So, today one of my JTE's came up to me and starting talking about lesson plans. I told her what I wanted to do for the first lessons and then I kinda threw out I wanted to do a project. She told me I should just do it, and I told her I was worried since no of what I do is graded no one will be serious about it.
So then she drops the bomb shes thinking of giving me some weight in grading. How much I am unsure, and thus she promptly explained to me the overly complex grading system of my school. Something like there are week test and then Mid-term tests and then final tests each with a portion put on it. So it would be apparently more complex to just stick on 10% of my lessons at the end, and it be easier to stick me something like 20% each mid-term and final. So somehow though I am unsure I am gonna get a portion of the first years grades! w00t!!!
Bad thing is I will have to tons more work. From not just making up random test questions for their test and grading that, but making oral sections and detailing a point system for the project (which I will stick onto their final test in the second semester) And then their participation which I will stick on the the final part of their grades as well. (It's basically going to be super complicated even for my grading since I am going to use their participation points on their grade as well...)
We also do all the requests for a need even some wheeling and dealing in the office! I totally am glad I kiss ass to those people with candies and yay, cuz the jimucho (office head) totally agreed! Yay! I really feel like I am doing stuff now, and I know it's going to be alot of work since I still have to teach third year oral and well as second year classes. I don't think I can be human tape recorder anymore for the regular third year classes, but I don't mind.
I feel sorry for the JET after me because grading, projects, teaching all three years, and English club (Which will hopefully at least be a doukoukai by the time I leave) is what I've filled my plate up with! I really feel now like I am making a difference. And in the Summer time I hope to start up English Lesson's for the other teachers!
My other idea is currently English club is just one day, but once June or July rolls by and third years stop going to clubs I am going to start up a intensive English club course for those who wish to take English entrance exams or TOEIC. There are 3 girls I know for sure who will need one of the other and perhaps one more who will come just for the intensive English practice.
ALSO! Apparently first years have been asking where am I and why I don't come to their classes. They all remember me from the mountain climb, I can't believe I made such an impression. So I feel overall good, this is a real invigoration after this recent slump!!! YAY!! Still can't wait for my trip! Which is going to be in 2 days! China here I come! Hopefully I won't die....I almost wish I bought the Chinese functioning dictionary...
On a sad note I still have not really talked to that one teacher I had a row with a few days ago,. I am unsure on how to approach the situation and I have already apologized for her taking offense by my lesson. But I am unsure on how it will go.... To be honest I will deal with it later I don't really want the negativity to bring me down, and I realize some people just don't mesh well. It's a shame that happened and she does seem really into English and into her students futures, she has to realize I am as well and just because our methods clash should not bring out hostilities... Oh well. We'll see...hopefully it will all just work out for the best.
I also hope I won't burn out, but hearing the students and other first year teacher's (ok, one first year teachers..) excitement makes me feel ready for the challenge!
2007年4月25日水曜日
A difference in Culture
So today the nurse had an interesting request for me. She asked to help her with the check ups for all the students. While we do have such check ups in America, they often stop in grade school and they are not as detailed.. Here in Japan they do things like bust, hip and waist measurements, height and sitting height (not sure what is up with the sitting height...) But they also check for heart problems and other things that I suppose should be check out(since Japanese physical fitness programs are pretty intense!)
I assumed I'd help measure their height or something so agreed. But, actually a doctor must come and check their hearts and they found that many girls were fairly embarrassed and this strange doctor man sans nurse lifting up their shirt and checking on them. So they decided I'd be perfect with that job of the nurse lifting their shirts up for him! I was at first shocked and confused and debated saying wait I change my mind! but then I just kinda was like ok?
So the time rolls around and I got down and they are just about to start, I'm actually a smidge late. So at first I help lift up the shirts, but really I'm HIDEOUSLY embarrassed. And after awhile I realize, I don't even need to be there. The girls don't seem to be embarrassed at all, and lifting up their shirts actually exposes them more than the doctor just quickly sticking his hand up there and checking their pulse. And the next line over, the girls seem way more embarrassed.
