My Teaching World / General Update August 4, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Apologies, Cultural Exchange, Student Moments, Summer Vacation.Tags: computer issues, Everybody's Favorite, fc bayern fangirl, fievel, hannah montana, hermione, kanemoto, my little monkey, shiritori, stern des sudens, summer camp, summer pictures 1, summer vacation, The Child, the whistler
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Welcome back ~ to both of us!
I’m sorry that this week has gotten off to a slow start. I’ve had some computer issues that I’ve been dealing with and I also may or may not have completely destroyed my sleeping schedule on Sunday/Monday so that I could watch a game between FC Bayern and Schalke 3. In addition, I’m taking a trip to Tokyo this weekend and so my schedule has picked up and grown a bit hectic thanks to those preparations.
Quite possibly the Best Team Song Ever
Now, though, my computer is working and My Beloved Bayern is hard at work training and not playing games that make me get up at 2 o’clock in the morning. Let’s move forward, shall we?
As I mentioned before, it’s summer vacation in Japan now and so my Teaching World has been relatively quiet over the last few weeks. June and July were quite busy, though. I had open lessons at my middle school and a lot of small projects that I had to finish. While all this was going on, I do believe that it was Moments With Students that kept me (relatively) sane. Some highlights include:
Everybody’s Favorite making a triumphant (and hilarious) visit to show off all that he’s learned since leaving middle school. He further declared that middle school is better than high school in every conceivable way and that I am not allowed to return to the States.
The Child continuing to vex me in ways that only he can manage. Still, he’s decided that he actually wants to attempt to go to high school and so he’s become a great deal less snarky and more studious over the last few months. I’m still not sure what his chances of success are; it’s difficult to correct years of intellectual neglect in only about six months. Still, I’m pulling for him and I’m hoping to help him in any way that I can.
The Whistler and I have been playing word games in the hallway over the last two months or so. It’s actually the same word game – a popular little mental exercise called Shiritori. The idea is that you say a word and then another person has to take the last letter of that word and make a new word. “Egg” could lead to “goblin,” which leads to “nest,” which leads to “turtle,” etc. We’ve been playing the same game during cleaning times and 10 minute breaks. A winner is declared when one’s opponent can’t come up with a new word. Considering we have hours in between turns, I think this is probably the Shiritori Game That Will Never End. At present, it’s my turn and the last word was “thought.”
Hermione and I have spent a lot of time together. If it weren’t for her and Hannah Montana, I probably would be significantly more sad and lonely. I made both of them happy right before the break because I arranged for the second year class to watch the new Tim Burton version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. That was probably the most successful movie day I’ve ever done.
Kanemoto and I have also interacted a lot during the first term. He seems to be adjusting to the middle school, and I go out of my way in every way, shape, and form to annoy him. There are just some students that one can’t help trying to frustrate and provoke at every turn, and Kanemoto is that student for me. I can’t begin to describe how much fun it is to see him grow increasingly agitated as I take him to task (for the fortieth time in an hour) for not writing me a letter in English. The best part is that when he finally breaks (which he does every time) and scolds me in ardent, exasperated Japanese, I always look at him blankly and tell him that I don’t speak Japanese so he’ll have to do that once more in English. The magical part of this entire relationship, though, is that these little confrontations actually work. I’ve gotten some absolutely smashing letters from him as a result.
So that’s more or less what’s been happening on the middle school front. The elementary schools have also been busy. The weekly 5th and 6th year lessons are a constant worry, but I’ve seen some real growth and progress in my students so I can’t complain. My Little Monkey has been remarkably scarce, but Fievel and his brother have been my little shadows at every possible moment. In addition, I attracted some new fans after showing my classes a slideshow about England; I’ve had a lot more letters from 3rd through 6th graders newly inspired by all things international. I’m planning on putting together a presentation about the trip I’ll take to the States in December, so I look forward to sharing that with them as well.
Perhaps the most significant and entertaining activity on the elementary front were the two-day long summer camps that I went to at the end of July. Wednesday/Thursday saw me cooking, singing, and otherwise frolicking with Thursday’s elementary school, and then Thursday/Friday focused on Friday’s school. It was a busy three days for me, but I was able to take a lot of great pictures and I think that I connected with some students in a way that I hadn’t been able to before.
And… I think that’s a pretty fair overview of My Teaching Word, which will continue to be on hold until September 1st. I’m using my summer vacation as best as I can, and look forward to trips with my friends, afternoons at the gym, visits to the movie theater, and days at The Beach.
I’ll leave you with some pictures from the summer.
Making curry and rice.
I enjoy taking pictures of fire.
This would be more fire.
Fire in Flower Form
FC Bayern Deutschermeister ja so heißt er mein Verein,
Ja so war es und so ist es und so wird es immer sein
Thank God for chocolate chip cookies. February 14, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Apologies, Just Bizarre, Lessons Learned, Student Moments.Tags: avatar, elementary school, elementary students, emo, fievel, Japan, Japanese, Mary Sunshine, my little monkey, sixth years, teaching get, The Mentor, The Savant, update
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Because they are what saved my sanity this week.
I apologize for more or less taking a week off from writing. This week was a bit “difficult,” because I was “feeling culture shock” and so slightly “emo.”
When I first got to Japan, I clung to the belief that the longer I was here, the less I would suffer from culture shock. This is both true and not true. Although it doesn’t happen to me as often as it did when I first arrived, there are still moments when I feel confused, overwhelmed, misunderstood, and unappreciated. I think the more that time passes, the more my culture shock manifests when I feel as though my schools are taking advantage of me or being even ever-so-slightly condescending about my foreigner status. Once the month of February begins, the chances of me getting this kind of culture shock increase exponentially. For a variety of reasons (which I will not go into, but one of them happens to be that all of my pets tend to die in February), I am not a fan of the second month of the year.
And on that note, let’s move on…
So we appear to be seven memories behind schedule. To keep this from becoming unnecessarily long, we’ll just quickly go day by day.
Monday
This was the beginning of my Ms. Grumpy McGrumpgrump phase, so looking back on this all I really recall is a dark cloud of … er, grumpiness. One saving grace about the day, though, happened when I went by Thursday’s elementary school to talk to The Mentor about the class we were going to have on Wednesday. When I arrived, the teachers at the school were extremely friendly and welcoming. Even The Mentor, who occasionally bristles at me interrupting his afternoon plans so we can chat, was happy to see me and quite helpful.
Tuesday
This was one of those days where I Did. Not. Want. To. Go. To. Work. This happens very rarely, and even I was surprised by the vehemence of my emotions. Still, I pulled myself together and managed to get out the door and to school. I’m glad that I was able to do this, because the class I had with The Savant, Mary Sunshine, The Boss, Hyde, and The Policeman was worth it. More than worth it. It’s probably the best class I’ve ever had with them, and we’ve had some pretty amazing ones.
