Teacher's
Survey
These
are the results of the SESJ Teachers' Newsletter
survey, to which nearly 100 teachers gave their
answers.
1
> ..Top 20 Places
to visit in Tokyo
2 > ..Top
20 Things to eat
3 > ..Top
10 Cheap night out
4 > ..Top
20 Leisure time activities
5 > ..Top
20 Things done during last holiday
6 >..
Top 20 Personal tips for teachers coming
to Japan for the first time
7 > ..What
teachers found most difficult in their first
week of teaching
8 > ..The
best thing about living and working in Japan
9 > ..Negative
things about living and working in Japan
10 > Adjectives
which sum up life in Japan
11 > What
has been your best/most enjoyable experience
in Japan so far?
12 > Professional
tips for teachers coming to Japan for the first
time
13 > What
would you say your experience in Japan has done
for you?
1
>Top 20 Places to visit in Tokyo
1. Harajuku
2. Shibuya
3. Shinjuku
4. Aoyama / Omotesando / Daikanyama
5. Asakusa
6. Yoyogi Park
7. Odaiba
8. Ueno Park
9. Shimokitazawa
10. Ebisu
11. Akihabara
12. Baseball stadia
13. J-League grounds
14. Ginza
15. Kamakura / Enoshima
16. Roppongi
17. Akasaka
18. Tokyo Disneyland / Disney Sea
19. Yokohama / Chinatown
20. Kichijoji
Bubbling under:
Meiji-jingu, Saitama, Kasai Rinkai, Tokyo, Shimosa
Nakayama, Hachioji, Hamarikyu Gardens, Mt Takao,
Koenji, Nippori, Tsukiji Fish market
Top
2 > Top 20 Things
to eat
1. Sashimi / Sushi
2. Yakinuku
3. Ramen
4. Tempura
5. Yakitori
6. Sukiyaki
7. Curry Rice
8. Vegetables
9. Shabu-shabu
10. Okonomiyaki / Monja
11. Onigiri
12. Nabe
13. Soba
14. Gyoza
15. Yakisoba
16. Delivery Pizza
17. Tofu
18. Takoyaki
19. Inarizushi
20. Pocky
Bubbling under:
miso soup, Mosburger, bento, konbini sandwiches,
rice, teriyaki, Yoshinoya, Matsuya, tonkatsu,
fried fish, cakes, mushrooms, dango, bibinba,
pickles, teppanyaki, omuraisu, oyakodon, kareman,
pizzaman
Top
3 > Top 10 Cheap night
out
1. Nomihodai (unlimited drinking for a set price
within a set time limit)
2. Karaoke (preferably with nomihodai)
3. Izakaya (preferably with nomihodai)
4. Tabehodai (unlimited eating for a set price
within a set time limit)
5. Rent a DVD / Video
6. Picnic
7. Convenience Store alcohol
8. Ramen
9. Yakitori
10. Friend's house/J-League match
Specific bars mentioned:
300-yen bar, Ginza and Nishikasai
BLDY, Nerima (500-yen all-night nomihodai)
Sala, Tsudanuma
Farm Grill, Ginza
Clubhouse, Shinjuku
Melting Pot, Gyotoku
Shirokiya (chain of izakayas)
Hub (pub chain)
Lexington's, Roppongi
Top
4 > Top 20 Leisure
time activities
1. Karaoke
2. Eating out / Izakaya
3. Drinking / local bars
4. Socialising / meeting friends
5. Doing sports (football, martial arts, running)
6. DVD / Video / movie
7. Gym / swimming
8. Watching sports
9. Gigs
10. Cycling
11. Sightseeing
12. Shopping
13. Pool / darts
14. Museums / galleries / exhibitions
15. Hiking / walking
16. Playing / recording music
17. Learning Japanese
18. Horse racing
19. Chilling out
20. Onsen
Bubbling Under:
Reading, J-Sky Sports, DJing, surfing, coffee
shop, clubbing, parks, PlayStation, massage,
barbecue, Print Club (purikura)
Top
5 > Top 20 Things
done during last holiday
1. Kyoto
2. Izu peninsula / islands (camping, beaches,
surfing)
3. Other countries in Asia
4. Travelled with friends and family
5. Hakone
6. Nikko
7. Went back home
8. Kamakura
9. Relaxed / chilled out in Tokyo
10. Climbed Mount Fuji
11. Skiing
12. Onsen
13. Studied Japanese
14. Guam
15. Disneyland
16. Nara
17. Kiso Valley
18. Hokkaido
19. Shikoku
20. Museums / galleries
Top
6 > Top 20 Personal
tips for teachers coming to Japan for the first
time
1. Learn Japanese / katakana / hiragana
2. Bring essential toiletries (deodorant, toothpaste,
tampons, condoms, medicine)
