English Playtime with Koren-sensei

Whenever my junior high school students have exams, I’m shipped off to one of my elementary schools to teach Grade 1-4.

No, wait, “teach” is too strong a word. I do teach them a small handful of English words, but for the most part, we just play games. Which is probably why I’m so popular, but popularity has its price to pay. For example: when I’m not in class, I’m in the teacher’s office, when it’s time for class someone escorts me to the classroom. The other day, when the grade one teacher told her students she was going to get me, they decided she wasn’t allowed to go alone. As soon as I crossed the threshold of the teacher’s office, I was tackled by 15 grade one students who all wanted the chance to greet me with a hug. Then, after lunch, two little girls came to the teacher’s office, meekly called out my name, and asked me to go play with them (in Japanese). Oh, and a big thank you to my mom for giving me a name that perfectly translates into Japanese. I’m still not used to people saying my name right on the first try.

So about now you’re probably wondering how I communicate with these children who don’t speack English, since I don’t speak Japanese. In the classroom, it’s really easy. If I want them to move their desks, I point to their desks and say, “this is a desk,” and then point or gesture to where I want them to move it to while saying, “move them (direction/place).” Teaching is just as easy, because the students are trained to repeat whatever I say when I’m holding up a flashcard, and they understand that this word I’m saying means whatever is on the flashcard.

Giving directions to a game or activity is just as easy. I simply act out what I want them to do and they do it. If the game is a little more complicated, like Simon Says, their homeroom teacher will jump in and help with some translations, but for the most part, it’s not necessary.

And that’s what it’s like to teach the younger students. One day I’ll remember to bring runners with me so I can keep up with them on the playground.

Okay, but what about the frogs

This last week at school has been about two things: practicing for the sports festival, and introducing myself to the students. In order to accomplish this feat, I created a power point presentation about my life and my home town of Winnipeg. The kids really seemed to get a kick out of it and it's pecked their curiosity of Canada.

But what really got everyone interested was my fun fact that Winnipeg can get as cold as -40 in the winter and we get about 20 cm of snow. In a place where they never see temperature drop past -2, they have a hard time imagining this. And not only the students, the teachers to.

Now that so many have seen my slide show, I've been bombarded with questions, which usually need a few translators around me to try and get to everyone.

I've been asked about things like if the inside of your nose freezes, what happens if you don't wear enough warm clothes, and even what happens to the snakeS and frogs during the winter months.

It's been an interesting week, that's for sure. I just hope I answered all the questions correctly. But, what does happen to the frogs?

Hajimemashite, Koren-sensei!

Today was a busy, busy day.

While it was a great day of learning about my new home and how to live in Japan, it was mostly about meeting people. So many people that tomorrow I'm gonna have the fun job of apologizing and asking for people's names again.

First I was taken to my Board of Education to meet the people in charge. It was a weird kinda interview. It was like an interview in the sense that they were asking me questions about my previous experience with children and teaching, but it was extra weird cause they didn't speak English so I had to have a translator.

Then I was driven to the three schools that I'll be teaching at. Each school I went to had one teacher who spoke English, but their skill levels lessened at each school I went too. It will be interesting to see how well I can learn to communicate with adults who don't speak English. Good thing I rock at charades.

Everyone I met was very impressed with my Japanese, which was very nice of them since I really don't know all that much. Yeah, I know enough to get around and get things done, but for the most part, I have no idea what anyone is saying to me. Still, anytime I used a new word they were very impressed. It almost seems like they are just humoring me, but I know they are actually impressed that I know more than just "sayonara" and "arigato."

But tomorrow is my first day of work, so we'll see just how impressed they are with me then.