Teach Teach Teach Teach!

Congratulations on becoming the owner of a slightly-used (though still very capable) ALT (Assistant Language Teacher). A few guidelines to ensure that your ALT stays happy, healthy, and won't experience an emotional breakdown in the middle of use.

1) Be sure to give your ALT plenty of water.
* Chances are your ALT is from a much drier climate and not used to these hot and humid summers in Japan. Be sure to sprinkle them with water from time to time to ensure proper hydration.

2) Occasionally interpret what the other teachers/faculty/staff are saying around the ALT.
* Even if we're diligently studying Japanese on our own, the fact of the matter is we'll never be native speakers. It can be really intimidating having a bunch of people talking around and about you with no idea of what's being said.

3) Let your ALT know what s/he can do better in the class.
* You spend more time with your students and are therefore much more in touch with their needs. If the ALT isn't really connecting with the students, help them out. It will be much appreciated!

4) Don't forget to feed your ALT!
* Even though your ALT comes from a far off land, they're really no different from you! They also need plenty of nutrients in order to function properly. And much like you, they get these nutrients from eating. It's true, many ALTs even like the same foods that you like. Try giving them some nori or even some natto. You'll be surprised what a hungry gaijin will eat!

5) Lastly, be sure to let your ALT know when it's time to go home.
* Many ALTs are unsure or even unaware of cultural norms when it comes to leaving school. Though they are teaching assistants they aren't regular teachers and so they don't work the same hours. You need to let your ALT know it's OK for them to return to their domicile to rest before their next day teaching. If you don't, they may end up never leaving, and you don't want to find a dead ALT in the broom closet 6 months from now do you? I didn't think so...

If you follow these steps, you'll have a happy and genki ALT for a long time to come. I guarantee it.

~=@=~

One Year and Counting...

Hello. This could be our first time meeting, and if it is I'd like to extend a warm greeting your way. Or perhaps you've read all my previous blogs and you've been wondering where I've been this past year and a half. Maybe you thought that I joined an ancient band of immortal ronin and was busy wandering the Japan countryside helping peasants escape the tyrannical grasp of evil bureaucratic tyrants who govern small villages with a clenched, draconian. tyrannical fist. Or perhaps, though unlikely, you forgot this blog existed. Fair enough. I haven't really been doing my job updating it. But if that's the case then I'd like to ask you a question, dear reader...

WHERE WERE YOU? Were you waiting with bated breath, updating this page every 10 minutes waiting for an update? Did you lose your job because you couldn't drag yourself out of bed because you were so distraught over not getting your daily (weekly? monthly??) fix of me in Japan. And if not then why weren't you?

Well, now there's no excuse. I'M BACK. And now I have more to say and this thing is going to blow up like a firecracker in a cupcake. That is to say... I'll be updating it more frequently... I hope.

Anyways, I just finally posted a couple of blogs that I had saved as drafts. I swear looking at this thing I have more drafts than actual posts. What up with that? Also, I need to trim my nails. All this typing is making that painfully apparent.

I need some food.

Out.

PS: I do stand up now...