All the school's a stage (...or the rise of Super Genki Sarah)

I mentioned on facebook today how teaching is so much like acting. This was obviously the case when I was a theater teacher, but it's also true of teaching English in Japan. I've been lucky with all the fourteen or so schools I've visited this year - in every one the kids were excited to hear me speak and seemed to be interested in interacting with me. And the actress in me loved it: I talk about all the cool things in America and that my husband is an actor (this always brings out comments of "kokui!", which means cool), they ooh and ahh over my pictures of Texas and the 72oz steak from the Big Texan. I've done my self introduction so many times, I could do it in my sleep, which makes me feel a little bit like a Broadway actor doing 8 shows a week. And then I realized, when I'm teaching these English classes, I'm a character in what feels like a one-woman show. I'm "Super-Genki Sarah"*, much like Beyonce becomes "Sasha Fierce" when she steps on stage. When I step in front of my students, it's like getting back on stage, whether I'm teaching them how to pronounce "sh" and "th" or conducting a conversation lesson. My energy has always been able to keep their attention, and sometimes I even get applause!

I'd been lucky with the ichi and ni nen-sei students at Hitsujigaoka. They laughed, they were interested, they asked lots of questions. But I'd been warned that third grade was difficult, and I was ready for it when I taught their classes for the first time this week. The first two classes went really well, and I was feeling confidant. Then came my third class. Usually when I step into a classroom, I'm greeted by "hello"'s or clapping, or a little of both. This class was dead silent. The usual things I say that always get a laugh, got nothing. They just stared at me with their big brown eyes, with nary a smile or nod of agreement among the 37 of them. But I didn't get frustrated or discouraged, if anything, it made me want to perform even more. To make it even more challenging for me, I also had to eat lunch with this class. I usually really enjoy eating with the students, but none of them would even look at me, much less talk to me. But I think I've figured out why the third grade is so afraid to speak English. I think they know what to say, but they're so afraid to get chastised by their peers, which would happen every time one of them would talk any English to me. Somehow it got in this grade's head that to speak English is embarrassing, and that only the "nerds" do it. This is something I've never experienced since I've started teaching here, and isn't the case at all with the first and second graders. Am I up for this challenge? Do I even have enough time with this school to make any kind of difference?

In the end, I don't know if this class got anything out of my presentation, but I'm proud of what I did. You can take the girl out of the theater, but never the theater out of the girl, apparently.

*FYI, "genki" means "cheerful" or "healthy". I like to think I'm both!

Goodbye Hokuyo JHS

Last Friday was my last day at Hokuyo Junior High School, and like Higashi Yonesato, it was a hard departure for me. It seems like I was just starting to get some of the kids to really open up and be comfortable to me, and the teachers as well. Last week I made it a goal to see and talk to as many of the kids as possible, and to eat lunch with some students who I knew had always wanted to, but were too shy to ever ask. And - surprise, surprise - I discovered students who are great at English, but who'd never talked to me before. All on the last week!! It made leaving that much harder...

The boys of homeroom 2-4

The other boys were pushing the one in the white shirt closer to me. You can tell he's a baseball player because of his short hair.

Friday was also the last day of the school year, with a new term beginning in April after Spring Break. It was also closing ceremony day. I think the Japanese love definite beginnings and ending of things - there seems to always be an opening and closing ceremony for everything - and for someone who loves routine, this is right up my alley. There were several other teachers whose last day at Hokuyo was Friday, whether retiring or moving on to another school. On Friday at the morning teacher meeting, we were marched in front of the staff and teachers, and each of us gave a goodbye speech. I was ready for this, and had even prepared to speak some of it in Japanese (I had practiced very hard the night before). Then the Closing Ceremony started, and we were again asked to come to the front, this time in front of all the student body. The Principal spoke about each of us, and then we were again asked to give a speech. I did my speech to the students in English, telling them how great they were and how much I was going to miss them. Then we were each given a huge bouquet and exited the gym through the students as they were clapping and waving to us. A large number of third graders had returned to the school for the closing ceremony, and I was told by one of my JTE's that it was to see me off, though I don't know if that's true. It was good to see them again, as it'll probably be the last time. After that, I visited as many of the homerooms to say goodbye, write notes, and take pictures.

Homeroom 2-1, the loudest second grade class. And my favorite!

Me and Rino, a second grader. She cried when I hugged her on the last day. So sweet!

I called these boys my body guards.

Me and the "Banana Bunch". Long story.

Mizuki and Serina, my biggest fans

That Friday night was also the teacher's end-of-year party, which was a new experience for me. Two hours of food and speeches (yes, I had to make another speech). I told them that I had already used all my Japanese in my last speech (they laughed), and asked Shimada sensei to translate for me as I told them what great teachers they were and how honored I was to work with them and at this school. And I meant every word. They gave me another bouquet of flowers and a framed letter:

Being at Hokuyo was an absolute joy and I looked forward to going there every day. I loved listening to the music classes, and recently found out that their music teacher, Ms. Abe, is a well-known teacher throughout Japan. After attending their end-of-year chorus club concert, I can see why. I mean, do you know any other junior high school students that can sing like this:

Hokuyo Chorus Club Girls Choir from Sarah Robinson on Vimeo.

I'll miss this school so much, but I promised to come back and visit, especially to hear them sing!!