The kids have been testing a lot lately, and so I thought a free day with a music video and a trivia/review game would be good therapy for them. I was right, and we all really enjoyed the activities. I’m not sure if the kids were inspired, insane, or perhaps some combination of the two. Whatever it was, they were hilarious. The Savant took it upon himself to police and overly analyze every team’s answer to every question given, and he challenged me on obscure grammatical points. The Boss kept flattering me in an attempt to get me to call on his team again after they’d given an incorrect answer. At one point Hyde tackled The Savant in an attempt to keep him from answering a question. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard in class before. Those 50 minutes made my week.
Wednesday
This was a pretty standard day at Thursday’s elementary school. I was here a day early because we had a holiday on Thursday, and so my schedule shifted around a bit. Anyway, after school, I spent a rather enjoyable fifteen minutes goofing off with Fievel and his brother, who had to stay behind to wait for their bus. The War Between Fievel and My Little Monkey has more or less resolved into a stalemate. When The Monkey is around, Fievel tends to make himself scarce, and when Fievel is around, The Monkey quickly loses interest. Usually Fievel gets to me first, and so I haven’t had a chance to see The Monkey a lot since the third term started. Still, both are around to some degree and both still regard me as a walking, talking jungle gym.
Wednesday was also noteworthy because I got to see Avatar for a third time. ^_____^
Thursday
I was thankful because my second visit to the dentist to deal with this root canal treatment went well. Days without tooth pain are, by default, good days.
Friday
This was spent at, not surprisingly, Friday’s elementary school. Although I’m tempted to use some time I spent with my sixth years as this day’s memory, something else happened that was more exciting.
On Wednesday of last week, the teachers at Friday’s elementary school had a meeting about the English program. I wasn’t able to attend the meeting (mostly because I wasn’t invited), but the principal came by my desk on Friday to talk to me about it. To make a long conversation short, here’s what she told me:
1) The fifth and sixth grade teachers want more of my input regarding their lessons during this next school year.
2) The first through fourth grade teachers are also willing to make more time to talk to me prior to our classes.
3) The teachers are interested in having me involved in other subjects besides English.
Yeah, number three made me do a double take, too. I was most definitely *not* expecting that little gem.
So, here’s the story as far as I understand it. The teachers know that my plan is to go back to the States to teach, and they’ve noticed that I’ve been going to a lot of the training seminars and lectures around town. I suppose this has made an impression on them, because now they’re interested in having me in more of a “ALT/Teacher in Training” role. I think the rationale here is that it will give me an opportunity to get more experience, and it will also create a closer working relationship between the homeroom teachers and me. With this system, they’ll feel a bit more comfortable around me and we can talk more about what could happen in the English lessons.
To make this happen, I think the plan is for me to start observing some of the regular language arts and math classes. If things go well and I begin to get involved, then the school is open to me eventually trying my hand at teaching a lesson or two myself. I didn’t even know that this opportunity was possible, and I’m really excited about it. As you can probably surmise, this news did a lot to soften the negative mood I’d been in throughout the week.
And seeing Avatar a fourth time didn’t hurt, either. ^_^
Saturday
This was a very lazy day for me. I made chocolate chip cookies and made more plans for Spring Break. As of now, my plan is to head up to Osaka on March 26th and stay for a couple of nights. I have an appointment at day spa for Saturday morning and tickets to see Wicked on Saturday night. I am very, very, very excited about this trip. I am also very, very, very happy that I’ve been able to arrange the details of this trip by myself.
Sunday
I spent the morning getting some things together for school and then went to watch open lessons at my Friday elementary school in the afternoon. (Open lessons are lessons held for the parents to observe.) I had a rather hilarious ten minute giggle-fest with my sixth year students before their lesson began, and that episode combined with a rather fantastic lecture that I heard in the afternoon helped to round out my ascent from the depths of Grumpy.
This next week is going to be somewhat long and intense. I have (as usual) a lot of things I need to get planned and made, and then next Saturday I’m going to a day-long seminar on elementary English. Hopefully, this will give me some fresh ideas and perspective.
And hopefully, I’ll be able to keep all of you with me along the way this time. ^_~
Tan sólo he venido
a estar contigo
a ser tu amigo
a compartir con mi Dios
Fall Term Top 10 December 19, 2009
Posted by Earthdragonette in Dance Troupe, Enkai Aftermath, Julie Gets Philosophical, Lessons Learned, Student Moments, Taking Initiative, Time to Party, Top Ten.Tags: Characters, Dance Troupe, dancing, elementary students, enkai, fall term, fievel, Japan, Mary Sunshine, my little monkey, pride, shopping, The Japanese Best Friend, The JTE, The Mentor, The Savant
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At the moment (which would be Sunday morning in Japan), I have one day left of honest to goodness work ahead of me. Today’s plan is to make cookies for my coworkers at the elementary schools and to write replies to all of the letters that I got last week from my students. Once that’s done, then this week is all about preparing for my trip on Wednesday.
(And also making Christmas cookies for my middle school students on Tuesday, but that’s more fun and less work.)
I thought about writing memories from Thursday through Saturday as I usually would, but I think that this is a good time for me to take a step back and do a Fall Term Top 10 Memory Countdown. The week is going to be a little hectic and I’m not sure what my posting schedule will be like.
So, let’s get to it!
10) Jiman (自慢)
Last Friday, I went to a Bon Enkai, or an “End of the Year Party” with my coworkers from the middle school. I really enjoy these parties because it’s a chance for us all to relax and talk about the variety of things that have happened during the year. We also play games. One game that we played this year involved choosing a card out of a deck that one of the teachers had made, and then talking about whatever was written on that card. My card had jiman (自慢) written on it. It means “pride,” and so my task was to talk about something that I was proud of.
It took me a few minutes to decide what to talk about – I had a lot of memories to go through. Ultimately, I chose to talk about the feelings that I always have right before our school does the cultural festival. Everyone always works so hard and does their best to get everything ready for the students and parents. I remember my first culture festival three years ago, and how inspired I was by what the teachers were doing. I was proud to be considered even a partial member of the faculty, and I wanted to do my best to become an active member of the team.
Every year when the culture festival comes around, I remember this feeling and renew my resolution. I’m proud to be considered a teacher at my middle school, and I’m proud of the relationships and associations that I have with the other faculty members.
Incidentally, this party was also fun because they surprised me with a birthday cake. There are definitely some perks to being born near the holiday season. ^___^
9) Inspired By Halloween
Looking back at the different lessons that I’ve done over the course of the term, I think that my best ones were around the end of October. Some noteworthy activities included: assigning my JHS students to memorize parts of Thriller, and dressing up like a witch and turning my elementary students into animals. I had a lot of fun with my students and I think that they learned a lot. Trying to find a balance between those two elements is perhaps the perpetual tightrope walk that defines my job.
8) The Japanese Best Friend and I Help The Japanese Economy
The time between September and Now was a busy time of me as far as shopping was concerned. I made several trips to Nagoya and then The Japanese Best Friend and I certainly paid our dues in Yokkaichi and Suzuka.
