Self-deceit
I am studying every day for an examination in July to be a junior high school teacher. But I am sure to fail the exam if I just expand my knowledge about education, for not only is one’s knowledge examined but one’s personality is tested as well. The Board of Education in Mie Prefecture is eager to emphasize the importance of one’s personality, which means that I have to improve my competence in expressing my thoughts. To be an eloquent speaker is indispensable to anyone who aims to pass the exam.
However, I am inept at self-expression and I dislike reshaping myself into a character that conforms to the authorities’ expectations. Yet I am forced to disguise my introversion with a fake outgoing nature before examiners. Whoever has a withdrawn nature is confronted with this difficulty when going out into society. Gregarious people, on the other hand, can easily blend in with society. The tide is against introverts.
At length, I have come to realize that one has to draw a distinction between personality and sociability, for introverts like me will not be hired as school teachers if they show their personality in job interviews. They all have to feign sociability against their character and exhibit it, which threatens to kill their personality. Interviewers had better own up plainly that they set a high value not on one’s personality but one's sociability.
There are always two sides to every coin, to coin a phrase ...
Introverts will rule the world!
That being said...are you sure teaching is the career you seek? Perhaps an educational research position would be more suited for you. Being a public school teacher requires heavy amounts of day to day people interaction. Think about it...how many of your instructors are extreme introverts? How about your favorite instructors? Would they be as interesting or as inspiring if they had more subdued personalities?
Something to think about. =)
Sadly most of the Japanese education system is a deceit so hiding your personality won't matter. However, for you own (and future pupils) well-being, I would reiterate that you should consider whether a teaching career is right for you.
Indeed, I heard that those who pass the examination for teachers are outgoing and good at expressing their thoughts. To express oneself is essential for us in order to get out into the world and thus sociability is very important, I think.
However, like Kuniyuki-san said, one should distinguish personality from sociability. It seems rather strange that an introverted person should have to disguise himself as extroverted before examiners. Though judging one's personality by examiners is significant in employing a person as a teacher, it shouldn't matter whether somebody is an extrovert or not. What I want to say is that extroverts do not necessarily have good personalities!
There should be various types of teachers in school, which is natural and better for students. For example, an introverted teacher might be able to understand the feelings of the student who cannot give his opinion in public. So I do not think one has to reshape one's personality.
Hi. Thank you for making comments on my entry.
I may not be suited for a teaching position. If I become a teacher, my future pupils are likely to suffer, as Charlie says.
However, a teacher whose class I took last year said to me, "You can be a teacher redeeming your faults with your zeal for the job even if you have a character that is unfit to be a teacher."
So, to become a teacher I keep on studying for the exam in July. I really felt encouraged by Tomoko-san's comment.
Kuniyuki, I'm sure you'd make a great teacher. You're sensible, kind, and you can to listen to people. Some of the best teachers I ever had weren't glib "extroverts" at all.
The distinction between introverts and extroverts is questionable enough as a psychological typology. I wonder, however, if we're really dealing with a psychological question here rather than with a cultural shift.
See, I'm intrigued by the frequency with which I read about "expressing opinions". Traditionally, the Japanese don't have Opinions because Opinions pose a threat to the social ideal of Harmony: you may have your private thoughts, which you share with the members of your House (uchi), but you would never share them with anyone else, least of all with a social superior, because, -- well, that isn't done: you're making a nuisance of yourself if you impose your private thoughts on anyone outside the House. You're breaching the code.
And now, apparently, here's the Ministry of Education saying, "We'll hire you as a teacher if you're good at expressing your Opinions."
Strange?
Well, maybe not, since what has happened in the meantime is an educational reform that tries to promote Individuality and Diversity rather than Conformity. As I understand it, the official idea is that the next generation of Japanese should be a generation of educated, well-informed, liberal-minded, independent individualists rather than a generation of remote-controlled conformists. The next generation of Japanese should be good at expressing their own opinions.
So here's the question I have: is it true that Kuniyuki-san is simply an introvert who's trying to make it in a job market in which extroverts have an advantage?
Wouldn't it make sense to say that Kuniyuki-san is a young man who went to school under the old, pre-reform rules, which put a premium on the traditional Japanese virtues (such as modesty, reticence, and -- alas -- obedience), and who now finds himself in a strange position because as a teacher under the reformed rules he will be asked to foster Individuality, Diversity and -- um -- lots and lots of Opinions?
Or, to state the question more broadly: do you, as a generation of future teachers, have to disguise your "true character" because you have to adapt to the new values promoted by the educational reform?
I'm curious.
This is my first post here. I am a friend of Kuniyuki's. We met while he was visiting the middle school I work at as an ALT teacher here in Tsu.
I thought your article was very interesting and it made me think a lot about myself and about the differences that exist between school systems in the world.
When I was in high school and college, I was very introverted as well. As far back as I can remember, I was always like that. It wasn't that I was really scared of people or interactions, I just didn't feel like my opinions or needs were more important than those around me. Because of this, I rarely rose my voice in dissent. The ironic thing, though, is that I have a raging fire inside of me that wants to be expressive. Whenever I am handed a leadership role, I excel and lead my team to victory. On the contrary, I rarely start things myself.
Since I have started being a teacher, though, my personality has matured quite a bit. I definitely speak and act with more confidence now. I think it's because I feel responsible for a portion of my students' education, so I want to give them all I can.
And about school systems: it's very interesting to me that the examination to be a teacher in Japan has a strong social aspect in it. This is very different than my home country, the United States. In the States, there is no exam to become a teacher. You go to college, study what you want to teach, and then take courses to get a teaching certificate. At no point in this process are your social skills or personality tested. I wonder if the role of the teacher is seen differently between the two countries...
ALT in da house!
Hi Chris, welcome to Tawawa!
I benefit from society. So, if I said that I didn’t want to adapt myself to society, I would have to forego the benefit, but I don’t think that I can live without it. I want it. Then, all I have to do is play my part in producing benefit as repayment for the benefit I have received. Do I disguise my “true character” to live in society? I don’t know because I don’t even know what my “true character” is.
karl :: May 12, 2003 03:54 PM
You aren't the only one who has to hide personality in favor of 'putting on a face'. You will run into this need in any career you choose where you work with other people...