So I eventually just give up on the lifting shirts, since it makes me feel like a pervert and holy crap it's embarrassing. So then I am just sitting there feeling even more like a GIANT pervert, after a few minutes of just standing there the nurse comes in and says I can go they are not so shy as the girls yesterday. And I think THANK GOD!
I promptly run away, I feel really creepy uncle..but actually the girls seemed to be fine. They were embarrassed by the doctor but in the room with me just sitting there for no reasons students were waving at me. And afterwards some students who managed to already change back into uniforms saw me in the hall and said hi...I mean this was like 5 minutes after I lifted up their shirt! I assumed they'd all just think I was a pervert, but they all seemed to assume I was just doing my job....
In the end I am sure even I'd be embarrassed at that age to have a male doctor reach into my shirt in public to check my heart, but the fact they weren't embarrassed at me holding their shirts, is surely a difference in culture. Also thinking about it, as second graders it's not the first time they've done it, so I guess to them it was just the thing you periodically needed to do. Either way I high tailed it out of there as FAST as POSSIBLE!
Another funny note, normally the doctor I was helping would not even lift up the shirt more than enough to stick his hand in, and he'd normally look away, but when the one girl who is skinny and yet has largish boobs (there are some chunky students with some as well I suppose) came he kinda lifted up her shirt and took a quick peek! What a perv! I totally spotted it, but I guess she didn't find this odd and kinda just went about her own business and even said arigatou goazaimasu as she left... WEIRD!
Either way....what a horrible experience surely I will not be able to look at some students the same way. This is some what like the teacher who spotted me at the gym showers and of course decided to say hi....we American's don't like the naked nor do we like the touching....it's weird to me, and I'm sorry but this is one thing of Japanese culture I don't think I will soon adjust to...
I assumed I'd help measure their height or something so agreed. But, actually a doctor must come and check their hearts and they found that many girls were fairly embarrassed and this strange doctor man sans nurse lifting up their shirt and checking on them. So they decided I'd be perfect with that job of the nurse lifting their shirts up for him! I was at first shocked and confused and debated saying wait I change my mind! but then I just kinda was like ok?
So the time rolls around and I got down and they are just about to start, I'm actually a smidge late. So at first I help lift up the shirts, but really I'm HIDEOUSLY embarrassed. And after awhile I realize, I don't even need to be there. The girls don't seem to be embarrassed at all, and lifting up their shirts actually exposes them more than the doctor just quickly sticking his hand up there and checking their pulse. And the next line over, the girls seem way more embarrassed.
So I eventually just give up on the lifting shirts, since it makes me feel like a pervert and holy crap it's embarrassing. So then I am just sitting there feeling even more like a GIANT pervert, after a few minutes of just standing there the nurse comes in and says I can go they are not so shy as the girls yesterday. And I think THANK GOD!
I promptly run away, I feel really creepy uncle..but actually the girls seemed to be fine. They were embarrassed by the doctor but in the room with me just sitting there for no reasons students were waving at me. And afterwards some students who managed to already change back into uniforms saw me in the hall and said hi...I mean this was like 5 minutes after I lifted up their shirt! I assumed they'd all just think I was a pervert, but they all seemed to assume I was just doing my job....
In the end I am sure even I'd be embarrassed at that age to have a male doctor reach into my shirt in public to check my heart, but the fact they weren't embarrassed at me holding their shirts, is surely a difference in culture. Also thinking about it, as second graders it's not the first time they've done it, so I guess to them it was just the thing you periodically needed to do. Either way I high tailed it out of there as FAST as POSSIBLE!
Another funny note, normally the doctor I was helping would not even lift up the shirt more than enough to stick his hand in, and he'd normally look away, but when the one girl who is skinny and yet has largish boobs (there are some chunky students with some as well I suppose) came he kinda lifted up her shirt and took a quick peek! What a perv! I totally spotted it, but I guess she didn't find this odd and kinda just went about her own business and even said arigatou goazaimasu as she left... WEIRD!