To some degree, I have always enjoyed shopping. I like interacting with store clerks, talking about merchandise, and considering deals and bargains. I also like buying things for other people; some of my best memories in Japan are from sitting in department store coffee shops while going over gift lists. In this vein, I suspect that my interest in shopping has increased over the last few years; it’s pretty difficult to live in Japan for an extended period of time and not become fond of shopping. Quite simply, it’s a national pastime. Every Sunday, in lieu of the religious festivities that tend to characterize the American Sunday atmosphere, Japan embarks on Commercial Celebrations of all sorts. It’s the one day of the week that most people are guaranteed a day off (unless they work in retail), and so most families go out in force.
I particularly like shopping with The Japanese Best Friend because we are very good about helping each other Not Feel Guilty for any of the following: expensive purchases, embarrassingly good bargains, afternoon tea, extravagant meals, or clothing that is on the adventurous side. Afternoons with her also inevitably involve great conversation and more than a little social commentary that puts my life into perspective.
7) Connecting With the Elusive and Mysterious 6th Graders
I think that of all the classes that I teach, the 6th grade elementary school students are the most difficult. Personality-wise, they’re at an awkward age where they don’t quite connect with the younger kids at their school, but they’re not ready to become a part of the middle school culture. Each year, this class always turns into some kind of secret society. They don’t go out on to the playground as much, and they are more likely to stay in their classroom during recess, enjoying each other’s company and reveling the various inside jokes crafted over the last six years.
Creating lessons that are both interesting and helpful to these kinds of students is always a challenge. This year has been more challenging than others because the 6th grade home room teachers have also taken on the mantle of English Education and so they’ve been preparing their own classes. So far, we’ve been able to work together, but it’s hard to tell what the students think of all these changes. I’m concerned on their behalf because I want them to feel confident and prepared for English lessons at the middle school. I also want them to look forward to these lessons, and to another year of studying with me.
As such, I’m really happy that over the last term, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with more of my 6th year students. I’ve found a stable and reliable partner in Yoshi, and there are other people who are also coming out of the woodwork. I know that we’ll become even closer when they make the move to the middle school (and I see them three times a week), but I’m happy to see what we’ve already been able to accomplish.
6) New Hobbies and Friends
This fall also saw the introduction of DJ Ozma, his family, and the Dance Troupe. It’s good that I took the initiative to get involved in this group; it’s only been a few months, but they’ve already shared a lot with each other. I know that the winter months will be a little quiet as far as festivals are concerned, but I expect that the pace will pick back up once spring starts. I’m looking forward to having a full summer with them, and to all of the events that we’ll go to together.
5) How To Be a Better Teacher in Ten Easy Steps
Thanks in part to The Mentor and The JTE’s interventions, I’ve had the chance to go to a variety of seminars and open lessons this fall. I didn’t really go to these kinds of training meetings before this year, and so it’s another way that my schedule has changed with the fourth year.
I’m really grateful for this change, though, because I’ve learned a lot from it. Even though the seminars aren’t always focused on English, they have given me some insight into how the Japanese view education: what they think is important, what methods work best, and what the goals are. This helps me to tailor my lessons more to the students and the kinds of lessons that they’re used to, and it also assists me in discussing lesson plans with my coworkers. Even though my teaching style and methods appear to be successful, I think it’s important for me to remember that there are always new things to try and new philosophies to consider. There are still a lot of things that I don’t know.
4) And The Savant’s Ego Shall Have No Dominion*
Ah, The Savant. This fall term was a busy one for him – he’s been quite feisty and active since day one, beginning with a whopper of a lie about how he broke his leg and lasting up to last Wednesday when he and Macho Man wrote each other Christmas Love Notes.
I’ve mentioned this several times, but our interactions this fall honestly have been somewhat novel – he really did ignore me for the first two years of his middle school career. I’m happy about the change, though, because I enjoy our banter. I don’t have many opportunities to be perverse and contrary (as he puts it), because most of my students don’t have the ability to understand that kind of English. I can be silly and playful in Japanese, but I can’t be sarcastic – that’s an English device.
The Savant, though. He gets sarcasm, which means that he is able to understand me more fully than most of the other people that I interact with. I’m going to miss him when he graduates next March – a part of my voice is going to be silenced, at least for a little while.
*Incidentally, since this is now the second time I’ve made a reference to this particular Dylan Thomas poem, you should go check it out if you’re not familiar with it.
3) Lunchtime Dance Sessions
Ah, Mary Sunshine. She’s someone else that I’m going to miss terribly when March 9th (and graduation) comes around. Things were really busy during the first part of the term, and so our regular recess English study sessions were put on hold so that we could attend to other duties. Since November, though, we’ve been able to reconnect through our dance practices.
I’m grateful for these practices for a number of reasons. One reason being that it’s fun to dance with her. She’s got rhythm, and combined with a great attitude it means that she learns quickly and (if I may say so) we look really cool together. It’s also fun to show somebody this part of my culture, and this part of my past. A lot of the dance moves are things that I did when I was in marching band in high school, and it’s rewarding to share them with (and pass them on to) her. In the way that The Savant understands me more fully because he gets my snark, Mary Sunshine understands me more because she gets how I groove.
2) Christmas Cards
So, I mentioned earlier that I’m going to be giving my elementary school coworkers Christmas cookies. What I’ve also arranged this year, is to give each of the home room teachers a Christmas card from their students and me. This was a little tricky to arrange, as I needed to find a contact from each grade and send them out into the world with the Christmas card for a week in the hopes that they would get their classmates to sign it. The icing on the cake of this endeavor was that they were to do it without their home room teacher seeing it.
Many things could have kept this plan from working, including neglect, a general misunderstanding of what exactly it was that we were doing, or just plain forgetfulness. The 1st year classes at both schools had some problems. One class signed it and gave it to their teacher on the very first day (instead of returning it to me a week later so that I could give the teachers their cards and cookies together), and the other class didn’t understand what I wanted and so just copied a number of random English words that they found around the school. We also had some problems with the 5th years at Thursday’s elementary school, because they made the teacher sign his own card and then they gave it to him. I’m not exactly sure what went wrong there.
The rest of the cards, however, didn’t have any problems. The kids were excited about the subterfuge involved in getting the cards signed without their home room teacher’s knowledge, and they were extremely melodramatic enthusiastic about the process. My Little Monkey was my contact for the 2nd years at Thursday’s elementary school, and I think he walked around for the entire week with the card stuffed inside of his shirt.
Still, I now have eight signed cards ready and waiting to be delivered on Monday afternoon. I hope that the teachers enjoy receiving them. I really liked putting this whole project together; I feel that it shows something special about the way that the students and I can interact with each other.
1) Fievel VS My Little Monkey
By far, my favorite memories from this fall semester have revolved around the growing Fievel and My Little Monkey saga. On one hand, you have Fievel. Formerly small, quiet, shy, and introverted, he has blossomed into a very quick, brazen, and vocal young man (at least around me). I think that he wants to become a different person than the person that he was when we first met. When I was arranging for the aforementioned Christmas Card project, I asked him if he’d be willing to help me out with his class. I could tell that he wanted to help me, but he just felt too shy. When I gave it to one of his classmates instead, he turned to me and said: “Next year. Next year I can do it. Next year, I’ll be ready to do it.” If what he says is true, and talking with me is giving him the confidence to talk and interact more directly with the members of his own class, then that’s one of the most fantastic gifts that I could be given.
