Q to English teachers in Japan?

Question

What do you learn from teaching English to Japanese?

Answer 1

patience - you need this with quiet students

cultural understanding - learning the way people of another culture think. Also as a teacher we get a broad look at society as we can teach a wide range of people of various ages, various backgrounds, and various professions.

confidence - the ability to stand in front of a group of people and lecture while also giving encouragement and correction. It can be quite intimidating to be correcting a Vice President going on 60 years.

a better understanding of your own language. Often native speakers take for granted the complexities, inconsistancies, the origins of their own language. By teaching English, I've been inspired to learn more about the development of English from its roots in old Anglo-Saxon England to the present.

Understanding the concept of learning - one thing I have learned is that true learning is an active participatory activity not a passive one. Giving answers is not the job of a teacher. Making students think is.

Answer 2

Patience =D

Answer 3

I learned that about %50 of salarymen will reply to the question, "what did you do on the weekend?", with "I washed my car."  I learned that it's the school administrators you have to satisfy if you want your contract renewed-not the students.

I also learned it wasn't what I wanted to do for a living. That being said I have no regrets and I hope I was of some use to people who sincerely wanted to improve their English.

Answer 4

It's not so much from learning about how to teach English and looking into your own language enough to teach it that is cool- it is about learning about how a language is structured and learning about another culture that is completely across the opposite end of you. It is entirely and completely an opposite culture than us in every way. It makes you see things you would never imagine and it makes you view religion, culture, society and the world in a different light. You learn about YOURSELF in the world around yourself by just being a part of their society. It changes you, humbles you, and expands you all at the same time. The experience is incredulous. :)