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

[oleander_queen]

Id take it the same as if someone cursed me out in any language, Id respond in their language :-) Of course, Ive been known to make people cry.

[ninjas_vanish]

Id respond in their language :-)

They love to pull the 'wakaran' on me (I don't know) whether I am speaking English or Japanese. Yelling seems to mean the same thing in every language--unfortunately, I am not the only teacher who has to do this sometimes.

Of course, Ive been known to make people cry. I envy you very much! :D

[ninjas_vanish]

And thank you for replying! I appreciate it.

[iluvhyperboles]

I'd get them out of that habit right away. I am in China, I am with older students (college level) but if they were to say anything like that to me, they'd be out of my classroom in a heartbeat. I'd do some sort of punishment, but then again, I am NOT in favor of teaching kids english, they bother me too much, especially if they are brats like yours!

[ninjas_vanish]

There's always brats in every bunch. XD Unfortunately, being JHS in Japan, they can't exactly be thrown out of the classroom (though if THEY choose to leave, the teachers can't do anything! o_o).

They seem determined to misunderstand me in either language, so I just give them the mental finger. Thank you though.

[catyak]

You could always teach them some of the more creative swear words as well, although that might not be conducive to retaining your job :-)

Failing that, offer to show them what a bitch is really like if you hear them using it again.

Or do what a US friend did with a bunch of (US) kids, she heard them say "the lady is a bitch" as she went past and turned round and yelled at them "Who are you calling a lady?"

D

[ninjas_vanish]

Hmm, if they were GOOD kids, I would teach them the more creative ones. XD; I may have to resor to the comebacks I knew as a kid: "I know you are, but what am I?" Trite, I know, but so complicated for them...and if they do figure out they're being insulted, even better.

Unfortunately, I haven't been practicing being bitchy as much as I should. Though my record from nice to blowing up has been getting shorter lately. :) A good thing? I'd worry if I was the only one at my school.

Your friend is awesome! Thanks for replying!

[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

[smittenbyu]

I have no clue, but do they understand that this word is offensive in the cultural context you come from?

I have been cussed at once or twice, and I usually turn around and ask them if they even know what they mean by the words they used. Usually they look confused and walk away.

Some pick it up because they watched it on TV, or think it's "cool". I am not sure what age group your kids are. I would treat it the same way even a native speaker cusses. If they are kids, they might not fully understand what they are saying.

[ninjas_vanish]

I haven't heard the word again, so maybe they've learned from their homeroom teachers not to use it. Yes, 'bitch' is a very offensive word in an English context.

Some pick it up because they watched it on TV, or think it's "cool". They probably did, Eminem is sometimes played during lunch in all his non-censored glory. XD;

These kids are about 7th graders. I am suspicious of them b/c they actively dislike me and the teachers. If they haven't used it again, I think it's because I haven't given the word enough attention to mark it as "this is BAD"=good word for them.

Thank you, though! :)