On the other hand, poised against this rising star, you have My Little Monkey. It’s been funny to see them interact, because although Fievel is older than the Monkey, the Monkey is, well… the Monkey. He is loud, hilarious, incorrigible, and never, ever knows when to back down. If you could call their interactions “encounters” or “battles,” then I would say that Fievel tends to be the victor because he stays long after the Monkey has lost interest and has gone to conquer other parts of the school. Still, the Monkey always comes back, and is kind of oblivious to Fievel‘s designs for Total Julie Dominion.
It’s quite funny.
I like having them both in my elementary school life because it gives me the opportunity to cater to two very different kinds of students. Typically, I work best with the loud students because they give me more material to work with. The quiet ones are more difficult for me to reach because I have to go after the content and pull the material out of them. That can be time-consuming and very tricky; I’m still not very good at it. Working with Fievel, though, I think I’ve learned more about how the process works, and I understand the Quiet Student Mentality a lot more than I used to. With the Monkey, well, he keeps my skills honed and my wit sharp – I need it to counter his brain and all of the havoc that it wreaks.
Looking back at the many events have transpired in the fall term, it appears that somehow, someway, I am managing to stay at the top of my game (whatever that may be). These top ten memories are perhaps the most vivid and expressive ways I can think to sum up the one particularly important thought I have about this fall semester: I survived.
And soon, it will be time for a well-deserved break in the Homeland.
Listen to the bells as they ring
Listen to the message they bring
Listen to the sound
As they sing as one voice in the night
My children abuse me because they love me. December 10, 2009
Posted by Earthdragonette in Student Moments.Tags: elementary students, fall term, fievel, Japan, Japanese, my little monkey
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Seriously, though. I’m starting to wonder if there’s such a thing as helping a child acquire too much confidence.
Today’s memory (which I don’t have a lot of time to write about, unfortunately) comes from Fievel, who is now just plain cheeky when it comes to our interactions. He has long since soundly defeated My Little Monkey in the battle for my attention during recess, and he is positively gloating about it. The Monkey’s dignity can be seen stretched out between long posts on any given beach in Japan, much in the manner that the Greeks used to set up trophies with articles gathered from their vanquished foes.
Still, I really enjoy this feistier, snarkier Fievel. He’s positively hilarious. Below is a sample of some of today’s interactions:
Fievel: Ask me an English question.
Me: Okay, do you have money?
Fievel: Yes, I do.
Me: Can I have some?
Fievel: No way.*
*Please note that this “No way” was probably the most definite “no way” that he could’ve given me. Its meaning actually surpasses the simple sense of “No way,” and lands somewhere in the realm of: “No way, you have to be kidding me, I wouldn’t give you money if you were blind, barefoot, covered in your own filth and attracting carrion, in the rain, struggling uphill. In the cold.” **
**Also please note that after he answered me in this fashion, he immediately began to search my folders for a sticker.
Another interaction:
Fievel: I want another question.
Me: No way.*** You’ve already gotten, like, fifteen stickers today. I’m cutting you off. You’re becoming an addict.
Fievel: I’ve only gotten eleven! ****
***Note that this was a polite version of “No way.”
****Also please note that a single sticker card only has places for twenty stickers. Apparently finishing half a card in less than a day when he doesn’t even HAVE English class is too slow for some people.
Fievel was also entertaining because his desire to remain an entire sticker card ahead of his brother is so strong, that any time his brother was denied an extra chance to get a sticker (which happened anytime a new person came along that wanted to talk to me), he would chortle with glee. I chose that word specifically for this situation, mind you. It wasn’t a giggle. It wasn’t a chuckle. It wasn’t a guffaw or a snort or a snicker. So help me God, he chortled, and danced around, swinging my arms in time with his steps. I probably needn’t add that he did this with an expression of absolute triumph.
But by far, the highlight of my day happened right near the end of the lunch recess. Fievel and his brother were both hanging around, trying to get one last sticker out of me before cleaning time started. Eventually, I decided that the best way to settle this would be to pit them against each other in an “English Alphabet Writing” competition. I wrote out the letters A through L on the board and gave them both a marker. Fievel was visibly agitated, and with good reason: he actually doesn’t know how to write English letters and his brother has been working with them for most of the year. I could see that he felt as though I were throwing him to the wolves.
Imagine his shock when, after telling them to start, I grabbed his hand and started drawing the letters for him. We went through the big letters, the small letters, and then I threw in the Greek alphabet just to be extra ridiculous. His brother didn’t have a chance in the world, and he couldn’t decide if he was amused or indignant. Fievel was caught between unstoppable laughter and acute embarrassment; I admit it was all quite the spectacle. After it was over, he turned to me and said: “I can’t believe that just happened.”
Welcome to my world, little guy.
In a parallel universe, I update my blog every day. Part II. November 15, 2009
Posted by Earthdragonette in Apologies, Julie Gets Philosophical, Just Bizarre, Lessons Learned, Student Moments.Tags: Aunt Mia, culture festival, dancing, elementary students, fall term, fievel, Japan, Japanese, Jyona33, karaoke, late posts, meetings, mochi, my little monkey, old middle school, Rocko, The Mentor, thursday elementary school, Two Terrific Teachers
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I hope you took the opportunity to stretch your legs, get a beverage, grab a snack, let the dog (or cat) out during our break.
Now, back to my attempts to end Rampant Procrastination.
#11: I Guess I Like Attention?
I do write a blog (kind of…) after all. In fact, I think that liking attention is a requirement if one wants to be a teacher. Those who feel unnerved by many sets of curious eyes on their person, seeking wisdom, answers, and snark need not apply. That sort of thing.
So, given this personality quirk that I have, it makes sense that I would want to find a way to participate in the middle school culture festival, which I did by dancing during a very brief talent show segment. The schedule for the festival went thusly:
9:00: Opening Ceremony
~ Performance from the elective music classes (students performed on traditional Japanese instruments)
~ Speeches from 10 students about a variety of topics
~ Presentation from the student health committee on drug abuse
~ Presentation from each grade
~ First years: 20 second speeches about their first year in middle school
~ Second years: small play about an activity they’ll be doing this month (For two days, they’re going to go out and work in a variety of the town’s businesses. They’ll work in everything ranging from restaurants to hospitals to gas stations.)
~ Third years: presentation about their trip to Tokyo last April
~ Lunch break (At about 11:15)
~ Huge BINGO Game
~ 1:00: Talent show (which included my dance)
~ Afternoon chorus competition between the different classes
~ Special Guest: Traditional Japanese storyteller
~ 3:30: Closing Ceremony
And that was pretty much it. I wandered around for most of the day, taking pictures and talking to students and their families. My dance was something I’d put together myself, set to Chris Brown’s Forever. I think it went quite well – the kids certainly had fun with it.
