I've just been informed that I will only have 16 students for the International Course next year, but I will unfortunately have 30 students for 1-1. This means I will only have 16 people that actually want to study English next year, and therefore only one class, but I will have two classes of 1-1 to torture me horribly.
I hear next yearis the worst disciplined class to ever come into Togi. I wonder if they are exaggerating or not.
Showing posts with label Students. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Students. Show all posts
Monday, February 4, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
On the Matter of Curse Words
It's not secret that I teach Shota bad words on my free time as a sort of carrot to encourage him to learn English. In return, he teaches be bad Japanese words. But, we have a unspoken promise that we won't repeat any of the words to other teachers, and indeed we have not (for the most part).
But, I have been very careful about teaching bad words to any of my other students who lack Shota's discretion, and love a secret relationship.
That is, until today. Droves of children saying shit, and all because of a quick misunderstanding!
Today, I had a Pronunciation War, where in which I face students off in an epic battle of saying words correctly. This is mostly because katakana English is barely English, and I want them to understand that saying in English words in katakana (Japanese alphabet, and subsequently pronunciation) is impossible to understand. Shirt becomes Shattsu, and scarf become mufura (muffler, which is the wrong word for the thing anyways).
So, I write "shirt" on the board.
Ryuutarou says "shattsu", and cute little Misaki, flushed with embarassment, says "shit."
I'm so surprised that they know Misaki said something bad, and they are desperate to know. I don't tell them, until Kyousuke, little Kyousuke (who is in fact pretty tall), translates "k'so." K'so is, of course, the Japanese word for shit. Great.
Ryuutarou said it in a class repeatedly, and I can't find it in me to stop him because he's using it in all the right places. Plus, that boy is on a wire when it comes to English in the first place, and I don't really want to push him off.
So, contrary to what everyone thinks, I did not make my students into potty mouths. My students did it to themselves.
But, I have been very careful about teaching bad words to any of my other students who lack Shota's discretion, and love a secret relationship.
That is, until today. Droves of children saying shit, and all because of a quick misunderstanding!
Today, I had a Pronunciation War, where in which I face students off in an epic battle of saying words correctly. This is mostly because katakana English is barely English, and I want them to understand that saying in English words in katakana (Japanese alphabet, and subsequently pronunciation) is impossible to understand. Shirt becomes Shattsu, and scarf become mufura (muffler, which is the wrong word for the thing anyways).
So, I write "shirt" on the board.
Ryuutarou says "shattsu", and cute little Misaki, flushed with embarassment, says "shit."
I'm so surprised that they know Misaki said something bad, and they are desperate to know. I don't tell them, until Kyousuke, little Kyousuke (who is in fact pretty tall), translates "k'so." K'so is, of course, the Japanese word for shit. Great.
Ryuutarou said it in a class repeatedly, and I can't find it in me to stop him because he's using it in all the right places. Plus, that boy is on a wire when it comes to English in the first place, and I don't really want to push him off.
So, contrary to what everyone thinks, I did not make my students into potty mouths. My students did it to themselves.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Kids (cont)
It is necessary that I preface these next few entries. While this journal is to keep my friends and family apprised of my life so I don’t have to write essentially the same email over and over again, it is also here for posterity’s sake, and so that I remember. Therefore, if you tire of my descriptions, ignore all of the posts marked “The Kids”.
12-B
12-B is funny class that I enjoy equally as much as 12-A. I like this class better only because I do not have to teach it with Horiaka-sensei, a man’s who charitable nature and affable smiles make it hard for me to say that his English ability is only a little bit higher than my second year students.
I realize that perhaps it would be best that I not have favorites at all, but human nature and all that…
Naoyuki, who is Shota’s brother, is another one of my favorites. He loves music, and desperately wants to follow in his brother’s footsteps. I find it incredibly cute how he writes his signature like his brother, complete with a picture of a smiling face and a guitar with a few music notes thrown in for extra measure, and how animated he is when talking about his favorite bands. Currently, he loves Sum 41 (much to fake excitement), but his favorite band is Elle Garden, a Japanese band that sings much of its songs in English. He’s trying to learn English with these songs, which I consider fantastic intiative.
Next to him is Takuya, an uninterested kid due to social circumstances more than anything else. Being invisible is high on his list of priorities, so English, as indeed all other classes, are unimportant to him.
The loudest student is Kento, who is the typical student uninterested in school and only in socializing. He doesn’t like me very much, but I think it’s because I’m truly frustrating. He brings back memories of my volunteer senseis in my Japanese class, whom I avoided for that self same reason.
Next to Kento is silent Masahiro, and behind him is the one who competes for that prize, Saeki. Neither are as successful with being invisible as Takuya is. Saeki is too handsome to be easily forgotten, and Masahiro is far too awkward.
Ryota, who sits in the far corner pines for Sakura, and confesses to me that he hates Christmas because he doesn’t have a girlfriend. I find him humorous looking if only for his butch face and body accompanied by his very girlie hair and sense of style. He is fun-loving, but easily frustrated.
In the front of the class room is his love, Sakura, who ignores him with all the tact of a grown woman. She was in love with Etienne, from what I understand, and likes me far less because of it. She is very pretty and cute, and is among my best English speakers. Apparently, she went from the worst in the class to among the very best. She has people like Kyousuke, and Chie to compete with though.
