It`s Been A While

With class happening full on and with not having access to the internet at home, it`s gotten much more difficult to keep up with my blog. But don`t worry, I should have internet by next month... I hope. But can someone tell me why such a high tech and industrialized country such as Japan make their customers wait one and a half or most likely two months for internet connections? It seems so wrong!

Anyways a lot has happened and I think I might be getting used to the idea of teaching. My dilemma comes from my need to be both educational as well as entertaining. And the fact that I`m given almost no guidance as to what grammar points to teach. I`m also concerned about being an interesting teacher. I wouldn`t be able to stand it if the children thought my classes were boring. So now I`m on the quest for fun and exciting lesson plans that make those suckers speak English when they`re unaware.

It has gotten progressively more difficult for me to speak only English to the students. They persist so earnestly in speaking to me in Japanese. So that the moment I slip and answer a question that was given in Japanese they all shout and scream out, "You most certainly do understand Japanese!" At this point I just laugh and try to move the conversation along. I don`t know how my Japanese teachers did it, but they where really good at keeping their competency in English a secret. But then again, we were really determined to speak in Japanese, so it defeated the purpose of trying to speak to them in English outside of class.

Okay the End of the 1st Day

Okay when I wrote earlier it was after my first two classes of the day. At lunch I was invited to speak at a higher level class (the next year/2nd year students who wishes to go to college). And boy let me tell you, there was a huge difference! I actually got reactions from these students and they looked interested. It made me feel so much better. Thus, because they looked interested I was more relaxed. The presentation went a lot smoother and I even had time to show them some satelite images I had downloaded of Miami, Miami Beach, My home in Miami, My school in NY, and NYC (Times Square). They seemed really impressed with that. When I left that class, I felt so much better. Being as how I was a bit depressed after the first two classes.

So, there`s hope yet. It`s just that in the future, I really need to pay attention to each classe`s level of ability. Making lessons can`t be for the general masses, otherwise they`ll lose interest because they don`t understand (like this morning). Oh boy!.....

1st Day of Classes

So today I had my first classes. How did it go?....

I don`t know, for me I would have wanted a wee bit more reaction from the students other than them just staring at me and saying absolutely nothing. I didn`t know what to think. Are you bored? Are you not understanding me? Do you not know what I`m talking about? Do you understand what this means? Why are you just sitting there and looking at me blankly. These were the questions that were rolling through my mind as I was doing my introduction presenatation. I thought I would be so cool. I had everything on powerpoint, I made worksheets, had maps of the places I would be talking about. And yet, the reaction from the students were the same, nothing. This hurt. This hurt really badly. I thought, if this stuff isn`t interesting, what the heck do I need to do to make classes fun. I thought for sure they would be interested since they usually almost always want to know where I`m from, what I like to do, and the like. Asking all kinds of questions when you see them in hallways. Well it doesn`t seem to be the case. The first class was abosolutely dead silent. The second class had more umhf, but I saw several students sleeping (a good indication that you`re BORING!)

One of the teachers that I teach with said no it was a good start. You just need to remember that the ALT (Assitant Language Teacher) that was before you spoke Japanese and he would always use it in class. So.... this means the students barely got to hear English at all. So it`s going to take them a while to get used to only hearing English. They`re not used to it so give them time, I`m told.

Lord God I really hope that this is the case. Otherwise... ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!