A key person for Japan’s internationalization
Profile
She taught Japanese in Taiwan for one year after completing her training to become a Japanese teacher. After she got back from Taiwan, she worked at a private Japanese school as a part-time teacher. At the same time, she was majoring in Japanese-language education and soon became a full-time teacher.
She is currently teaching overseas students from more than ten different countries at a professional training college attached to a university and a Japanese educational institute which belongs to an independent administrative agency.
Profile
She taught Japanese in Taiwan for one year after completing her training to become a Japanese teacher. After she got back from Taiwan, she worked at a private Japanese school as a part-time teacher. At the same time, she was majoring in Japanese-language education and soon became a full-time teacher.
She is currently teaching overseas students from more than ten different countries at a professional training college attached to a university and a Japanese educational institute which belongs to an independent administrative agency.
The reason why she became a Japanese teacher
I was very interested in English since I was a student. Before I started working as a Japanese teacher I was working for this enterprise that produced an instructional book on technology, which was exported overseas. That was when I became really aware of the fact that I was Asian, and that I was Japanese. I was also interested in other Asian languages and thought that I wanted to get a job that gives me an opportunity to associate with Asian people. I started teaching Japanese as a volunteer at a hall near my work place and since then, I have become very fond of it.
The challenges of being a Japanese teacher
It is very challenging to get involved in people’s learning process. Most of the exchange students range from teenagers to people in their twenties so as well as getting better at Japanese they are spending their youth in Japan which has a big effect on their character formation. It is a very precious experience to share these moments with them. Japanese teachers can also learn so much from them.
Dreams for the future
It is more like what kind of a teacher do I want to become in the future rather than in my dreams. I was too caught up in the thought of how I can teach them. Basically, my teaching style was more teacher-based which first gains knowledge and then passes this knowledge onto the students. I tried to make my lessons exciting and interesting but I was still the only performer in the class. Now I am more interested in being active and getting the students more involved in lessons by being a mediator of knowledge, rather than me just teaching in front of the class.
A message for future Japanese teachers
Every teacher has their own teaching style and I think it’s good that each teaching style is unique. However, the good teachers that I have met in my life were all inquisitive, sociable, caring and willing to learn. Being a Japanese teacher is still not a 100% stable job but if you decide to become one, you have to have a professional awareness and always be conscious about human communication.
I was very interested in English since I was a student. Before I started working as a Japanese teacher I was working for this enterprise that produced an instructional book on technology, which was exported overseas. That was when I became really aware of the fact that I was Asian, and that I was Japanese. I was also interested in other Asian languages and thought that I wanted to get a job that gives me an opportunity to associate with Asian people. I started teaching Japanese as a volunteer at a hall near my work place and since then, I have become very fond of it.
The challenges of being a Japanese teacher
It is very challenging to get involved in people’s learning process. Most of the exchange students range from teenagers to people in their twenties so as well as getting better at Japanese they are spending their youth in Japan which has a big effect on their character formation. It is a very precious experience to share these moments with them. Japanese teachers can also learn so much from them.
Dreams for the future
It is more like what kind of a teacher do I want to become in the future rather than in my dreams. I was too caught up in the thought of how I can teach them. Basically, my teaching style was more teacher-based which first gains knowledge and then passes this knowledge onto the students. I tried to make my lessons exciting and interesting but I was still the only performer in the class. Now I am more interested in being active and getting the students more involved in lessons by being a mediator of knowledge, rather than me just teaching in front of the class.
A message for future Japanese teachers
Every teacher has their own teaching style and I think it’s good that each teaching style is unique. However, the good teachers that I have met in my life were all inquisitive, sociable, caring and willing to learn. Being a Japanese teacher is still not a 100% stable job but if you decide to become one, you have to have a professional awareness and always be conscious about human communication.
