February Project

Here is an article I wrote for the local JET monthly publication called the Yamanashi Panache.  It won't be printed until March, so you have a head-start to read it!  It may not be very interesting to non-English teachers, but I'm posting it here so that you can see what kinds of things I've been working on.

Happy reading!

-Lana

Yamanashi Panache

Active Participation in the JET Program ; Making your experience mean something to you.

By Lana Kitcher

I would like to begin by saying that I am not much of a writer, and I do not intend to sound preachy or forceful in the following article.  My passion is helping people accomplish their goals by providing them with the tools and resources they need to do so.  That being said, I hope you are able to find something useful here today!

              Have you become bored with your daily routine at your school(s) or office?  Did you decide to stay with your current job not because you love it, but because there is a decent pay-check and well, you are not really sure what is next anyway so why not?  I will shamefully admit that a large part of my decision to re-contract was financially motivated.  I already have everything set up, I am able to pay all of my bills on time as well as my loans in America, and I can even afford to travel from time to time.  Several of my friends back in the U.S. still do not have decent jobs nine months after graduation.
In deciding to stay for another year I was able to postpone any serious ideas of what I would like to do after JET. Having a “type A personality” however, I decided that applying for an AJET chair position or “block representative” might help with any skills or credentials needed for future employment.  While doing research into AJET, the Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching, I rediscovered the mission of JET, which over time I seem to have forgotten.  Many ALTs, CIRs, and SEAs are making an enormous impact in their local communities and with the JET Program at large during their time spent working in Japan.  As the Tokyo Orientation booklet states, “Make a deeper impact at local and international levels while here on JET.”
              While I delved further into the interconnected organizations such as JET, AJET, JETAA (JET Alumni Association), YETI (Yamanashi English Teachers International) and other sponsored links within these institutions, I was reminded of the JET application process and what kind of people they were looking for when they hired us.
              As taken directly from the JET Program official website, (http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/introduction/index.html) the JET Program “is aimed at promoting grass-roots international exchange between Japan and other nations.”  Not only are the majority of us expected to teach English in schools, but we are also expected to further this exchange by participating in local community events and “international exchange activities.”  The website says that they are looking for “enthusiastic, motivated, and dedicated individuals.”  How many of us remain all of these things past the application and orientation processes?  In their 2010-2011 Informational Pamphlet (http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/pubs/pamphlet.html) they list nineteen points under criteria for eligibility.  Below I have listed five of these points.

“All applicants must:
1) Be interested in Japan, and be willing to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of Japan after their arrival. Make an effort to study or continue studying the Japanese language prior to and after arriving in Japan. Be motivated to participate in and initiate international exchange activities in the local community.

3) Have the ability to adapt to living and work in Japan.

15) Be interested in the Japanese educational system and particularly in the Japanese way of teaching foreign languages.

16) Be interested in working actively with students.

17) Be qualified as a language teacher or be strongly motivated to take part in the teaching of foreign languages.”
              Do you remember how long the application process was?  I recall writing all sorts of essays, getting recommendations, and sending in various forms and copies of forms to the government offices and Japanese consulates.  Then after all of the writing and sending was finished, the waiting began!  We had to wait before hearing whether or not there would be an interview, then go to a far-off city just to take the interview, wait again to hear if you had gotten into the program, wait to be told exactly where you would be placed, just to wait again to hear about what kind of school you would be working at or where you would be living.  For putting yourself through all of this simply to sit at a school and settle for teaching a few English classes sounds like a waste of talent.  Anyone here can make a difference in effectively teaching and communicating about our home countries.  There are a number of ways that I have recently discovered to get involved, and I hope that you can find at least one of the following interesting or inspiring.  Why be satisfied with mediocrity when you can make your experience in Japan a great one?  Also, do not forget to consider what you would like to do after your time as a JET.  There are plenty of things you can do in addition to being in the classroom that will build your experience and skill sets.  I hope that you are able to look back with pride and see how much you were able to accomplish in such a short amount of time.   Here are some ideas I have found or thought up.

Ways you can get involved with YETI Japan:
http://www.yetijapan.com
-Help write articles for the YETI Spaghetti.
-Participate in YETI events.
-Run for a YETI Council position.
-Help plan, organize, sponsor, or host events.
-Keep up with the YETI Forum.  There are often events and opportunities posted there by fellow English teachers!  Many people in the prefecture advertise social and international events that are being held locally.  This can range from international day at a local library or school, to a photography exhibition.  Also, it is a good chance to communicate with the other English teachers and foreign community members within the prefecture!

Ways you can get involved with the Yamanashi Panache:
David McCarthey <alt-fzyk@pref.yamanashi.jp>
-Anyone can contribute to the Panache.  Simply send an e-mail to David McCarthey our Prefectural Advisor, and discuss your ideas with him.  He is a great listener and is prompt in responding to e-mails or inquiries.
-If you do not want to write a full article, you can submit school games and ideas, information about local events, shorter articles, or even propose a new idea to David.

