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finally, an update!
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Well, I am finally taking the time to sit down and WRITE in my journal/blog/diary thing (whatever this is?)... I was using the computer the other day, but it was writting about Japanese adjectives for Trench (if you want to see, click the "do it here" link at that site) and making a board game for my students....
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Anyway, I am finally writting. So what has been happening? (I added a poorly compressed picture, I had to use a bad program to do it, of pretty clouds in Higashimuriyama, to my day-to-day Japan album!) Uhm... I had a lot of things I wanted to write about it, but I have that problem ... when you sit down you forget what you wanted to actually say.
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I have this kid's class, and the kid's are really bad (dont misunderstand, most of the kid's classes I have the kids are wonderful....! but not in this one...) The kids are really evil, they used to rip up my lesson plans and draw on each other (they are about 11 or so I guess)... Recently I have become strict with them and they aren't acting bad, but now they are talking bad. I of course always only talk English with them (once I forgot and said the Japanese "OK, ready!" word when I was making them something, I dont think they noticed conciously but it was amazing how powerful your native language controls you... they obyed me in that moment more than they ever had...!) Last week one of the students called me a "shit head" (in Japanese of course, loose translation) and one of the other student giggled/gasped and said (in Japanese also of course) "You shouldnt say that to a teacher!" and the little girl who had called me that name said "It's okay, he can't speak Japanese." I wanted to tell her a few things in Japanese about how she should behave, but I think they should be encouraged to use English and will get more lazy if I speak any Japanese. Anyway. Sigh.
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Cool plans... Evan (from my college in America) will visit me with his friend Nick, they are coming on the 19th (until the 25th)... less than a week! They will stay at my place....! Next week I will see someone who used to be one of my e-mail students, Sanda, and try out a cool resturant in Shinjuku, Wolf Gang Puck's resturant... ! And after that from March 30 to April 5th I will be out of the country! I am going on vacation with Yusuke... I dont want to jinx myself and say too much now before I finish the plans... but what you can know now... we plan to hitch hike where we go, we will be there for about 6 days and we plan to see most of the place, and it wont be super expensive... where do you think we are going?? ^_^*;; After that, Seth says he is still coming here to visit me too, he will be on a tour in Kansai area, but will make it up here to Tokyo area for Golden Week holiday. (And Christina, from my school in America, said she will be coming here to Tokyo with her mom in September...!) So many people visiting, so many plans... wooo! ok.. thats it for now...
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SAYA LUCU!?! DAAG!
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22:51:00 | permalink | comments (9)
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syrinx, there is no clear "rule" we cant, the strong rule of not speaking japanese with my students is my own. I'm a stubborn ox! ^.^; Dansen
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Here's an idea - don't speak Japanese to the students, but maybe say something in Japanese to a coworker right after class, loud enough for the students to hear as they are leaving. Enough to plant the seed in their minds that you know Japanese too, without breaking the rule of only speaking English with students. Syrinx
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I still agree with Trench and I. I think it's okay to let them know that you know. If they know that you know, then you will know that they know that you know and it will be less distracting. Aaron
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Dear "Joe"! Would you belive that I am such a freak that i WANTED to do that? Is it a flaw in my design? I like how it shakes up the pages on some browsers and on others causes all sorts of other havoic, it feels like the virus name in my neonvirus.com address... any other opinions on this matter? o.O thanks for the thoughts tho! Dansen
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You know how when you hover over a link and it gets bigger? You should change your a.hover to 12px. Joe
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I respect both of your opinions, but I think that its important to create a "you must speak English" atmosphere, so I only speak English with all my students, young or old, bad or good. And Diego, I agree with you... they are testing my boundries so to speak! ^.^; Dansen
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I agree with Trench. Let the little shit heads know that you know when they are calling you a shit head. Aaron
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Sorry to hear that some of your students are being disrepectful. That's kinda tough being a non-native speaker and they just automatically think you don't know what you're talking about. They're testing your boundaries - just let them know that they can't walk all over you. Tips from a parent! Diego
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I think it's ok to let a few well placed japanese words slip with your class, in an informal situation, such as parting or what not. Might help. Maybe not. Thanks for the help with Nihongo Trench
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