Either way....what a horrible experience surely I will not be able to look at some students the same way. This is some what like the teacher who spotted me at the gym showers and of course decided to say hi....we American's don't like the naked nor do we like the touching....it's weird to me, and I'm sorry but this is one thing of Japanese culture I don't think I will soon adjust to...
2007年4月24日火曜日
BAH!
Damn I lose my entire post! But then I shall attempt to continue... I had my 2 hours class today and its a mixed bag of really good students and really horrible students. I made a plan that I thought would be fun and educational. Instead it broke down into horror, and then I made the teacher severely offended.
It was the difference between American and Japanese Schools, and I thought to tell them that there are many things they dislike but they have their good points as well. Of course my power point again did not work, thus rendering half my lesson unteachable. Also it made me kinda frazzled and off kilter, in my rush I didn't remember everything.
By the end, half the class could only see the good of American Schools and none of the bad. And they were all just like hating Japanese Schools. Of course I eventually got them to see how some things were really awful. Like how low our graduation rates are, and how students are expected to be independent, and how parents will even make their children pay their own tuition.
But some kids were just terrible and ignoring what I say. Some now have this idea that, Kristen is American, and she won't scream and hit us (I won't actually..) but then it also makes them think they can talk whenever they want to, and do what they want.
I did not really break down to American style horror (which, when I really think about was pretty bad) But I mean its HORROR compared to any Japanese teacher's experience. I man one girl threw a pencil case to her friend ::gasp:: I making it sound like a joke, but really its kinda shocking even to me.
So she was exasperated over the entire things, and I had a talk with her after class that was some what heated on her side. She basically felt I was spitting on the Japanese School system, and making it seem like American school's were the greatest (the exact opposite message) So BAH! I feel really inept, and unsure of my self. I made this lesson thinking it be great for the kids, but in the end it was horrible failure.
Its like my doctor lesson, which I'd thought be raucous fun but in the end it left a student in tears. I'm just not sure how to teach this 2 hour class, and since I have this appearance of experience and knowledge (I make my lesson plans within the day its requested, I have all the print-outs and ideas done by at least the next day, and give teachers are fairly detailed plan of what I want to do) Of course thats not really the case, and I think teachers feel not only out of the loop but they feel so out of it, they just assume I want to assume control. While thats kinda what I've been feeling lately, I really do appreciate their input. I'm just a kid with out teaching experience except what I've garnered from here.
I'm unsure how I'll teach with this teacher from now on, but ARGH! I really just need to think about it more. I get a great idea and it flashes and I run with it, but I really need to second guess myself. Because man I've recently had a lot of bad classes...
I just can't wait for Vacation...and this funk is happening at the worst time. I have my first English club lesson today! Man, I think I am pushing myself too far, I am worrying about First year lessons, Second year lessons, and since I've been going to 2 distinctly different 3rd year lessons, I am making 4 plans. And I am really frazzling out, especially with the start up of my English club, the advertisements, the egg coloring, the candies, everything. I'm really kinda tired.....
Thinking about it, I thought "man I just sit here SOOO MUCH! I can do WAY MORE!" But I think a lot of teachers have down time, I mean they only teach about 15-17 lessons, which is less than I will teach on busy weeks (I will have to teach about 19 classes....maybe more if they really cram in those Second year lessons) And while they do have a lot of grading, that is in a lot of ways just busy work. The lessons planning which I thought was SOOO EASY before it really burning me out. Though I usually bosh them out, it takes alot to perfect them, and usually the first class of any lesson doesn't go that well. Since my oral class is just once a week, I guess I can't see if as completely failures...but really I am just going INSANE. I am just burning out! UGH!
On another note I made my first morning announcement today ^_^ While it makes me feel like more of a teacher, there are so many ways for me to get better......
