Liar!
Ok, this made me laugh:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/kitchen_floor_conflict_intensifies
...While I'm here, might as well drop a quick story of the week:
So I went to my elementary school in Kanita this week and had classes with my 5th and 6th graders. Now, I can't remember if I've posted about my demon 6th graders yet, so in case I haven't, I'll just clarify: they're demons. I'd use a stronger word if I didn't think there was a possibility of someone at my school running across this site (despite the fact that this very sentence is about as incriminating as that word might've been). But generally (admittedly, there are 3 or 4 kids I really love in that class), they are pretty horrible to teach, with just plain not listening being the least of my problems.
Whenever I teach at that school, I typically have 2 classes in a day--1st/2nd graders, 3rd/4th graders, and 5th/6th graders together, respectively. It works out, 'cause on 5th/6th grade days, where my 6th graders are little demons, my 5th graders are totally awesome. They get really into the day's English, love playing the games, and are generally just very rewarding to teach.
...Usually.
I don't know what the hell happened between my Christmas lesson and my Valentine's Day one, but it's like they've all lost any interest they had ever in doing anything related to English...at all...ever. I figured it must be the topic, or the game I used, 'cause I'd really never seen them like that. And I had them first, so when I headed up to teach my 6th graders after lunch, I was pretty much armed and ready for a bombing lesson.
Seriously--something happened over the New Year.
They were responsive! They were laughing at my jokes! They were repeating my target vocab in an audible tone! They were...almost...oh, dare I say it?...FUN to teach!
Must've caught them on a good day.
(It probably helped, too, that, since most Japanese kids over the age of 8 typically don't care to volunteer for things, I spent a good deal of class time dragging kids across the floor to the start line...occasionally by their ankles. The kids loved it, and I can't say it didn't fulfill at least part of a running fantasy I had when they were all acting like demons. ;)
So after that [unusually successful] class, I headed back downstairs to the teachers' room and managed about 5 minutes at my desk before the heater got to me (dragging kids across the floor is a mucho strenuous activity...who knew?) and I had to step outside for a few. While I was out there, my first graders spilled out of the school on their way to the school bus. When they spotted me, they stampeded over, enthusiastic for the opportunity to high-five, say "hello," and test out all the random English words they'd accumulated over the last...well, however long it's been since I saw them. Only one student (we'll call her...Rumi) didn't join in with the rest. The scene went something like this (translated for your convenience):
Rumi: *plants herself squarely in front of me and commences staring*
Child 1: Mel-sensei! Hello!
Me: Hello! *high-five*
Child 2: HALLO!
Me: Hello! *high five* How are you?
Child 2: I'm-
Child 3: I'm happy!
Child 4: I'm hungry!
Child 1: I'm sreepy!
Rumi: Mel-sensei, why can you speak Japanese?
Me: *continues to high-five the 1st grade class like the wind* Because I studied hard!
Rumi: Liar!
Me: *blink* It's not a lie. I went to college and studied Japanese very hard every day. *high-fives random student*
Child 3: Mel-sensei! Gorilla!
Me: Yes, gorilla! *high-fives*
Rumi: Liar!
Me: ...It's not a lie! Here, look at my hair! *takes down hair* See? It's brown. Not a Japanese color!
Child 2: Mel-sensei! Yellow!
Me: Yes, yellow! *high-five*
Rumi: You could've changed your hair color!
Me: I didn't! *high-fives random student* Here, look at my eyes! *removes glasses*
Rumi: *takes a close look* They're like cat eyes!
Me: Yes! But I'm not a cat, and I'm not Japanese.
Rumi: Liar! You're Japanese, aren't you?
Me: No, I'm not!
Child 4: Mel-sensei! Apple!
Me: Yes! Apple! *high-fives*
Rumi: Liar!
Me: *sigh* Ok, here. *holds out hand* Look! My skin is a different color!
Child 1-4: *comes over to examine*
Rumi: *looks between her hand and mine uncertainly*
Child 2: Mel-sensei! House!
Me: Very good! *high-fives* See, I'm not Japanese!
Rumi: Liar!
