Watching from a Distance in the U.K.
Teaching English Education in Japan
Michael Reidy ’70 grew up in Worcester, Mass., and came to LVC because he liked its size and strong English and music departments. Today, Reidy lives in Kent, in southeast England. What led him to make the leap across the pond after graduation? “In 1970, my draft number was 16, so I knew that the military would play a role in my future,” he explained. “I joined the U.S. Naval Reserves and served as a journalist aboard the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy from 1971 to 1973.” In the Navy, Reidy had the
Robert Schalkoff ’88 admitted he “had no interest in international work” when he came to Annville from his home in New Jersey to study music education— which is ironic, since today Schalkoff may well be the alumnus living furthest from LVC. He works in the field of international education: Schalkoff is professor of English education and director of international education at Yamaguchi Prefectural University in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. Schalkoff originally moved to Japan in 1989 to join his old high school sweetheart. The relationship didn’t last, but Schalkoff’s fascination with the country did, and he soon found a niche teaching English to Japanese students. “I found that I really enjoyed English education,” he said. “I’ve taught and/or been a teacher trainer in nearly every context you can imagine—private schools, public schools, prestigious private academies, and, since 1996, higher education.” Over the years, he has gone on to earn a master’s degree in Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and is a doctoral candidate in adult and higher education at Northern Illinois University. “LVC provided me with a really solid liberal arts education and a number of opportunities to pursue new interests in a supportive environment—I think I developed and honed my sense of adventure there,” he said. “LVC also provided me the opportunity to exercise my critical thinking skills and to encounter and reflect on, rather than judge, ideas that were at times very different than my own. These are skills that I use daily as I interact with my Japanese colleagues and students.” After nearly 25 years, Schalkoff said he’s still fascinated by Japan. But there’s more: “Japan has also afforded me the opportunity to live in a context where I’m not a member of the dominant culture,” he said. “Confronting prejudice and discrimination has allowed me to look critically at my own prejudices and privileged position in society as a member of the dominant culture in
“LVC always fostered the idea that our lives were ours to define, so the notion of moving abroad never seemed to be that exceptional.” opportunity to tour some of Europe, but not as much as he wanted to, so after earning a master’s degree in English from Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., in 1974, he took a position at a boys’ secondary school in England. From there, one position led to another, and today Reidy is the editorial director at Bespoke Publications Ltd., outside London. “LVC always fostered the idea that our lives were ours to define, so the notion of moving abroad never seemed to be that exceptional,” Reidy said, noting that the education he received in Annville positioned him well for working— and pursuing further education—abroad. Reidy went on to earn a post-graduate certificate in education from Cambridge University and a master’s degree in philosophy of education from London University. “In fact, having a liberal arts education was a real advantage in that I felt I had a better grasp of a wider range of subject disciplines than my British-educated classmates,” he said. When he first went to England to teach school, Reidy thought he’d only be there for two years. Nearly 40 years later, he’s glad he stayed. “Moving to England was— and continues to be—fascinating,” he said.
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T he V a l l ey
Robert Schalkoff ’88