It was the difference between American and Japanese Schools, and I thought to tell them that there are many things they dislike but they have their good points as well. Of course my power point again did not work, thus rendering half my lesson unteachable. Also it made me kinda frazzled and off kilter, in my rush I didn't remember everything.
By the end, half the class could only see the good of American Schools and none of the bad. And they were all just like hating Japanese Schools. Of course I eventually got them to see how some things were really awful. Like how low our graduation rates are, and how students are expected to be independent, and how parents will even make their children pay their own tuition.
But some kids were just terrible and ignoring what I say. Some now have this idea that, Kristen is American, and she won't scream and hit us (I won't actually..) but then it also makes them think they can talk whenever they want to, and do what they want.
I did not really break down to American style horror (which, when I really think about was pretty bad) But I mean its HORROR compared to any Japanese teacher's experience. I man one girl threw a pencil case to her friend ::gasp:: I making it sound like a joke, but really its kinda shocking even to me.
So she was exasperated over the entire things, and I had a talk with her after class that was some what heated on her side. She basically felt I was spitting on the Japanese School system, and making it seem like American school's were the greatest (the exact opposite message) So BAH! I feel really inept, and unsure of my self. I made this lesson thinking it be great for the kids, but in the end it was horrible failure.
Its like my doctor lesson, which I'd thought be raucous fun but in the end it left a student in tears. I'm just not sure how to teach this 2 hour class, and since I have this appearance of experience and knowledge (I make my lesson plans within the day its requested, I have all the print-outs and ideas done by at least the next day, and give teachers are fairly detailed plan of what I want to do) Of course thats not really the case, and I think teachers feel not only out of the loop but they feel so out of it, they just assume I want to assume control. While thats kinda what I've been feeling lately, I really do appreciate their input. I'm just a kid with out teaching experience except what I've garnered from here.
I'm unsure how I'll teach with this teacher from now on, but ARGH! I really just need to think about it more. I get a great idea and it flashes and I run with it, but I really need to second guess myself. Because man I've recently had a lot of bad classes...
I just can't wait for Vacation...and this funk is happening at the worst time. I have my first English club lesson today! Man, I think I am pushing myself too far, I am worrying about First year lessons, Second year lessons, and since I've been going to 2 distinctly different 3rd year lessons, I am making 4 plans. And I am really frazzling out, especially with the start up of my English club, the advertisements, the egg coloring, the candies, everything. I'm really kinda tired.....
Thinking about it, I thought "man I just sit here SOOO MUCH! I can do WAY MORE!" But I think a lot of teachers have down time, I mean they only teach about 15-17 lessons, which is less than I will teach on busy weeks (I will have to teach about 19 classes....maybe more if they really cram in those Second year lessons) And while they do have a lot of grading, that is in a lot of ways just busy work. The lessons planning which I thought was SOOO EASY before it really burning me out. Though I usually bosh them out, it takes alot to perfect them, and usually the first class of any lesson doesn't go that well. Since my oral class is just once a week, I guess I can't see if as completely failures...but really I am just going INSANE. I am just burning out! UGH!
On another note I made my first morning announcement today ^_^ While it makes me feel like more of a teacher, there are so many ways for me to get better......
2007年4月16日月曜日
Blogging and the rest
When I first made this blog, I posted like a madwoman...but now that I`ve settled in, I can see why others just do not blog. Once you get out of the groove or too much time passes, you don`t know what to blog about, or its been so long you have TOO much to blog about. I say this now, but it may just be due to the fact I have no laptop and I have just been away from the computer.
Well, on with that. Hawaii was fun, got to do alot of things, eat too much food and such. Things have changed in Hawaii, whether thats good or bad I can`t tell but it was nice. I kinda was shocked at how adjusted I am to the Japan lifestyle though. I almost freaked when my sister made a left turn into a right lane, thinking WRONG LANE! Also how everyone looks, I kinda forgot what Hawaii people looked like o.0 I sometimes say, oh that girl looks like she could be from Hawaii, but going back....not really.
