English Summer Camp: Hockey

Firstt day of one of three English Summer Camp series in Fukuoka, aimed at elementary and junior high school kids. I got accepted to be at all 3 elementary summer camps teaching Canadian Aboriginal Art, and Hockey! Each camp runs for 3 days, and I’m excited to say that I’ll be doing both workshops at some point in time at every camp 😀

Each group gets 20 minutes at each station, which also includes intros & pack up time, so relatively less than 15 minutes to teach what I have to get the kids going.

Teaching Hockey

What could be more Canadian, thank Hockey? Funny enough, for a girl whose never played hockey ~ I faked it like I did! 😉 But I think I’ve watched it enough on TV, and have many friends who play it, that I should have learned something.

My sign for my hockey station.

Originally when I was submitting my application for this camp it started with floor hockey. I didn’t think anyone would be interested in it, and I thought it would be difficult to even find the equipment as Japan isn’t a hockey-craze country. Originally, I was going to make hockey sticks out of cardboard tubes and rolled up newspapers ~ which probably wouldn’t last a day… but to my luck one of the office staff managed to find a set online!

Hockey sticks set!

Exciting! These will last a long time, even after this year’s summer camps! Getting to the community center we had to put down this green “tarp”, which was a lot like carpet. But it gave the nice effect of field hockey. I decorated my booth with everything Canadian I had. Canadian flags, hockey jerseys, etc. Originally there were color tape that marked the center line, but sadly it wouldn’t hold onto the carpet-tarp. It still turned out great though!

My hockey station!

The first 5-7 minutes I had the kids practice passing and shooting, along with “time-out” 😉 . Then, with the help of my lovely assistant, a student studying in Japan from Syria (and also into soccer!) we had the kids play a hockey game.  The feedback and response from the kids were great! Probably the first, and only time they’ll ever play hockey in their life. GOOoooooo CANADA!! 😀

Indoor hockey. My net ^^ & Canadian flags ❤

English Summer Camp: Aboriginal Art

This year Fukuoka is piloting it’s first English Summer Camps, aimed at elementary and junior high school kids. I got acceptedd to be at all 3 elementary summer camps teaching… Hockey, and Canadian Art (Aboriginal Art). Each camp runs for 3 days, and I’m excited to say that I’ll be doing both workshops at some point in time at every camp 😀

I’ve got 20 minutes with each group, which also includes intros & pack up time, so relatively less than 15 minutes to get my workshop up and going. My first time teaching elementary kids out here in Japan, so this is going to be fun!

Teaching Aboriginal Art

I love Aboriginal art, I think they all look cool in many ways. Many Japanese people know of Australia & New Zealand Aboriginals, so I thought it would be nice to introduce the Canadian version. This lesson is dedicated to Tiqilap, a Vancouver Aboriginal singing group ~ whose music inspired me (^0^)/…and their food!  I hope to be playing Tiqilap’s CD lightly in the background during my workshop as kids are drawing.

Creating Aboriginal Art

In my workshop, kids will get to pick one of 4-5 Aboriginal animal artworks, and draw it to a Japanese fan (uchiwa). I decided to go with Bear, Eagle, Humming bird, Frog, and Salmon. I found a nice Aboriginal design of each animal (thank you to the designer), and searched to find a life profile for comparison.

Teaching Aboriginal Art at an English summer camp for Japanese elementary students. Comparing the Aboriginal artworks to the real life animal.

I printed out another copy of the Aboriginal artwork, glued it to hard cardboard, and cut it out so kids could use it as stencils. Also, fearing the life of how long these stencils will last in the hands of children, I laminated them for good measure…because you can never be too careful, right?

Teaching Aboriginal Art at an English summer camp for Japanese elementary students. These are examples of the stencils kids will be working with, to trace onto their fans.

For each animal I made example fans to give the kids some ideas when it comes to playing with color. To integrate conversation into this workshop, kids will have to ask me for different colored markers each time they want to change.

My uchiwa (fan) example: Bear.

My uchiwa example: Salmon (fish)

My uchiwa example: Frog

At English Camp

At camp I tried making my own little Canadian room. I brought over my Canada Flag that I hung in the doorway, and I had Vancouver’s Aboriginal singing group, Tiqilap CD (with Sawagi collaboration) playing in the background.

My room to teach “Canada Art” (aka. Aboriginal Art).

Canadian Souvenir Ideas

This post is for anyone coming to Japan from Canada, and is trying to brainstorm souvenirs to bring over. This is probably be a tad late, considering that new JET’s are already coming over…but there are still 2 more groups that might be showing up in late Aug- early Sept. In Japanese culture, every time you go on a trip (out of town) and people know it they expect omiyage (souvenirs). Doesn’t have to be big, it can be a small treat if anything…but it gets pricey. So after a while it’s good to develop the skill of secrecy and limitation when going abroad.

Canadian National Anthem poster.
Courtesy of Heritage Canada. Placed this outside of my class for all kids to see
…also because I ran out of room in my class.