#12: Reasons that I love karaoke
I’m not the best of singers, but I do like to do it. Unfortunately, I’ve found more often than not that karaoke in the States is a very public, very embarrassing, and often very unpleasant experience. The Japanese karaoke experience is totally different, especially if you go to a karaoke establishment. You get your own room, your own television/stereo equipment, and you can use a phone in the room to order a variety of refreshments. Jyona33 and I probably owe the success of our friendship to Disney duets and Bonnie Tyler.
Recently, I went out with Rocko, and I’ll go ahead and let you know that the boy has game. He can rap. Seriously. I will admit to my superiority on Sir Mix-A-Lot’s Baby Got Back, but that’s about it. For the real deal, you need to hook up with 50cent, Eminem, and Rocko.
#13: The growing dichotomy that is my life
This isn’t a specific moment exactly, but rather a growing feeling I’ve had over the last month. Put very simply: I go to work and immerse myself in whatever school I happen to be in. I play around with my students, discuss a variety of topics with the teachers, go to planning meetings and training seminars, have dinner with friends on weekends, dance my heart out on Wednesdays and Sundays, and sometimes speak coherent and intelligent Japanese.
I also spend hours talking to friends on Skype, read Anna Karenina, memorize Shakespeare (because everybody should), stalk Jay Sean’s new singles, and have dreams of somehow marrying Stephen Colbert.
Sometimes, I’m not exactly sure which country I’m living in, or which world for that matter.
#14: Visiting old friends… my second culture festival
I’ve talked on occasion about The Middle School That Closed. Earlier this month, my town’s new middle school (the one that resulted from the merger of the three that closed) had their first culture festival. I wanted to see my old students, so I decided to attend. I didn’t stay for very long – just long enough to see their morning speeches and performances. They also had their chorus competition in the morning, and that was very cute. Aunt Mia was present, and she and I had the chance to talk a little before she had to run off. I still predict that she is somehow going to end up godmother to my children.
#15: And The Flu shall have no dominion (over me)…
Although it’s everywhere. My schools have been cancelling classes left and right and it’s been weeks since all of the grades have been present at the same time. Two weeks ago all of my third year JHS students were sent home for the week (14 had the flu) and then last week my second years were shut out (10 cases there). It’s the second time this year that my second years have had this happen to them. The teachers are really stressed because everyone is behind in their lessons, but the students are obviously enjoying all of this vacation time.
So far, by some miracle, I’ve managed to stay healthy. I had a scare two weeks ago, because I started to feel out of sorts. I’m not exactly sure what it was, but it passed by without making too much of a fuss, and I’ve remained well enough to venture into the wild and germy frontier. I still predict that I’m going to get Swine Flu.
#16: Fievel VS The Monkey, Part 2
I think it was on the 5th of November that I saw Fievel make an actual claim on me in front of The Monkey. It really stands out in my memory, though, because it just showed how feisty my previously silent one is becoming.
The students had to leave school early because of a big meeting that the teachers were preparing for. I had my work more or less under control, and so I spent some time with the kids while they were waiting for the last bus of the day. Fievel decided to assert his newfound power over me and asked me to give him a piggyback ride. The Monkey saw this, got jealous, and tried to interrupt the whole process.
I kid you not – as soon as The Monkey tried to block Fievel and climb on my back, Fievel looked at him and said (quite clearly and without any hesitation whatsoever): “NO. MONKEY DOWN!”
Success! English has been acquired!!!
#17: Playing With The Big Kids
On November 6th, my Thursday elementary school had a huge meeting that most of the teachers in my district were invited to attend. All of the teachers were required to have open lessons, which were then followed by a lecture from the 5th and 6th grade teachers. After a small break, everyone broke up into smaller groups to ask the home room teachers questions about their lessons.
Although I don’t always understand everything that’s said at these functions, I like to go because, well, it’s an opportunity to learn more about teaching theory (which is where I am admittedly pretty weak). For the open lesson and small meeting portions, I stuck close to The Mentor, since I find his lessons to be consistently well planned and executed.
Overall, I really enjoyed the meeting. I also enjoyed the Celebrity Effect, because a lot of people were not expecting me to be there, and I got to see my presence distract them from their own lives (if only momentarily). I found the overall theme of the meeting to be extremely interesting. It focused on a teaching model by which students are encouraged to approach problems individually, and then through their own efforts and discussion with their classmates, broaden and deepen their knowledge of the given subject. The open lessons were supposed to be examples of this model in action, and then the last meetings of the days were opportunities for other educators to respond to the model and to the way that the school is trying to implement it.
It’s a little frustrating for me, because there are so many things that I wish I could ask or discuss with my fellow teachers, but that kind of Japanese is still out of my reach. Still, I think that I benefitted from attending the meeting. I particularly enjoyed sitting next to one of the Two Terrific Teachers and being his comment partner through the last meeting. Do not be fooled – Japanese people are polite, but snark exists in this culture and it is alive and well. ^o^
#18: If you haven’t ever made sweet potato, tofu, and coconut milk curry…
…then you should, because it is delicious. It is so delicious that it actually qualifies as a memory from this fall season. I make it once a week, eat it for two or three days, and enjoy a slice of nirvana. When I look back on Autumn of 2009, I will most assuredly recall sweet potato and coconut milk curry.
#19: It’s Sunday – let’s go to a festival!
My third festival of the year was at my Friday elementary school. The schedule for this festival was a little different from the one that my middle school had:
~9:00, opening ceremony
~ Fun Corner (1 hour)
~ Mochi Making Event
~ Lunch and Recess
~ Fun Corner #2 (40 minutes)
~ Closing ceremony (at about 2:00)
The Fun Corners were a series of stations set up around the school that the students went to. There was a jump rope station, a juggling station, a station for playing with traditional Japanese toys (kendama and spinning tops), a station for origami, and one for wood crafting. I spent a lot of my time with the origami corner, where my superior motor skills were invaluable to the first and second year students. I had a very odd moment where I looked around and realized that I (the American) was actually leading Japanese school children through the origami process. I suppose that sometimes, authority figures are authority figures regardless of nationality.
(Also, just to squeeze this in here: mochi is a rice cake that’s made by pounding down a special kind of cooked rice. By itself it doesn’t have much of a taste, but it’s often eaten with special soy powder, fruit, or red bean paste. Fresh mochi is a gift from the gods, and I’m so happy that I have an elementary school where they make it once a year.)
#20: Did I say this before? Sometimes I am not very smart.
I’ve asked my Thursday elementary school if I can dance at their culture festival. I’ve yet to hear back from them, but I hope that they’re willing to indulge me as I really want to contribute something to the day. Besides, it gives me an excuse to make up a new dance routine.
