一年目- school life

I began my job teaching at two junior high schools. Motomiya First Junior High School (Ichu), which has about 500 students and Motomiya Second Junior High School (Nichu) which as about half the amount at Ichu. Because of size and location, the students at Nichu are much more country -- very shy and warm-hearted. The students of Ichu are also shy and warm-hearted, but they can be a little louder, or 'wild' as Sato-sensei would often describe his students. My working situation later changed, this contracting-year when Ichu became my base school, and I'd have 2 elementary schools to visit each month. And Ms. Gemma was given the other half of my job. A Canadian woman who is a lot of fun to be with. :)

I began my first year with a lot of uncertainty, and as a clumsy ALT (Assistant Language Teacher). After about 3 weeks of English Speech Contest training, school began. This would be the 2nd trimester for students in Japan. I read and re-read the letters left to me by my predecessor over and over again. I was so nervous. Will they like me? Will I like them? Will they all be as sweet and kind as Yaoita Shoko? I nervously and quietly spoke my self-introductions to the staff room at both of my schools.

Hajimemashite.
Watashi wa Danieru Kimu desu.
Amerika no Nyu-Yoku kara kimashita.
Dozo yoroshikuonegaishimasu.

Then, I began my self-introduction in each classroom. None of the students knew what I was saying. I didn't know how to speak to junior high school students learning English as a foreign language. I didn't really know how to speak to junior high school students at all, actually. But most of them didn't seem to mind, or at least made it seem that way. They would all ask me similar questions -- "do you have a boyfriend?" "how old are you?" "what are your hobbies?" "what are your dogs' names?" I went through this 26 times. Every time I had to talk about myself, I was just reminded of how boring I was. And I was beginning to learn how challenging it is to teach.

My teachers all encouraged me (and sometimes pressured me) to engage with the students by talking to them a lot and playing sports with them. I had to do two things I was always bad at -- being the first to start a conversation and playing sports! Oh dear, I was in trouble... but I tried, my students had a wonderful ALT before me, who was outgoing and fun. I didn't want to disappoint them.

And so this is how I went through my days at school in Japan in my first year. Unable to explain a worksheet or a game in English without a Japanese teacher translating for me. Unable to start interesting conversation with students (I was lucky, many talked to me first. :P). Unable to play sports well (I still played... =T).

My days here began amongst green rice fields and very hot and very very humid weather. Then, these green rice paddies would soon turn dry and brown, signifying the autumn season -- reminding us that winter was on its way. In the spring, these fields would be covered with water, looking like ponds, with tiny stalks of rice plants planted to turn tall and green in the summer like it was when I first got here. Spring was my favorite time.