 

Thinking of Canada we think, smoked salmon, maple syrup, ice wine…polar bears and Eskimos. Funny enough, smoked salmon and Canadian maple syrup can be found here in most Japanese grocery stores. So if you didn’t bring enough and need more, you could always head to the grocery store here and pick something up.

Summer in Japan is hot and humid, so anything chocolate will melt. Best to go with solids like cookies. The usual, and most common are maple syrup cream cookies, or now in butter shortbread style with maple crunch.

Maple syrup cookies, with cream or shortbread style.

I’m not sure how long these were around, I just stumbled upon them in stores: Ice Wine flavored cookies! Cheaper than actually buying bottles of ice wine. Not sure how they taste, but they’re perfect as I know many of my teachers enjoy drinking.

Ice Wine cookies.

Other typical Canadian omiyage are maple syrup candies. There are small, individually packed candies ranging from the size of cough drops, to lollipops. My only note on this is that yes, they do melt but slowly, not as fast as chocolate. So long as you pass it out asap, it will be okay.

Maple syrup lollipops,

and maple flavor coffee for coffee lovers.

Postcards are also another good omiyage idea, and they don’t take up much room in the suitcase. It’s always visually pleasant to see something different in the world. They also make great greeting cards. I used a bunch for souvenirs, and also as good-bye greeting cards. Give it an extra touch by attaching a pin to it, or complimenting it with a small treat.

 

 

Canadian Souvenir for the classroom…

Before I came to Japan last year I explored every option I could for souvenirs, or materials I could use for teaching. Take everything possible, and don’t forget to pass out your thank you’s to those that helped (I.e. follow up thank you email).MP’s and Mayors: Sometimes have pins they could offer. Mayors sometimes could offer city pins and MP’s for Canada pins. I must say, after getting a collection when I first came Burnaby has the best design! And my students just love it! Go Burnaby!! My MP’s office also passed me teaching material on the Canadian parliament and included an official Canadian flag. This was all before the economy got hit. Now everyone is tight on budget and are giving out in limited numbers, but 30 is still better than nothing 🙂 .

Heritage Canada: They’re actually only suppose to be giving out promo items for promoting within Canada. I did try to ask if they had anything I could use for my classroom, I was willing to use anything. I got a few beautiful posters on Canadian flags, old contest promo posters, and information books. I plan to use it all!

Posters of various Canadian flags throughout time.

Heritage Canada Poster Contest.

Classic Student Prank

Canucks won their first playoff game against Chicago 2:0. Lunch was yummy, materials for my first class next week is ready, and my kids were oddly diligent in their cleaning today. My day was going great, and by the end it just got better. I thought this was hilarious and decided to do a quick post to share ^^.

Student Prank
After the kids finished cleaning I went to close all the windows in my classroom. I looked over at the next building and saw something that looked, out of place…

Spot the funny!

Someone had put another student’s sport bag on the ledge! After taking a picture and thinking about it… that floor belongs to my now, 2nd-year students. I headed off to the staffroom, showing some of my students the pictures along the way because I just couldn’t stop smiling.

I showed a bunch of teachers, including one of the new transferred teachers we got this year. Mainly because the bag was sitting on the ledge in front of his homeroom class, so I could only assume it was one of his kids.

“I wonder if it’s still there…” he muttered. Looked at me for a split second and dashed off as he called out “be right back!!”

It was no longer there when the teacher checked. But it was awesome while it lasted! LOL!

Classic Japanese student prank

Japanese New School Year

In Japan the school year ends in March, and the new school year starts at the beginning of April. I really missed my kids, especially my English Club members where we would just sit, chat, play cards. I think I’m starting to get those maternal emotions that mothers get when they see their kids grow up…

Typical & enjoyable day
in my English club. ^^

Finishing school (2010-11)

Last year, my last lesson to the kids was a review game formatted into an English Olympics game. At the end, all students received a Canadian pin while the winning team got to choose between a Canadian Pin, and a City of Burnaby pin. I was actually considering of saving those pins until “Canada Day”, but I knew I wouldn’t be teaching them again next year, and I wasn’t sure if I would ever get the chance to pass it around to everyone. So I decided it’s better to do it now or never, and I’m so glad I did.

During the final days of school in March some of my favorite students actually ended up wearing the pins, in place of their name badge. Naturally, they were found by the teachers, and firmly told to replace the pins. When I heard, I was so touched ^^. Some kids actually attempted to challenge school policy (though I do not encourage!), but it made me feel happy during a time that I thought I was failing as a teacher. Most kids actually did enjoy my classes ^^.

Last gift to my 1st year students
(2010-11)

New School Year (2011-2012)

Today was the first day back at school for last year’s 1^st years and 2^nd years. We had a morning assembly for about an hour, then students headed off to their homeroom. Starting tomorrow they’ll change to the higher grade as we have the opening ceremony for the new 1^st year students.

I’m really going to miss my first year students…in 2 years they’ll be graduating, *tear. Depending on how this year goes, I would like to stay to see them graduate…and hopefully by that time, I would have conquered enough Japanese that would allow me to converse with them!!! GANBARIMASU!!!