In a parallel universe, I update my blog every day. Part I. November 15, 2009
Posted by Earthdragonette in Apologies, Dance Troupe, Just Bizarre, Student Moments, Taking Initiative.Tags: culture festival, d.j. ozma, d.j. ozma jr., dance practice, Dance Troupe, elementary students, fall term, fievel, ice cream, Japan, Japanese, michael jackson, my little monkey, Rocko, thriller
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Unfortunately, that universe is so close to me, and yet so far away. Following Brian Greene / Elegant Universe - esque jargon, that universe and my universe are slices of cosmic bread on the cutting board of reality. Unfortunately, those slices are completely oblivious to each other, except in a vague way that occasionally inspires the bittersweet and humbling taste of guilt.
It’s sort of what I feel whenever I forget to answer e-mail (also one of my well-known vices…)
Ahem.
So, welcome back! How are you today?
Things have been quite busy, as usual. Let’s skip the chitchat and get down to business. I have 26 memories that need to be announced and elaborated on. To break it up a bit, and keep things from getting too long winded (too late…), I’ve got ten listed here, another ten listed in Part II, and the last six (AS WELL AS AN ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING ANNOUNCEMENT) in Part III.
Apologies as usual for the “Lists and Lists Galore” method of blogging that I seem to be embracing. ^_^;;
Here we go!
#1: October 21st: Dance Practice Hilarity
This was a dance practice that we held before a pretty substantial festival that we went to the following weekend. We all already knew the dance that we were going to do (D.J. Ozma’s Macchibo), and so we spent two hours sitting around, talking, and occasionally practicing the dance. At one point, we decided to work on our timing, and so we did the dance while standing in a circle. This was hard for me, though, because seeing everyone else dancing mirror-image fashion really confused me. I pointed this out, and one of the troupe members turned around and did the dance with his back to me, thus prompting a flurry of comments about his backside and me complaining just so that he’d turn around and give me a chance to look at it.
-__-;;;
There are times when I wish I didn’t understand Japanese. Although the whole thing was, admittedly, pretty hilarious.
#2: Fievel VS My Little Monkey Saga: Part I
As I pointed out in an earlier post, Fievel is becoming bolder, and I began to wonder at one point he and My Little Monkey would run into conflict with each other. I was right to expect some overlap, but surprised that Fievel is turning out to be the winner in the Epic Battle for Julie’s Love and Attention. The thing about My Little Monkey is that, while he is a persistent little monkey, he is also easily distracted, and if I don’t respond to his demands/requests/questions/comments/concerns RIGHT WHEN HE HAS THEM, then there is a chance (however slim) that he will lose interest in me and go off somewhere else.
Fievel, however, is constant, and never, EVER loses interest. Every possible break that exists in the school’s schedule, he darts to my side, English sticker card in hand. And he doesn’t leave. Come rain or hail or sleet or snow, the child simply refuses to go.
(Sorry about that.)
Seriously, though, he is, at present, the victor in the Fievel VS Monkey battle, if only because he just never gets up and eagerly seizes on any spare moments of attention that My Little Monkey’s absence allows. Also, he gets bonus points for being infinitely lighter than the Monkey, so I’m more willing to entertain his requests to be carried around.
You know, there are some days where I wonder if I mightn’t be a jungle gym.
#3: Disturbing Yet Heartfelt Movies are Disturbing Yet Heartfelt
I’ve been hanging out a lot with Rocko lately, and so he took the opportunity a few weeks ago to show me some of his favorite movies. One of them, It’s All Gone Pete Tong, was one of those movies that I started out kind of disliking, but then fell in love with. It’s, more or less, about a drugged out D.J. that loses his hearing and eventually finds a path to a redemption of sorts. It was extremely interesting, but one of those films that stayed with me for a while. Rocko felt the need to show me Children of Men the day after we watched It’s All Gone Pete Tong, and so by the time I went home that weekend, I was kind of in a state where I questioned my existence and the value of reality.
Because, you know, that’s what you do sometimes.
#4: A Significant Way That The Universe Wins: Baskin Robins Is In Japan
And not only that, but I was able to get Halloween flavors. Although, to be honest, I like their regular chocolate flavors better.
That’s pretty much it. I just like ice cream.
#5: Serious Bonding With the Dance Troupe
October 25th, the troupe all piled into a couple of cars and we drove down to Owase to celebrate the seventh annual Kumano Kodo festival. It wasn’t all that large, but there were a really large number of dance troupes there, so I was able to see a lot of different dancing styles throughout the day. There were some that were obviously influenced by Chinese dance styles, and then one group did a pretty respectable version of Michael Jackson’s Thriller (I was particularly fond of that one).
The day was really, really cold and rainy, though, and so when we weren’t dancing (we had a three-hour break at one point), we all huddled inside one of the buildings, ate festival food, talked, and occasionally napped. It was really relaxed and reminded me a lot of the trips that I went on when I was in band in high school. I also spent some time with D.J. Ozma Jr. – we played cards and, at one point, played catch with a ball that was in the shape of Doraemon’s head.
#6: Culture Festival Preparations Are Fun
The culture festival for my middle school was on Halloween, and so the week up to it we were all busy trying to clean and decorate the school, finish art projects, put the final touches on musical performances, and occasionally sleep. Every year that I’ve been in Japan, I’ve done a performance with the music club, but since the club doesn’t really exist anymore, I haven’t been doing anything this year. This left me with a little (a very little) free time, and so I was able to spend my afternoons wandering around and helping various student committees.
My favorite afternoon was the one that I spent with the student government. Every year, the school puts together a huge mural of 105 individual sheets of paper that, together, make a large and elaborate design (the art teacher likes me, and so I always get to do a piece of the mural, too). Anyway, the student government is responsible for assembling this to some extent, and I decided to help them out. It took us a couple of hours to tape everything together and get it ready to transport to the gym, but we had a really great time together. They’re all intelligent, somewhat quiet second year boys, but they were super lively when we worked together. We spent a lot of time joking around in English and Japanese. (They really surprised me with how much English they wanted to use around me).
It was an unexpected and lovely afternoon.
#7: No, Really, I Enjoy This
I must, because the week before the middle school culture festival, I averaged about 3.5 hours of sleep per night. This was due to trying to get my part of the mural finished, to practicing a dance that I performed for the students, to staying on top of my work, and also to doing some extra special Halloween-related preparations for my elementary schools.
God, I love coffee. And my students.
#8: Darkness falls across the land…
So, every year, I show my first year JHS students Michael Jackson’s Thriller. It’s short, sweet, and relatively easy to understand even if the students don’t have a Japanese translation in front of them (which I did provide them with this year, but still).
This year, though, my first year students have a very special, very intense love for the King of Pop. I think that knowing about him before his death made that unfortunate event more meaningful. It seems to me that they hold him as some kind of symbol of the English world and the link that they have to it. He’s their favorite artist to watch, and every time they see the projector set up for class, they hope that they’re going to see another one of his songs.
Anyway, given this interest, I decided that this year, I wanted to make the Thriller lesson a little more extensive and interesting. So, after we watched the music video, I gave them a copy of the spoken section (the part where Vincent Price scares everybody … ever). You know the part:
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y’alls neighborhood…
I told the students that they had to memorize four lines of it and recite it to me for a speaking check. The bonus for them was that for every extra line that they memorized, they would receive two extra credit points. At first, the students were skeptical – although I made the worksheet in such a way that they could read the English words, they didn’t understand a lot of them, and I think that the idea of a recital really made them nervous.
