Hello Pen pal.

It has been few days since my last entry on my Japanese blog. I was a little angry about the situation I was in, but now I am feeling okay.

As you know, my Japanese blog is where I practice using Japanese by writing about my day (in Japanese). However, since my Japanese skills are so low, I could not explain about the resignation letter in Japanese, so I am writing about it in English.

On Wednesday, July 13, 2005, after returning home from teaching English at an elementary school in Machida, I received a call from my company. They informed me that the high school I usually teach at every day of the week (but Wednesday) wanted me to write a letter of resignation.

A little background information about the high school. It is one that is suppose to have a high reputation for its English program. Many Japanese (who have lived over-seas) go to this school. Anyway, I was hired to teach English. I was given books without Teacher's editions. I was hired even though I have very little teaching experience at the high school level, I am an elementary school teacher.

Sorry, this is getting long, and I have not even scratched the surface. I am getting tired, and I don't really feel like rehashing old news. I'm just going to summarize. Keep in mind the old saying that there are two sides to every story. This is just my side.

On Wednesday I was asked to resign. The strange part is that I think I was working too hard(just my opinion). A couple of examples:

1. I displayed the students writing samples, even though the head teacher (I suspect) did not want me too. However, instead of being honest and saying; "No, I don't want you to hang up the students work"!, she wasted my time (about 20 minutes), saying "it's okay, really, it's okay. How about here, or here? Spaces that were all too small. So, I felt if she going to give me a run around, then okay, I'll put up the students' work. But, I did add that if I had to dig (and move) panels out of storage, forget it. I was not interested. She said, "no problem leave everything to me".

June 9, she left a post-it note on my desk:

"Please catch me when you need the panels(this sentence underlined). I have my classes in 4th, 5th, 6th, & 7th period today. (I'll be busy during the lunch time & after the classes as well)".

I was annoyed, and I'd said to myself forget it, this is too much.I arrived at 4th period. About 30 minutes later, she walks into the teacher's room. I told her; "Forget it!" "Sorry to bother you!" " I don't need to panels". Her reply: "Oh, it's okay. Really, the doors open. Come I'll show you.

She takes me to the maintainance room to show the panels to me. She says; "See they're right here. If you want to use them, they are right here". Again, I say to myself, "if you are going to give me the run around, okay...." I take the panels. After about 3 or 4 minutes getting the panels past the paint cans and other things in the way, the head teacher says to me, "how long are you going to use them, the room has to be locked soon. If you need them for a day or two its okay. I decide okay, now the work goes up. At the moment the students's work went up, the head teacher barely spoke to me. Occasionally, I might get a terse (or rough) "hello" in the hall.

Oh, to see the display click here :
http://www.annex-5a.com/Tokyo_KHS.html

2. Each student in my class received a progress report, listing each assignment that they received a grade for, along with the class average for each assignment. I use an automatic grading program. I don't think the progress report was well received by the school adminstration.

Around June, a group of students complained about my teaching style. They went to their homeroom teacher, who translated the complaints into English, who then forward the complaints to the principal. Some examples???

*Teacher suspects students of plagiarizing for no reason.
*Teacher gives puzzles with words like "cat, pencil, friend,etc.." almost every lesson.
*Teacher taps his pen on the chalkboard to get the students attention.
*Teacher doesn't seem to understand that the students are full of academic curiosity.
*Teacher repeats the same word at least twice, or even four times.

I could go on, but I won't. I think you get the idea. There were about 12 items on the list. Did the principal ask me if the items were true? No. Did the principal ask for proof of plaiarism (I had it)? No. Did the principal follow up, to check if conditions or the situation improve? No. Well, not to my knowledge. The principal seemed only interested in making the students happy. Oh, and made a point of asking that I not tap my pen, because it annoys the students.

So, about a month passes, when I get called to come to my company's office. I work for an English conversation school/company. The company's job is to send out English teachers to various assignments, mine was this high school. The same complaint list was faxed. Again, truth or fiction was not the issue, only that the client was not happy, and the...possibility that I might not be asked to return.

So now, we are back to Wednesday. I was asked to write a letter of resignation, and to make up an excuse of why I resigned. I was angry. I believed (and I still do) that if the high school wanted to fired okay. If the school feels that I am incompetent...okay.

Oh, however, it is a little strange. that the vice principal sat in on my class to observe (some time in April). No reply, no feedback. And, on May 9th, the principal, and the other vice principal observed my lesson. Response? A couple of days later, the principal walks up to me in the hall, and shakes my hand. He said my lesson was well planned, well organized, and the students were attentive. He said he enjoyed my lesson very much. Strange.

So now, here I am, a little less angry. And a little unsure what my next move will be.