[Tsuwabuki]

Wow, a lot to get through, and I can't quote it all, so I'll just reply with a few thoughts.

I agree with Samurai to some extent, but not using political catchphrases to do so. I DO think that this attempt to be totally egalitarian is a profound handicap. The goal of a public educational system is to level the playing field; make sure everyone STARTS from the same place. That doesn't mean that we need to pretend someone who isn't performing deserves to continue to be rewarded. It just means everyone has the same opportunity to move forward. If a child needs help above and beyond that initial leveling of the field, that's where the parents come in. Except, too often, they just don't. Rather than help, they enable. Thus you get this entitlement syndrome that has children turn to teens and teens to young adults who just expect someone to come along and enable them for the rest of their lives.

As for the ALT situation, I am an ALT, and my experiences sound completely different than what I am hearing above. I rarely deal with my company at all, and most of them time not even face to face. They're there to arbitrate in case something goes wrong, or there is a major communication difficulty. For the most part, I report to the BoE, not the individual schools at which I teach, and other than those above mentioned issues, I don't really deal with anyone beyond my immediate supervisors... sorta. My contract makes a lot of sense, the money I'm getting is more than enough, and I couldn't care less how much is being "skimmed" off the top. I'm not in Japan for the money, I have a retirement account that is quite robust, and as long as I have enough to eat, pay my bills, and travel when I want to, I am good. I certainly don't have issues asking off work. I have two weeks vacation useable within the school year. That seems to me the same as any other job I have ever held.

I also don't use just English in the classroom, especially not at the Junior High level when I am the sole teacher present. I have to use Japanese to explain grammar and to teach the lesson. I make a habit of repeating everything in Japanese and English, and my writing skills are good enough that I do the same thing on the board. Every direction, every sentence, is written in both languages. That doesn't mean I let my students bully me into minimising my English (and they certainly try) or let them off the hook when it comes to speaking English back to me, but speaking nothing but English with the textbook and materials they are presented with would simply be impossible.