"A foreign English teacher in charge of an English class at Shumei Yachiyo Junior High School is facing criticism after it emerged that the teacher drew pictures of a person being hanged (a la the game "Hangman") when students answered incorrectly in class. In 2008, a student at the school hanged himself, but the teacher allegedly continued using the game regardless."
This is an article from the Mainichi Daily News.
* English version: http://
(* Japanese version, in case you need it: http://
This story makes me sad for many reasons.
I'm sad to read about a child taking away his life.
I'm sad for the parents who lost their child.
But I'm also sad for the teacher. He was using a game that American children use often, and that is not typically associated with anything violent in America. He didn't mean any harm. (I'm assuming here that he did not know that the kid had hung himself.) He may have been guilty of poor cultural awareness/sensitivity (and still, I think it would be a stretch) but I don't think he was guilty of harassment.
What do you think?
This is an article from the Mainichi Daily News.
* English version: http://
(* Japanese version, in case you need it: http://
This story makes me sad for many reasons.
I'm sad to read about a child taking away his life.
I'm sad for the parents who lost their child.
But I'm also sad for the teacher. He was using a game that American children use often, and that is not typically associated with anything violent in America. He didn't mean any harm. (I'm assuming here that he did not know that the kid had hung himself.) He may have been guilty of poor cultural awareness/sensitivity (and still, I think it would be a stretch) but I don't think he was guilty of harassment.
What do you think?
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コメント(25)
sabine,
My genuine question for you is, what would happen if the teacher did the exact same thing in an American high school? I agree with you that he probably did not mean any harm, but would it not discourage the students from standing up and giving their answers?
I went to school in the U.S. As far as I remember, no classmates let alone teachers made fun of me when I spoke incorrect English. Instead, they gave me high-five's and positive comments. I wonder what I would be now if they'd used hangman pictures to embarrass me for those mistakes instead.
My genuine question for you is, what would happen if the teacher did the exact same thing in an American high school? I agree with you that he probably did not mean any harm, but would it not discourage the students from standing up and giving their answers?
I went to school in the U.S. As far as I remember, no classmates let alone teachers made fun of me when I spoke incorrect English. Instead, they gave me high-five's and positive comments. I wonder what I would be now if they'd used hangman pictures to embarrass me for those mistakes instead.
だいはど, I understand your point, and it makes perfect sense. In America, hangman is not used to embarrass kids (at least, this is not how I experienced it). We use it as a game, and most kids think it's fun to play. Even when kids lose, everyone laughs (again, my personal experience only). Some teachers think that it's a good teaching tool because kids learn better when they're having fun.
But you are right, positive reinforcement is probably a better way to engage the kids -- especially those who are less participative or more sensitive. I taught some English classes in Japan in addition to my regular job, and I remember that the kids were very responsive to receiving stickers when they did well. I remember playing bingo with them and that I always had to cheat at the end to make sure no one would lose, otherwise there were tears
I completely agree that rewarding good behavior and good answers is probably better than drawing attention to poor answers.
I think a lot of Japanese people are perfectionists (a good quality to have!) They're not happy with being just average, they like persevering until they achieve a good result. Maybe in that regard, Japanese kids are more sensitive to games like hangman than American kids, and they get embarrassed easier if someone points out a mistake (which is why I said that the teacher may have been guilty of poor cultural awareness/sensitivity)...
Thank you for the input!
But you are right, positive reinforcement is probably a better way to engage the kids -- especially those who are less participative or more sensitive. I taught some English classes in Japan in addition to my regular job, and I remember that the kids were very responsive to receiving stickers when they did well. I remember playing bingo with them and that I always had to cheat at the end to make sure no one would lose, otherwise there were tears
I completely agree that rewarding good behavior and good answers is probably better than drawing attention to poor answers.
I think a lot of Japanese people are perfectionists (a good quality to have!) They're not happy with being just average, they like persevering until they achieve a good result. Maybe in that regard, Japanese kids are more sensitive to games like hangman than American kids, and they get embarrassed easier if someone points out a mistake (which is why I said that the teacher may have been guilty of poor cultural awareness/sensitivity)...
Thank you for the input!
I used in elementary school they loved it. This year I have decided not to use it because of death penalty in Japan But I will keep playing shark because it is an hilarious game and kids love it. They do not see it as a punishment more like a motivation to give the right answer (and of course everything is made for them not to loose usually) . In Japan children play games, video games, have sport competition and all I think they are used to be confronted to failure (I mean undokai starts in kindergaden or first grade of elementary school )
HybridKuma,
I would agree with you if the use of hangman pictures in Japanese schools were taken like it is in Australia. My gut feeling is that the kids in Japan take that all too seriously. Worse yet, the minuteyou make a mistake in the class, all your classmates will either make fun of you right there, laugh at you behind your back later, or both.
