ONE OK BUNNY vs the first worst day

This was my first full week since I started teaching. Once I finally got my JHS schedule for the week on Monday I was worried about Friday since I had 5 classes. Up until today I have been teaching at most 4 classes in a day... I would say that might be normal since most school years only have 4 different classes. I had my first couple of classes with the 2nd year students at my JHS. After a quick introduction I took half the class for English speaking tests. It was basically their self introduction to me. I really wish I had an amazing memory that would remember all 30 or so students that introduced themselves to me. After one class of that I had break.

In the teachers room working on my coffee the first year teacher comes up to ask about today's plan. On my schedule I had oral intro and interview activity. I assumed the intro would be changing the books dialogue a bit so I didn't think of anything of it. The interview activity was something that i would assist with by reading the dialogue and going out and asking students. Nope! I was to come up with a script for the opening dialogue as a warm up and an interview activity. O_O!

I was so used to my ES laying out every step for me and just being a human tape recorder with the JHS I don't even think of needing to come up with something! He seemed to think that was ok for the day and said he had ideas and things set.... he had print outs of the interview activity for all 3 classes so i don't know what he wanted really. He said to watch and not take part in class.

So after another round of speaking tests with the 2nd years I had my first class of 1st years of the day.

I really did nothing the first lesson... I felt like I was being punished! He read out the dialogue and everything and I was only asked to walk around to check work or to help with the interviewing. ugh it felt like time out lol. By the end of the class I was really dizzy and returned to the staff room shaking a bit. I had some water and hoped the class I was to have lunch forgot about me. The class I was to eat with was the first year English teacher's class as well so I wanted to try my best with talking with the students but in my state that wasn't going to happen.

They came for me and I went and ate lunch in the classroom and didn't speak. In schools here there is a set time for the kids to eat so once time is up they clean up finished or not and brush their teeth. So when it finished I went back to the staff room feeling a little better.

Lunch break finished and I headed for class 5 minutes before it started and when I got to the classroom I noticed the teacher had already started class. I walked up to the door and looked at the clock sure enough it was still 3 minutes before class was to start and he was already going. When he finished the warm up activity he talked to me and I asked if I was late and said I was sorry. He said class started at 50 not 55... i swear it starts at 55! ^^;;; He said it wasn't that big a deal and told me he wanted me to read the dialogue.

After that it was fun again! ^^ The kids seemed more brave to come up to me with their interview sheet as well. Needless to say I checked what I need to have prepared on Tuesday! lol

I think the biggest brainstorm is how to make the reading assignment more interesting and fun. Right now I read and have them repeat word by word then sentence by sentence. a little boring ne

So far my worst day at work... mainly because I messed up (not prepared and seemingly late to class) It wasn't that bad so I hope it stays the worst... but as you see by the title.. not a lot of hope for that lol

ONE OK BUNNY vs the Revenge

So for those who might not know in Japanese saying rebenji or revenge means more a loser who returns in hope to win. Today was my second time with my 6 year students. It was my first day last week so I bombed a bit during my lessons last week. So today I wanted to show them what I got!

Last week I had a change in the class schedule; the last class of the day became the first. I admit it was nice to get all 4 classes done before lunch and then sit around for the rest of the day ^^;; Well that class stayed where it was as the last class today. So far I noticed that the 6th years are going to be my tough year for my ES. There is one class that seems to have no interest in English; when asked to repeat there are only a couple who do it so most of the time I have to have them do it a couple times.

There was a part of my lesson plan that said to ask the teacher I was working with "Can you play Soccer?" and they answer. Well it went fine enough with the first class. When it came to the second class I was with a teacher who likes to sit back and not do anything while I run through my lesson plan. The lesson starts off with the teacher picking 5 students to ask question to the class... she didn't seem so happy to do it. Then I got to the part of asking her if she can play soccer and she had no idea what I said.

orz...

The last thing I think the students need is for their teacher to come off as not knowing what they are doing. Needless to say I didn't ask the next couple teachers if they liked soccer. Though because of that mistake i ran through class faster for some reason and when I turned the class back over she had them one by one say one thing they could do. I took that idea and asked the next two classes "What can you do?" one by one and that helped fill time. The next teacher which so far is my favorite teacher to work with seemed so excited that each student was saying what they could do. My last class of the day had a great idea for doing the 5 questions in the start it was 5 stations and each student had to go to each station, get asked the question then answer. If I have to do that again I will use that method!

