Schools days

So I've finally gotten my schedule figured out for this next semester. And I've decided that I'm going to refer to them like I refer to them here. Last time, I always would type what I normally say and then go back and 'translate' it. So try to remember, because I'm not going to do that anymore. This will be the last time.

Anyways at Nishi (highschool), I will be going on Mondays and Fridays (which is awesome, because most of the time, special things are on Mondays and Fridays since they are next to the weekends, so it means some free time). On Monday, I teach the 3 no 5 (Third years/seniors, fifth class) during second period. On Friday, I teach 2 no 5 (second years/juniors, fifth class). But! They have split this class into two different classes, the advanced (S) and rest of them (R). I teach S second period and R fourth period. So my Monday and Friday mornings are going to be filled.

It's cool because I am team teaching this year. The teacher I am with is named Rika Tanabe. She is so nice. She's only 22 though! It's so funny because when she said that I was like "ahhh! You are so young!" which is the same thing that everyone used to say to me when I came (and it annoyed me). It's just very rare for someone to get a job teaching English straight out of university. Normally you have be in this weird limbo position where you are an assistant teacher at a school but not really a teacher. For some reason, most people tend to do that for a couple of years until they pass a mysterious english exam and are suddenly qualified to teach. It's odd. But anyways, I was just very surprised to see a teacher so young. We've had two classes together, both the 2 no 5s. It was very nice to teach with someone. It seemed to go a lot smoother. Or, at least, it will once we iron out the kinks and she gets more used to teaching in front of students that she's not that much older than.

Kisuki is always moving around and bouncing. I went from three students in my little kid class to 6 in a week! It's crazy. I think there are some more potential students, and if they pan out, James will split that class. Right now it's still on Wednesday and Thursdays but I think that's going to change to Tuesday and Wedensdays. Who knows though! Only time will tell...or something.

I do want to take the time here to say, you remember how I ranted and raved about that old guy who was so rude? Yeah...I'm going to redact that complaint now. Heh. Anyways, turns out that when I teach him and James isn't there and the old flaky lady isn't there, he's really really nice. He's genuinely interested in learning English. He already has a pretty large vocabulary, it's really just his syntax that is so bad. We also had a long chat discussing the TV shows 24 and Prison Break. He likes Prison Break the best, but he think The Fugitive is a way better show. n He liked the character Richard Kimble. Says Prison Break is fully of very young people. Heh. It's pretty funny. Chris and I are watching Prison Break right now (and just about to finish season one, so no spoilers!) and now I really have to finish this week so I can go discuss it with Mr. Takeda. How fun. He's probably one of my best students. Not in terms of ability, but because he's interested in English the way I'm interested in Japanese. So it's cool. The other student in my adult class never comes! She always cancels or just flakes out. It's bizarre because she came by last week and paid for last month AND this month and then totally flaked out of class again. I really just don't get it. James and I both call her the flake. Isn't that mean? Who knows what's going to happen to this class. It's a shame because I enjoy teaching Mr. Takeda. Who woulda thunk?

Chris also went back to school this week. He was at his Junior high and did absolutely nothing for the first four days. Poor guy. I think the doing nothing but sitting around for 8 hours really sucks. Drives him crazy. On Friday, he did his self-introduction but made it funny. He did things like talk about how Mt. Fuji was the most famous mountain in Japan and that Abe Shinzo was his brother (look him up! Wordly people should know who he is). Chris used pictures and did a slideshow for the kids. The best part of his slide show, and what I shall leave you with is this, his final picture. When showing a picture of himself and his hobbies, he popped this picture up:



Have a great week!