Sep 18, 2009 18:27
I ended up mentioning something to the English teachers at the junior high a while ago about the ALT mailbox on my desk and how it was always empty. Since then, they have started a big letter writing trend. I'm getting letters, which is good, but I'm getting them in bunches of 20 or more at once (the whole class writes them and brings them to me together). It's kind of crazy. I only had to teach one class today, but I sat there for at least an hour writing replies. I have a system wherein I put in just as much effort as the students. If they write me a short letter on plain paper, I do the same. If they write me a letter and draw pictures on it, I do the same. And if they write me a letter on stationary and put cute stickers on it, I do the same. I think it's only fair. And I have a lot of paper lying around because I haven't been writing near as many letters in the last year. It's kind of fun to do and I know the kids are actually getting points for sending them to me but oh well. Some of the letters are really fun. And some of them are really badly written. One of them was like, "I play the swimming. Do you play the swimming?" Another one was something like "I like soccer? I like baseball?" It's cute. At least they're trying.
They also started a system at the junior high so that the kids would have conversations in English outside of class. They first have to say, "Do you have time?" Then we have a short conversation, 2 to 5 sentences. Then I sign a sheet in their English binder. I'm not sure what happens when the sheet is full but I suppose they get some kind of reward. I had some people come talk to me today.
Funniest conversation! Of course by one of my favorites, whom I like to think of as Shin-chan (his name is Shin).
Shin: Do you have time?
Me: Yes.
Shin: How many boyfriends do you have?
Me: Just one. How many girlfriends do you have?
Shin: (shakes head as if to say he has none)
lol
funny,
asachu,
yamasho