Low-Level High Schools

Ok. You’ve just arrived in Toyama. You’re sweltering in the humidity, melting in the heat, and bursting with enthusiasm. You walk into your first class at a low-level high school ready to charm them with your gaijin style, a-la-“To Sir With Love”, only to be met with blank, even hostile stares!

Ack! Don’t panic. Like at any school in Japan, being the ALT at a low-level high school will be challenging. However, low-level high schools have their very own unique challenges!

The trick here is to keep in mind what some of these kids might be facing outside of school. Some of them might come from broken homes, or a home life that isn’t necessarily supportive. Others might have to do part-time jobs to help out at home, so if they fall asleep in class, don’t take it personally (not all the time, anyway!)

You may find you have no textbook, or if you do have one, you may not ever use it. This can be great! This means you have the freedom to do what you like, and to do fun activities with the kids (like sneaking out and doing treasure hunts around the school – a great way to practice giving and following directions)! You may also find that the kids are not highly motivated to do anything, even in your "super-fun" lessons. Don’t take this to heart. Your best communicative moments may very well be outside of the classroom in clubs, school activities, or even in the hallway on the way to class.

This is when you remember you’re here not only to teach but also to provide exposure to different cultures and to different types of people, to kids that would otherwise never get the chance to see someone like you. The best thing to do is to be as approachable and fun as possible. Try to show that you’re ready to have fun as well as teach, and they’ll warm to you. At some low-level schools, sport is very important to the students. Joining a sports club - or any club, really - will definitely give you an outlet for meeting students on a daily basis, and to show them that you’re willing to get involved in their lives.

One more thing to note: discipline may be a problem in low-level high school classrooms. It’s best to ignore as much as you can or let the JTE deal with it. However, many people feel that the JTEs are too passive in dealing with discipline. If you feel this way and it’s something that really bothers you, don’t hesitate to talk to your JTE or supervisor – that’s what they’re for. Developing a thick skin doesn’t hurt, either. Finally, good luck!!

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