little moments and make new traditions on holidays away from home. I treated myself for little things when I first moved. Kinda silly, but I got one of those mystery collectible figurines after every bigger earthquake or tsunami warning, until I adjusted to living here.
Sarah
ALT 2021
USA
Holidays can be hard – especially the first few ones away from home. Try not to spend them alone if you don’t have to.
Especially while you are getting settled in, you will get to a point where you have more free time than you might like. This is a great time to try new hobbies. I would go for walks and take pictures a lot when I first moved here.
Remember that even if you stay for the full time available, JET is temporary, so be open to new experiences. It’s ok to get out of your comfort zone as long as you do so safely. It seems like every JET has at least one story about going somewhere or doing something they were nervous about as it would be scary, intimidating, or awkward. More often than not they are glad they went (not every time but my point stands).
As great as JET is, sometimes it can be isolating, especially if you don’t have a local community of JETs or other friends. Please reach out to someone if you need to and remember we have counselling through JET.
I try to stay a week ahead of schedule. If you want to meet with teachers or ask them questions, try to ask as early as you can. Sometimes if I wait until the day of the lesson, we don’t have time to review before class starts. If I try and stay a week ahead (even down to the smaller details like printing copies of the assignment), I have time to fit other teachers’ schedules into mine without rushing. I often have a class first period on Monday morning. If something is gonna go wrong at any point during the week, it’s normally that time. So, I made it a rule not to leave work on Friday afternoon until I’ve reviewed the plan for Monday. This includes reviewing the slides, worksheets, lesson plans, etc. Monday morning tends to run a bit better if I do this.
Elaine
ALT 2022
Philippines
You are an Assistant Language Teacher.
If you’ve had a teaching/facilitating experience where you were in charge of the whole class, and you did all the creative, crazy activities with your students, you have to keep it down with the Japanese classes. Remember, you are an Assistant Language Teacher, so you have to make sure you are in line with what your JTE expects you to do during the class.
But, not because you are not the main teacher (most of the time), doesn’t mean that you have less of an opportunity to build relationships with your students. Maximize the time and space that you have to get to know them, share about yourself/culture and just have a great moment with them. (I find one-on-one conversations effective with my students and co-teachers)
You have to learn the Japanese language.
Survival is the goal in the first 6-8 months of your stay in Japan, but if you stay in survival mode, that would make things difficult. Because as you stay longer, the higher the chances of facing more complicated instances in which you will need more than just ‘Itadakimasu or Medukusai’ expressions. All JETs, and I mean, ALL JETs, should aim to thrive in terms of language learning and usage in Japan. You gain much trust from your colleagues because you are making an effort to learn and communicate through their language. You will be a model to your students as well, who are also striving to learn the English language. Reach out to AIINA for language learning support, join a Japanese club or enroll yourself in Japanese classes, whatever works for you! Or, why not take the JLPT Exams to have more motivation to get from N5 to N3. Well, aiming for N1 is not too bad!
You are part of your school community/ies.
Becoming part of the school, as with any relationship, takes time, effort and energy, and you might find it exhausting to do so especially of you have multiple schools! But if you remain real and consistent in building the kind of relationship you want to have with your school/s, staying for some extra minutes/hours after class to watch other club activities, talking with your colleagues, helping out the utility staff, attending school events even during the weekends, cleaning the staff/copy room or just walking around and striking conversations with whoever you will come across will not be such a heavy burden for you.
But of course, you have to set a balance and limitations for yourself and the school to ensure that you can still keep time for yourself. Learning to say ‘No’ will also be necessary to set these limitations, especially if it is invading your personal space or it causes too much stress on you. This is especially useful if your school conducts nomikai or drinking party. Of course, if you are new to the school, it is important that you join these parties, but if you are not a drinker, you can tell them that you do not drink, and would rather have juice or tea, and don’t worry, they won’t be offended. The mere fact that you joined is already highly appreciated by them. But if you are a drinker, then enjoy Japanese sake, but please drink it according to your alcohol tolerance. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself stinking in the toilet regretting all of your life’s decisions!
Give yourself the grace to slow down. You're stepping into a completely different situation from what you've experienced before in your life. There will be countless things you want to do, numerous experiences you'll want to try. It's essential to allow yourself the opportunity to take things a bit slower, giving yourself time to rest and recharge.
When I first arrived here, I set ambitious goals for myself, like learning basic Japanese within six months. Looking back, I realize those goals were too lofty for diving into a new environment. Instead, try to break your goals into smaller, achievable steps. And remember to be kind to yourself if you don't reach them right away. It's all part of the learning process.
Meagan
ALT 2022
USA
I'm lucky to have wonderful neighbors who are experienced ALTs and have been incredibly supportive, making me feel comfortable seeking advice or assistance from them. I aim to reciprocate their kindness by paying it forward. If anyone requires assistance, please feel free to reach out to other JETs in the Iwate area. We're here to offer as much help as possible. In addition to personal connections, there are invaluable resources available online. Teachers Pay Teachers has been particularly helpful, along with numerous other teaching websites. Teaching is undeniably about creativity, but it also involves borrowing ideas. Especially in the initial stages of teaching when you're still adjusting to the school environment and coworkers, it's worth noting that you don't have to start from scratch. Thanks to the internet, there are countless lessons ready for adaptation to suit your needs quickly and efficiently.
Kiel
ALT PA 2023
Philippines
Be open to unlearning and relearning.
When I moved to Japan, I had over ten years of teaching experience. Still, that didn't mean I just walked into the classrooms and had everything worked the same way it did back home. A lot of strategies and routines I was used to didn't quite fit here.
So whether you've taught before or are drawing from your own experience as a student, it's important to be flexible. It will help you manage your expectations and make the whole teaching experience a lot smoother.
Little by little, you will develop your own teaching style that works better for your students and fits the classroom culture here. It's all part of the journey. So don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions, explore websites for teaching resources, read articles and research from other ALTs, and ask even more questions. Your JTEs, PAs, and fellow ALTs will be there to support you.
友達をつくるきっかけとしては、地元のお祭りに参加したり、国際交流イベントなどに足を運んでみるのもおすすめです。最初は少し緊張するかもしれませんが、岩手の人たちはとてもあたたかくて親切なので、きっと自然と絆が生まれると思います。あまり心配せずに、ぜひいろいろな場に飛び込んでみてください。
Yang
CIR 2024
China