To teach the kids how to accept failure means you also have to show them that it is okay to make mistakes, and that what matters more is how you learn from them. I'm not sure if the hangman picture, no matter how lightly it is taken in other countries, helped the teacher and the students in that respect at all.
I would agree with you if the use of hangman pictures in Japanese schools were taken like it is in Australia. My gut feeling is that the kids in Japan take that all too seriously. Worse yet, the minuteyou make a mistake in the class, all your classmates will either make fun of you right there, laugh at you behind your back later, or both.
To teach the kids how to accept failure means you also have to show them that it is okay to make mistakes, and that what matters more is how you learn from them. I'm not sure if the hangman picture, no matter how lightly it is taken in other countries, helped the teacher and the students in that respect at all.
when I was at the university , a teacher from New zealand did hangman game, and the response from class did not seem good to me.....
I remember simply feeling kind of negative about the game. as you may know , the number of people killing themselves in japan now is quite high, and I simply thought that there might be someone who lost their kin from the same way of suicide.( may be I generally think too heavily on anything though)
maybe the teacher was not aware of it and the reaction of the student must have been quite unimaginable at the time, I remember simply feeling that the teacher of our class was quite naive...and unsensiteive....
maybe my way of thinking is too strong ...? but that is how I felt at that time.
I remember simply feeling kind of negative about the game. as you may know , the number of people killing themselves in japan now is quite high, and I simply thought that there might be someone who lost their kin from the same way of suicide.( may be I generally think too heavily on anything though)
maybe the teacher was not aware of it and the reaction of the student must have been quite unimaginable at the time, I remember simply feeling that the teacher of our class was quite naive...and unsensiteive....
maybe my way of thinking is too strong ...? but that is how I felt at that time.
I agree that it was insensitive or careless to continue to play the game in light of events. However, anyone who commits suicide as a result of, or independent of, a game has some deep psychological problems.
In terms of the parents attempting to draw a causal connection and impune the teacher, I think that's a sad situation. The reality is that an incredibly small percentage of children playing that game commit suicide. However, a significantly large percentage of children growing up in that home environment did. It is much easier to draw the conclusion that home life was responsible if we're judging based on correlation rather than causal connections. I think the parents are desperately searching for a rationale - as any parent would in such a tragic situation. It's unfortunate that they are more willing to cast blame than to consider the possibility that they bear some responsibility for their child's home life and psychological development.
In terms of the parents attempting to draw a causal connection and impune the teacher, I think that's a sad situation. The reality is that an incredibly small percentage of children playing that game commit suicide. However, a significantly large percentage of children growing up in that home environment did. It is much easier to draw the conclusion that home life was responsible if we're judging based on correlation rather than causal connections. I think the parents are desperately searching for a rationale - as any parent would in such a tragic situation. It's unfortunate that they are more willing to cast blame than to consider the possibility that they bear some responsibility for their child's home life and psychological development.
>フィル
Agreed,
It might not have been the smartest thing in the world to keep doing it after some kid does hang himself.
The whole thing just sounds like they are searching for a scapegoat though. Sounds like in America when a kid takes a gun to school and starts shooting up the place, they blame some FPS game. (The story I'm thinking of was counterstrike). There's been other stories like it since, though.
The article says the kid was talking on a suicide website and hanging is a common form of suicide.
Guess we'll never know the truth.
Agreed,
It might not have been the smartest thing in the world to keep doing it after some kid does hang himself.
The whole thing just sounds like they are searching for a scapegoat though. Sounds like in America when a kid takes a gun to school and starts shooting up the place, they blame some FPS game. (The story I'm thinking of was counterstrike). There's been other stories like it since, though.
The article says the kid was talking on a suicide website and hanging is a common form of suicide.
Guess we'll never know the truth.
Yesterday, I saw an amazing documentary on youtube. It talks about how a Japanese teacher is changing the lives of elementary school children. I think it is a powerful message, and it deserves to be mentioned here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=armP8TfS9Is
As for the topic, I guess the English teacher was careless, but ultimately impossible to blame for this incident. This is a problem that has been going on for a long time on Japanese schools, whether there are foreign English teachers or not. Japanese schools need a serious educational reform. Just removing an English teacher by itself will not solve anything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=armP8TfS9Is
As for the topic, I guess the English teacher was careless, but ultimately impossible to blame for this incident. This is a problem that has been going on for a long time on Japanese schools, whether there are foreign English teachers or not. Japanese schools need a serious educational reform. Just removing an English teacher by itself will not solve anything.
