The Language Teacher

In this new column, JALT Chapters are invited to weave their own special, fascinating stories. The co-editors welcome 900-950 word reports (in English and/or Japanese) outlining challenges, experiences, achievements, and opinions. This month, Waconda E. Clayworth of JALT Chiba and James Chambers of JALT Tochigi describe their chapters' activities and struggles to stay functional.

Chiba: Nakayoshi vs. Get-It-Done!

My first impression of this group was one that cared enough to take time out from responsibilities and teaching-related duties to form a viable JALT core. However, as with many chapters, enticing, inducing, and interesting would-be members on a Sunday afternoon can be difficult. We, like street performers, do not have a captive audience, and so chapters must choose between coffee klatch friendliness and cold-hearted efficiency or some compromise in between.

The question is how to make a struggling chapter successful, how to sincerely increase the numbers and make them believe you are sincere. To this end, the Chiba JALT treasurer, Peter Akeroyd and I took a day to go to the exchange teachers' orientation at a JET-O.V.T.A. in Makuhari Messe. After distributing both national and local JALT materials, to my delight, we got a page crammed full of names. Hopefully, we will garner a few new "victims" as well so that we won't feel JALTED or jilted by absent members at future meetings.

In reading and rereading our chapter's history, I did glean the following:

1. A professionally formatted newsletter is impressive.
2. The list of former presenters is a good database.
3. A lot of people seem to be working a lot for a good organization and usually, responsible people are willing to take on more responsibility if the doer is not burned out or overburdened by excessive duties.
4. There were some arcane or archaic rules. Does anyone who is not a Baby Boomer remember Roberts' Rules of Order? If we are naturally downsizing or losing members, then, maybe at the national level, some strict rules need to be changed. Better a small mouse than no mouse at all.

I assume that my goals are in line with those of the members of my group and that we can co- exist with other groups. As a non-profit group, here are some realistic guidelines:

1. Continue the search for more members.
2. Present both well-known and local speakers. Frequently a lot of interest exists at any school about what so and so is really doing.
3. Seek out and emphasize Japanese input. One co-worker informed me that JALT is not just four white guys but that 60 percent of the membership is Japanese. Debates or discussions could be in English, in Japanese, or bilingual. Genderly speaking, women seem to be a bit under-represented at the top.
4. Getting and keeping members is not just signing them up but rather using the Japanese introduction system: "Ah! I know a good group," or "I know a good presentation and I would really like you to know it as well."

In conclusion, whether we should be closely knit (Let's all bungee jump together) or follow the rules, be civilized, take perfect notes and carry on JALT, will be up to other

members. Contact Waconda Clayworth at 043-272-7322 for more details about JALT Chiba.

The Ups and Downs of JALT Tochigi

The Tochigi chapter (originally Utsunomiya) was formed in response to a hand-written inquiry on a bulletin board at JALT89. We petitioned for recognition and the kick- off meeting attended by forty people was held in the spring of 1990. After nine active years, we are on the verge of probation and dissolution. We are looking for new leadership. A core group of three or four aided by many others rotated key officer positions over the years. Our membership fluctuated between 25 and 30 for several years, grew steadily to a high of 56, and then declined slowly to less than 30. Through 1997, chapter meetings were held at least ten times a year, and one year, we had thirteen! Meeting attendance averaged about one third of our membership which compares very favourably with JALT's largest chapters. We varied presentations with speakers from the Kanto area, publishers, and local members. Once a year, we would invite a speaker from farther afield, frequently a national officer. Our most popular presentations were those given by Setsuko Toyama (4 times) and Aleda Krause (twice). For three years, we hosted Asian scholars from Cambodia, China, and Laos.

Face-to-face meetings with other teachers are invaluable in keeping our interest up and teaching fresh. The sense of "community" arising from monthly meetings is akin to that of a small town church in the sense of caring, sharing and giving of oneself. At the local level, it provides one of the few opportunities for genuine interaction between the Japanese and international communities. This may be the greatest loss from the dissolution of a JALT chapter. Tochigi chapter is in difficulty for several reasons. One consistent problem has been our inability to line up presentations in time to get notices in TLT. Also, the officers who have served the chapter over the years have simultaneously and abruptly been diverted by personal factors or have returned home, and have not been replaced. Finally, the 42% increase in dues during an economic recession may have been the final nail in the coffin, forcing less active members subsidizing aspects of the organization they do not utilize for those that do. Anyone interested in revitalizing the Tochigi chapter, should contact Jim Chambers, t: 028-627-1858.