But, they pulled through, and quite well! The activity turned out to be surprisingly popular – especially because they got to chant about blood, death, and zombies (which are all subjects that teenagers enjoy to some degree). (One student did manage to memorize the whole thing…)
I was vastly entertained whenever I heard them practicing in the hallways during cleaning time. It was particularly funny because as soon as one student would start, others would join in. I’m only half-joking when I say that at one point I began to have serious concerns about my students inadvertently raising the dead.
Luckily, though, that does not seem to have happened.
#9: I Turned My Kids into Animals
Halloween really is a great time of year for English lessons. As you saw earlier, it gives me an opportunity to be slightly wackier and more creative than usual.
This year, I switched my curriculum around so that my first and second year elementary students would be studying animals during the month of October. This was the perfect backdrop to, well, dressing up like a witch, turning on some Disney Parade music (which all of my students identified before the first measure had finished), and “casting a spell” that turned them into a variety of animals. It was something that my music teacher did when I was in first and second grade, and I thought that my students would like it, too.
I turned out to be right, although I’m still fending off questions as to why I drive to school when I claim to be able to fly on a broom. Children are such curious little beings, aren’t they? They also don’t forget anything.
#10: I Also Wore a Gypsy Costume
This was part of my strategy for the activity described in #9. With a few modifications, it easily doubled as a witch’s costume. I was really nervous about wearing it to school, though, because it looked pretty ridiculous to me and I thought that my schools might object to it on the grounds of it looking unprofessional.
Imagine my shock, however, upon discovering that all of my co-workers loved this dress. I guess they thought it was really cute, and they told me that it was the kind of outfit I should feel free to wear every day. I walked around for two days feeling like a small, vulnerable puppy dog that everybody wanted to take home with them. It was surreal, and just goes to show how this country can still surprise me – even after almost three and a half years.
木金土日月火…水曜日 Recap September 23, 2009
Posted by Earthdragonette in Apologies, Me Time, sports festival, Student Moments, Weekend Recap.Tags: convenience store, dinner party, dj ozma jr, elementary students, fall term, Japan, my japanese sister, my little monkey, Nagoya, shopping, sports festival, the hippie, The Mentor, the Other ALT, The Supervisor
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*cough*
Since this is more or less going to be an “一週間 Recap” (“Isshukan Recap,” or ”One Week Recap”), I can only offer my sincerest apologies for falling off of the Blogging Wagon. Things have been more hectic than usual. I can only promise that I will strive against the forces that keep me from sharing the juicy tidbits of The Last Year. I continue to ask for your patience while I figure out how to be both a writer and one of my town’s Foreigners in Residence.
Now, groveling aside, let’s get on with it, shall we? \(^o^)/
Thursday ~ 木曜日
So, this was an elementary school day. I taught the first, second, third, and fourth grades, and so things were a little more frantic than they usually are at that school. The hectic pace was in part due to the Sports Festival preparations, which was really what was occupying everybody at the school.
My school-related memory from this day happened during recess, when the first year teacher (The Hippie) wanted me to stay and watch her class practice one of the events that they were going to do at the sports festival. Unfortunately, she hadn’t cleared this request with the rest of the student body, and the practice got completely disrupted by students rushing the first year classroom in the interest of:
a) talking to me in English
b) talking to me in English and getting stickers
c) redeeming puzzles and/or newsletters for stickers
d) sitting on my lap and generally antagonizing anybody who tried to do a, b, or c
(This was My Little Monkey’s one and only goal.)
This was all complicated by the fact that the student from Wednesday’s dance practice (I shall henceforth call him DJ Ozma Jr.) was completely beside himself the entire day with wanting to talk to me about dancing and wanting to practice the dance together. He made me promise that from here on out, we will always practice the dance at least once during recess on the days that I’m at the school. My Little Monkey is, as always, my little monkey, and so he insisted on clinging to me as I tried to do this dance. What’s funny about this situation (aside from the visual) is that My Little Money understands the nickname “My Little Monkey” (at least to some degree), and he likes it. So he walks around calling himself “Little Monkey” and he uses it to justify why it’s okay for him to latch himself onto my back whenever the whim strikes him.
Thursday was also significant because I went out to dinner with The Supervisor, The Other ALT, and The Other ALT’s mother. TOALT’s mother is a really sweet lady, and it was a great time. The Supervisor was also particularly entertaining, and it was just a great dinner.
Friday ~金曜日
Friday was, of course, the day for Friday’s elementary school – also known as The Insane Asylum. How crazy was it? I’ll tell you. It was so crazy that by the end of the day I was sick of hearing people say my name. In fact, I started to dislike the sound of my name so much, that I began to resent my parents for giving it to me. I became convinced that it was too easy to say, and that this is why the children kept using it. I began to pine for a longer, more ridiculous name that would make the children pause long enough in contemplating its pronunciation for me to escape and do things like, oh, I don’t know, use the restroom. Or swim to New Zealand – any place where there would not be rooms full of children demanding rewards for making efforts in a foreign language.
I love my job. But sometimes, it’s a little intense.
One thing that was entertaining about the day, though, happened when I first arrived. I was walking into the school when one of my sixth graders ran up to me and asked if I could spare a few minutes to play dodge ball with him and his friends. I had some free time, so I told him I’d be right out.
The thing about dodge ball, is that (generally speaking) Japanese children love it. Julie, however, does not. My aim is pretty good, but I’m just not very quick and so I’m a pretty easy target. [Although in my defense, part of the reason that I'm not so quick is that I'm a lot bigger than the children, and so I'm constantly worried about falling on them (they tend to crowd around me when we play)].
My lack of skill is pretty legendary at this point, although I didn’t realize how well known it was until I was on the court and noticed that the skilled players were actually positioning themselves to protect me from the ball. Luckily, they quickly realized that it was better for me to be out and trying to hit the other team’s members from the sidelines, and so I was soon able to contribute to the greater good of the team. Still, I’ll never forget that moment when I saw the students lining up to cover me, and how much it touched (and amused) me.
This day was also noteworthy because I think I managed to make peace with a teacher that I’ve had, not a bad relationship with, but a very odd relationship with for the past few months. We had a really good class together and shared numerous jokes throughout, so I think that things may be back on track. Hooray for keeping the peace at work. (*.*)
Oh, yes, and I almost forgot. In the evening, I went back to my middle school and did a two and a half hour class on relaxation techniques with the other female teachers and some of my students’ mothers. Part of this class involved giving each other foot massages, which was both surreal and a bit difficult. It was surreal, because I never thought I’d find myself laying on the floor of the gym while the science teacher rubbed my feet. It was difficult because I am an extremely ticklish person, and the effort of trying not to laugh (or kick the science teacher) did not exactly help to create a calming atmosphere. Still, I did learn a few things and it was great Japanese practice if nothing else.
