I am a Japanese Teacher of English. I work in Japanese junior high schools. I work myself extremely hard, and I follow the Japanese expression: “baka na kaze ga hikanai” or “only a fool doesn’t get sick.” Many foreigners do not understand this, but it is simply a part of our group mentality. I apologize to my co-workers when I finish before they do, even if it is well into the evening, and well after my paid work hours are over. I enjoy teaching English, and I really do try to help these students learn…even when I also realize the shortcomings of the system or text books we use. I am glad to have a native speaker help with my class, even though I sometimes don’t know how to best utilize his skills in the system that is set up here.
I am a third year junior high school boy. School is fun. I goof around. I play with the other boys (often in weird physical ways, reminiscent of the ancient Greeks), because the girls are strange and make me nervous. I am highly competitive, but at the same point in time a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors will end any dispute. I don’t try that hard at English, because no matter how poorly I do, I will still pass...no one fails courses here. School after this year is optional, and many of my friends will not continue on. They don’t care about English at all, since they will end up working their family orchard, and what use is English to them. All my courses are with the same students, my homeroom class. Some of the students try really hard at English. They can even have conversations with Adam, and often write him simple letters in English. Personally, I like when Adam comes to our class because we usually play games. I like to teach him ‘cool’ Japanese words, and he teaches us some cool English too. I don’t really understand what “How’s it going” means, but I now say that instead of “how are you.” But if you ask me “How are you,” my answer will be “Fine thank you, and you?”
I am a first year junior high school student. This is my first year in a big school like this, but things aren’t so different. Just like in elementary school, I have my class, and those are my friends. We will be a class until we all graduate together after third year. The big difference is that I have more than one teacher…but it isn’t so strange because they come to my class room to teach us. This is the first time I have studied English from a book. Adam pushes us to have proper pronunciation, and I can kinda make the difference between the sound of a B and a V…sometimes. I have mastered some of the phrases in our text book like “oh, your change” and “this is a pen.” I know how to say them, but I am unsure of their meaning…but hey I am still speaking English right? In the end I will pass the class, and I will move on to the next text book…and I will memorize other phrases that I don’t really understand. I like school because I can be crazy. I don’t have to listen in class, and I can be as rowdy and disturbing to the class as I want…besides everyone thinks it’s funny.
I am a sixth grade student at elementary school. I don’t speak a lot of English, since there is no curriculum to teach us. My teacher knows a little English, and can sometimes translate when Adam comes to our class. I am shy. I don’t like to participate, because I am too afraid of being different from the group. Adam seems to think that our class can pronounce English better than his high school students…probably we haven’t been taught to speak English using Japanese sounds yet. I am very polite, I ask for forgiveness before I enter the teacher’s room, and utter my apologies when I leave. My class stands up and thanks Adam-sensei for giving his time to teach our class, with a simple “Oneigaishimas.” When Adam comes to visit, I drag him around the school, and I am happy when he comes to play soccer with us at lunch.
I am a third grade girl in elementary school. I know the colours in English: Redo, yehro, brew, gureen, papuru, pinku, buraku, o-a-i-to, and orenji. I also know how to count 1 to 10. Adam has taught us that you can be good, bad, fine, hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, and sleepy, when someone asks how you are. I can use all these answers and I even know what they mean, but if someone says “How are you” I usually forget and say “How are you.” Adam usually shakes his head and explains to me that “How are you” is a question and that I need to answer it. Adam only comes to our school for 2 days in a month, so I usually forget what he taught us last time. My teacher is good and helps us try and remember, but other teachers don’t help their classes. I really like it when Adam comes to class, because I have a big crush on him. I don’t speak a lot, but I stare at him and blush and look away when he sees me. I like it when he eats lunch in my class room, because he always gives away his milk, and I like to play Rock-Paper-Scissors for it.
I am a first grade boy at elementary school. School is just like preschool. I can run around, yell at the top of my lungs and even hit other students. I never get in trouble…life is great. I like when Adam-sensei comes to my class because I like to ask him questions…but he doesn’t seem to understand me….I don’t know why. He is also a little mean; he won’t let me yell a lot, and gets mad when I hit other kids. So I usually sit there and pick my nose then eat it. I don’t understand why Adam won’t hold my hand. My favourite thing to do when Adam comes to school is to try to “kancho” him. I think that means enema in English. Really it is just an excuse to try to stick my fingers in someone else’s bum. Adam caught me trying before and yelled “DA-ME” really loud. I am kinda scared of that, so I probably won’t try again.
I am an English conversation night class student. I work hard all day, and every Tuesday night I go to the community centre. I am very interested in learning English. I practice hard, and I like the way the teachers push us to learn. Some of my friends here have lived and traveled abroad, and I am very interested in doing the same. All the teachers say that this class is really rewarding for them because we all try really hard. My favourite part of class is the first hour that the teachers call “Walk and Talk.” All the teachers circulate around the room, and we have English conversations about what ever is on anyone’s mind. We learn a lot about the countries that the Teachers are from, and we are able to share interesting insights on Japanese people and life with them. I feel that my English is improving every week, and I am excited to get to practice all the new things I am learning.
I am Mrs. Tanaka. I live next door to that new English teacher…I can’t remember his name so I just call him “Sensei.” He brought me a small jar of Canadian Maple Syrup when he moved in. He is very sweet and always says hello when he sees me out gardening. I don’t know any English, and he doesn’t seem to know that much Japanese. We usually talk about the weather or something simple like that.
I am Adam Stokes. I have written this admittedly biased take on the views of the people I am in contact with pretty often. Take each of these write ups with a big grain of salt. They are based on the truth but written for humour’s sake. I am teaching English in Japan. I think most of the kids I teach are wonderful…even the ones who don’t care to learn the language. I work with some teachers who are overly dedicated and underpaid. I feel a little guilty making the wage that I do when I see how much they all take on and for a very little money. I see a strange work ethic in Japan, where people drive themselves into the ground head first simply to show their dedication to their job and co-workers. I also see a fatal flaw in an English education system that bases it’s teaching around preparing students to pass a test instead of focusing on creating students who understand and have an ability to speak the language. Life here in Japan, is different. I don’t feel that the words better or worse can be applied. There are many conveniences that are not available in Canada, but also many things that seem grossly inconvenient when compared to home. All in all, I am quite enjoying the life I am carving out here, and I am excited to try and improve the way English is taught, even if it is one student and one class at a time. I am also trying to improve my meagre Japanese skills, but when my job is to speak mostly English all day, and when most of my friends are other ex-pats it’s not the easiest thing in the world. I also invite any and all to come over and see this crazy country first hand. I thought I knew a lot about it before I got here, and most of it was true. That being said, there are a million little things that could never be explained and must simply be experienced. Come on over, sip some sake, and slip into an onsen, and soak in the Japanese life style.
***NOTE: click to enlarge photos***
