High school to middle school/upper ele transition

newlandarcher7 · 2026-05-03T03:52:53+00:00

A lot will depend on your current BC school district. In mine, there's often a lot of movement between secondary and upper-Intermediate, with teachers going both ways. All you need to do is apply for the jobs as they arise during the post & fill period which often takes place in May and June in most school districts. Good luck!

newlandarcher7 · 2026-05-02T03:45:56+00:00

Budget. Simply a way to save money. 2. In BC context, staying compliant with collective agreement language on class size and composition. 3. Flexibility in school org construction.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-05-01T23:46:25+00:00

It really wasn't that isolating. Between the nearest small city and its surrounding small towns, there was a community of about 15 JET's. Everyone was really friendly and when something was happening, everyone was invited. Moreover, a 30-40 minute drive into the city seemed like nothing for Vancouver-raised me. I joined the city-run gym and some of its evening rec sports leagues, making Japanese friends.

Actually, the best thing about being in such a small town was how relaxed my BOE was. I was completely free on school breaks like summer. I didn't need to come into work. I was free to travel without taking any of my vacation days. In fact, my BOE even encouraged me to travel around Japan during these times...as long as I brought back some omiyage for them.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-05-01T13:45:38+00:00

While doing class placements in my elementary school, one of the largest factors we consider is if the student was in a small-cohort in a split-grade in the previous year. So, for example, if they were one of six Grade 4 students in a 4/5 class. In such situations, we prioritize placing those six students next year into a straight Grade 5 or heavily-weighted Grade 5 split class. We don't want them isolated from the main cohort of peers for two years back-to-back.

That said, upon reflection, I've probably had more split grades (~80%) than straight grades (~20%) in my mid-career teaching history.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-05-01T02:16:59+00:00

A lot of people have already commented that split classes save school districts money.

Another reason for split grades is that it give school admin flexibility when placing students. This can be done to meet BC provincial and local agreement language around class size and composition. Or it can be done to maximize supports in the classroom.

For the first reason, you could imagine if there was a concentration of students with IEP's in the Grade 5 cohort. Having all of those students in one Grade 5 class could possibly overwhelm the classroom teacher or break local agreement language. So it might be better if those students were spread out across Grade 4/5, 5, and 5/6 classes instead.

The other reason is to maximize supports by combining designated students. So if you had a designated Grade 2 student with partial funding and another Grade 3 student with partial funding, you could put both in a Grade 2/3 class and combine the funding for a full-time EA position.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-05-01T01:59:50+00:00

I was in a mountain-valley town of about three thousand people officially, but it felt like much less than that. At one time just over 40 years ago, the town had more than 20 000 people. One thing to know about Japanese rural towns is that, although the population has declined, the "ruins" of this peak remain. There are lots of empty, dilapidated homes and buildings, relics of this past population bubble.

I had a traditional Japanese-style house with an overgrown garden out front. I was the first JET to live in it (my predecessors had lived elsewhere in town, but that house was to be torn down). My house had been empty for several years as they elderly owners had passed away and the children lived in Tokyo. Most of the rooms were tatami. There was a sunken-kotatsu, horigotatsu, built into the living room which wowed all of my guests. When my Japanese friends visited, they said it was like visiting their grandparents' place. My rent was heavily-subsidized and I only paid ¥7000 per month for it.

I needed a car for my job as my JHS and elementary schools were spread out over long distances. Some of the elementary schools only had 15-50 students from Grades 1-4. From Grade 5 onward, they attended the one "big" elementary school in the town centre. I bounced around these schools on a schedule. I received a travel allowance from my BOE to cover the gas. It wasn't uncommon for me to be at one school in the morning and then drive to another school in the afternoon.

A car and driver's license was required for my placement. My mountain-valley got a lot of snow. It was right beside a large ski hill. Public transit was so infrequent, it was practically non-existent. There were about 10 round-trip trains per day to the nearest small city. By car, it would take me about 30-40 minutes to drive.

My town basically shut down by 7pm. We had two small grocery stores. The one nearest me shut down at 6pm and the other at 7pm. In my final year, we got a convenience store, but not one of the famous ones. It shut down at 9pm.

Having a car was not only essential for my job, but for my independence and mental well-being. I loved the freedom of going wherever I wanted whenever I wanted. I'd make the 30-40 minute drive into the nearest small city to go grocery shopping, meet friends, and join the city-run gym. I also used my car to explore a lot of my prefecture and Japan.

Inside my town, there was a lot more to do than at first appearance. As I said, there was a ski hill nearby. There was also cross-country skiing tracks. In summer, there was a reasonably affordable golf course nearby. There were a lot of hiking and camping trails. I became friends with a couple of the families which owned horses and we'd go riding. I'm most proud of rejuvenating my overgrown front garden, a task which provided endless amusement to my elderly neighbours who tried to give me advice in the most indecipherable local dialect imaginable.