Saturday ~ 土曜日
This was my Nagoya day! The morning started out with a lovely train ride, a trip to Starbucks, some shopping at Gap, and then a trip to my hair stylist (who has recently been voted one of the best stylists in Nagoya). Since moving to Japan, I’ve been to see him 13 times. This means that not only does he know me (and my hair) quite well, but it also means that I’m two appointments away from being a VIP member! (I have no idea what this will actually get me, but hey, it’s VIP!). After the appointment, I did some shopping and then eventually headed back home.
I always like going to Nagoya because it’s nice to have a day away from my town and, really, the entire prefecture of Mie. In Nagoya, although I’m foreign, I’m not the only foreigner and so it’s nice to be able to blend into the crowds for once. I can just go and do my thing; I don’t have to worry about my behavior or my purchases getting back to the parents, or my Board of Education, or my school’s principals. This means that running away from people who want to practice English or buying alcohol = OK!
I think this feeling may be the general effect of The City, and I enjoy it. I enjoy the sense of freedom, independence, and general well-being. It’s something that is most definitely present at the salon, too, which is one of the reasons that I keep going year after year. (Well, that, and the fact that my stylist is one of the most awesome. people. ever. He’s lived all over the world, is a semi-professional boxer, has his own band, and is the father of one of the CUTEST KIDS that I’ve ever seen in my life.)
Sunday ~ 日曜日
My second sports day of the year! This one was held at my Thursday elementary school. I got up early and made rice balls for the staff, and then arrived at the school around 6:45. On the way to the school, I stopped off at the convenience store to buy my usual bottle of water. When I went to pay for it, one of the nicest things happened.
I tend to frequent this store at about the same time every day, and so more often than not I encounter this one particular clerk. He’s always struck me as being a stoic sort of gentleman. He’s polite, but he rarely deviates from the Official Clerk Script, and always says the exact same thing to me when I enter the store, when I pay, and when I leave. A couple of weeks ago, I made him laugh because I bought iced coffee instead of water (he couldn’t help but comment), and then once I didn’t go into the store for two weeks and he asked me about it when I finally returned.
When I went to pay for my water on Sunday, though, he looked me right in the and said (with the most amazing, natural accent) “May I help you?” and then after the transaction he followed up with: “Have a nice day!” The effect that this had on me is almost impossible to describe. I was elated. Overjoyed. Touched. Tickled. Enchanted. I’m not sure what his motivation was for doing it. He could have always had an interest in English, he could have been trying to cater his services to my particular demographic, or he could have just been in the mood to do something different. Whatever the reason, whatever the cause, I found it to be a thoughtful and lovely gesture. As I was driving away, I thought to myself: “You know, even if I go to the sports festival and get shot, I’m still going to say that this was a good day.”
Luckily, I did not get shot at the sports festival. There was a mild instance of embarrassment in the afternoon, but since it actually caused me physical pain (long story, I’ll recap it some other time), my school was quick to apologize and help me out. So, in the end, I was right – it was a good day.
Monday ~ 月曜日
That injury that I mentioned from Tuesday? Yes, I spent the day on the couch resting and watching The Colbert Report recovering. Thank goodness for days off.
Tuesday ~ 火曜日
This was the day of the second dinner party that I’ve hosted in Japan, and this time it was for My Japanese Sister and her family. It was a slightly more toned down affair than the previous dinner, but it still took me most of the day to get my act together. We had a couple of frightening culinary moments, but things turned out remarkably well and I now know how to make an apple pie with a shortening-free crust. No transfats ~ hooray! Also, my apartment is now clean and I appreciate that.
I think that, specifically, the moment from Tuesday that I want to hold on to was the moment when they walked inside of my apartment. It’s the first time that they’ve been here, and I really enjoyed the feeling of welcoming them into my home. I liked having them see the furniture, the artwork on the walls, the dishes that I cook with. I liked talking to them, hearing what they liked about the food, hearing what their plans were for the rest of the week. It was, quite simply, a lovely feeling of being a part of something and bringing together different parts of my life – my Japanese family, and my home in Japan.
And that, generally speaking, is what’s been going on over the last week or so. It’s now Wednesday here, and I have today and Thursday off from work. Today, I have the task of trying to catch up on other bits of correspondence that have fallen by the wayside over the last week, and then there’s dance practice in the evening.
Still, as busy as things have been and as awkward as it is to try to juggle everything the same time, I’m content. I sense that I’m doing what needs to be done, and I’ve been enjoying myself. Even those moments when the children crawl on my back or make me hate the sound of my own name, I know that I’m lucky to be here.
“If I could make these moments endless
If I could stop the winds of change…”
…A Dragon is faithful… September 13, 2009
Posted by Earthdragonette in Student Moments.Tags: elementary students, fall term, Japan, my little monkey, thursday elementary school
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The Post I Thought of On Thursday
So, today was our first day at our Thursday elementary school. I mentioned in The Story So Far, Part 1 that I have a special love for my elementary schools. The kids really are adorable, and it’s just a nice feeling to walk into a school and hear all of these voices call out to you because they’re happy you’ve come to teach them. The atmosphere at this school was a little more subdued than it had been before summer break – having an outbreak of swine flu didn’t exactly make for a jubilant start to the fall term.
I had my fifth and sixth year classes today, and although they went well and I was pleased with what we got done, my favorite memory comes from the 2nd year students. Well, from one particular second year student. I give you:
My Little Monkey
My Little Monkey is one of my 2nd year English geniuses. I am especially fond of him because, unlike many Japanese school children, his accelerated English abilities are not from going to special classes outside of school. Instead, he really just LOVES English, and whenever I’m at the school, he spends all of his free time hanging around me. He listens to the older kids when they come to practice their English with me, and then he copies them. Therefore, even though his class has only learned enough grammar to do basic introductions and talk about their likes and dislikes, he already knows how to ask a variety of questions (I would say that he’s on par with the fourth grade class.). His nickname comes from the fact that he seems to think that Julie = Jungle Gym and he usually finds some way to attach himself to my back within the first fifteen minutes of me arriving at school. So, for most of the day, I have this 2nd year student attached to me, mimicking everything anybody says in English.
Anyway, I haven’t seen My Little Monkey since my village’s festival, and I think it’s safe to say that he missed me. He launched himself at me the second that I got to school, and at one point I required the help of his older brother and a homeroom teacher to get him off of my back. Which isn’t to say that he was dissuaded, however, as he once again climbed on to my shoulders during recess (thus becoming my constant companion throughout). It wasn’t all jungle gym antics, though – we did manage to practice some English. We were feeling very alphabet-focused today, and so he opted to recite it to me nine times starting from A and five times starting from Z.
It’s a short and sweet memory for me. I guess you could say that I like to think of My Little Monkey as the ultimate Form of the Elementary School English Spirit. What’s also nice about it is that he’s also really good at encouraging the other students to approach me. Before the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students went home for the day, he managed to gather a small group around me so that we could talk, giggle, and toss the occasional English question back and forth.
Nice job, little guy. ^o^
“Rise to fame, time will come
Make your claim, time has come”