Also I have gained 10-12 lbs in Japan, enough so that many a person went woah... Not a good thing, but strangely in Japan no one notices. I guess since I see them everyday its really subtle. I really need to shed those 10 lbs, because I KNOW it`s not muscle, its fat and I feel it! GRRRR....
On a completely nother note, I have some new student who I have not talked to at all, till yesterdays mountain climb. It was ok, and I also bought along Charity the crazy, crazy Yoshii-machi ALT. She amused my students, and I felt kinda bad seeing as they ALL though she was their ALT. BOO-URNS looking so FOB.
Also, their English is SOOO good, I mean things I had to tell my current first graders and even things my current third graders do not know they knew. I hear the test scores for my school has improved so Yay! Or as Yamato notes (along with my teachers) they just get worse because they just recently studied for enterance exams and are better, but will get worse. I`m getting them from the begining so I`m going to do my best to maintain!
But on a side note, one girl remembered me from like October when I did this sample T.T. lesson of my school. It was a simple game, and she landed up winning so I gave her some Hawaii key-chains. While climbing the mountain, we kept on moving classes and on the way back down some girl went ``Oh! Kristen! Do you remember me?`` I thought it was a trick question, like if I remembered her from 10 minutes ago...but I honestly didn`t so I said...``no...`` So she said some long Japanese word... I didn`t understand it at all but through my amazing guessing powers I realized she was from that Junior High show around. I was jazzed she remembered my name, and I also remembered her.
She was the ``I love you girl`` At the end of the sample class she came up to talk to me, and said some crappy Hawaiian, like ``aloha`` So I taught her some stupid stuff and she then started saying ``I love you`` I assumed for some reason she knew aloha was another way of saying I love you, so I praised her about it. But she kept saying it...so I then thought she wanted to know the Hawaiian word for it ``OH! The other way of saying I love you is Kuuipo``, so she started saying that to me instead...then I realized...shes just being weird...
Long story short (Lies) , completely forgetting what she looked like other than the fact she was tall failed it. This year the first years are ESPECIALLY tall. Taller than Charity even, much to her DENIAL! So kinda just forgot but she has returned, but she isn`t weird at all, she just seems to like English so YAY. Even though I am pretty sure its not true I`ll pretend she came to this school cuz she liked my lesson HAH!
Also funny, since Charity was here I lied to some students and said `She is the new ALT, I`m going home.` I was rather jazzed as a girl went `NANDE?` and looked genuinely sad, so yay. In some ways I feel I`ve been kinda making up for my lack of foreignness with kindness, and remembering nameness (also semi lies, I am just really nice to her class for some reason)
Also I realize though I try..I really am only have a good relation with some students. Some student just still do not even know my name. I want to be an ALT who all the students know. Alot of the new first years have no clue what their old ALT`s name were. And I want to change that...I know thats kinda hard since especially for current third years I only taught them about 6 or so times and knew them only for 6 months. I actually wont teach them at all but I think I need to be more Yamato style and randomly talk to anyone. Some classes just completely ignore me, while other are screaming and having a great time just seeing me. My goal is to remember EVERY single second year student, by the time they are third years I want to be able to call out their names in the halls. I also want to by next year remember all current first year students... 800 students...1100 if I try for all current students. Hmm...can I make it?
I hope so... my English Club hopefully will really pick up steam, as I am trying to advertise like crazy. I`ve asked every English teacher in the school (their are 12 minus me) to help me out. Also I will make a morning announcement about it on monday (its next tuesday) For you other JETs out there you know what that means.... Kinda scary but I really want some kids to come, I`m totaly freaked no one will come =(
Well, my computer will come back hopefully this week and then maybe I`ll post more, till then please respond!
