The Advanced Japanese teacher doesn't speak Japanese (watch movies)

Sacramento Bee ^ | Melody Gutierrez

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Kayla Chung sits in her advanced Japanese language class at Rosemont High School but learns nothing about how to read or write the language.

That's because Chung's teacher – a long-term substitute – does not know Japanese.

"All we do is sit in class, watch movies on Japan and take notes," said Chung, 16, who is in Japanese III. "I'm pretty sure that's not how Japanese is supposed to be taught."

The situation at Rosemont highlights the difficulties schools face when offering specialized programs that have relatively few qualified teachers.

Rosemont's popular Japanese language classes were previously taught by a woman who went on maternity leave in August. The substitute the school hired to fill in for her quit in November.

.... An art teacher with a background in Asian studies was brought on in December and will remain until April when the regular teacher returns from maternity leave.

The substitute, who is also teaching Japanese I, II and IV, does not know the language and instead focuses on the culture and history of the country.

.....Chung, the Rosemont student, said she will sit out Japanese III for the rest of the year knowing she won't be able to talk with the school's Japanese exchange student any time soon.

"I feel like we are just getting BS work so we can get class credits," Chung said. "To me, these credits don't mean anything because I'm not learning what I should."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.....specialized programs that have relatively few qualified teachers.

Teaching credentials!

Can't teach until you're certified!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Why don’t they bring that exchange student in there and have him (or her) see what can be worked out between them. I bet they’ll be gabbing pretty well, even if in atrocious English and Japanese, within a couple of months.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

On a related matter:

How government grows and grows! The massively expanding field of "Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc" -- TESOL -- Global Education Association.

[pnh102]

Pathetic. You would think that in a place as diverse as California that the school system could easily find someone, anyone, who met the legal requirements to work and pass a criminal background check who is fluent in Japanese.

So stupid.

[mylife]

[ican'tbelieveit]

With today’s technology, remote learning.

[wintertime]

The situation at Rosemont highlights the difficulties schools face when offering specialized programs that have relatively few qualified teachers.
z^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

So?...Rather than hire an uncertified person who actually speaks Japanese, the school provides a totally incompetent “teacher” who doesn't speak any Japanese.

Welcome to Obamacare!

If anyone wants to know how bloated and incompetent our health care will be under government ownership, one only needs to glance over at our government schools.

[LRS]

"All we do is sit in class, watch movies on Japan and take notes," said Chung, 16, who is in Japanese III. "I'm pretty sure that's not how Japanese is supposed to be taught."

It could be worse. With me, I'd be feeding you a steady diet of the old Godzilla movies...

[skr]

Was wondering the same thing myself. Conversational Japanese for now.

[pepsionice]

I bet American kids could learn from Godzilla movies.

[LRS]

“Save the earth;
Save the earth.”

[struggle]

Oooooi. Ano kurasu oshieru yo!

[SIDENET]

I bet American kids could learn from Godzilla movies.

I learned to never ride the train in Tokyo.

[samtheman]

Why not have the janitor teach nuclear physics?

Oh I know why. Because the janitor doesn’t have an “education degree”.

Government schools. What a joke.

[Pollster1]

"I feel like we are just getting BS work so we can get class credits," Chung said. "To me, these credits don't mean anything because I'm not learning what I should."

I like this kid. I don't get the impression that a trophy for completing the class and a "learning collage" would help Kayla to feel better about an empty class. She's learned the important lesson that self-esteem comes from accomplishment.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“I bet American kids could learn from Godzilla movies.”

You’re right, plus it would help teach the all important anti-American theme.. e.g. ‘American imperialists bombed Japan, causing the radiation that produced Godzilla...’.

[bill1952]

And prospects wonder why I am not interested in their “paper” when they apply for a job.
What value are these creds if you can’t speak word one on Japanese??

[HiTech RedNeck]

Chung sounds like a Chinese name — Asians tend to take their learning more seriously than the average gringo.

Yet, there’s far more in common between Chinese and Japanese, than between English and either one.

[dusttoyou]

Gubmint skoolz..... the damn school system nor obviously the “teachers” give too hoots in hell whether or not kids learn, its all about head count for mo gubmint money.

Home School, your kids will be better off for it!

[RipSawyer]

The janitor could not even teach floor waxing for lack of an education degree, no matter how expert he might be in the subject.