Monday, April 17th was the first ICC (English club) meeting of the year. Unfortunately I wasn’t much help since I don’t know anything about the management of clubs, but Hirose sensei somehow improvised something (apparently she wasn’t given much information either). I stressed that this should be a student run, student motivated club and that they should think this week about what they want to do. We had about four 3rd year students, five 2nd year students (both groups of girls), and eight 1st year students, five of whom are boys! They almost ran away when they saw the room full of girls, but I got them to them come inside. I believe there are more who want to join but want to do other clubs as well so they couldn’t make the first meeting. Earlier some ichinensei mentioned they wanted ICC to meet more often, but that didn’t fly with the club so I told them they would have more chances to talk with me when I opened my English Free Zone. Hirose sensei translated that as “any time talk to Janet in the space at the back of the LL room.” I didn’t mind the slight mistranslation because I always tell students they can talk to me at any time and I figured nobody would come as usual. Well, how wrong I was! The very next day two boys came in at the last half of lunch period just to talk. I was so thrilled I gave them chocolate. Apparently, a boy came in that afternoon, too, but I had gone home on time and wasn’t there. However, the next day three boys showed up during lunch I postponed eating mine so we could hang out in the English Free Zone space (which isn’t officially opened yet because my books haven’t come yet). Still, there’s carpet, a table and a bookshelf with games donated by my parents and me. We played My Word and they had a great time. To my shock and delight after school that day FIVE excited boys came running to my office calling my name and we played games for two hours! I’ve had visitors during lunch and after school most days now and it’s thrilling to see them come so eagerly and excitedly. If I’m still doing work I send them to the nook and they roll out the carpet, set out the table, change the “English Free Zone, Janet is OUT” sign to Janet is IN and are eagerly playing My Word by the time I wrap up my work. In My Word you try to find English words in the set of cards on the table. At first I let them find words of any size, but I tried the original rule of only allowing words of three cards or more and they do just fine! I’m surprised by the words they know, and if they can’t see a word that I guess they might now, I mime it out as a hint. This way they have to think of the English word and how to spell it on their own. The best part is that they enjoy it so much. The first day the five boys came and we spent two hours playing there was an English meeting next door. They heard the almost continuous laughter and excitement coming from us and I was thrilled to show that you can have fun with English. I mean, REALLY have fun with English. As I came back from the bathroom I saw a teacher peek his head in to see just what could be so much fun. Hehe! Sure there was a lot of Japanese going around, but they chose to include me many times by using English. It sure was a great way to do two hours of overtime!
Friday was interesting since both my ichinensei classes were canceled. I knew the one would be canceled, but the other was a surprise (they happened to be called for another health thing during my class). It’s a bit of a problem because I only see them one more time before the exam period. That means I see them two times total when I see my Monday classes seven times! Oh, we’re having class on Saturday so parents can observe, so we’re having Thursday or Friday classes since so many are canceled this term, right? No, we’re having extra Monday classes! Oh well, I’ll work out something.Friday was also a short day because of a PTA meeting, which thankfully I didn’t have to go to. That meant clubs started early so I was able to go to kyudo club for over an hour and still leave work almost on time! I learned some more about form with the new recruits and then practiced with the yumi (bow). One student rummaged through the bag of old kake (kyudo glove) and gave one for me. I triple check and he really meant “present.” It’s an old and unused one that they don’t need, so yippee for me! It was quite a different experience using the glove just as using the bow is quite different from the gomukyu. I started to get used to it and I fell like I almost ready to use an arrow! Yet, I will be patient. I will be patient . . .
I learned the names of the ichinensei girls who joined kyudo and they helped me understand more about what goes on during matches. They said they’re no good at English, but they’re not bad!
To update you on my experimental sannensei class, we had class Friday during which we finished up their project proposals and they turned them in. Some people don’t quite understand the idea of making small goals with the purpose of reaching a larger goal, but most students did quite well. We have a variety of projects in the making and I’m excited. It appears that many of the students are excited as well! Hopefully with the start of working on projects next week things will go more smoothly and it’ll just be grand the rest of my time here! So far so good, here’s to hoping!
Other random things happen at school that make me love my job. Again, the new ichinensei say “hi” to me in the halls and we sometimes chat. I’ve talked to a few teachers and I visited a geography class when they went on the school roof to discuss the topography of Yamanashi. Actually, Friday was a beautifully clear day so it was great for viewing. I got my camera and tried to get pictures for remembering this year of my life. It was so clear you could see individual trees in the mountains. I know that soon it will be warm and too hazy to see much of the mountains, so I’m taking it in while I can!
