Gone are "apple for the teacher" days?

Poor teachers...they have to deal with all sorts of demanding parents, especially the kind who are in denial that their child is the 'devil reincarnate.' Some children behave like angels, that is, when their parents are within eyesight. My poor friend E is a fantastic teacher (in Canada) but has had a rough time with some students and at times their respective parents. Recently some parents yelled at her for not giving out enough homework...geez!

Tsukuba is a particularly tough place for teachers! Most parents are from elite, top-ranking universities...these same well-educated parents have particularly high expectations. Meaning? Teachers in Tsukuba are likely under some of the most pressure to perform, in all of Japan! My friend A, who is an English teacher, claims one of her students asks her to check the English on some papers distributed by the teacher of her child's Engilsh class. Oooo, scary!!! It is not wonder these days the incidence of teachers taking leave due to mental illness is on the rise (60% of teachers' sick days were due to mental causes), and doesn't seem to be tapering anytime soon.

Here was my way of thinking when I taught children at AEON. Here is the thing - try hard and get many complaints. Do not try and get many complaints. Umm...it does not take a genius to find out what a teacher is going to do...eventually stop trying! Most of my co-workers developed a strong dislike for children and one of my classes was penned, the "terror tots." Parents who put down and gossip about teachers are only pulling down their morale, which does not help much. Complaint-ridden parents might want to think about teaching at home before immediately pointing their finger at teachers. As the saying goes, "Practice what you preach!"

After my AEON experience, I decided to teach only the children who wanted to learn and only those who were not spoiled beyond 30-day old natto (sticky fermented smelly beans). If the parents complained, they could go somewhere else. I would rather sit and twiddle my thumbs or volunteer for the elderly rather than waste the money of overambitious parents on their brats. Tough logic but my logic!