First - the Yutori system of education fell out of favor (for these reasons) and is being phased out. This guy is getting the tail end of it. They are already in the process of figuring out a different approach.
Second - the peer regulation system works surprisingly well in the end, you just need to know how to get the system up and running.
Third - English class (particularly conversation) tends to be THE class to blow off and act up in. This is usually because no matter what you do or say, chances are the teacher won`t understand it and just kind of smile and ignore you.
Teachers are indeed free to scold their students (there is no policy against it but if a teacher is afraid of parental complaints they may not choose to do so.) They`re also free to come up with disciplinary plans. If a teacher doesn`t do this, it`s due to their own shortcomings and laziness.
The most effective systems I have seen involved a cool teacher who didn`t act angry, but who would punish the entire class for the misbehavior of one student. Sure, you can keep acting like an idiot. Here, let`s have a round of applause for (name) who has earned all of you an extra page of test next week.
Peer glares work
much better than scolding.
Quote:
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I have calmly rubbed off the obscenities written on the board while students laugh and shout "I hate English!"
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You missed out on a serious teaching chance there, sir.
I know the guy who wrote the article will never read this, but think how cool he would have looked if he`d turned that into a lesson.
In general I would say that students are well behaved. I think it`s particularly true if you have been in a classroom outside of Japan - I have noticed there are a LOT more complaints about dealing with students from people with no prior teaching experience... And far more about curriculum from those who do have the experience.
As for the great rosy glasses people see their own pasts and educations through - I am willing to bet that one time so-and-so was hilarious in class and you couldn`t stop laughing was a sheer hell for whoever was teaching. You just don`t remember it as such.