Well, on with that. Hawaii was fun, got to do alot of things, eat too much food and such. Things have changed in Hawaii, whether thats good or bad I can`t tell but it was nice. I kinda was shocked at how adjusted I am to the Japan lifestyle though. I almost freaked when my sister made a left turn into a right lane, thinking WRONG LANE! Also how everyone looks, I kinda forgot what Hawaii people looked like o.0 I sometimes say, oh that girl looks like she could be from Hawaii, but going back....not really.
Also I have gained 10-12 lbs in Japan, enough so that many a person went woah... Not a good thing, but strangely in Japan no one notices. I guess since I see them everyday its really subtle. I really need to shed those 10 lbs, because I KNOW it`s not muscle, its fat and I feel it! GRRRR....
On a completely nother note, I have some new student who I have not talked to at all, till yesterdays mountain climb. It was ok, and I also bought along Charity the crazy, crazy Yoshii-machi ALT. She amused my students, and I felt kinda bad seeing as they ALL though she was their ALT. BOO-URNS looking so FOB.
Also, their English is SOOO good, I mean things I had to tell my current first graders and even things my current third graders do not know they knew. I hear the test scores for my school has improved so Yay! Or as Yamato notes (along with my teachers) they just get worse because they just recently studied for enterance exams and are better, but will get worse. I`m getting them from the begining so I`m going to do my best to maintain!
But on a side note, one girl remembered me from like October when I did this sample T.T. lesson of my school. It was a simple game, and she landed up winning so I gave her some Hawaii key-chains. While climbing the mountain, we kept on moving classes and on the way back down some girl went ``Oh! Kristen! Do you remember me?`` I thought it was a trick question, like if I remembered her from 10 minutes ago...but I honestly didn`t so I said...``no...`` So she said some long Japanese word... I didn`t understand it at all but through my amazing guessing powers I realized she was from that Junior High show around. I was jazzed she remembered my name, and I also remembered her.
She was the ``I love you girl`` At the end of the sample class she came up to talk to me, and said some crappy Hawaiian, like ``aloha`` So I taught her some stupid stuff and she then started saying ``I love you`` I assumed for some reason she knew aloha was another way of saying I love you, so I praised her about it. But she kept saying it...so I then thought she wanted to know the Hawaiian word for it ``OH! The other way of saying I love you is Kuuipo``, so she started saying that to me instead...then I realized...shes just being weird...
Long story short (Lies) , completely forgetting what she looked like other than the fact she was tall failed it. This year the first years are ESPECIALLY tall. Taller than Charity even, much to her DENIAL! So kinda just forgot but she has returned, but she isn`t weird at all, she just seems to like English so YAY. Even though I am pretty sure its not true I`ll pretend she came to this school cuz she liked my lesson HAH!
Also funny, since Charity was here I lied to some students and said `She is the new ALT, I`m going home.` I was rather jazzed as a girl went `NANDE?` and looked genuinely sad, so yay. In some ways I feel I`ve been kinda making up for my lack of foreignness with kindness, and remembering nameness (also semi lies, I am just really nice to her class for some reason)
Also I realize though I try..I really am only have a good relation with some students. Some student just still do not even know my name. I want to be an ALT who all the students know. Alot of the new first years have no clue what their old ALT`s name were. And I want to change that...I know thats kinda hard since especially for current third years I only taught them about 6 or so times and knew them only for 6 months. I actually wont teach them at all but I think I need to be more Yamato style and randomly talk to anyone. Some classes just completely ignore me, while other are screaming and having a great time just seeing me. My goal is to remember EVERY single second year student, by the time they are third years I want to be able to call out their names in the halls. I also want to by next year remember all current first year students... 800 students...1100 if I try for all current students. Hmm...can I make it?
I hope so... my English Club hopefully will really pick up steam, as I am trying to advertise like crazy. I`ve asked every English teacher in the school (their are 12 minus me) to help me out. Also I will make a morning announcement about it on monday (its next tuesday) For you other JETs out there you know what that means.... Kinda scary but I really want some kids to come, I`m totaly freaked no one will come =(
Well, my computer will come back hopefully this week and then maybe I`ll post more, till then please respond!
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