Doing nothing....

[totty137]

Ok ok ok.... I've heard it almost a million times "ESID." I've also heard mention of the insane amount of downtime that is given to most ALTs. So here is my question. I've become ridiculously prepared for any type of lesson that has even been vaguely mentioned to me. I am a rotational JHS/Elem. ALT and right now I am only at ONE school. I am suppose to stay at this same school all week until I start changing around. But with sports day happening right now there are NO classes. I've been at this school for 3 days now and I have had absolutely no classes. I try to go out and talk with the students during their breaks and lunch and help with cleaning time. But what do you guys do with all the down time? Is it appropriate to read an e-book on my IPOD? What am I allowed to do to look busy without stepping on any toes? Any info would be really helpful.

[Musashi]

If I couldn't do anything with the kids or play with them I would bring in my laptop and surf the net, read, or discreetly play video games on my phone.

Sometimes I'd find a good hidding spot and make calls back home.

You're still new sou you should do whatever you feel comfortable with.



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[Patryn]

i'd say look busy. but sounds like you're running out of things to do.
You could potentially continue studying Japanese... might help later (assuming you don't know much japanese). But yeah, that's what I've kinda been doing. ^^

[saikick]

discreetly play video games on my phone.

Sometimes I'd find a good hidding spot and make calls back home.

You're still new sou you should do whatever you feel comfortable with.

I don't think that's something you should be suggesting to a new JET who just started his/her job...

[Antonath]

I can't really advise you what to do with your spare time, especially if you've already prepared a bunch of materials. However, I will say that you need to get used to having long stretches with no lessons. Sports days, culture festivals, exams, high school visits, PTA visits, school trips, and a load more things will interfere with the "normal" schedule. I'm at SHS, so it's a little different, but I didn't have a single "normal" week during the first term. Not one.

[Greg_ShimanePA]

I know this might sound kinda obvious, but have you asked your JTE(s) what they'd prefer you do during your downtime?

[Namisuke]

There are some previous posts about the same issue on here with lists of things that ALTs do during their downtime. I think if you just search "downtime," something might pop up.

Personally, I do a lot of laminating during my downtime as I can mix work and crafting that way, yay! I also like browsing ESL Printables (eslprintables.com). You can ask if you can study Japanese at work or see if you can do some grading. You might also be able to get some space to do an English board.

[EricaHartmann]

Ask your JTEs and vice-principal. Do you have an English room/club? Can you start an English room/club?

[Musashi]

discreetly play video games on my phone.

Sometimes I'd find a good hidding spot and make calls back home.

You're still new sou you should do whatever you feel comfortable with.

I don't think that's something you should be suggesting to a new JET who just started his/her job...

She could try and study some Japanese. But usually people can't do that 8 hours straight.. Especially when you're new to the language.
I'd say Greg has it right. Ask them what to do, and if they shrug their shoulders, I think a mixture of Japanese study and + reading, surfing, wandering around is perfectly acceptable.

Just thought of this ----->>> If you want, you can also make an English board (if they have one or will let you start one) That's always fun. Kids love it, and they can get to know a bit about you and your country/city before the official self intro class. You can also work in a quiz after your self intro with bonus questions that had info only on your English board.

You can also get acquainted with the office equipment and learn how to use the copy machine, the paper cutter, and some of the other devices that you might want to use. Also, since you are the JTE's assistant, you might have to make copies and prepare the course material copies for them.

I dunno if that would keep you busy for more than a couple of hours, but it's something nice to do for the kids, and also if you know how to use the copy equipment, your JTE's will love you for saving them time.

[HamoHater]

An English newsletter is another idea. Heck, you could even make it for the teachers. You could do a monthly one talking about US national holidays or whatever. That can take up a good chunk of time and is certainly productive.

[zzyzzx]

I had the EXACT same situation last week. I was scheduled to be at my home school all week, but they had tests and undokai practice all week.
Even worse, my other JHS had the same schedule, so they didn't want me, and my ES wasn't ready for me yet.