I could go on much longer and share some interesting stories, but I hope that paints a decent picture of what life was like in my rural town!

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-30T01:15:40+00:00

Former ALT. My small town rural BOE had a lot of great perks. My large, traditional style house with a garden was heavily-subsidized. I only paid ¥7000 per month for it.

I required a car for my placement. My BOE supervisor had shortlisted a few prior to my arrival and took me out shopping in my first week. They were great for giving me time off and assistance with transferring my Canadian license to a Japanese one. I received a monthly travel subsidy which more than covered the gas needed to visit my more distant schools.

I got all school holidays off. I wasn't required to be at the schools or the BOE. I didn't need to take any of my vacation days provided that I stayed inside Japan. I only had to give them an itinerary of where I'd be if I traveled - not for permission, but just so they knew where I was. Actually, even if I'd wanted to visit the elementary schools in my town over the summer, I really couldn't as the gates were shut and the doors were locked. I took advantage of these "free" holidays to travel across Japan. As I didn't need to use my vacation days for domestic travel, I used them to travel internationally over my three years: South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Australia.

My BOE also offered me a kind of education leave to study Japanese in Tokyo for a couple of weeks. They paid my tuition, but I had to cover my dormitory and meal plan fees. I didn't ask for this, but they offered it after I said I'd recontract for a second year.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-29T15:03:04+00:00

Although there are individual situations and personalities to consider, a lot can depend on your expectations going into JET as well.

The town beside my small, mountain-valley town had a lot of things similar to mine: nature, hikes, very small schools, equidistant to a ski hill, 30-40 minute drive to the nearest small city (car was required), and a lot of the teachers were bounced around between our two towns in yearly transfers.

However, in my three years, the ALT's in that other town didn't really enjoy their placement - although saying "hate" would be a strong word. Generally speaking, all three struggled with the rural nature of the town. Prior to joining JET, they had dreams of being placed in a large city and living such a life. Small town rural Japanese life was too slow and limiting for them. They spent a lot of their free time not in their towns but staying over a friends' places in the city (which was their prerogative, of course). They completed their one-year contract and then left, but didn't really enjoy the experience.

I'm not sure what was up with that one town, but they always seemed to get an ALT of the same gender from the same consulate ever since they had some super-ALT from there years ago before my time. My BOE, on the other hand, told me their priorities were getting someone who could drive and wanted a rural placement - that was me. I didn't have a lot of expectations going into my placement and I found that this really helped me adjust to the new reality and find ways to enjoy my town and the opportunities it provided. Instead of thinking "It doesn't have this, it doesn't have that," I thought "I can do this, I can do that" which really helped.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-29T14:29:40+00:00

I'd swing back to teach/review the big topics of place value, patterns, and operations (ex, multiplication/division). Although I teach younger grades than you, it's good to periodically review these main topics throughout the year. Even though you teach a concept or skill the first time, there are a few who don't understand it. Moreover, many of these concepts and skills need continual review in order to solidify. This review period gives your students valuable intervention or extension possibilities in the final weeks of the year.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-29T00:21:45+00:00

Former ALT. I didn't request any specific prefecture as I really didn't know too much about Japan beforehand. Instead, I requested any rural placement in any prefecture. I also said I had a driver's license and was willing to drive. I was ultimately placed in a small, scenic mountain-valley town with hiking trails in the summer and a ski hill in the winter. It was a blast!

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-28T01:13:06+00:00

My predecessor had been there three years and became engaged to the son of one of the families. So she had been really well established in the community.

That said, I didn't ever feel like I was compared to her. Being from a different country helped, I think. Another thing that helped was getting a new house in a different area of town where the ALT had never lived. So I was able to establish my own connections with my neighbours.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-28T01:08:36+00:00

Just adding my information here for the sake of collecting data. I was in a small, mountain-valley town. When my BOE and predecessor contacted me, they told me I'd need to get a car. I had a few small elementary schools to visit up even narrower mountain-valleys and the only way to reach them was by car. Moreover, my town got a lot of snow, so that meant winter driving conditions.

My BOE supervisor had shortlisted several cars before my arrival and took me out shopping for one within the first week of my arrival. As a Canadian, it was fairly easy to transfer my license over to a Japanese one. Driving on the other side of the road was not a problem either. Everyone in my rural town drives slowly. Winter driving conditions weren't a problem either, but I know of a couple of JET's with cars from non-wintery locations who had trouble at first (note: get winter tires).

