This morning I had a successful tkd class — first international skype class! Hooray.
I taught my first nursery-school classes. There are 3 classes, half-hour long, first with the 3-year-olds, then the 4-year-olds, then the 5-year-olds. A half-hour isn’t that long — but it can seem long when I must keep the kids entertained the entire time! I think we’ll play more games. I’m supposed to follow the lesson plan but it seems a bit ambitious in some areas — I’ll be lucky to get the 3-year-olds counting to 10 by the end of the month, I don’t think I can make it to 20. The youngest kids are hard, because, for the most part, they’re probably still learning all this stuff in Japanese.
Today was so warm, I went walking with no sweater, and no socks. Woa.
For dinner I made spaghetti. First time, success.
In the evening I had a not-class. I think normally I’ll be doing ‘dictation’ (reading aloud.) but this class was the first, so Ishimoto-sensei had me speak a few alphabet letters for an alphabet test, then check all the tests. It was one of the most painful things I’ve ever done. I guess some school teachers are really strict when it comes to the letters and they must be written perfectly — according to the book (but both you and I know there are like 6 ways to write a G). When they mixed up the letters, that was ok. When they forgot the dot on the j, I didn't mind. But when I had to mark a red x because their f didn’t touch the top line, or because their M didn’t go all the way down in the middle — ah, misery.
Following this, I walked up and down the lit sakura-lined river.
Oyasumi nasai (good night).
Very proud of your spaghetti :p.
ReplyDeleteThe sakura keep getting prettier!
Haha, you would probably be appalled as to my un-Italian methods!!
DeleteI'm glad I got pictures of the sakura progress :)
I'm thinking I"ll survive the food there. Chicken looks good so I won't starve!
ReplyDeletehaha -- yup, you should be fine! Though you might end up eating some noodles... because they're so good... or some rice, like in sushi... your diet may not survive :P
DeleteYeah, Like he follows his diet that carefully anyway...
DeleteAnd the letter thing sounds like a pain! M half way down... but I guess when they're first doing it they have to make it very readable.
My theory is that the English teachers don't know what to teach, so they focus on the alphabet, and they can't correct the grammar/words to they correct the alphabet :) I'm certainly being unfair to the teachers. But it's simply ridiculous.
DeleteWoah- 3, 4, & 5 year olds for an hour an a half! That would be an eternity for me. At least if you're trying to teach, playing a great idea, they'll go along with that. Great that you're getting some spring weather. We've had quite a bit of nice weather, tho' the last four days have been pretty rainy.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying you've never made spaghetti? You should so have our family recipe!
Beautiful pictures.
I realize now my mistake; the lesson plans are... more like... guidelines. I just need to play more games.
ReplyDeleteI never made spaghetti on my own until now. I made it with the ingredients I had (which wasn't much).