New teacher brings international experience

Rachel Beede is the new 10th and 12th grade English teacher in Troy. She brings with her nearly three years of international teaching experience.

“The first year in Japan I taught at a school called Progress International,” Beede said. “It was a smaller kind of school. I taught a wide range of ages there. I taught junior high-level kids all the way up to 65 year olds. For seven months I taught Kindergarten at a school called International I School. I taught 25 four and five year olds. I taught them English. It was a good experience teaching English internationally at those schools.”

Beede said her desire to teach in Japan came from her fascination with the Japanese culture.

“My family lived in Japan when I was a baby,” she said. “I always wanted to go back. I’ve always been fascinated with their lifestyle and their arts. They see beauty in the tiniest of things. They are minimalists. There is so much beauty in small spaces.”

Beede said she went through a culture shock when she came back to America and arrived at the Billings airport.

“When I got back I was in Billings for four months,” she said. “I was job hunting. I was at the airport and remember thinking everybody is so white here. There wasn’t much mix of cultures. That was shocking to me. But, then when you start to go out you see more ethnicities. It was just at the airport it was very American.”

Beede said one of the more difficult things she’s adjusting to is the everyday conversations she encounters.

“I’m still adjusting to American conversations,” she said. “I’m not used to being approached by strangers and asked questions. Everyday conversations were difficult for me at first because I wasn’t used to them. Over in Japan you don’t have strangers talk to you in passing.”

Beede said that the structures of relationships are vastly different in Japan.  

“Relationships are different,” she said. “They have a huge respect system in Japan. They have words that show a sign of respect. If you start using those words with someone you can never be friends with that person. Coming here it’s been weird just trying to adjust from those boundaries.”

Beede said that the classroom environment in Japan is more respectful compared to the classroom environment in America.

“In the classroom its way different,” she said. “In Japan it’s very respectful. Getting a peep out of anyone is nearly impossible. Over here the classes are very energetic and talkative. It gets to the point where I have to try and calm them down.”

Beede has lived in a number of places growing up and wanted to live somewhere in the middle and chose Montana as her destination.

“I wanted to be in Montana,” she said. “I have lived on the west coast and east coast. My dad was in the military. I went to school in Memphis, Tenn. I wanted to live somewhere in the middle. I like the cold and I’ve lived on both the east and west coast and just wanted to live somewhere in the middle.”

Beede said she has enjoyed her time in Lincoln County and looks forward to her teaching career in Troy.

“The people in the community have been very friendly and welcoming,” she said. “It’s a beautiful place to live. I’m really liking it and looking forward to impacting the students in Troy.”