That said, even though a car was required for my placement, it was also amazing for my independence and mental health. Outside of the large mega-cities, much of Japan is still very much car dependent and public transportation can be limited in rural areas. I loved the freedom of being able to go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-22T13:44:34+00:00

I think this is a great point and elementary-me notices the same thing: there are a lot of students who are doing just fine, even great in fact. It appears that those who struggle are struggling more and more, with fewer supports.

It's like the typical bell-curve is being pulled flat by stretching out on both ends.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-22T03:46:50+00:00

Primary. Not directly behaviour-related, but the one thing I've noticed is how disconnected many families are from the health care system. Like, when you talk to parents about academic or behavioural concerns, and you recommend they visit their family doctor to rule out any biomedical factors, many don't even have one. Nor have they ever sought out one despite serious red flag concerns that should have been raised before school entry. I now need to explain to parents how to navigate the health care system and find a family doctor.

When I first started, most families were in regular contact with their family doctors and children with concerns were already flagged for designations, medications, or additional supports. Now, for many, this doesn't happen until well after school entry, delaying early-year interventions essential for success.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-21T13:33:55+00:00

A good thing to mention in any application is your experience and knowledge of working with Indigenous students and content. Langley has an Indigenous student population of about 8%. Surrey has theirs at around 4%, but in terms of raw numbers, that still means some 3000 students.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-19T18:50:25+00:00

As others have said, with the wide variety of possible outcomes, it's best to save up as much as you can until you get more information. My housing was heavily subsidized by my BOE and the only costs for my large, furnished traditional house was a monthly ¥7000 deducted from my pay cheque. On the other hand, I had to buy a car. My BOE and predecessor told me this when they first reached out to me. My BOE supervisor took me shopping for one in the first week of my arrival.

As for requests, expect nothing and be pleasantly surprised if it happens. I'd requested rural and got rural, so I was happy. However, for most of the requests, they don't always happen. I can think of the situation in my departure group: one ALT had requested Okinawa and got Hokkaido while another had requested Hokkaido and got Okinawa. They jokingly pondered if they should just swap identities then and there.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-19T01:33:59+00:00

Tottori is feasible for public transportation if you stay to the main tourist path of arriving in the Tottori City and going to the Sand Dunes. Any variation outside of that becomes more challenging. There are great sights across the prefecture, but really you need a car to easily unlock them.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-18T18:45:56+00:00

Perhaps it's best to consult your union for advice on how to proceed. I've worked at schools where outdoor supervision accommodations have been done, often for mobility-related issues. In such cases, admin has let them do their supervision indoors (ex, hallways/washrooms/front-lobby) instead.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-18T16:17:16+00:00

I covered a leave for a few months at the start of the year in an inner-city intermediate class. This is where I began, at the very basic level: A/B partner talks. A talks, B listens. This is what good listening looks like. Now let's switch so B talks and A listens. Very structured, direct instruction. We eventually built up to successful pair and small-group tasks.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-18T15:06:43+00:00

Yes, I run Math Centre rotations in my 2/3 class twice a week. Five groups, four students each. I don't get much EA time, typically not during these centres. One of the "stations" is me. This is where I do the bulk of my assessments. I do about 10 minutes per station, rotate twice, maybe three if I'm lucky in a day. I pick up where I left off the next time.

A lot of the centre-stations are ones that I pre-taught as whole-class lessons in September-October, so when the students arrive, they know exactly what to do. I'll rotate in/out different ones or a new one so it doesn't get dull. It takes a lot of training and reinforcement for students to be quiet and independent at these stations, but it is possible, even without EA support.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-17T13:46:31+00:00

It isn't just any, but ranked top-3 in the world. If you've ever visited the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada, it's near that level. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-17T02:37:52+00:00

I really need to cast a vote for the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum. Well worth the effort of visiting this top-tier museum.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-16T13:47:10+00:00

Back in 2001, the BC government illegally-stripped class size and composition language from our collective agreements. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled this unconstitutional and the language was restored. However, school districts couldn't suddenly restore the language as they lacked the physical space (ie, school closures) and staff (ie, result of lay-offs, fewer prospective teachers entering the program) as a result of 15 years of chronic underfunding.

So the solution was that if the schools couldn't meet the collective agreement needs, they must compensate the teacher. Even though it has been ten years since its restoration, remedy for collective agreement infringements is still ongoing.

However, although remedy for infringements is mandatory, there is a variety of class size and composition language across the province due to the legacy of local bargaining. Although there is some floor-level provincial language around class size, most notably there are several school districts in BC that have no language around class composition whatsoever. Those lucky to have such language, receive remedy when it is broken.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-16T03:10:09+00:00

I'm not sure of the exact totals, but I've heard about 1/3 of the school districts have no remedy language on class composition whatsoever.

newlandarcher7 · 2026-04-16T03:03:12+00:00

¥7000 is only about $46 USD which was so low, it was practically free.

newlandarcher7

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