The target sentence for today`s lesson was, “When I was two, my sister was born.” And as usual students were told to take down everything that they were able to catch from the conversation. Of course, sino pa ba ang @ag-uusapan kundi buhay ko. I had to bring pictures of my sister and my family too.
Seen in one of the papers:
“When I was 2, my sister was boring.”
– Hehehehe if my memory serves me right, she was indeed!
Showing posts with label japanese JHS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label japanese JHS. Show all posts
Friday, October 22, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Top of the World
I don’t know what is in Carpenters but it seems that the students find their songs easy to follow. I was informed that our 3rd year class began singing their song since April and they are already on their third song. That being, Top of the World. They now dance and sway to Mr. Postman and Thank you for the Music. It is just so good to see them singing English songs which they really understand and find fun in doing so too. This school is so musical that it seems as if all of the students are gifted with beautiful voices…
The answer of the day during our crossfire:
Me:
If today was the last day here on earth, what will you do?
Answer: “I will play soccer!”
----There goes one die-hard soccer fan!
The answer of the day during our crossfire:
Me:
If today was the last day here on earth, what will you do?
Answer: “I will play soccer!”
----There goes one die-hard soccer fan!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Priceless....
Crossfire answer of the day:
If the last money that you have is only 500yen, what will you buy?
“I will buy orange juice!”
---Either he didn’t get the question (or I wasn't clear too) or he just loves orange juice so much!
If the last money that you have is only 500yen, what will you buy?
“I will buy orange juice!”
---Either he didn’t get the question (or I wasn't clear too) or he just loves orange juice so much!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Priceless....
After doing a mini dialogue with the JTE, the students were asked to write down any and all of the Englsh phrases that they can make out of our conversation. Seen in more than one of the students' memos:
“I have chocolates. Are you hungry? Please have yourself!”
- Now that would be very filling indeed!
“I have chocolates. Are you hungry? Please have yourself!”
- Now that would be very filling indeed!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Printing Room/ Insatsushitsu
If there is one thing I would like for the schools back home to have, it is the Printing Room, with all the gadgets and accessories.
On my first week, I was printing my own handouts but as I reflect on it, that could create a big hole in my already pockmarked pocket so I gathered my courage to ask for permission to use from the vice principal. They’ve got all sorts of printers. One that is used for less than 30 copies, one for bulk copies, another for colored, and all sorts of punchers and cutters and binders and oh my goodness, they all work too!
Now, if only schools in the Philippines have all these, I think it would lessen complaints (and even rallies) from the teachers who are paying for their teaching materials out of their already meager salaries.
I remember the ordeal one has to go through before one can get her exams or posters printed. They’d look at you as if you have been squandering the government’s nonexistent millions. I had experience teaching at two state universities both for college and high school students and if I only needed like 30 copies, I’d rather have them photocopied at my own expense. And yes, no colored realia then! Just the old Manila paper technology.
I think that the insatsushitsu would be like a taste of heaven for public school teachers in the Philippines!
Note to self: Really have to buy a small digicam so I can take pics wherever I go.
On my first week, I was printing my own handouts but as I reflect on it, that could create a big hole in my already pockmarked pocket so I gathered my courage to ask for permission to use from the vice principal. They’ve got all sorts of printers. One that is used for less than 30 copies, one for bulk copies, another for colored, and all sorts of punchers and cutters and binders and oh my goodness, they all work too!
Now, if only schools in the Philippines have all these, I think it would lessen complaints (and even rallies) from the teachers who are paying for their teaching materials out of their already meager salaries.
I remember the ordeal one has to go through before one can get her exams or posters printed. They’d look at you as if you have been squandering the government’s nonexistent millions. I had experience teaching at two state universities both for college and high school students and if I only needed like 30 copies, I’d rather have them photocopied at my own expense. And yes, no colored realia then! Just the old Manila paper technology.
I think that the insatsushitsu would be like a taste of heaven for public school teachers in the Philippines!
Note to self: Really have to buy a small digicam so I can take pics wherever I go.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Ohhh like a model!!!
