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Thursday, May. 2, 2024

8:49pm EDT

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Total Online: 1,597

Across the Table, a Devil on my Shoulder

by Dis-Ease

Rated: 13+ · Book · Other · #1809650

The beauty and horror of what I have seen and felt in 11 years of teaching ESL in Japan.

After 11 years of teaching English conversation in Japan for the biggest money-grubbing school, which went bankrupt through very corrupt business practices, I feel the time has come to either share what the beauty and horror of this experience, or sink further into the desperate frustration of the misunderstood.

What will follow are descriptions of the students I have taught, my observations and thoughts of them, and tidbits of their conversations with me. Names will of course be changed to protect identities. It is my hope that through reading these descriptions, people interested in learning about Japan and its culture will find new, unexpected insights into its people.

So, without further ado, I need to start. But who to start with? The good or the bad?

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Nada

Apr 20, 2013 at 11:22pm
In response to "Invalid Entry"

A great story.

Nada

Apr 20, 2013 at 11:21pm
In response to "Invalid Entry"

Wise man.

Nada

Apr 20, 2013 at 11:20pm
In response to "Invalid Entry"

Sorry I've not been commenting. I find this very interesting. I see you've been writing in your book and sharing, I hope to be able to read it one day.

Dis-Ease

Feb 7, 2012 at 5:52pm
In response to "Invalid Entry"

Book's coming along.

Long time, no hear! Hope you are good. Thanks for coming back (or just commenting).

But now that your son will probably want to kick me, I'm going to have to be careful of my future posts! :)

Nada

Feb 7, 2012 at 5:14pm
In response to "Invalid Entry"

I was just kicking myself for making life so easy for a certain son of mine. This confirms my thoughts. Thanks for sharing.

How's the book coming?

PuppyTales

Jan 31, 2012 at 8:53am
In response to "Invalid Entry"

Sorry, typo, meant in the past*.

Dis-Ease

Jan 31, 2012 at 8:50am
In response to "Invalid Entry"

That made me smile. Thanks.

What does it mean "I've taught in the mast"?

PuppyTales

Jan 31, 2012 at 8:36am
In response to "Invalid Entry"

Thanks for all of your thoughts. I've taught in the mast and I'm studying to become a teacher, and I've spent a lot of time thinking about the different educational systems and philosophies and wondering what works best. Your blog is an excellent tool for me; I'm able to see something of the inside of a different culture's educational system.

Dis-Ease

Jan 31, 2012 at 8:12am
In response to "Invalid Entry"

PuppyTales,

Finding a way to meld the two has long been one of my goals--and putting it into practice in my own home has been a source of constant frustration, something my wife and I "discuss" often. Process philosophy of teaching? Not sure. A work in progress.

I often praise the Japanese education system, too, but not without reservation. I criticize the American one, but not without some regrets my son doesn't attend school there as I did.

Anyway, thank you for reading, and for the comment. Much appreciated.

PuppyTales

Jan 31, 2012 at 7:23am
In response to "Invalid Entry"

My brother, a Marine who has traveled all over the world and spent some time in Japan, was praising the Japanese education system while all I could think about was this blog. I think the most interesting thing that you put forth was the observation that Japanese parents will look with envy at the independent thinkers the American education system produces while American parents look with envy at the hard working, maths and sciences -capable students the Japanese education system produces.

It makes you wonder if there ever could be some kind of "perfect" education system, held up by some kind of "perfect" culture. I don't think so, but naturally, you wonder if both cultures and education systems could and would learn a few things from each other.

#75. Asamama
ID #748990 entered on March 16, 2012 at 2:13am

#74. Murasaki
ID #748777 entered on March 11, 2012 at 7:07pm

#73. She had Kenny's head in her bag
ID #748555 entered on March 8, 2012 at 1:32am

#72. My Japanese Tiffany
ID #746736 entered on February 9, 2012 at 11:21pm

#71. Elementary Schools in February
ID #746414 entered on February 5, 2012 at 5:53am

#70. The Queen
ID #746157 entered on February 1, 2012 at 9:48pm

#69. Miki's Place
ID #746030 entered on January 31, 2012 at 6:40am

#68. Toshimura
ID #745343 entered on January 22, 2012 at 7:15pm

#67. Yasuki
ID #745042 entered on January 20, 2012 at 2:09am

#66. Junji
ID #744341 entered on January 15, 2012 at 6:37pm

#65. Kiyu
ID #744081 entered on January 13, 2012 at 1:13am

#64. The Chicken or the Egg
ID #744017 entered on January 12, 2012 at 7:23am

#63. Candy
ID #743984 entered on January 11, 2012 at 6:33pm

#62. Munko
ID #743253 entered on January 3, 2012 at 7:51pm

#61. Ehiro
ID #742832 entered on December 30, 2011 at 9:55pm

#60. J-Punk, a model example of Old School Prison Bitch
ID #742385 entered on December 22, 2011 at 9:20pm