3. Bring plenty of clothes / shoes for all weathers
4. Don't just hang around with teachers / make
Japanese friends
5. Good financial management
6. Get out of Tokyo, explore Japan
7. Bring plenty of money for your first month
8. Try karaoke (even if you can't sing!)
9. Immerse yourself in Japanese culture, get
used to Japanese cultural etiquette
10. Buy a BRASTEL phone card
11. Open your eyes and mind, stay positive
12. Go to 100-yen shops
13. Get out and enjoy yourself
14. Talk to people
15. Get the most out of every day
16. Make plans for your holidays and days off
17. Try anything at least once
18. Air your futon regularly
19. Don't moan / worry about work in your free
time
20. Leave the past behind
Also:
Pack essentials - buy the rest here, bring a
guide book/phrase book / dictionary, get a bike,
bring lots of books, be prepared for extremes
in weather, bring a hot water bottle, avoid
Roppongi, be patient, use common sense, be nice
to Japanese reception staff, join an English
library, be prepared for cramped space, maintain
your hobbies, don't teach on a hangover, ask
experienced teachers for help/advice
Top
7 > What teachers
found most difficult in their first week of
teaching
1. Using a wide range of new text books and
resources
2. Using trains and finding your way round
3. Teaching children
4. Long hours / lack of free time
5. Lesson planning
6. So much to take in and remember / information
overload
7. Recovering from jetlag / exhaustion
8. Adapting your teaching to meet students'
needs and personalities
9. Lack of experience / confidence
10. Time management
11. Remembering everyone's names
12. Photocopiers and extra resources in head
offices, not in schools
13. Heat / humidity in summer
14. Starting and finishing work late
15. Thrown in at the deep end
16. Deciphering handover notes
17. Difficult grammar questions in advanced
classes
18. Settling in
19. Difficult to relax
20. Negative attitudes of one or two teachers
who have been here too long
Top
8 > The best thing
about living and working in Japan
1. The people
2. The food
3. Lots to do, new experiences
4. Clean and punctual transport
5. Clean and safe
6. Social life
7. The culture
8. Variety within the job
9. Convenience
10. Karaoke
11. The teaching / the students
12. Opportunities to travel and explore
13. Good pay
14. Shopping
15. The language
16. Good holidays
17. Lots of challenges
18. Cool mobiles
19. Music
20. Late starts
Also:
Own apartment, hospitality, onsen, lack of stress,
vending machines, neon, the buzz, the weather,
snowboarding, baseball, low tax
Top
9 > Negative things
about living and working in Japan
1. Language barrier
2. Finishing late / working long hours
3. Expensive / easy to spend money
4. Humidity in summer
5. Landlords and cramped apartments
6. Crowded trains
7. Noisy and crowded city
8. Never feel part of culture / easily stand
out
9. Banks
10. Some 6-day weeks
11. Long way from friends and family
12. Reserved and indecisive nature of the Japanese
13. Oral hygiene
14. Cockroaches / insects
15. Lack of romantic action for western women
16. Work
17. Travel time
18. Feeling isolated
19. Working weekends
20. Other gaijin
Top
10 > Adjectives which
sum up life in Japan
1. Fun
2. Challenging
3. Different
4. Frenetic / hectic
5. Interesting
6. Weird / strange
7. Varied / diverse
8. Expensive
9. Safe
10. Amusing
11. Crazy
12. Eclectic
13. Enjoyable
14. Crowded
15. Convenient
16. Rewarding
17. Surprising
18. Cute
19. Unforgettable
20. Busy
Also:
Unpredictable, tiring, easy, friendly, smelly,
respectful, efficient, small, full-on, shiny,
frustrating, magical, mind-blowing, perplexing,
indescribable, cool, tasty, smug, fantastic,
comfortable, worth it, modern/traditional, urban,
tidy, forgiving, enlightening, insular, claustrophobic,
fascinating, impermanent, fluid
Top
11 > What has been
your best/ most enjoyable experience in Japan
so far?
