1. Issho- Kitakata 1st Elementary... classes of 30 to 40 students each, very eager to talk with me and get me to sign things and fairly well behaved... the occasional talking in class. Some classes pick things up quickly, some more slowly... Teachers have at least a minimal grasp of English "hello, my name is" up to "do you like sports?" Where I am writing from right now....
2. Matsuyama- The elementary school almost adjacent to Nichu Junior high which has smaller classes, about 20 and students are incredibly well behaved, albeit the school is a bit strict. Most teachers have no English knowledge but the vice principal is very knowledgable. This is the school you saw pictures of the Bonsai garden and koi pond and rabbit farm.
3. Kamisanmiya- Country school.....far out there. Have to take a taxi to get to it. This school is awesome. The classes are no more than 15 kids, some as small as 8 kids! Some students even take separate English classes after school so their mastery of English was impressive, to say the least. The teachers have a basic grasp of English and are really chill and very fun. Most classes have a class pet too! The principal immediately invited me to their Harvest Festival next month and encouraged me to be an aid to the marching band. heck yes!
At the elementary schools, for the first lesson, I do a self- introduction. I felt a slide show was the best option to keep their interest up and occupied. Some pictures are ridiculous but keep in mind that I'm trying to stay on a base level of English for the kids while still narrating my life. This is what it has turned into.
I first have them guess what country I am from... and when they guess America, I pull out my USA map (as you saw in pictures before)
1. I am from Huntington Beach... (Japanese)Nihongo "hama" (English)Eigo "beach" and everyone says "beeeach"
2. This is me, sensei, at the hama, beach!
3. I live very close (show them on the map) "chikai" Eigo "close" to Disneyland. All the student see the picture and yell Disneyland!!!!
4. My daigoku "university" is (show on the map) in Tennessee.... this is in Spring "haru" ... Eigo... Spring.
5. This is my University in fall... aaaki
6. This is the stadium for American football (draw football on the board) the stadium holds 110,000 people... ju ichi man! Everyone gasps! 110,000!!!!???
7. This is the city (machi) of my daigoku (university) named (namae wa) Knoxville. I show them the picture and they tend to ask what the sunsphere is. I have to try and explain. museum, party venue, ridiculous monstrosity... using layman's terms too.
8. This is my okaasan, my mother. We are eating ice cream! Everyone says she looks young.
9. This is my imoto, my little sister. Everyone awws and says she is "co cute" kawaii and she looks like a fairy.
10. This is my little brother, ototo.... namae wa Jamal. I say he works on computers. Everyone says he is handsome.
11. This is my obaasan, my grandmother. She is cooking, "ryori". They ask what her name is, I say "Joyce" and they say "kire" which means pretty.
12. WHOAAA SABOTEN!!!! The kids looove this one. Guaranteed ridiculous reaction. They dont have cacti here unless they are tiny ones they buy at the store so they are quite impressed. I point out that the picture (sha-shin) was taken in Arizona but don't mention that it wasn't thaaaat big. (the picture was actually taken at a gas station while we were filling the tank)
Some super smart classes notice the 7-11 in the back ground. They have 7-11 here too. wild.
13. This is my imoto, my sister, and I in New Orleans. (Point New Orleans out on the map)....
14... also New Orleans.
This is because my sister, imoto, and I took a ry-oh-ko, Eigo "trip" in our car (mimick driving) from (point on map) California alllll the way to Tennessee!! The kids are usually very impressed and ask how long it took (20 days).
15. This is my Shinyu, Eigo "best friend"..... they allllways ask "boyfriend???!!!!" and I say no... best friend. They realize we are on the teacups, known at Tokyo Disneyland as "cohee cups" (the japanese way of saying coffee cup?) and think its cool.
16. Best friend pictures. They like these. Shinyu namae wa "Greg". They get a kick out of saying his name. Like me!
17. Shumi wa (my hobbies are) basketball!! There is a famous team in California namae wa (name is) Lakers. Who likes basketball? (raise hands--- or as in one class did, no one raises a hand and I'm stuck with another slide of something they don't care about.
18. Famous players Kobe and Shaq! If kids *do* know the lakers, they go insaaaaane when they see these pictures and ask me if i have ever been to a game (one, when I was 7, with my dad... all i remember was mickey was there).
19. I like dogs (inu)! The kids get a good laugh.
20. I also like cooking "ryori". I made this. It was delicious (oishkatta!) They usually ask what each food is. They understand the english words for everything but creamed corn (i explain "corn soup") and green beans (i say "mame" for beans)
21. I love music! Who likes music??
22. This is my giant guitar! Everyone laughs.
23. And I really like.......... ICE CREAM!!!
I don't know why but even the 6th graders go insane when I do that! WE LOVE ICE CREAM!!! who likes vanilla? strawberry (ichigo)?? chocolate???
Slideshow is over, everyone please sit down! (groans from kids)
Then I let them ask me questions...
Typical:
Do you like baseball?
What is your favourite.... flower, color, baseball team, city in the world, animal, sport, food, japanese food, bug...?
Do you have a boyfriend?
How old are you? (I make them guess)
When is your birthday?
What music do you like?
What languages do you speak? (In answering this one I ended up having to speak in Arabic, translate into Japanese, translate that into Spanish and translate that into English... needless to say, my head hurt afterwards)
Interesting random ones:
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? (Princess, Lawyer)
Do you want to free Tibet (i think so?)
What is your life dream? (To teach you some damn English... have a family... be a good mom)
What is your favourite word? "No worries" which translates perfectly into "Saskane".... an Aizu (my area in Japan) term.
Then I have THEM do their own self introductions...
"My name is ____.
I like ____."
Depending on English skill I do only those above or add on:
"My favorite fruit is ____."
"I have ____ people in my family."
"I don't like ______."
Then we practice "goodbye everyone"
"Goodbye Miss Janine"
end.
Somehow my schedule was worked out so this one week I am teaching Elementary all week. Awesome because they are so genki (ie: super happy, eager to learn and to talk) but wearing because you have to be so pumped and enthusiastic in class to raise their enthusiasm that by lunch its hard to chase them around and then teach more classes.
At kamisanmiya the kids wanted me to play dodgeball... which was fine until I realized they were playing with basketballs AND it wasn't so much a game as it was a free for all with six basketballs being chucked around the small gym at the same time. yikes!
Anywhoo, know this is a long one.... Hope everyone is doing well.
P.S. Did I mention Keiko San (local woman who speaks the best english in KK) is GIVING me her car? This is because she bought a new one and the shaaken (money due once a year after the annual emission test & instructed repairs done) is due in april will be exorbitant.
Its a stick shift (which I don't know how to drive), on the wrong side of the car (driver seat on the front right), and driving on the wrong side of the road (think pulling out of your driveway and going immediately left and staying on the left side of the road.) YIKES! Gonna need lots of practice....
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