An Interview with Mari L: A Japanese to English Tutor

What does your particular job entail when working with these students? What do they expect to learn in their sessions with you?

The children begin with the ESL program. English as a second language, They are taught basic English from colours to alphabet, names of things like animals, basic nouns and basic verbs and so forth. They are taught the same things regardless of their age. It used to be they get out of ESL after they passed the test but now they are only allocated one year to stay in ESL, unless they are really behind or have certain handicaps like ADD. I help them in their learning beyond what ESL teaches them and give them one on one instruction.

I also help prepare them for the test, so they can enter into regular school. Because they combine the grades together in one class, they need one on one instruction too. I help them once they enter the regular school system too.

What ages of children do you work with and how long is each session?

I teach Kindergarten through high school. The sessions are 1 to 1 ½ hours long each visit.

How many students do you work with at each session?

I work one on one, unless it is an adult group.

How does working with the children differ from working with the adults?

The children, even when they are in regular school, they are behind in their grades. Once they pass their test, the parents not only ask to help them improve their grades but help them later on in regular classes, children's school assignments, homework. Fill the gaps they missed out on or are missing in their studies.

The adults are learning conversational or essential English for day to day shopping, casual socializing, and I do counseling when it comes to the matter of cultures and different customs.

You have said that working with the expat Japanese community is difficult at times. Why do you feel that is the case and what makes it difficult?

The Asian mentality, the parents are pretty strict. They do not accept C's or B's. They want A's. Their standard is very high.

From what you have said many of the mothers of the children you work with do not seem to be as involved with their new communities, that they tend to socialize with their own Japanese friends instead of socializing more with the natives. Why do you feel this happens so often?

Basically because what is available here. There are many Japanese speaking instructors who teach handcrafts and other things for stay at home Japanese mothers. So they tend to stay with their own group to try and enjoy the same things other Japanese are enjoying. There is also the convenience of things like the local Japanese supermarket.

How respectful and aware of you as their children's or their own tutor are they? Do you feel they take advantage of the fact you are Japanese yourself and if so how and why do you feel they do?

Because they feel that I am part of them, that I understand Japanese, they can be more demanding of me. If they can't speak English, they tend to be less demanding of a non-Japanese because they cannot converse in the language and make themselves understood. In Japanese we have a saying "Japanese are weak when it comes to dealing with blondes and blue eyes." So they deal with me and avoid conflict because they don't have the vocabulary to deal with a non-Japanese. Being Japanese they expect me to do what they want without regard for my own personal expectations and needs.

I know you yourself are verywell traveled and have often been in similar situations as your current students. How do you feel your experiences and attitudes differed in those situations from your own students and their families now?

Because we didn't have Japanese television or radio programs, Japanese markets and classes, we had to accept and try to assimilate into the countries that we lived in. We had to accept and deal with the cultures to survive. We had no other options.

What are the most difficult problems you see both your child and adult students experiencing both linguistically and socially while trying to adapt to this new environment?

It depends on the ages. During elementary these children are pretty flexible and assimilate more easily. Older children entering junior high coming from Japan have started to develop their own interests, such as Japanese games, comics, so they tend to push aside what American kids are enjoying. If they come in junior high school or older they tend to become cliquey with other similar Japanese students.

Learning expectations for Japanese students within their own families and culture are known to be very high keyed, competitive and stressful for the children. How do you feel this affects the children you work with?

The children are pressured to study and pick up English as well as their Japanese education. So they are dealing with two different educational systems simultaneously. Some children can handle this and some can't. The parents expect them to do both.

You get your clients primarily by word of mouth within the tight knit local Japanese community. Does this method of getting students work better in the Japanese community than other ways to get clients, running an advertising campaign for instance? Have you ever tried getting students other ways?

I have not tried getting students any other way. It is much better to get students by word of mouth in the Japanese community. It shows your individual reputation rather than by advertising.

You often have a turnover of students when the families suddenly get transferred back to Japan or elsewhere. How does this affect you?

It saddens me that they have reached a certain level, then leave. Now they have matured in these years. They go back and they will just be exposed to Japanese education. A lot of these children go back to Japan and have learned how to be outspoken in class here. They go back to Japan and get in trouble in classes for speaking up as an individual.

If you could approach this work in a different way, what changes would you make both for yourself and your students?

If I could only have them one on one, I know they would pick it up so much faster than the way they are all learning together in ESL. When they work with me outside of that program they learn more quickly one on one. That would be true with any student, not just the Japanese students.

Thank you Mari for your time and your insight into the Japanese tutoring business, community, and adjusting to a new language and culture.