"Climbing Mount Fuji" (several people
answered this)
"Staying in a Japanese inn in Nikko for
2 nights"
"The dodompa in Fugi Q"
"Meeting my girlfriend"
"Hitch-hiking in Hiroshima"
"Sado island (off Niigata)"
"Going to the top of Tokyo Tower"
"Going to Kyoto, Nara, Kobe and Okinawa"
"A trip to Kyushu, staying in a farmhouse
and lighting a fire in the morning to heat the
bathwater!!"
"Dressing up as a Geisha in Kyoto"
"Camping in Kamakura"
"Eating whale meat"
"Visiting my previous host family in Osaka"
"Getting married, becoming a father"
"Travelling around"
"Swimming with tropical fish and whale/dolphin
watching in the Ogasawara islands"
"Cycling past my local shrine everyday
in spring, smelling the fragrant tree blossoms"
"Tokyo Designers' Week - container exhibition
in Odaiba"
"Travelling to Osore-zan in the Shimihita-hanto"
"Otomo Yoshide's New Jazz Quintet and Shinjuku
Pit Inn"
"Going to an outdoor Onsen in Kami Kochi
(outside Tokyo)"
"Cousin's wedding"
"Skiing in Hokkaido - big powder, empty
slopes, long runs, great weather"
"Getting involved in cultural events and
festivals"
"2002 World Cup"
"Travelling to Sendai in the truck full
of Japanese people - very amusing"
"Going to Kyoto"
"Wearing my Yukata on the Tokyo Bay Cruise
(organised by the school)"
"Watching drunken salarymen trying to get
home"
"Going camping near a beach in Izu in the
summer with other teachers and making Japanese
friends there"
"Eating teppenyaki at the Roppongi Prince
Hotel"
"Thankyous from parents and kids, cheery
blossom picnics, playing football, meeting friends,
surfing, onsen, Kyoto, Kamakura…"
"Sapporo road trip - 3000km with a tent
and 4 men"
"Visiting Kamakura"
"Watching the sunset on Miyajima"
"Visiting Nikko"
"Seeing Mount Fuji"
"Getting hopelessly lost on my bike and
meeting some lovely Japanese whoc cycled me
all the way home!"
"Disneyland"
"Having friends and family come to stay"
"Shonan beaches in summer"
"Going to an onsen in Izu"
"Onsen/dinner at a ryokan in Hyogo"
Top
12 > Professional
tips for teachers coming to Japan for the first
time
"Japanese people are usually very shy in
the classroom - be prepared for this. Remember
that English is very difficult for the Japanese,
just as Japanese is very difficult for English
speakers, so be understanding. Be relaxed and
friendly in classes."
"Use teachers' notes until you are familiar
with texts. Relax. Bring photos."
"Don't bring any materials, everything
you need is here. Don't stress on your first
planning day as you have enough time to prepare
lessons during the week."
"Grade your language. Share ideas and talk
about lessons with other teachers. Always look
to try new things in the classroom, don't get
stuck in a rut and avoid aimless free-con."
"Get adult students talking as much as
possible. Review and play familiar songs and
games with children. Look smart and smile to
students and parents."
"Be nice, be patient, be natural."
"Read the literature carefully. Be patient.
Plan your lessons carefully."
"Bring supplementary materials, pictures
of your home to introduce yourself with and
smart clothes."
"Bring a grammar book, prepare well for
lessons and ask others for help if you are worried."
"Expect the unexpected and prepare for
randomness."
"Learn the phonemic alphabet and bring
a good dictionary."
"Enjoy yourself with the kids and bring
photos for the adults."
"Always have a back-up plan for your lessons.
Start and finish lessons on time. Be polite."
"Don't bring over loads of resources. Read
as much about the SESJ set up as you can."
"Learn a little Japanese, wear nice clothes,
be polite."
"Be patient, get to know your students,
try lots of activities."
"Be punctual, dress smartly, speak clearly."
"Make the most of training. Don't crowd
your students. Learn IPA."