I ended up spending my first three days helping my JTE check summer homework, including their workbooks and detailed correcting of their
penmanship books. On Thursday I was invited to their ES to watch undokai practice (my JHS fields are filled with temporary housing),
then took Friday off so that I could work the undokai Saturday. It was quite boring, and I was mostly left alone all week... the students
wouldn't even say hello to me in the halls, but I'm sure my JTE loved all the help I gave her (great for building relationships).

[SaitamaPA_Denise]

Okay, enough about school festival. You'll have other times during the year when you have "downtime" (for me it was during "test weeks" when there are no classes for 4 or 5 days, and at the end of the 3rd term when the 3rd year students have gone and everyone is in a post-graduation funk). Always ask your JTEs if there's anything you can do to help, because often they're crazy busy during these times, and even if it's just making one question they sometimes really need the help. If they say there's nothing to do then catch up on your paperwork, then contact your PA and ask if there is anything they need help with (often there are upcoming prefectural events that you can help out with). You can also walk around the school, maybe observe some classes (with the teacher's prior consent), or help with cleaning or just reorganising materials in the English room.

If that fails then feel free to study Japanese, discretely browse the net (try to make it look at least vaguely work related), check out the forums (like here), tidy your desk (always my last resort), etc. Just be alert for comments from your teachers that may be gently hinting that they would prefer you didn't do these things, and don't take it personally, because often they're not the source of the comment, but rather the vice-principal has made a comment to them and they're just passing it on.

This.

It's frustrating especially after just arriving to have so little to do in the classroom, but, in case William's suggestions didn't already hold enough appeal, keep in mind that the work you do now will help your new co-workers form positive impressions of you and serve as a little positive self-PR that can come in handy later in the year.

[omoshiroi_ne]

im good with the groundskeeper. basically, ive planted some flowers, fixed broken light switches, help shovel and make a side earthquake escape route... etc.

regardless of whatever you do, just don't have that "that's not in my job description" attitude. you will outcast yourself because no japanese teacher i know shows that kind of attitude. ive seen teachers here do some crazy things that has nothing to do with teaching. im just saying...

[kajiryuu]

In all honesty I think it depends on your personality and the school environment.

Some schools are really welcoming to their ALTs and the environment helps you have open conversation and possibly start English activities or other projects.

I've been at my school for a while (2 years), and honestly I have no idea what is going on most of the time since nobody really tells me anything. If I'm free and see someone trying to move something heavy, or whatever, I'll help. Sometimes, like maybe 4 times a year, a teacher will ask me to move something. For the first few months I attempted the look busy thing. But I've came to adopt the, "if I'm not busy look bored" attitude. I want the teachers and students to know I have time. I do my job, and never had complaints. They know I work, but it doesn't take a lot of investigation to know ALTs have a lot of free time. I think trying to hide this just makes it harder. I want people to feel like they can ask me for help. When they ask, I thank THEM for asking me to help out.

After some time I just got use to the downtime and use it to surf the internet, read the news, research stuff, plan my vacations, use my iphone, make worksheets, study Japanese, etc. Usually nothing with lots of media, so it may at least look like I'm working. Usually it's a wall of English so no one even bothers. I still feel highly under utilized, but I've probably read about half of wikipedia. Many times I've tried to inject myself into other things like clubs, etc. But never felt welcome, so not really worth my effort in my case since I'm not interested in the clubs my JHS offers.

[Sooyong]

I'm at two elementary schools right now, and while one of them is getting ready for sports festival, they have had absolutely NO English classes. I was actually mostly responsible for setting it up this way, as the calendar didn't allow each grade to have an even number of classes if we had tried to start before the 17th, which is the day of our festival. I checked with the HRTs, they said okay, and so now I'm currently not so busy. My other school is very small and only has one class per grade, so lesson preparation really doesn't take long.

So with all the downtime I have until about two weeks from now, I've been observing the 3rd and 4th graders during their festival practices, looking through English materials, and reviewing lessons made by the previous teacher. When they're not practicing, or when I'm at my other school, I'm just surfing the net and taking care of other duties, as well as trying to stay awake. Lots of free time isn't an uncommon situation. You could try studying Japanese or something.