Friends are fun

The Robinson fam just got back from meeting up with our first, genuine, Japanese friends. Harada-sensei (I guess I can call her Arisa now), was my first JTE at Higashi Yonesato, and we promised to keep in touch once I left the school. It's been two months now, and we finally met up with her and her husband tonight at Jacksonville, our favorite burger joint. Arisa's English is pretty good, and I have a feeling her husband knows more than he lets on (as most Japanese do). We laughed and talked about school and learning English and Japanese. Her husband gave Ethan his old Kendo boken, and I'm pretty sure he's now Ethan's best friend. He was impressed with how much Ethan already knew about kendo (thanks Butch!) and Japanese history, and told him that he had "a Japanese soul". They told us that they'd take us out for ramen some time, and we're going to get together again on Christmas day. As much as I love my JET family, it feels really good to have Japanese friends. It really makes me want to learn Japanese, just to take the pressure off of them from having to speak English all the time. I've met many other wonderful people at elementary schools as well, and some of them I've swapped e-mails and fully intend to keep in contact with. And I can't forget my adopted Japanese family at our favorite gyoza restaurant - I love Junko-san!

So this week I only attended one school, since Thursday and Friday I attended our ALT mid-year workshop. The school was waaaaaaay up in northern Sapporo, and I had to leave our apartment at 6:50 to catch the bus out there. It's supposedly a "lower-performing" school, but the kids were just as eager about English as the other schools I've been to. And not just eager about English, but eager about me in every way. I had 6th grade boys telling me they loved me and girls asking me to hang out with them on the weekends.

They also asked me if I "liked" their teacher. I always get this question when the class has a male teacher. I always kid around by saying, "Yes, but I'm married!"

When I had to leave, the kids made this tunnel for me to walk through.

Such a sweet group of kids. Three days go by so quickly.

And boy, did the students at this school really lay on the presents!! Letters, cards, a soap dispenser (!), and about 8 straps! I was overwhelmed.

My favorite gift was the friendship bracelets given to me by a group of 6th grade girls who also wrote me the huge "Sara Book". And yes, that is an artistic rendition of me with giant blue eyes.

It's sad to think that I now have only 3 more schools this next week and my elementary school tour will be over. I think my visits to these schools are more than just helping the home room teacher with an English lesson or two. I feel like my visits have helped these students begin an interest in English that I hope will continue as they grow. And who knows, I may even see some of them again when they enter Junior High!!

First Impressions

So after a month of living in Japan, today was my first day at my first school, Higashi Yonesato Elementary\Junior High School. I was warned beforehand that the school was incredibly tiny - there are only 5 kids in elementary school and 4 in junior high! I knew this was going to be a completely different experience than any other school I will visit this year, and was a little nervous when I arrived at the school this morning, since I was told earlier that the English teacher would be absent today.

As I entered the school, there was a sign in English, bidding me welcome, take off my shoes in my shoe locker, and to find the vice-principal in the staff room. As I entered the room, there was Mr. Wakamatsu, the school's vice-principal. He gestured for me to sit down and handed me a message he had written with the use of Google translate:

"Today, the school principal is not for the meeting.
English teacher in charge of today is closed.
If you have trouble, please tell me.
Thank you"

He then handed me a few papers regarding the schedule and school, and attempted to talk to me in Japanese. I had no idea what he was saying, but I figured I could read the papers and answered with a few "OK"s. I was then led into the the staff room, where I was to introduce myself to the 6 or so staff in Japanese. It went a little something like this:

"Ohayo gozaimasu. Watashi wa Sarah Stone-Robinson desu. Sarah to yonde kudasai. Amerika no Texas kara kimashita. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

I had practiced so much more for this very occasion. I was going to say, this is my first time in Japan, and that I had a husband and a son, but a combination of the oppressive heat (schools have no air conditioners here) and nervousness allowed only those few sentences. They clapped for me anyway, and Mr. Wakamatsu showed me around the school. As he was leading me, I noticed all the empty classrooms. This once-thriving, two-story, 50 year old school was now reduced to less than 10 children. He told me that the school will be shut down next year because of lack of enrollment. Of course he said this in Japanese, but I got the gist of what he was telling me.

The rest of the morning was spent waiting to meet the elementary students, taught by Mr. Yamanaka. The class consists of four 4th graders and one 6th grader, with Mr. Yamanaka teaching them all. I was to give them a short introduction of myself and where I'm from, and then the students were to introduce themselves to me. A sweet 4th grader, Miki, gave me a flower, and told me that she loved english. After introductions, they gave me a tour of the school (again), and then I was asked if I wanted to eat lunch with them - a delicious meal of curry rice, some kind of salad, and a tangerine. Everyone was interested in if I like Japanese food. I told them I loved it, and asked them if they like American food. " Hamburger!", Mr. Yamanaka said, and the rest of the lunch was spent trying to communicate with him and the school counselor, since neither speak much english. After lunch I played tag with them in the gym, which didn't help the heat factor at all, but I had a lot of fun.

I have to say that my first impression of a Japanese school are good so far. All the teachers and staff have treated me very kindly and with a mild curiosity, especially the vice-principal, who seems very interested in Texas and US maps. I've been given loads of iced Japanese tea, and been given a tour of all the bathrooms by the school nurse (it's important to know - not all bathrooms have Western toilets. When any of the teachers want to talk to me or I to them, we just fire up the good ol' google translator - I've had full conversations with the vice-principal today merely using that! So despite the size, it's a great school full of great people, and I can't wait to meet the (4) junior high kids tomorrow!