So, no updates from me in a while. Sorry. The reason? I have nothing (nice) to write about. However, some people (hi, mom) are really insistent that I need to be writing blog updates. So, here you go. One bitchy update about why I wish I had not recontracted:
In April, with the start of a new school year, many of the teachers got moved around. This happens every year, so I knew it was coming, but the new teachers who come in can be hit or miss. Well, Yumoto-sensei left and I got S-sensei (not his whole name...just in case). Yumoto-sensei was wonderful, spoke good English, let me try my ideas, even if they were completely out there, which they often are. He had a good sense of humor. I also knew his wife because she came to my English conversation class once a week. S-sensei...sucks, to put it simply. He just sucks. I cannot explain it. I think he and I are just too different in desired teaching methods and desired results. He wastes a lot of valuable class time, probably in every class, but since I only go to his classes once a week, it especially bad when I am there. Most classes with him go something like this:
(he writes on the board, in Japanese)
Today's Menu:
(1) reactions
(2) textbook
(3) notes
(4) Q&A
(5) Elissa time
(6) writing reactions
First of all, the fact that he calls it a menu just bugs me, but I cannot explain why. It is just annoying. Maybe I would find it cute if the man himself were not so annoying
Second, the "Elissa time" thing...before class he tells me to prepare something. So, I do. My games take at least 10 minutes, but including proper explanation and actually letting them play and enjoy the game, I need at least 15. He always runs out of time, and I get at most 5 minutes. This is a consistent thing. I have started telling him that I need at least 10 minutes, and he says OK, and then we get to class and I, yet again, get 5 minutes, which is about enough time to explain the activity and say "go."
Third, his English is awful. Bad English is not necessarily a bad thing when it is accompanied by a modest personality. However, he thinks his English is good (he studied abroad in Australia, apparently...coulda fooled me) and so he makes a lot of mistakes without thinking to check with me. Example A: one time, I went to a classroom he had been teaching in to eat lunch. so, I had not been team teaching with him that period, but happened to be eating in that class, and the board had not been erased yet. I read through it (why not?) and saw this: トースト= thoast. He misspells things ALL THE TIME, even when I am in the room. One time, he wrote poach instead of pouch (referring to a kangaroo...I laughed, then corrected) That is a problem for me, then, because I have to be tactful(hah!) and tell him that he made a mistake on the board. Bad English Example B: he likes to do listening practice with the kids. he gives a speech about himself, they listen, take notes, and then answer questions. Good, in theory, but the way he does it? The speeches he writes are WRONG, for example, "R and B (characters) is best friends. B don't like an punch." This is what he reads to the students.
Fourth (though related to my third point) is his absolutely terrible pronunciation. I get that Japanese to English is difficult, I really do. But I have certain expectations for teachers, and he just does not fit them. Example, yesterday with my first years, we were doing a game where they practice "Do you~?" questions and then answer "Yes, I do" or "No, I don't." I decided that S-sensei and I could play, too, mostly so I can walk around and make sure that kids are properly doing the game, and anyone goofing off has to play with ME (ooOOoo!!). so, I am walking around and I hear S-sensei playing and I hear his response to a student's question: "No I donto." Yes, "donto". If you know anything about Japanese, you may know that their words almost always follow the pattern consonant, vowel, consonant, vowel. In fact, their alphabet, rather than just A, B, C, is groups of one consonant, one vowel, and they only have 5 vowel sounds, so we have some of the japanese alphabet:
a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa
i ki shi chi ni hi mi ri
u ku su tsu nu fu mu yu ru
e ke se te ne he me re
o ko so to no ho mo yo ro wo n
Notice, there are A LOT of sounds in the English language that you do not see in the chart above. And, notice the one lone "n" which is the only exception to the consonant vowel consonant vowel pattern. well, there are other sorta half-exceptions, but those are irrelevant for today's point. (side note, though I romanized tsu as tsu, and chi as chi, do not think of them as consonant consonant vowel because that is not how they think of them here, for more information, study a bit of Japanese! It is fun!!!!!!)
so... sounds are put together from here, so you get, for example, kasa (umbrella) or neko (cat) following this pattern, dont cannot exist as such and would have to become donto. right? Well, yes, but we are in English class and there is no reason to not teach the students that there are pronunciation differences. I really try to teach as much as I can in the proper pronunciation department, and I recognize there are limits to what most students will be able to actually say, but I want them to try, and I want them to be able to understand native speakers, even if they cannot pronounce things the same way. I have a LONG way to go.
Everyone still here? If not, it is fine. I have lots of free time today, so I will keep rambling. Read what you understand. Smile and laugh at the rest.
Where was I?
Fifth, S-sensei is completely absent minded and has no idea what is going on around him. Example: reading tests. I was told to do reading tests with my second years. I figured that all the teachers knew they were happening so all I had to do was listen to the kids read and give them grades. So, the day of S-sensei's class's reading tests comes up. I give him the grade cards and ask him to have the students write their names and then come in order to the English office. His response "what? what reading test?" oooooooooook. His class was the only class that went over time because the students either could not read, or did not remember their paper and had to run back to the classroom to get it. dumb dumb dumb. They also scored a lot lower, in general, which says something, if you ask me. Second example: fan letters. I project idea that I stole from Mitzi in which the students choose and English-speaking idol and write them a fan letter. It is a great idea and it will work incredibly well next year when my current 2nd years are 3rd years. Anyway, the students sucking is beside the point right now. Somehow, in the process of all the classes writing these letters, and someone deciding that the letters would be graded and be part of the 1st semester report card, S-sensei missed it and every time I asked him if we would be writing letters, he would say "not yet." Well, now it is the week before summer break and the kids have to write letters. This means that instead of going to other classes to play games and have fun, I have been going to only his class and we have been only writing letters. And now, due to lack of time, the final copy of the letter has to be homework. poor kids. Though, if they were not so dumb and unable to think for themselves, we could have finished in a class and a half instead of 3. oh well.
Guess I should stop complaining about s-sensei now, as there is nothing I can do about it.
In other news, it is now so hot that merely thinking about standing up to go teach makes me sweat. Actually going to class...well, use your imagination. I was always self-conscious about how much I sweat, but being here, there are times where I just want to be able to disappear, as I have beads of sweat running down my face into my eyes and my shirt is absolutely soaked. It is humiliating to be the only one who always looks like they just ran a mile.
In other other news (related to the other news) My apartment is a consistent 30 degrees celsius or over. (that is 88 F). I really do not understand why this country has the most awesome cell phones ever, and yet they build houses that retain heat in the summer and cannot keep heat inside in the winter. Of course AC and heat would be great, but if they built houses out of more than paper life would be much better, no heat or AC necessary.
In other other other news, I will be in America on July 27 for a visit! That is like 10 days away or something! I have already started packing, which is good because it will take me a while to figure out exactly what to take.
And lastly. HAPPY HARRY POTTER DAY! Today (July 15) is the release of the last Harry Potter movie. Deathly Hallows Part 2. I am stoked. I am going to see it this weekend. I am also going to buy a LOT of goods because they do not sell awesome movie goods in America like they do here.
The end.