One thing I noticed about my JHS now is that most of the teachers are “oshare” or fashionable. To be fair with the other school, it was sports festival preparation when I was going there so all I saw them wear were tracksuits, which, of course, were also as fashionable as one would expect. Today, I wore a suit because I saw that they have some sort of closing ceremony in the afternoon. I generally wear the usual blouse and slacks or skirt and sometimes with a coat depending on the weather but only because all the teachers dress so well that I thought I need to keep up. We were advised to be a notch higher when it comes to dressing but if I go another notch higher than these teachers, I’d look like I’m going to my child’s graduation ceremony so I just wear what is decent and available. As I sat on my desk today, my two neighbors told me that I always dress well, like a model! Normally, I’d be red with pleasure and embarrassment over the compliment but perhaps 6 years in Japan have made me immune to such compliments especially if I can't distinguish whether they are “tatemae” or not.
And they went on to rave over my “figure” and the fact that I just gave birth 4 months ago. (I think they just ignored my bulges or that my blouse was really a good fit that it hid them). Anyhow, I chose to have a good day and thus, I chose to bask on their compliments whether true or not, I don’t care. I feel good…
First class, the JTE suddenly asked me to do a crossfire while she runs back to the faculty room to get something. (that’s another one to get ready for everyday!)
English for the day:
Me: If you have one wish, what would it be?
Student: I wish for a good dinner!
---- My guess, the kid is already fed up with yoshinoya LOL.
And today is also one of those days. Yesterday, the JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) asked me if I could prepare something for the next lesson as she herself has no idea what to do. The next lesson was just reading and there was no new grammar or vocabulary to be introduced but the story is about gestures. I thought it would be a perfect time to introduce culture so I prepared different pictures of gestures used around the world. Well, I only prepared 6 and I explained the meanings in simple English. My mistake... I should have made it into a game or something. Don't explain! Demonstrate! Of course, it flopped hehhhe. The kids were bored.
The consequence? The JTE cancelled my class with the same subject next week. Well, whether that was the cause or not, I don't really know but I won't even waste my time assuming hehehhe. Today, we are doing a back to back class on the same section and she asked me to prepare another activity. Ahh! Second chance! Well, win some, lose some.
And they went on to rave over my “figure” and the fact that I just gave birth 4 months ago. (I think they just ignored my bulges or that my blouse was really a good fit that it hid them). Anyhow, I chose to have a good day and thus, I chose to bask on their compliments whether true or not, I don’t care. I feel good…
First class, the JTE suddenly asked me to do a crossfire while she runs back to the faculty room to get something. (that’s another one to get ready for everyday!)
English for the day:
Me: If you have one wish, what would it be?
Student: I wish for a good dinner!
---- My guess, the kid is already fed up with yoshinoya LOL.
And today is also one of those days. Yesterday, the JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) asked me if I could prepare something for the next lesson as she herself has no idea what to do. The next lesson was just reading and there was no new grammar or vocabulary to be introduced but the story is about gestures. I thought it would be a perfect time to introduce culture so I prepared different pictures of gestures used around the world. Well, I only prepared 6 and I explained the meanings in simple English. My mistake... I should have made it into a game or something. Don't explain! Demonstrate! Of course, it flopped hehhhe. The kids were bored.
The consequence? The JTE cancelled my class with the same subject next week. Well, whether that was the cause or not, I don't really know but I won't even waste my time assuming hehehhe. Today, we are doing a back to back class on the same section and she asked me to prepare another activity. Ahh! Second chance! Well, win some, lose some.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Observation class Part 1
Be prepared…
Today, my schedule is to visit JHS#2 which is fastly becoming my number 1 JHS. I was supposed to have 3 classes today but my first period was cancelled. I saw from the schedule that I was supposed to play games with the students and help with the activity, what that exactly meant, I really don’t know so to be on the safe side, I prepared several activities in order not to be put on the spot should the JTE suddenly ask for an activity. From our orientation, we were told that we are also activity traders thus we must have a plethora of activities prepared for all kinds of lessons.
