Cultural Festival
On Friday, I got to see my junior high school's Cultural Festival. Granted, it's nothing like a high school one (they're pretty intense), but I didn't think I'd be able to due to the fact that I had to go to Minami Elementary that day. The two schools were able to arrange it so that I could go to the JHS during 3rd and 4th period, though. (Yep, the festival is only two periods long and not on a weekend. Shows how small it is, ne?)
Um, when I went into the auditorium, there were curtains over all the doors and windows to keep sunlight out. All over the walls, student artwork hung (from when they had their annual Sketch Day outside while I was on break in the States). There were also charts and posters and stuff from other subjects, pillows and other objects made during home ec, and even some homemade robotic cars which, when my principal tested one to show me, kind of died, so...uh, yeah.
The first performance was some students playing those bell instruments. I hadn't seen them since fifth grade when I was in Bell Choir! Ah, memories...
After that, there was a powerpoint demonstration where three third-year girls demonstrated pitch using the bells.
Next, some kids got up on stage with their guitars (and the 3rd year math teacher!) to play, and it was arranged so that, two times, they stopped as a boy pretended to lose his place and get lectured. In the background, a few girls sang the song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (in English) by John Denver. Next, the female gym teacher came up on stage, got cat-called by the students, and started to sing a song in Japanese. She was really nervous, but eventually got into it, and all the students were clapping along and stuff. It was cool.
Finally, the big moment I waited for the most! It was time for the second year English skit! I've been helping my JTE practice with students during the weekly class, and the moment had finally arrived. I must say, I'd had doubts because the props were painted onto paper and the kids had made these white bands with ears to strap around their heads. I wasn't sure if anyone would be able to tell what anything actually was. Boy was I wrong!
Everything came together so beautifully on stage. I wish I had it on video for you. Hell, I wish I had a PICTURE for you! My camera's a piece of shit. But you know that already. I absolutely HAVE to get one when I go to Tokyo next month. Akihabara is THE place to go, supposedly. That, and Den-Den Town in Osaka, but I looked there briefly this past spring. Meh. I WILL have a new camera, though. I WILL. And just in time for great pics of vacation, ne? With my current camera, it doesn't zoom in, everything is blurry, and if I have it on the setting that WILL come out? Ants on a stage.
Anyway, the set. The kids took their painted sheets of paper and physically put them on stuff. The fireplace went over the podium, the grandfather clock was attached to some sort of locker so that the one little goat could hide in it (getting a huge crowd laugh) and pop out later (another laugh). They put two desks together with sheets and a pillow, and we had a bed. They somehow constructed the paper over something that was a moving door. There was a blue bucket for a wash tub. It was so great.
On top of that, the COSTUMES!! It wasn't just paper headbands! Everyone painted their faces white with little pink noses, and they all wore white, long-sleeved sweatshirts and their gym shorts. The mother goat (played by a boy, for whatever reason) also had an apron on--decorated to look like the American flag-- and a basket! He came around in front of the stage when he was entering/leaving the house and would go up/down the steps. It looked so real. The wolf had some sort of brown shirt on with a tannish belly, and the kid really did do a great job with his paper muzzle. He also had brown facepaint or something. They all looked really, really amazing, though. I should ask my JTE if there's any way I can get a picture.
They were really nervous, and forgot a few lines, but did really, really well! I'm so proud of them!<3
Um, when I went into the auditorium, there were curtains over all the doors and windows to keep sunlight out. All over the walls, student artwork hung (from when they had their annual Sketch Day outside while I was on break in the States). There were also charts and posters and stuff from other subjects, pillows and other objects made during home ec, and even some homemade robotic cars which, when my principal tested one to show me, kind of died, so...uh, yeah.
The first performance was some students playing those bell instruments. I hadn't seen them since fifth grade when I was in Bell Choir! Ah, memories...
After that, there was a powerpoint demonstration where three third-year girls demonstrated pitch using the bells.
Next, some kids got up on stage with their guitars (and the 3rd year math teacher!) to play, and it was arranged so that, two times, they stopped as a boy pretended to lose his place and get lectured. In the background, a few girls sang the song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (in English) by John Denver. Next, the female gym teacher came up on stage, got cat-called by the students, and started to sing a song in Japanese. She was really nervous, but eventually got into it, and all the students were clapping along and stuff. It was cool.
Finally, the big moment I waited for the most! It was time for the second year English skit! I've been helping my JTE practice with students during the weekly class, and the moment had finally arrived. I must say, I'd had doubts because the props were painted onto paper and the kids had made these white bands with ears to strap around their heads. I wasn't sure if anyone would be able to tell what anything actually was. Boy was I wrong!
Everything came together so beautifully on stage. I wish I had it on video for you. Hell, I wish I had a PICTURE for you! My camera's a piece of shit. But you know that already. I absolutely HAVE to get one when I go to Tokyo next month. Akihabara is THE place to go, supposedly. That, and Den-Den Town in Osaka, but I looked there briefly this past spring. Meh. I WILL have a new camera, though. I WILL. And just in time for great pics of vacation, ne? With my current camera, it doesn't zoom in, everything is blurry, and if I have it on the setting that WILL come out? Ants on a stage.
Anyway, the set. The kids took their painted sheets of paper and physically put them on stuff. The fireplace went over the podium, the grandfather clock was attached to some sort of locker so that the one little goat could hide in it (getting a huge crowd laugh) and pop out later (another laugh). They put two desks together with sheets and a pillow, and we had a bed. They somehow constructed the paper over something that was a moving door. There was a blue bucket for a wash tub. It was so great.
On top of that, the COSTUMES!! It wasn't just paper headbands! Everyone painted their faces white with little pink noses, and they all wore white, long-sleeved sweatshirts and their gym shorts. The mother goat (played by a boy, for whatever reason) also had an apron on--decorated to look like the American flag-- and a basket! He came around in front of the stage when he was entering/leaving the house and would go up/down the steps. It looked so real. The wolf had some sort of brown shirt on with a tannish belly, and the kid really did do a great job with his paper muzzle. He also had brown facepaint or something. They all looked really, really amazing, though. I should ask my JTE if there's any way I can get a picture.
They were really nervous, and forgot a few lines, but did really, really well! I'm so proud of them!<3