Hangman is a stupid game to use in class with 10 or more students.
It should be used in smaller groups. Maybe about 3 students.
I can understand teaching them the game, but to use it over and over is dumb.
Also, its common sense not to use such a game in Japanese Public Schools.
I would like to know what company he worked for.
It should be used in smaller groups. Maybe about 3 students.
I can understand teaching them the game, but to use it over and over is dumb.
Also, its common sense not to use such a game in Japanese Public Schools.
I would like to know what company he worked for.
17> Lol
Seriously though. From my vantage as an American, Hangman was just a game we played in school (from grade school up) and nothing more. When I read that article, I thought: there are two foolish things at play. First, I highly doubt that anyone could look at a game on a board and feel as though they will be "hanged" if they answer incorrectly, which is what the opinions in the article seemed to insinuate. That's simply foolish.
More foolish, perhaps, is the decision the teacher made in continuing to use a game that mimics how a student in the class had died. Probably, the teacher wasn't thinking about the effect of his decision to continue using the same game; he might have allowed a little more time to pass. (Then again, how recent _was_ this student's suicide? We don't really know.) In his shoes, I might have considered using a different game to meet the same teaching aim, then wait a few months or even half a year, and then consider playing the game. Or asking a peer (Japanese instructor) their feelings on the matter before proceeding.
In any case, the guy shouldn't be sacked or anything. Poor taste, perhaps; illegal or immoral or "bullying" in any manner, I highly doubt.
Seriously though. From my vantage as an American, Hangman was just a game we played in school (from grade school up) and nothing more. When I read that article, I thought: there are two foolish things at play. First, I highly doubt that anyone could look at a game on a board and feel as though they will be "hanged" if they answer incorrectly, which is what the opinions in the article seemed to insinuate. That's simply foolish.
More foolish, perhaps, is the decision the teacher made in continuing to use a game that mimics how a student in the class had died. Probably, the teacher wasn't thinking about the effect of his decision to continue using the same game; he might have allowed a little more time to pass. (Then again, how recent _was_ this student's suicide? We don't really know.) In his shoes, I might have considered using a different game to meet the same teaching aim, then wait a few months or even half a year, and then consider playing the game. Or asking a peer (Japanese instructor) their feelings on the matter before proceeding.
In any case, the guy shouldn't be sacked or anything. Poor taste, perhaps; illegal or immoral or "bullying" in any manner, I highly doubt.
Its interesting... hanging to Americans is a very old fashioned thing... I guess its like playing cowboys and Indians... its something from the movies - - we don't really think about it... I mean, I rarely play hangman when I teach, but when I do I'm not like, "Come on, spare the bastard... get the right letter damn it... you're gonna KILL him... you insensitive bastard... PLEASE ! PLEASE ! PLEASE ! No not Mr. Stick figure...!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
but in Japan hanging is still used for the death penalty and its a common form of suicide... so I guess it does have a different meaning...
but in Japan hanging is still used for the death penalty and its a common form of suicide... so I guess it does have a different meaning...
Not trying to defend the teacher here, but wondering if we should give him the benefit of the doubt - he may very well have had no clue about the event. I'm saying this because some ESL teachers in Japan don't speak Japanese and don't really know what's going on in the school, outside of their classroom. Unless other teachers took the time to fill him in when this happened, he may have had no idea. This wouldn't justify him being insensitive for using the game (if you think it was insensitive in the first place), but it would explain why he continued playing the game after the student died.
21>>
Excellent point... quite a few ESL teachers I'd met were there simply for a paycheck, and didn't involve themselves in any manner with school activities or the like; it's also quite possible that if the instructor works for a contracting agency, he'd be even more removed from things. Still, and I'm just playing Devil's advocate, but it sounds as though the instructor has ben at this school for a while now--perhaps he should've been clued in a little more.
I'm interested in hearing how this story would be followed up--though in probability it's a momentary blip on the news report and nothing more.
Excellent point... quite a few ESL teachers I'd met were there simply for a paycheck, and didn't involve themselves in any manner with school activities or the like; it's also quite possible that if the instructor works for a contracting agency, he'd be even more removed from things. Still, and I'm just playing Devil's advocate, but it sounds as though the instructor has ben at this school for a while now--perhaps he should've been clued in a little more.
I'm interested in hearing how this story would be followed up--though in probability it's a momentary blip on the news report and nothing more.
While I agree that the teacher's actions may have been insensitive...so? We play it in the US despite the fact that lynching is commonly associated with racism against African Americans, and nobody makes a big deal because it's a GAME. This sounds like a case of bad parents trying to lay the blame on someone else because didn't notice their kid had problems.
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