Aaaaaand about here the teacher came out and herded the kids toward the bus. I think Rumi's still more confused than convinced. lol
So that's my cute story of the week. ^_^
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/kitchen_floor_conflict_intensifies
...While I'm here, might as well drop a quick story of the week:
So I went to my elementary school in Kanita this week and had classes with my 5th and 6th graders. Now, I can't remember if I've posted about my demon 6th graders yet, so in case I haven't, I'll just clarify: they're demons. I'd use a stronger word if I didn't think there was a possibility of someone at my school running across this site (despite the fact that this very sentence is about as incriminating as that word might've been). But generally (admittedly, there are 3 or 4 kids I really love in that class), they are pretty horrible to teach, with just plain not listening being the least of my problems.
Whenever I teach at that school, I typically have 2 classes in a day--1st/2nd graders, 3rd/4th graders, and 5th/6th graders together, respectively. It works out, 'cause on 5th/6th grade days, where my 6th graders are little demons, my 5th graders are totally awesome. They get really into the day's English, love playing the games, and are generally just very rewarding to teach.
...Usually.
I don't know what the hell happened between my Christmas lesson and my Valentine's Day one, but it's like they've all lost any interest they had ever in doing anything related to English...at all...ever. I figured it must be the topic, or the game I used, 'cause I'd really never seen them like that. And I had them first, so when I headed up to teach my 6th graders after lunch, I was pretty much armed and ready for a bombing lesson.
Seriously--something happened over the New Year.
They were responsive! They were laughing at my jokes! They were repeating my target vocab in an audible tone! They were...almost...oh, dare I say it?...FUN to teach!
Must've caught them on a good day.
(It probably helped, too, that, since most Japanese kids over the age of 8 typically don't care to volunteer for things, I spent a good deal of class time dragging kids across the floor to the start line...occasionally by their ankles. The kids loved it, and I can't say it didn't fulfill at least part of a running fantasy I had when they were all acting like demons. ;)
So after that [unusually successful] class, I headed back downstairs to the teachers' room and managed about 5 minutes at my desk before the heater got to me (dragging kids across the floor is a mucho strenuous activity...who knew?) and I had to step outside for a few. While I was out there, my first graders spilled out of the school on their way to the school bus. When they spotted me, they stampeded over, enthusiastic for the opportunity to high-five, say "hello," and test out all the random English words they'd accumulated over the last...well, however long it's been since I saw them. Only one student (we'll call her...Rumi) didn't join in with the rest. The scene went something like this (translated for your convenience):
Rumi: *plants herself squarely in front of me and commences staring*
Child 1: Mel-sensei! Hello!
Me: Hello! *high-five*
Child 2: HALLO!
Me: Hello! *high five* How are you?
Child 2: I'm-
Child 3: I'm happy!
Child 4: I'm hungry!
Child 1: I'm sreepy!
Rumi: Mel-sensei, why can you speak Japanese?
Me: *continues to high-five the 1st grade class like the wind* Because I studied hard!
Rumi: Liar!
Me: *blink* It's not a lie. I went to college and studied Japanese very hard every day. *high-fives random student*
Child 3: Mel-sensei! Gorilla!
Me: Yes, gorilla! *high-fives*
Rumi: Liar!
Me: ...It's not a lie! Here, look at my hair! *takes down hair* See? It's brown. Not a Japanese color!
Child 2: Mel-sensei! Yellow!
Me: Yes, yellow! *high-five*
Rumi: You could've changed your hair color!
Me: I didn't! *high-fives random student* Here, look at my eyes! *removes glasses*
Rumi: *takes a close look* They're like cat eyes!
Me: Yes! But I'm not a cat, and I'm not Japanese.
Rumi: Liar! You're Japanese, aren't you?
Me: No, I'm not!
Child 4: Mel-sensei! Apple!
Me: Yes! Apple! *high-fives*
Rumi: Liar!
Me: *sigh* Ok, here. *holds out hand* Look! My skin is a different color!
Child 1-4: *comes over to examine*
Rumi: *looks between her hand and mine uncertainly*
Child 2: Mel-sensei! House!
Me: Very good! *high-fives* See, I'm not Japanese!
Rumi: Liar!
Aaaaaand about here the teacher came out and herded the kids toward the bus. I think Rumi's still more confused than convinced. lol
So that's my cute story of the week. ^_^