Ways you can get involved with AJET and JET directly:
http://ajet.net
http://www.jetprogramme.org/
-Join a special interest group.  If there is nothing there that you relate to, you can create your own group!
-Run for a block or council position.
-Send ideas to the council for e-bulletin topics and events.
-Nominate a JTE that you think is doing a fantastic job to receive national recognition.
-Prove to the council that we are doing a fantastic job in Yamanashi, and our prefecture can receive national recognition.
-Participate in the returning JET conference, opinion exchange conference, or volunteer for the various orientations.  You can even lead some of the workshops!
-Vote!  Make sure the people representing the entire JET body to the Japanese government deserve to be there.
-Ask your PA and CIRs how you can get involved.  There are often international events taking place that need volunteers and participants.  Put your name out there so that they are likely to contact you when they are in need of a helping hand.  If you think you are not being informed of events or are being informed too late, tell your supervisor, JTE, co-workers and BOE that you would like to be involved if something comes up.
-Take a look at “The JET Effect.”  Every month it features one JET that has taken the JET mission statement above and beyond, and has made a huge impact in their community.  Maybe we can all be inspired by them to work for something that we are equally passionate about.  Maybe you can be the next JET in the spotlight of “The JET Effect.”  Maybe we could work together as a group of individuals, not as JETs but as English teachers and community members in the prefecture aiming for a common goal and producing something truly great and influential.
-Have any ideas concerning JET on a large scale?  Consider sending your ideas to executive council members or specific liaisons within the council to have your ideas or concerns heard.

Ways you can get involved with JETAA:
http://www.jetalumni.org
-Find your home country/city JETAA group, or join the group belonging to your future residence.  Connect with past JETs there, and learn how you can get involved with JET back at home as well while you are still in Japan.  Maybe someone needs a connection you happen to have.  Maybe you could do an event simultaneously across the globe.  Maybe you could update them about how JET is going now and bounce fresh ideas off of one another.
-There are even more publications offered from these various groups!  Writing to them, or at least getting ideas from people who have already tried different events might get you working on your next big project.
-Look into CLAIR’s annual publication called “The JET Streams.”  It can be found on the “Former JETs” tab of the official JET Program website at http://www.jetprogramme.org.

Other sites, resources and ideas:
-There are tons of groups that you could join on networking sites such as LinkedIn, facebook or twitter.
http://www.facebook.com
http://www.linkedin.com
http://twitter.com
-A part of being able to promote internationalization and awareness of the culture and customs in your country involves being able to communicate with the native population in Japan.  Japanese can be a difficult language to learn, but it is important to try if you want to really maximize the effectiveness of your time here.  JET offers free courses to participants at varying levels.  According to the JET Program, “Courses are designed for participants to improve their Japanese language abilities and to assist in the promotion of the understanding of Japan upon returning home.”  There are language books that you can borrow from the International Center in Kofu or from various libraries in the prefecture.  Borrowing from friends, other English Teachers, or foreign residents in the area may also be an option.  Other than books, there are many Japanese learning websites and free JLPT downloads on the AJET website.  “Yamanashi Nihongo Volunteers” is an inexpensive option if you want one-on-one classes with a Japanese native speaker.  If you do not like learning the traditional way there are more interactive ways to learning as well. Take www.Japanesepod101.com as an example.  They distribute a series of free to download podcasts and lesson videos.  Listening to Japanese music, going to karaoke, or watching Japanese movies are also more entertaining ways to get Japanese language practice. 
-Does Yamanashi have any official sports teams that the English teachers are involved in?  Some teams could be organized and possibly even compete against teams in other prefectures.  Maybe local Japanese people would be interested in joining as well?
-Is anyone interested in theater or film?  We could put together a play or make a movie for awareness about different cultures.  Not only might it be fun to participate in this kind of event, creating a team and building a production from the ground up, but it would also involve the local community actively in either participation or viewing of the final product.
-If you want to get involved, it does not mean you have to do it through a JET-run organization, or even with other JETs.  Let your imagination take you somewhere new.

What else can we do for our students?
-Organize events for them involving other native English speakers in the area.
-Set up pen-pal systems between them and schools in your home country.
-Set up fund-raising and charity events to build a local scholarship program to help students study abroad to your home country.
-If you have any ideas about teaching techniques, organize a concise plan with reasons supporting your new teaching ideas and propose them to your school.
-Bring cultural education into your classroom.  So much of language is culture.  No one will understand idiomatic expressions or set phrases without learning a little about culture.  However, do not forget that internationalization is a two-way interaction.  Japanese rituals or customs may sometimes seem pointless or mundane, but how much effort are we putting into fully understanding them?  We are as much here to learn about Japan as we are to teach about our own countries.
-Share your trials and errors with other English teachers!  Why all make the same mistakes over and over again if we can learn from each other?  Why not share what events or games were a hit and hope that another teacher can use them just as effectively?  ALTs and Eikaiwa teachers used to have to communicate via facsimile.  We now have websites, forums, mobile phones, local and national publications, and e-mail to contact one another quickly and easily.
-Are you involved with any clubs at your school?  English club tends to be strongly suggested if not required, but do they meet every day?  Are there any other activities or clubs that you are interested in?

         What other ideas do you have that I have not mentioned above?  How many people are informed about the ideas that might be interested in your mission and like to join in the completion of it?  Did you ever make a list of goals, either before coming to Japan or after arriving, about what you would like to accomplish while you are here?  If you did make something resembling such a list, take a look at it.  Is there anything you can cross off of it?  Is there anything you would like to add?  If you have not made this kind of list, what would you put on it now?

Everyone keeps telling me that the JET Program, and any experience for that matter, is what you make of it.  If you find something that you are passionate about you are bound to get far and make great things happen.

If you would like to discuss anything at all about this article or would like more information about a specific resource mentioned within, please do not hesitate to contact me.  You can send me a personal message on the YETI forum to “LanaKitcher,” or e-mail me at LanaKitcher@gmail.com.

Thank you and good luck with your next endeavor!  There may be many more people willing to get on board than you think, so get the word out and have a great time!

Lana Kitcher
First Year JET
Isawa Junior High School ALT