#59. Punko
ID #742303 entered on December 21, 2011 at 6:46pm

#58. Emi and Jujiko
ID #742238 entered on December 20, 2011 at 6:44pm

#57. Henji and Souji
ID #742146 entered on December 19, 2011 at 6:40pm

#56. Masako
ID #741508 entered on December 11, 2011 at 6:28am

#55. Ko and Mo
ID #741070 entered on December 4, 2011 at 5:55pm

#54. Kojun
ID #740909 entered on December 2, 2011 at 2:45am

#53. George
ID #740540 entered on November 27, 2011 at 6:01pm

#52. The Classroom
ID #740253 entered on November 24, 2011 at 6:13pm

#51. One Reason So Many Teachers Quit Within a Year
ID #740029 entered on November 20, 2011 at 7:02pm

#50. Satchi
ID #739731 entered on November 17, 2011 at 6:06pm

#49. Kizu
ID #739695 entered on November 17, 2011 at 2:11am

#48. Musashi and Kesuke
ID #739489 entered on November 14, 2011 at 6:19pm

#47. Ramrod
ID #739411 entered on November 13, 2011 at 3:56pm

#46. The VT, and nothing but the VT
ID #739150 entered on November 10, 2011 at 8:39am

#45. Asoma
ID #739117 entered on November 9, 2011 at 6:03pm

#44. Mariko
ID #739011 entered on November 8, 2011 at 4:09pm

#43. Hiromichi
ID #738939 entered on November 7, 2011 at 6:19pm

#42. Koyoko
ID #738855 entered on November 6, 2011 at 6:26pm

#41. The Death Rattle of an Empty Tin Can
ID #738544 entered on November 3, 2011 at 5:03pm

#40. Eguko
ID #738340 entered on November 1, 2011 at 5:06pm

#39. Hasami
ID #738260 entered on October 31, 2011 at 9:29pm

#38. NO SHOW
ID #738006 entered on October 27, 2011 at 5:23pm

#37. Shinjo
ID #737953 entered on October 26, 2011 at 7:16pm

#36. Makiko
ID #737886 entered on October 25, 2011 at 7:15pm

#35. Just Another Japanese Man
ID #737786 entered on October 24, 2011 at 7:37pm

#34. Ando
ID #737688 entered on October 23, 2011 at 5:11pm

#33. Eguchi
ID #737481 entered on October 20, 2011 at 4:51pm

#32. Junichiro
ID #737415 entered on October 19, 2011 at 8:35pm

#31. NO SHOW
ID #737302 entered on October 18, 2011 at 5:14pm

#30. Trying to be a Teacher
ID #737185 entered on October 17, 2011 at 9:34pm

#29. Mikako
ID #737082 entered on October 16, 2011 at 5:18pm

#28. Nou
ID #736860 entered on October 13, 2011 at 9:36pm

#27. Kuniko
ID #736743 entered on October 12, 2011 at 5:17pm

#26. Twtichy
ID #736650 entered on October 11, 2011 at 7:56pm

#25. Nobiko
ID #736521 entered on October 10, 2011 at 5:08pm

#24. Kenji
ID #736025 entered on October 6, 2011 at 4:14pm

#23. Shinro
ID #735892 entered on October 5, 2011 at 4:53pm

#22. Judishiro
ID #735783 entered on October 4, 2011 at 5:06pm

#21. Yuri
ID #735705 entered on October 3, 2011 at 8:34pm

#20. Toshiko
ID #735594 entered on October 2, 2011 at 4:58pm

#19. Yufuji
ID #735283 entered on September 30, 2011 at 5:17pm

#18. Dumpy
ID #735172 entered on September 28, 2011 at 5:10pm

#17. Akiji
ID #735105 entered on September 27, 2011 at 7:11pm

#16. Karina
ID #735040 entered on September 26, 2011 at 8:31pm

#15. The Four Housewives of the Eikaiwa
ID #734980 entered on September 25, 2011 at 9:23pm

#14. Kumoko
ID #734812 entered on September 23, 2011 at 5:42pm

#13. Cleavage
ID #734748 entered on September 22, 2011 at 5:40pm

#12. Toshitake
ID #734652 entered on September 21, 2011 at 7:26pm

#11. Michitomo
ID #734579 entered on September 20, 2011 at 7:17pm

#10. Just a nutcase...
ID #734512 entered on September 19, 2011 at 10:25pm

#9. Just a guy...
ID #734426 entered on September 18, 2011 at 6:10pm

#8. Kanoha
ID #734219 entered on September 16, 2011 at 10:43am

#7. Hikoko
ID #734180 entered on September 15, 2011 at 8:17pm

#6. Ol' Orange Hair
ID #734117 entered on September 15, 2011 at 3:39am

#5. Hiroki
ID #734059 entered on September 14, 2011 at 9:52am

#4. The Lobotomy Twins
ID #733987 entered on September 13, 2011 at 11:04am

#3. Tofu Man
ID #733925 entered on September 12, 2011 at 10:16am

#2. Kuri
ID #733924 entered on September 12, 2011 at 9:53am

#1. Starting with Me
ID #733884 entered on September 11, 2011 at 9:22pm

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