More than 60,000 teachers and workers in Tokyo's public schools will receive a copy of the new handbook by the end of the month as part of a £74,000 (10 million yen) project to curb the influence of pushy parents.
Examples of bad behaviour by those dubbed "monster parents" in the Japanese media include demands that teachers prepare lunch boxes for excursions, reprint school yearbooks with more photographs of their offspring and drop children off at home after class.
Full article here.
This is a real concern in Japan - these parents who bully teachers into meeting unreasonable expectations. I remember there was a story a few weeks back about a young teacher (if I recall correctly) in northern Japan who committed suicide, her family blaming her school for not working to relieve some of the immense pressure she was incurring from parents.
I've personally known some teachers who have had to take health leave due to the pressures of this job. It's not always monster parents, but teachers in this country have enough on their plates without the added burden.
I am a teacher in Japan. I teach kids and adults.
ReplyDeleteMany of my adult students are teachers in Japanese public and private schools. I have heard both sides of the story from the "P" and the "A" in P.T.A and I can clearly see it is a failure on both sides. Parents are of very low quality recently but so are the teachers. The teachers spend more time planning no-mi-kai's than they do lessons and parents are more interested in kindness than strictness.
They are both wrong.
Monster Parents?? What about unprofessional alcoholic teachers?? Do they have a handbook for that??
Hey Chris,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts. You have the benefit of knowing a lot more Japanese parents than I, I think. As an ALT, I can tell you that there are teachers I've worked with who I think should seek different jobs. I have had some experiences with teachers who I have considered to be unprofessional, but to be fair, not alcoholic - that's one stereotype I haven't encountered (sure, teachers have a good time at nomikais, but they're not held that often and they don't require that much planning).
I think it's safe to say that there are good and bad teachers, just as there are good and monster parents. But pointing out the fact that there are bad teachers out there doesn't lessen the monster parent problem.
"But pointing out the fact that there are bad teachers out there doesn't lessen the monster parent problem."
ReplyDeleteUm?? Your post and that monster parent handout does just about as much to fix the problem as my comment does.
The uninspiring teachers made weaker by spineless prefectural education boards are responsible for their own misery. I feel no sympathy to either one. The students are the ones who are supposed to be the purpose for all of this and the adults seem to be pretty occupied by their own complexes.
Your an ALT. I teach teachers as well as adults from many lines of work and none have as many drinking parties as teachers.
Welcome. (new teachers)
Goodbye. (transfer/retiring teachers)
Goodbye ALT and or Part time training teachers.
Sports day.
Cultural Day.
These are ALL drinking parties locally and are not to be confused with the Bonenkai or New years parties or 3rd grade class trip parties.
Some teachers at the School I taught at before would be visibly hung-over if there were classes the next day. It's not a stereotype. Most businesses have far fewer. I have 8 teachers as students and I know the stories well. It's a high stress job caring for 30-40 kids and it's not surprising that by profession, teachers have the highest % of work related depression. You really find it surprising that alcohol would be in that mix.
You don't need to like it.Hell, it may not be true where YOU work but it should make total sense to you.
Think about it.
"But pointing out the fact that there are bad teachers out there doesn't lessen the monster parent problem."
ReplyDelete"Um?? Your post and that monster parent handout does just about as much to fix the problem as my comment does."
@Chris
The post was about "monster parents" not your personal feelings about how much teachers in Japan drink. Your points are valid but they aren't related to the topic and they certainly don't make Blue Shoe's comments any less poignant. I think he was just looking to stay on topic.
Perhaps you should write on your own blog about your grievances with unprofessional teachers. Maybe you already have.
Personally, I just find your approach negative.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteEnough, please. Differing viewpoints are welcome and encouraged, but no need to get insulting.
ReplyDelete