Becoming An Effective Global Citizen

991 Words2 Pages

The reason I would like to go to Japan as a participant of the JET Program as an ALT is because of the fact that in addition to stating the direct goals of assistant language teachers, JET explicitly states that it is seeking members to be “cultural ambassadors to Japan”. In our increasingly global society, the concept of intersectionality is integral in becoming an effective global citizen. In university, I was able to research inclusive feminism, the necessity of multiculturalism in a simultaneously global and xenophobic world, and the responsibility people have to bridge the gaps between all cultures through appreciating differences, rather than erasing them. From discussing the program with friends and colleagues who were former participants of the JET Program, it is evident that JET not only provides the opportunity for international citizens to participate in cultural exchange, but encourages and enables them to become embedded into the community and create opportunities for themselves.
The fact that this is a teaching opportunity is very exciting, as I have wanted to become an educator since I was in preschool. As such, the majority of my volunteer and work experience have been teaching oriented. The most relevant experience I have had in terms of English as a foreign language is as an ELL Instructional Assistant. My school is the ELL hub for Roanoke City, and our school is easily the most diverse in the district. We had refugees and immigrants from all around the world, and because the school is also Title I, the teachers could not provide all of the services and individualized attention to the students whose English skills were below grade level. Midway through the year, my role changed from in-class assistance to pulli...

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...lly share Japanese culture beyond music and pop culture. I am aspiring to become a member of the JET Program because I do not yet have the cultural knowledge nor language ability required to effectively participate in this cultural exchange. My goal for becoming a member of the JET Program would be to better understand Japanese culture in order to facilitate the cultural sharing between it and Black culture by becoming a member of a Japanese community, and to better learn the language so I may effectively communicate with those around me. It is my belief that this cross-cultural collaboration can produce something unique, thought-provoking, and powerful. The results could broadcast that cultural differences can compliment each other in such a way that isn 't diminished by either one 's uniqueness, and can coexist without having to erase any part of anyone 's identity.

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