Archive For The “School” Category
This year’s National Sports Day (体育の日) was held on October 10th. It seems that the only time I’m ever going to actually celebrate it will have been my first year here, back in 2007 when I was on the news for unicycling, and this, my final year. Last year some of my students who are [...]
Heroes
By Rodent | October 3, 2008
During school today one of the students started talking to me about Heroes (not to be confused with the Japanese drama/movie Hero). She started talking about how the new season had just premiered. I immediately decided that she was cool, as I had just watched episode three of the new season last night, and I [...]
It’s time for class. As usual, the JTE comes to my desk to pick me up, and we head off to the classroom. We arrive to be greeted by a rowdy bunch of second-years (equivalent to US seventh graders). It’s supposed to be the JTE’s job to keep the kids quiet and in line. They’re [...]
Shhh
By Rodent | May 2, 2008
I’ve noticed a trend. In nine months I’ve been here I’ve gotten quite a bit better at Japanese. I’m still an extremely long way from where I want to be, but looking back to my initial arrival I see that I’ve come quite a decent distance. But… I talk less to students now. I talk [...]
All told, I rotate between four middle schools and around nine or so elementary schools. Back when I first arrived in Japan my reputation for unicycling sometimes preceeded me (apparently word travels fast), so it wasn’t uncommon for me to show up to a school and they already start asking me about unicycles. This particular [...]
Quick little anecdote. Today in one of my classes some students came up and asked to see my driver’s license. I obliged. They looked at it then asked me what the picture of a heart and “donor” meant. Without thinking, I said (in Japanese), “When I died, I gave my body to someone.” They started [...]
Today my current school held its fire drill. This isn’t the first fire drill I’ve participated in, but it still got to me how everything played out. To make it easier, I shall make bullet points comparing a typical American school fire drill and a Japanese school fire drill, both (obviously) from my personal experiences. [...]
Today my sole class consisted of five disabled kids. I honestly didn’t see what was so disabled about them (except that one was incredibly shy), but sure, whatever. Actually come to think of it, I know what’s disabled about them–it’s their perception of age. One student said I looked like a 19-year-old college student (understandable), [...]