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Will the JET Program Get the Axe?
F*cked Gaijin links to an entry by Jim Gannon on jetwit.com about how the JET Program has been put on the chopping block by the DJP jjigyo shiwake government waste panel.
As an exercise in teaching English, I think it can be said that JET is an abject failure. Japan has one of the lowest TOEIC scores in Asia and 23 years of JET have done nothing to improve it. As Gannon notes, the budget panel sees JET as a teaching program, not a cultural exchange project, hence its recommendations to essentially do do away with it [PDF in Japanese].
If you're a JET Alumni, you of course don't want to see the program go, but Gannon also notes that intellectuals and policy leaders are trying to convince Japan rethink its position. More importantly, Gannon writes, "For its part, the US State Department also seems to be taking the position that the JET Program makes valuable contributions to the long-term underpinnings of US-Japan relations and cutting it will be harmful."
Even if you believe the JET Program to be wasted effort in teaching English, this is where the real value in JET exists: the goodwill that Japan has bought over the years is invaluable. Teaching and cultural exchange aside, the JET Program has succeeded in creating a corps of "ambassadors" that are interested in and like Japan, and these people tend to want to continue to stay connected to Japan in some way after JET.
I know a few ex-JETS who have gone on to work at embassies in Japan, and I wonder what the ratio of people who go on to work in some Japan-related government or NPO capacity really is. If JET does get the axe, then Japan doesn't just lose a teaching program, but a valuable diplomatic tool as the State Department suggests.
- Shawn's blog
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Comments
Neddy, perhaps you can step
Neddy, perhaps you can step in with some informed comment on the merits of CELTA, channeled via yourself from the spirit of Mackorello. What does Mackorello have to say about all this?
Informed Comment
Hmm…
Last I looked, this site was a site dedicated to debunking Eikaiwa.
No qualifications at all, are necessary for working in Eikaiwa, since Eikaiwa is made up of a collective of businesses, who only pretend to be in the business of teaching language, and whose real business is advance fee fraud.
That being the case, they tend to hire anyone with a heartbeat (even internet stalking, unwashed transient types, like you), as long as the meet minimum visa requirements (and often then, if they can get away with it, they don’t even care about that).
Beyond Celta……....
Hhmm....... in Japan, even at University level, for your hapless dancing monkey, even a doctorate plus ample relevant work experience means very little, if salary and job security are to be used as the measuring stick.
Better jobs available, outside Japan, period.
Want to teach English? Want to have a meaningful career teaching English?
Well, have a think about what really drives you, while your do your monkey dance, in the monkey booths of Japan, and consider if Japan really is the place, where one can use their qualifications, for best end result.
It’s a place for wankers, who do their ASIA bit, and then turn into internet stalkers, dreaming of their care free monkey dance days, and for years on end, feel the need to preach that they “would do it all again”.
Talk about Lost in Space...........
However, each unto their own......
Therapy
So that's what Mackorello says is it? Amazing. For someone long since deceased (most probably due to suicide, from being stalked for years on end by an internet nutjob), it's truly amazing that he still dominates your consciousness and speaks messages to you.
Good to get it off your chest though, I bet. Having a non-existent stalker after you must be hard work.
Yes, Doctor........therapy
No worries, Doctor Stalker - listen, why don't you just shut up, focus, give into what it is that you really want, give up your loser current life, and go back to your old loser life, and "and do it all again" ?????
HA HA HA HA HA !
Meantime, you can stalk away, for as long as your heart is content.
I will always be here, for you.
Yikes!
Not this theme again!
He's a funny one isn't he. I
He's a funny one isn't he. I don't know what it is - lack of attention from his mother? Lack of direction or purpose in his life?
Re: Yikes!
Well, we still don't know whether JET will actually get the axe or not. I can't think of any good reasons to keep it going myself.
I think like the OP says, JET
I think like the OP says, JET isn't about teaching, it's essentially a diplomatic tool to improve foreign relations, and in that regard, it's probably had some success, seeing as a fair few ex-JETs have gone on to diplomatic jobs, jobs in business with Japan, or some other sort of Japan-related activities.
In terms of teaching, there isn't any in it. Like eikaiwa, it isn't about teaching. That's left for the Japanese English teachers to attempt to do with some gaijin human tape-recorder gimp.
I'd hazard a guess that the reason we now see a plethora of dodgy ALT companies hiring human tape-recorders goes back to the JET model of hiring native speakers with no teaching qualifications. As a result of that, BoEs up-and-down Japan have been "inspired" to fritter away education budgets on ALTs that do next-to-nothing for the English ability of Japanese school students.
In that sense you could say that JET's caused a whole load of damage to English education in Japan, and helped spawn the rotten ALT industry.
Personally, I hate JETs... most of them
I came to Japan on a spouse visa. I looked for a job and found one as a ALT.
No one paid for my plan ticket to Japan, no one pays for half of my apartment... No one furnished my apartment either...
From what I understand, in addition to those benefits, (which don't bother me too much to be honest)... they get paid more. That does get on my nerves. Around 50,000 Yen more a month than your typical ALT working in Japan.
JET's (not all of them, but most of them) are spoiled kids fresh out of college. They have so much extra money they end up taking vacations all over the world... Ohh did I forget to mention? They get more Vacation too... Most I have encountered, (not all, but most) are like arrogant frat boys and sorority sisters. They have their clicks are are "too cool" to hang out with those regular ALT's... I suppose I can't blame them, if I came to Japan when I was 20 years old or so, I would probably be same way.
2 years later, when they can't be JET's anymore, if they want to stay in Japan... they find a regular ALT job. You know what happens? They all get themselves into debt, or live paycheck to paycheck... because they were so used to the high pay before, and being taken care of like little babies they didn't bother saving any yen. (not saying this is everyone, but I see it all the time)
Will the JET program get the AXE should it get the AXE? It sure would make me happy... JET's piss me off. But, I don't think it's going away any time soon... maybe a slow phase out...
As for the Japanese lack of English Ability? That is not fault of any ALT working in Japan. That's the fault Japanese Education System, it's fucked.
Japanese problem solving
I think it's well-known that the JET program is basically a waste of money and that the whole education system is basically broken. However, as good as the Japanese seem to be at recognising problems, there seems to be a total lack of inclination to do much about them.
A current JET
For the record, it's very convenient to assume all JET participants are selfish, spoilt little children who think JET will be the shining jewel in their employment record. Personally, I've just started my third year on JET (in the middle of bloody nowhere I might add) and I understand that it doesn't work. This isn't to say that JET is inherently flawed, rather it's a problem with Japanese education system. So here I am, in my third year, visions of actually doing anything to change mindsets in Japan eliminated. Japan is just too ridged and unimaginative when it comes to learning English.
So, the big question, what to do? JET doesn't work but the eikaiwa scene isn't much better. For the record, I have lived in Japan previously and done my time in the eikaiwa trenches. I guess what I wanted to say is that JET's do realise that the program is seriously flawed and needs to be rethought. Until then however, I'm going to keep collecting my paycheck because, let's face it, you would do the same.
Reply to JET
Be smart. Be clever. Get Unionised.
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