"Students appreciate cheerfulness usually"
"Take a deep breath and count to 10. Brings
as many photos from home as you can. Smile."
"Give it time. Don't bring lots of bulky/heavy
teaching materials - a lot's here already. Be
aware that CELTA training may not directly apply
to Japanese students, especially kids."
"Bring 'Practical English Usage' by Michael
Swan. Prepare well for your lessons and speak
slowly."
"Take advice from other more experienced
teachers. Try to enjoy your lessons - a sense
of humour goes a long way!"
"Always smile in class. Prepare well for
classes. Talk to someone about any problems."
"Don't bring many resources - there are
loads at Head Office. Own a good grammar book.
Don't stress!"
"Be enthusiastic and your students will
too. Don't be scared of the kids…they
smell fear! Jump in boots'n'all. Make friends
with the Japanese staff - it makes a HUGE difference."
"Bring papers, magazines, etc to use in
lessons. Bring photos of home (they love to
see them)."
"Be prepared to work hard and enjoy it.
Have a diary - you'll need it. Always check
your pay slip and question anything you are
unsure of."
"Try and bring lots of photos and authentic
materials. Have fun."
"Don't panic, be patient with students.
Keep kids' classes fun and lively. Try to work
out trains ASAP."
"The more trouble you make, the more trouble
you'll get. Be good to your receptionists. Be
organised."
"Get organised early, go early to work
until the planning is easier, get a decent night's
sleep."
"Teaching on a bad hangover is not fun.
Try to find a good side to each student, even
if you don't like them. Learn the different
types of train."
"Time management is the key, don't stress
- it gets easier, relax."
"Don't stress about teaching young kids.
Bring stuff from your home country/town. Personalise
your lessons."
"Be flexible. Be well prepared. Make a
real effort to get to know and help Japanese
Reception Staff."
"Be prepared for information overload at
the beginning. Don't take anything too seriously."
"Don't worry. Be as friendly as possible
to all your students and staff. Remember that
work is only one part of life."
Top
13 > What would you
say your experience in Japan has done for you?
"Ultimately, it has taught me about people
and communication - how to get on with so many
different people"
"Given me a perspective on a different
way of life"
"Made me more independent and introduced
me to some great people"
"1. Made me become a lot more independent;
2. Karaoke: My singing voice has improved"
"The job's helped me to get organised and
Japan has given me perspective into a different
way of life and living. I'll never forget it."
"Given me experiences, professional and
personal, which will stay with me and be valuable
throughout my life."
"Built my confidence, given me time to
stay back and plan my next moves"
"Made me a better teacher, whilst enjoying
myself doing 'normal' things"
"First time I really lived alone - coping
with that"
"It's given me a really good grounding
in my teaching and added variety to my life"
"It's been really rewarding learning about
a new culture and language, and I've improved
my teaching a lot"
"Given me the chance to understand a culture
far different to my own and to met some lovely
people"
"It's opened my mind to a new culture and
taught me more about myself"
"Broadened my mind / made me appreciate
a real bed and roast dinners!"
"Broadened my horizons and made me more
polite"
"It has enriched my life in that I've met
new friends and learnt new things about another
culture that will stay with me forever"
"Taught me the meaning of the word 'gambaru'"
"Got me married"
"Improved my language, record collection
and alcohol tolerance"
"Space to think about religion - Buddhism,
Christianity. Creativity with vegetarian food.
An 'Eastern' perspective on the world."
"It's cured me"
"Made me the well-rounded person I am"
"Made me see the good and bad points of
both countries"
"Made me into a man! Made me interested
in linguistics and learning a foreign language"
"It's given me a chance to see how other
people live"
"Improved my knowledge of Japanese culture
and teaching"
"It has taught me to respect and appreciate
a different culture and set of values"
"A change of perspective"
"To be patient and resourceful"
"Good experience teaching all ages of people"
"It has given me an incentive to travel
around Asia more"
"Opened my eyes, improved my teaching,
given me an experience I am proud of"
"Had a calming affect"
"It's a good way to understand more about
Britain by seeing similarities and differences"
"Given me opportunities to develop professionally,
broadened my teaching experience"
"Improved my English"
"I remember to laugh at the small things.
I've made some great friends. It's broadened
my mind"
Top
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