|
 |
 |
|
| |
Broadcasting to an audience of three (and a goldfish)...
Comment, ramblings and musings... life through the eyes of a Japanologist...
 |
Tuesday, December 3, 2002 |
In the evening, the International Club met for December's monthly meeting. Or, to be more precise, three members of the International Club showed up. Hmmm...
I showed them a test version of the pasta Christmas tree and wreath for the Christmas event, and they all agreed that the Christmas tree was better, but the wreath would be cheaper, easier to prepare, and easier for the children to make, so we should go with that. Amazing- not only did they give their opinions, but they also managed to agree on something!
With so few members present, it didn't seem worthwhile trying to decide too much, so we agreed to meet again next week. We then adjourned to Gokurakutombo. This was my second time in two days- but at least this time I didn't have to pay...!
|
|
Got home to find an email from a friend at Hiroshima University. Professor Aihara, the sensei of my seminar group when I was at University here, is retiring, and a collection of articles by past and present members of his seminar group is being compiled.
I have until Christmas Day, but... what on earth am I going to write?
|
|
Today was the final visit of the term to Koyo Elementary School. Before lunch, I took the sixth-years, and we made Christmas trees. These sixth-years, though, are at the stage now where everything is taigi- where they can't be bothered to do anything- quite a few children started moaning that cutting out two tree shapes was tiring... Forty-five minutes was nowhere near enough for this class.
I ate lunch with the fourth-years, and then played football with some of the fourth- and fifth-years. It was cold enough that in some of the classrooms the kerosene heaters were being used, yet it was pleasant to be outside. I wish I'd found a simple kick-about as fun as I do now when I was at school myself...
After lunch, I took the fifth-years- my favourite class at this school, I think- for the same Christmas tree lesson as with the sixths. This was an ideal fifth-year lesson, I think: the fifths are not yet at the 'can't-be-bothered' stage, yet they're old enough to be able to cut out the trees neatly (in most cases!) and quickly (or, at least, relatively quickly!). The lesson went well, the children seemed to enjoy making their trees, and six or seven children actually finished before the bell rang! The teacher let the children take the following lesson to finish their trees, and after school had finished he showed me the finished products; they were very good, probably the best I've seen in all the times I've done lessons like this. I hope this class don't go the way of the current sixth-years next year...
The final lesson was with the third- and fourth-years, all of whom had crowded into one classroom. Talking to the fifth- and sixth-year teachers, I'd come to the conclusion that the Christmas tree would be far too difficult for the younger children, and so instead I taught them to make the origami Santa Claus. First, though, I got the two years to make a list between them of all of the Christmas images they could think of. The fourth-years managed eleven; the third-years, though, came up with twenty-two! Some of these were, shall we say, suspect, though; for example, I think it's safe to say that strawberries aren't normally regarded as a Christmas image! (Actually, this is because Japanese Christmas cakes are sponge cakes with strawberries on top- but that's another story...) Anyway, the origami went well, and the children were very pleased with their handiwork. The fourth-years have to write a short report about each of my lessons, and I saw one of them during the meeting I have with the teachers after the lessons have finished. It was a glowing report, to say the least!
We talked briefly about the next term's lessons before I went back to the office. There are only three lessons next term, and we decided that songs might be a good way to use this limited time. I suggested that we work towards making a CD of English and Japanese songs, and all the teachers were very enthusiastic, even offering to make the children practice the songs outside of my lessons! Will wonders never cease?
|
|
 J-List
10 longest rail tunnels in Japan
- Seikan (53850 m; undersea tunnel from Honshu to Hokkaido)
- Hakkoda (26455 m; on the Tohoku Shinkansen)
- Iwate (25810 m; on the Tohoku Shinkansen extension to Hachinohe)
- Iiyama (22500 m; on the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension)
- Daishimizu (22221 m; on the Joetsu Shinkansen)
- Shinkanmon (18713 m; undersea tunnel from Honshu to Kyushu, on the Sanyo Shinkansen)
- Rokko (16220 m; on the Sanyo Shinkansen)
- Haruna (15350 m; on the Joetsu Shinkansen)
- Gorigamine (15175 m; on the Hokuriku Shinkansen)
- Nakayama (14857 m; on the Joetsu Shinkansen)
|
|
My three lessons in Koyo today are Christmas lessons. Looking out of the window, though, it doesn't look like December at all, more like April or May.
(If only it were April or May! The cold mornings would be past...)
|
|
© Copyright 2003 Nathan Duckworth.
Updated: 20/1/03; 2:11:29 pm.
|
|
|
|
The Breakfast Show
Weather...
FastCounter by bCentral
|
|
