Who?A good day having my mind moulded by the young girls of HJ.
Each week at the beginning of the lesson, I ask the students to tell me something, anything they want, in English. It can be about their weekend, their dreams, literal or for the future, their favourite TV soap, anything.
In the 3rd class of the day, a 2nd Grade hand shoots up.
"I love L'Arc en Ciel (Japanese rock band). They are my life! I watch their YouTube videos every day. I am very excited today because it's the lead singer's birthday. His name is Hyde. "
" Oh right, what kind of music do they play?"
"Rock, it's great."
"OK, and it's his birthday today?"
"Yes, I'm sad for him"
"Why?"
"Because he is 39"
" Oh, Same as me! (loud high pitched quintessentially Japanese noises of surprise fill the air - not sure if they thought I was younger or older) Why are you sad?"
" Oh because that is SOOOOO old!"
Oh well..........
And another hand shoots up in the middle of a vocab brainstorming session in the next class of 14 year olds. I say , OK your turn. "Eh no." (looks embarrassed and small conference occurs as she tries to work out what she has to say).
Then in a oh so polite voice: " Excuse me, nature is calling...."
I was on the floor in fits. Not what you expect from a 2nd year Japanese girl. It was oh-so Miss Jean Brodie! After urging her to answer the call of nature, I asked if everyone knew that phrase. "Oh yes!" they happily replied. Turns out their Japanese English teacher did a homestay in New Zealand, and that's what his host mother made him say!
Brilliant!
Each week at the beginning of the lesson, I ask the students to tell me something, anything they want, in English. It can be about their weekend, their dreams, literal or for the future, their favourite TV soap, anything.
In the 3rd class of the day, a 2nd Grade hand shoots up.
"I love L'Arc en Ciel (Japanese rock band). They are my life! I watch their YouTube videos every day. I am very excited today because it's the lead singer's birthday. His name is Hyde. "
" Oh right, what kind of music do they play?"
"Rock, it's great."
"OK, and it's his birthday today?"
"Yes, I'm sad for him"
"Why?"
"Because he is 39"
" Oh, Same as me! (loud high pitched quintessentially Japanese noises of surprise fill the air - not sure if they thought I was younger or older) Why are you sad?"
" Oh because that is SOOOOO old!"
Oh well..........
And another hand shoots up in the middle of a vocab brainstorming session in the next class of 14 year olds. I say , OK your turn. "Eh no." (looks embarrassed and small conference occurs as she tries to work out what she has to say).
Then in a oh so polite voice: " Excuse me, nature is calling...."
I was on the floor in fits. Not what you expect from a 2nd year Japanese girl. It was oh-so Miss Jean Brodie! After urging her to answer the call of nature, I asked if everyone knew that phrase. "Oh yes!" they happily replied. Turns out their Japanese English teacher did a homestay in New Zealand, and that's what his host mother made him say!
Brilliant!
2 comments:
Yeah, I'm with the girls. 39 is getting pretty rugged. Well, off to the head to shake hands with the unemployed.
Ha! I'm sure that one gets a lot of use at Hijiyama!
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