"Importing Diversity"...

I just finished reading a very interesting book that has helped me to accept my role here in the Japan education system. It's entitled Importing Diversity: Inside Japan's JET Program by David L. McConnell. I fully recommend this book to everyone involved with the JET Program: applicants, participants, alumni, and also those interested in cultural studies. It was truly eye- opening for me, especially since I was struggling in reconciling my expectations of TESL with the day-to-day reality of teaching people who are not truly interested in learning conversational English.

There were several interesting conclusions I came to after reading this book. Firstly, the JET Program wasn't conceived and implemented with the goal of revolutionizing the way English was taught in Japanese schools. Rather, the JET Program was implemented because the Japanese bowed to foreign ( mostlyAmerican) pressure to open up it's borders and become more international. Like most things in this world, this pressure was bestowed at a time where America realized that Japan was a formidable capitalist/consumerist entity, one that was growing but was insulated from the hegemony of American culture. "Western countries [had] protested with growing vigor what they perceive[d] as the closed nature of Japanese society and Japan's refusal to play be the rules of the international liberal trading order." (pg. 14) In an effort to demonstrate that Japan was willing to play in the international arena and refute the common opinion that they were intolerant of the "other" in their homogenous society, the government realized that they would have to effectively "import diversity" . And they figured that the best way to this would be to invite foreigners into the classroom. Up until then, a few prefectures had assistant language teachers in senior high schools, but the powers to be decided that it's goal would be to have a foreigner teaching in every senior high school, and then junior high schools (and eventually, elementary schools). And with this, the JET Program was born in 1989. Therefore, it became abundantly clear to me that I, along with all my fellow JET participants, am not here to help with the goal of teaching kids English. We are here due to the government's plan to show the world that Japan is not an insular, xenophobic society, but rather a country open to new ideas, new cultures, and new people. Just as long as they are here for 1 -3 years. Effectively, we are all pawns to be used (and to use).

The study of English was, is, and most likely, forever will be taught in a way to ensure success on high school and university entrance exams. Though the JET program was instituted in an attempt for Japanese schoolchildren to learn "living English", i.e. conversation, the reality is ALTs are to used for proper pronounciation, grammar usage and harnassing the native accent, ergo to be the oft-called "human tape recorder". On top of this, the ALT is expected to act as an cultural ambassador of his or her country and to paint a nation of millions with one wide brush. From me, my students have learned that Canadians can eat with chopsticks, Canadians like to travel a lot, Canadians are used to a lot of snow, and Canadians can speak at least 2 languages. Of course, those are grotestque generalizations but so is the nature of the beast. When we are put up in front of the class to answer questions from kids, we are unknowingly or unwillingly stereotyping our nations, for better or for worse. The second thing I learned from Importing Diversity is the nature of my role here. I am not here to teach the kids how to be able to hold conversations with native speakers or how to say and remember the basics of English conversation. I am here to fulfill the above listed expectations while bringing something different to the lives of my kids. They live in rural Japan and will probably have precious few encounters with an African-Canadian woman with natural hair and have the opportunity to touch her, talk to her, play with her and learn from her. Before coming here, I thought I had no expectations, but deep down I guess I did. And the fact that they weren't being realized killed me, but everything has been a lot clearer and a lot better after realizing my true place here.

A third thing I realized was that ALTs have the whole world in their palm yet can screw it up by being too greedy, too expectant, too unrealistic, and too unwilling to adapt. Here we are, in Japan, where we have access to the side of the world we'd probably never have a chance to see otherwise. We are paid well, have a lot of free time and freedom, 20 days + of vacation and are given a lot of leeway. But we tend to not be satisfied because we are perpetually culture shocked and may see our situation as "disadvantageous". So we complain about our schools, our students, our teachers when there really isn't much to complain about because this is just how it is. It was this way before the JET Program and it will forever be this way after we leave. I look at my co-workers and think that this is their life. This is what they have chosen and they get the crap times 100. They have to deal with that shitty kid EVERY FREAKING DAY. I should be counting my stars that I just have 1 hell class a week, and it's for 45 minutes!!! That teacher is losing the war everyday, 7 hours a day. I admit that I have moaned and groaned and I don't regret it, but I have seen that I was blind to the reality of how good I've got it. I'm sure many ALTs have truly shitty situations and work in toxic environments, but I've been fortunate. Unfortunately, many ALTs are just brats who may not be ready for the work world or just don't realize how good they've got it, but luckily I realized this before it was too late.

Ok, I could go on and on about what I've learned from this book, but I'll stop here. I feel much calmer and more happy because everything makes sense. Though I will never fit in or belong to this society/culture, I'm accepted for being different and that's fine for me.

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My bday is quickly approaching and so is my trip to Okinawa. I will probably not update before leave. Will post pics upon my return. I hear it's the rainy season so that's not great, but still, I'll be on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean. Really can't complain! Ta.