Saturday, July 16, 2011

Good-bye Letters from Class 3-4

Reading these good-bye letters makes me laugh and cry. Here are my favorite lines from the students in class 3-4.

I don't forget you. -Hyuga

I like your class of all. -Ryo M.

I like English. Because I can read English. I'm happy to study English with you. -Kota

Because you taught English us I can understand. -Risa

I'm a member of rugby club. I'm famous for the world. -Keisuke

I can hear real English very good! -Shun

I think that English is difficult but it is fun and important. I'm happy to meet you. I'll never forget you. -Takahiro

My name is Ken. I'm from Japan. -Ken

I'll give you a point. Very funny. -Yoshinary [This is an inside joke in this class...One time when I said, "I'll give you a point", it sounded like a Japanese sentence...so it turned into a play on words. We all cracked up! After that, whenever I went to 3-4, it came up again and again.]

Thank you for listening to my suffering. When I do not understand it by a class, thank you teaching it kindly. "I'll give you a point" was very interesting. ...I never forget it for the days that I spent with you. -Yuka

I want to be a scientist, so I study science hard. Another dream is to go to other country. I will go to there alone if I become a man. -Souta

Talking with you very happy. -Takeshi [I like this comment because Takeshi never seems happy to talk to me...and I always feel like he doesn't want to talk to me...so I just say hi and try not to bother him. I'm really surprised and relieved that he says he was very happy to talk with me!]

I have ached eye. -Ryouta

Because you return to the your house; I am sad. I want to study English more, and to visit your house. I wanted you to teach English more. I don't forget you for a long time. Thank you for reading this letter from me. -Souki

Please don't forget this school indefinitely. -Chihiro

I want to talking with you many times. So I'm sad. It is hard for me to study English, but I like English. I'll study English hard. -Nami

I've been happy to study with you. -Mizuki

When I talked with you, I was happy. I want to be a good baseball player. Because you will be a good English teacher. -Atsuya

Talking with you was a lot of fun. -Keisuke [He's another boy who doesn't ever seem like he wants to talk to me...Surprising comment!]

I will study English very heard. Because when I meet Mya I want to speak in real English. -Murakami

You were understanding Japanese. So I can speak with you. -Kei

Your advice was a great help to me. -Suzuka

I have been happy to study with you. -Hirata


Me, too! I have been happy to study with you.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Progress Recognized

Today, for the first time, I attempted and successfully arranged for a package from Amazon to be redelivered at a time when I knew I'd be home. =) When I got home from school today there was a notice saying that the delivery service had tried to deliver the box. Usually I would wait until the next day and ask one of the teachers at school to call the delivery service for me. I don't like calling businesses and having to speak Japanese. Trying to read a complicated website in Japanese is also daunting. But today's package contains a book (You Are Special by Max Lucado) that I ordered to use for my final lessons at elementary school on Wednesday, so I really needed the box ASAP. I didn't think I could wait until tomorrow...so I debated about calling my friend and neighbor Sayoko to ask if I could go over and have her call for me...but I thought I'd just attempt the website. At first I really didn't even know what link to click on the company's homepage, but by comparing the kanji with what was written on my delivery notice I was able to figure it out! And I was able to read the online forms enough to navigate my through them...and just a little while ago my box was delivered! やった! In English, this would just be a little thing, a chore to check off my to-do list. But in Japanese, I feel like this is an accomplishment...and encouraging evidence that my Japanese has improved.

ヤマト運輸


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Sunday, July 10, 2011

Student Good-byes

On Friday I had my last class with 3-3 (3rd grade (U.S. 9th grade)
class 3)...sad!! Masayuki, who is the English gakkari (student in charge of checking in with the English teacher regularly and relaying important info to the rest of the class), presented me with a book of letters from all the kids in the class. Here are some of my favorite lines...

I enjoy going to school every day...Thank you for teaching us native English. --Toshiki

By the way, My hobby is watching TV. -- Keisuke

I don't have dreams so I will find dreams. --Haruka

I'm not good at English. But I like English. --Ayaka N.

Answering my question all the time. I always enjoyed Mya's class. --Yuri

I like fish very much. But you doesn't like fish, doesn't you? Fish is very delicious. So I want you to like fish someday. ...And you always dress well. --Mao

I don't forget you. --Sota

Thank you for teaching. I didn't like English. But I like it now. :-) -- Ayaka I.

We speak and study and have a good time. --Daiki

If I'll be a English teacher, I hope like you!! --Tetsuya

By the way I'm so so. --Rikiya

You have worked hard in this school trying to make us develope English. --Ken

I want be very good father. --Ryuya

I love love love love Mya. Thank you for answering my questions. --Mikiya

I love sweets. Because I can be happy. --Honami

I have a stecker from Mya so I'm happy. --Takumi

my dream is wont to speak English it --Kyouhei

I want to speak English. --Kenta

I'm tired and sad and soso and fine and angly and hungry and sleepy and by the way I love you. --Ryonosuke

Aaah...I'm SO sad to leave these kids. I can't believe I have to say good bye to 20 more homerooms full of kids in the next week and a half and give 7 good-bye speeches
, plus try to catch up with the kids in the 4 classes I don't have anymore classes with. やだ。 本当にさびしい。