It pays to have a husband who is a graphic designer and who takes interest in what I do. Rad, as usual, made my activity handouts.
As it turned out, it was not used but the JTE graciously said she will use it in our next class. She has everything planned and prepared for today so all I did was to read and help the students in making their sentences.
A hundred visitors….
At the morning uchiawase, we were told that about a hundred of teachers coming all the way from Kyushu and Hokkaido, will come and observe the classes. About 15 or so dropped by our 4th period class to observe. You gotta hand it to the Japanese. Never in my life have I seen an event in school visited by a hundred people and yet life in school is as usual and the visitors tried hard to be as conspicuous as possible so as not to disturb the classes. In the Philippines, I just bet, it would have been a festival with just about everybody scurrying to make sure things go well and talking in excitement.
Now, (as I am writing this on the piano at the hall), some 30 teachers are observing a class in Japanese. Imagine 30 students and about 30 teachers (each armed with a clipboard and a camera or a videocam), all cramped inside the classroom and yet, the class is as normal as it is on a normal day. If I were a student, it would have felt as if I was under a microscope being dissected and had I been the teacher, that would have been an unnerving experience. But no, everything and everybody is cool and comfy. Or at least, they looked cool and comfy.
Today, my schedule is to visit JHS#2 which is fastly becoming my number 1 JHS. I was supposed to have 3 classes today but my first period was cancelled. I saw from the schedule that I was supposed to play games with the students and help with the activity, what that exactly meant, I really don’t know so to be on the safe side, I prepared several activities in order not to be put on the spot should the JTE suddenly ask for an activity. From our orientation, we were told that we are also activity traders thus we must have a plethora of activities prepared for all kinds of lessons.
It pays to have a husband who is a graphic designer and who takes interest in what I do. Rad, as usual, made my activity handouts.
As it turned out, it was not used but the JTE graciously said she will use it in our next class. She has everything planned and prepared for today so all I did was to read and help the students in making their sentences.
A hundred visitors….
At the morning uchiawase, we were told that about a hundred of teachers coming all the way from Kyushu and Hokkaido, will come and observe the classes. About 15 or so dropped by our 4th period class to observe. You gotta hand it to the Japanese. Never in my life have I seen an event in school visited by a hundred people and yet life in school is as usual and the visitors tried hard to be as conspicuous as possible so as not to disturb the classes. In the Philippines, I just bet, it would have been a festival with just about everybody scurrying to make sure things go well and talking in excitement.
Now, (as I am writing this on the piano at the hall), some 30 teachers are observing a class in Japanese. Imagine 30 students and about 30 teachers (each armed with a clipboard and a camera or a videocam), all cramped inside the classroom and yet, the class is as normal as it is on a normal day. If I were a student, it would have felt as if I was under a microscope being dissected and had I been the teacher, that would have been an unnerving experience. But no, everything and everybody is cool and comfy. Or at least, they looked cool and comfy.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
What will you read here?
Why blog again?
From what little time I already have left in my daily grind, here I am adding another task. But this is a new experience for me and I want to share it in the hope that somehow whatever I post here would be of help to some ALTs especially Pinoy ALTs out there.
What’s to blog about?
I am a Pinoy ALT who is being dispatched to Japanese Junior High Schools, Elementary Schools and Kindergartens. I have been in this job for a month now (well it's two now since I wrote this) and being new at this, there has been a lot of surprises and lessons that I have encountered and come to appreciate. I won’t be blogging about the English language, but rather, about the job, the school system, and sometimes the relationships that come about.
From what little time I already have left in my daily grind, here I am adding another task. But this is a new experience for me and I want to share it in the hope that somehow whatever I post here would be of help to some ALTs especially Pinoy ALTs out there.
What’s to blog about?
I am a Pinoy ALT who is being dispatched to Japanese Junior High Schools, Elementary Schools and Kindergartens. I have been in this job for a month now (well it's two now since I wrote this) and being new at this, there has been a lot of surprises and lessons that I have encountered and come to appreciate. I won’t be blogging about the English language, but rather, about the job, the school system, and sometimes the relationships that come about.
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