During that class though I was shocked to see one of the 6 year students flip the homeroom teacher off. Nothing came of it really because in Japan it just doesn't have the same feeling as it does in the states. But it shocked me!

Today was the first clear day at the school and I realized as I looked out at the students working on getting ready for Sports Day on the 17th I could see the ocean from my English room! ^^ I love it!

All and all I think I got my revenge! but that one class... I will nickname them the Johnny's Jr. class (because there is this one kid who seems to run the class that I wouldn't be surprised if he was a Johnny's Jr.)... I will just have to work on figuring out how to get to them. Also keeping control when doing activities was a little tough as well so go to stick on that as well.

AH! almost forgot! for this month I am going to get as many pictures of my school lunch just to give the world an idea of what I eat at school. I will edit that in a video later ^^ Speaking of that I was scheduled to eat with 6-3 but no one came to get me... I don't know if they just didn't know or if I was to bring my lunch myself -_- saaa waited 20 minutes then hurried to eat my lunch.

ONE OK BUNNY vs the First Week

It is Friday and all I can say is TGIF! The last few days I felt like I haven't gotten a lot of sleep. I am someone who needs to wake up a bit in the morning before doing anything so leaving the house at 7:20 to catch my bus means getting up at 5: 30 am or so. In the morning I've been feeling feverish and thankfully by the time I got to school I felt better but once back at home I start feeling feverish again. Even now still feeling a little off.

My time at my Elementary school was so much better then the day before! I liked the lesson well except for the chant I had to do... the kids aren't really feeling it... don't blame them but the rest of the lesson went well ^^ I seem to be getting over the "OMG I don't know what I'm doing and they are going to kill me!" phase faster then I thought ^^

Though never assume anything when teaching! I had a script to read and CD to play and I assumed that the teacher would give those/bring those to my English room. Nope! Thankfully I had memorized the script but not the answers... ok it was a self introduction and the character says they like one of the items and the students draw a line from the person to what they liked. So with the first group I improv'd the answers but it turned out I had them right! ^_^ V

The kids were shy and had to get in groups to come up with questions to ask me. All asked when my birthday was and I answered today! lol I love the slower recognition when translating in their minds. Today? Kyo? Kyo desho!? And I got a 'happy birthday!' and claps ^^ They are amazing!

When meeting new people and things of the like I am usually quiet and sit back and listen more than I talk. It sadly is the same with the students as well yesterday having lunch with the students I didn't say anything but laughed and enjoyed listening them talk about what animal, fruit they were. ^^;

Best part of the day was standing at the bus stop and a car drove by and two of my students were in the back and hear the shock when they saw me outside of class and telling their mom I was the new teacher ^^

I now know that when parents tell their kids they don't have a favorite child it's a lie lol I can see there are some kids I am looking forward to seeing again and some because of their name will just get called on more lol.

Seriously though there is one 6th year student that looks like he is a Johnny Jr.... maybe he is! He is going to be trouble so I got to win him over fast! ^^;;

Today I was back at my JHS I love love love the teachers at the school! I sit next to the vice principal and he is so amazing! So I spent the day mostly at my desk working on a story. The students were in full practice for sports day. I felt more comfortable heading out around the school to watch them. Still from afar ^^;; I am new so I would be too distracting to them. I stood on the balcony outside the teachers room to watch a relay-race and I got spotted and a few of them started waving and saying hello!

I ended up helping Super Vice Principal who had so much going on today. I was happy to help lol I had a feeling I was a little late today having not heard anything from the school or interac about starting time. I had a conversation with the super vp about it and he let me know when he thought would be a good time to show up ^^ I know the schools shouldn't give you orders but getting on the same page about when to show up when you haven't heard anything isn't a bad idea .

There was a meeting at the end of lunch to talk about the Typhoon coming in and how it will most likely cancel tomorrows sports day. Very sad the students have been working so hard! I hope it means it's next weekend if it gets canceled.

My first week was amazing! Can't wait for next week!