Your own language used against you?

[ninjas_vanish]

Hello to all! This is my first time posting here. I'm an American teaching English in Japan, and for the most part, my students and my life are good. I have a few kids in my classes that hate all the teachers' guts, mine included. Part of the 'fun' we have in class is their English phrases used to make me go away. They've gone from repetitive

Comments

[homasse]

With a kid? The best thing I've found that works is the "Don't you EVER do that again." I've used it twice, once with an elementary school kid trying to kancho me and once with a junior high boy shooting a bird in class. They got it in Japanese, along with me swelling up like an angry cat and getting the "Angry Mommy" face that actually scares grown men. >XD

Basically, if you have a spine of solid titanium, things work better. I let my kids get away with all but murder, but when I put my foot down, that's IT, MY rules, I am the teacher.

The way to handle "bitch" would, at least, this is how I woudl do it, is to turn around and say, "Shitsurei deshou! That is rude," because they'll take Japanese a LOT more seriously than English, and it's always good to follow up with English just so they can start making the connection. You do it enough, you can drop the Japanese because they've picked up that "rude" is "shitsurei." Do that with an emasculating glare, and things might run better.

Hope this helps!

[ninjas_vanish]

Hmm. I've had to resort to yelling at inappropriate behavior (running around during a test, avoiding the Japanese Teacher of English).

Do you teach by yourself? I work w/a very young Japanese Teacher of English (JTE). Sometimes, she will do things the Japanese way (giving the answers right after passing out new homework, for example) w/out telling me. While I do my thing b/c I thought she explained what she wanted. Then when I put my foot down, she quickly follows it w/ "Oh that's ok!" >_<; (Me: Work WITH me, please...)

Basically, if you have a spine of solid titanium, things work better. I let my kids get away with all but murder, but when I put my foot down, that's IT, MY rules, I am the teacher. I seem to be misfiring everywhere. I am usually quite kind to the students, but their attitude's making MY spine stiff. I will try saying "Shitsurei" if they say extremely rude things to me. (Stuff like calling me "Mariko" when it's not my name doesn't count.)

Thank you very much! :D

[homasse]

No, I'm an ALT, so I teach with JTEs

[ninjas_vanish]

*seriously contemplated smacking* I want to be able to use really rough Japanese like my male teachers. Boys give me less trouble than some girls--avoidance/disgust, "kimoi!"s, and chorus catcalling. More troublesome is the slashing of the small English display--if it has my picture, it's been slashed. :/ (That's the only thing the teachers DON'T know about.) Chewing out has been done by various teachers, though, for different reasons.

Yes, my JTE is so new. We do discussions before/after, but it happens, she'll forget the Important Memo, so sometimes I end up looking like an asshole anyway. I started out soft and get harder w/these kids. Now I need to put teeth to the image.

On the other hand, my ALT position has been changed--going to elementary school! So even w/these brats, I will be moving schools soon. But I need to prepare my successor for what to expect!

Thanks for your advice! I really appreciate it! :D

[homasse]

*g* Congrats with the move to elementary school! Just remember to beware of kanchoing. >XD Luckily, that tends to happen to male teachers a *lot* more the female ones; if it does happen, put your foot down and fast. You're bigger than them; use this to your advantage. >XD

And uuugh on the things the girls are doing. I actually haven't had any troubles with girls, aside from the occasional skunk-eye from one. (which usually gets this face, which stops that and quick. It's usually the boys giving me crap, and I fully lay the blame for that on them being hormone-filled little snots and me have 38DD boobs. Frankly, I think that might be why like trying to get me to put them in a headlock... >XD

[ninjas_vanish]

Thanks! I can kancho like whoa...but then they miss out on the piggyback rides, so it's not such a problem. ^_^

I had sannensei boys try to mess w/me my first year as an ALT. They got nicknames (Anpan man), or pig-Latin--then again, boys usually aren't a problem :).

But I wish I was taller sometimes!

And hormones = easier to laugh/let things roll. :D

[ninjas_vanish]

By the way, I saw your Gackt icon and thought "What other cool stuff's in her journal?" :D Lots of good things (anime in Japan w/out subs=can't watch as much :O), and yes, translating manga anything in Japanese is serious business!

I'd like to friend, if you wouldn't mind! :)

[homasse]

*g* Sure, feel free. :D

[ninjas_vanish]

:D Cool, thanks!