Next to her is Misaki, the girl who is too cool for school, and yet is somehow even cooler by attending it. She’s decent at English, and has a low raspy voice that I wish I had. She looks very fashionable, but stands like a boy.
Also in the front is Takahiro, another favorite. He is loud, and loves to announce random translations. When I say “for example” and he shouts, “Ah! Tatoeba!” I say “however”, and he duly says, “ah! Shikashi!” He is a quick learner, but victim of practicing things he had learned incorrectly. However (shikashi!), I do think that his enthusiasm will translate into future success.
Yuusei, who sits next my boisterous Takahiro, is a bizarre case. His answer to “how are you?” is always “sleepy”. I can’t disagree with his assessment, because he is constantly looking at me through half-lidded eyes, as if there are more interesting dreams painted on the other side. He lets Takahiro do all the work, although he is equally talented.
I’m not familiar with the last four girls. Chie is sporty, and she doesn’t take shit from anyone. However (shikashi!)she is nice about it, which I like. Sakurako is incredibly vain, and is always checking her reflection in the TV screen. If only she knew how sickeningly pale she looked with all the cover up she uses. Behind them are Eri and Riho. Riho is a an anime fan, and seems rather embarrassed about it. Eri, on the other hand, is so reserved and quiet that I wonder if she walks on the air above us. She rarely talks, and has the worse pronunciation in the class.
Which reminds me... I think I shall have a pronunciation war. That should encourage them.
The students I want to come to 2-2 Oral class, as it is optional, are Kyousuke, Takahiro, Sakura, Misaki, Natsuko, Tadamichi, Yuki, Naoyuki, Ryota, Ryouta. My current 2-2 only has five students, which is nice, but I think more should be in the class
12-B
12-B is funny class that I enjoy equally as much as 12-A. I like this class better only because I do not have to teach it with Horiaka-sensei, a man’s who charitable nature and affable smiles make it hard for me to say that his English ability is only a little bit higher than my second year students.
I realize that perhaps it would be best that I not have favorites at all, but human nature and all that…
Naoyuki, who is Shota’s brother, is another one of my favorites. He loves music, and desperately wants to follow in his brother’s footsteps. I find it incredibly cute how he writes his signature like his brother, complete with a picture of a smiling face and a guitar with a few music notes thrown in for extra measure, and how animated he is when talking about his favorite bands. Currently, he loves Sum 41 (much to fake excitement), but his favorite band is Elle Garden, a Japanese band that sings much of its songs in English. He’s trying to learn English with these songs, which I consider fantastic intiative.
Next to him is Takuya, an uninterested kid due to social circumstances more than anything else. Being invisible is high on his list of priorities, so English, as indeed all other classes, are unimportant to him.
The loudest student is Kento, who is the typical student uninterested in school and only in socializing. He doesn’t like me very much, but I think it’s because I’m truly frustrating. He brings back memories of my volunteer senseis in my Japanese class, whom I avoided for that self same reason.
Next to Kento is silent Masahiro, and behind him is the one who competes for that prize, Saeki. Neither are as successful with being invisible as Takuya is. Saeki is too handsome to be easily forgotten, and Masahiro is far too awkward.
Ryota, who sits in the far corner pines for Sakura, and confesses to me that he hates Christmas because he doesn’t have a girlfriend. I find him humorous looking if only for his butch face and body accompanied by his very girlie hair and sense of style. He is fun-loving, but easily frustrated.
In the front of the class room is his love, Sakura, who ignores him with all the tact of a grown woman. She was in love with Etienne, from what I understand, and likes me far less because of it. She is very pretty and cute, and is among my best English speakers. Apparently, she went from the worst in the class to among the very best. She has people like Kyousuke, and Chie to compete with though.
Next to her is Misaki, the girl who is too cool for school, and yet is somehow even cooler by attending it. She’s decent at English, and has a low raspy voice that I wish I had. She looks very fashionable, but stands like a boy.
Also in the front is Takahiro, another favorite. He is loud, and loves to announce random translations. When I say “for example” and he shouts, “Ah! Tatoeba!” I say “however”, and he duly says, “ah! Shikashi!” He is a quick learner, but victim of practicing things he had learned incorrectly. However (shikashi!), I do think that his enthusiasm will translate into future success.
Yuusei, who sits next my boisterous Takahiro, is a bizarre case. His answer to “how are you?” is always “sleepy”. I can’t disagree with his assessment, because he is constantly looking at me through half-lidded eyes, as if there are more interesting dreams painted on the other side. He lets Takahiro do all the work, although he is equally talented.
I’m not familiar with the last four girls. Chie is sporty, and she doesn’t take shit from anyone. However (shikashi!)she is nice about it, which I like. Sakurako is incredibly vain, and is always checking her reflection in the TV screen. If only she knew how sickeningly pale she looked with all the cover up she uses. Behind them are Eri and Riho. Riho is a an anime fan, and seems rather embarrassed about it. Eri, on the other hand, is so reserved and quiet that I wonder if she walks on the air above us. She rarely talks, and has the worse pronunciation in the class.
Which reminds me... I think I shall have a pronunciation war. That should encourage them.
The students I want to come to 2-2 Oral class, as it is optional, are Kyousuke, Takahiro, Sakura, Misaki, Natsuko, Tadamichi, Yuki, Naoyuki, Ryota, Ryouta. My current 2-2 only has five students, which is nice, but I think more should be in the class
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