Play it cool like Kakashi Sensei would!

Christmas Lesson Plan

The one thing that kept me awake at night – excitement to be teaching English. In the spirit of Christmas, for the love of God! I may be in Japan but Christmas miracles should know no international boarder.  My main game was a PowerPoint review-game. With various questions regarding Christmas facts and past lessons, testing every avenue of their brains: fill in the blanks, translations and listening. I’d say 90% of my classes went really well with this lesson. The kids got really into it, while other times the energy wasn’t really there but the kids were still attentive nonetheless.

Thank you to my friends who made Christmas Greeting videos for my students!

Really appreciated it, they absolutely loved it!

Playing the Game

We went by rows. Each student in that row got a bell (bought from the daiso) that they had to ring if they knew the answer.Whoever answered first and answered correctly got to remove a wrapping layer from the present I had.

Christmas present in class,

I took a box and wrapped it in many layers of newspaper, like one of those present gag-gifts. In between the layers I had a series of surprise cards, each with a different Christmas message. Messages on the card included:

Wear the Reindeer Horns, literally wear reindeer horns (from daiso) until the next kid gets the card.

Hug a friend & say: “Merry Christmas”, this was probably the most entertaining card as the kids ranged from very willing, to shy.

Excellent Merry Christmas, is a card where the classroom applauded to that student.

Share your gift, on the card there would be 2 pieces of candies. The student got to keep one but would have to give the other away.

Classroom Christmas Decorating

I haven’t had the best of luck finding Christmas decorations (within a budget), to decorate my classroom with. I really wanted to decorate the class for my “Christmas Special” lesson, and what better way to get the kids into it with a touch of magical visuals?

Christmas decorations on a budget
I needed inspiration, and there’s no better place than the good ol’ Internet. I needed something simple, and while I really wanted to decorate the entire class, I was pressed for time, cash and supplies. I needed something that I could make, and relatively fast while still looking nice.

My inspiration on “decorative garland”.

Decoration supplies…
I dove into my work desk – as I never really had a chance to clean it out from the last teacher before me. But I guess this would probably be the best time to do so. I also borrowed tape from the staffroom. The teachers have no idea what I’m up to, but only know that I’m hogging a tape dispenser and went through 2 rolls of tape. Schools being on a limited budget/stock, I assume I might get a talk after this…but in the name of Christmas Spirit I will endure it!

Potential supplies from my desk…(and office storage).

Naturally, I also contributed materials from what I had at home. I also bought shiny gold and silver garland, wreaths and musical Christmas lights. The garland came at 98yen for a little over 2 meters that I found at the grocery store.

String from home that I loop-knotted

Ahh…memories of home…

Going old-school, I decided to bring back the good ol’days of paper snowflakes and researched the easiest DIY ornaments. Now I just needed people to help me, but who?…

ESS Club to the rescue!
PERFECT! Way to kill two birds with one stone! I was able to teach and share a bit of Christmas decorating experience, which perfectly supports the cultural learning of the club! Usually the club lasts only for an hour after school, but the kids got so into it that we spent a good 3hours together. To the point where the school was shutting down and all students had to be off school grounds.

I taught the girls how to make decorative balls, and two different types of snowflakes. Starting with the easy triangle cut outs, then advancing to 3D. After wards, we used white thread to hang them on the looped twine.

Classroom Christmas decorating on a budget…
Christmas is HERE! 😀 The transformation of our whiteboard.

Before…

After…sorry, it’s blurry. Using my iPhone.

Origami, and old school cut-outs are some of the best ways to go. Especially in a place where they’re not use to making or seeing these things:

3D Snowflake

Christmas wreath I decorated with a ribbon, bells and the “Merry Christmas” sign.

I am now ready to give my “Christmas Special” lesson ^^.

Teaching & the smell of Fear

When I first got here the thought of teaching haunted me throughout the day and into the night. Fear of teaching wild kids who were uninterested in the class, lesson and me; which would result in me becoming ill from stress every so often and the anticipating fear of the next class to come.
As students stare at you for a good 50 minutes, you’d swear to god (as a newbie) children are really Hannibalistic monsters in disguise. When they watch you they’re really honing their senses to detect the first break of sweat that would mean fear, which if you turn your back for a split second they may attack.

Okay, fear comes in many ways – I was just assuming the worst of WORST scenarios.

 

Stroke of Luck

I am grateful to have such wonderful kids, I have this year. They know when it’s time to buckle down and learn, but they understand the flexibility of time to make jokes and clown around…

~**Mind you, I’m saying this as a newbie, I’m still in the honeymoon stages here.**~

Credit also goes to their teachers as well. All the teachers here are very caring towards the students, and are very supportive in their learning. Makes me kind of miss the good teachers I had back in high school, and how I always thought that if I was to ever teach, I would want to be like them. Teaching on the fly, with no prior experience or practicum, my mind would revert to “What would Ms. Mah do?”, “What would Mr. Buddai say?”, “How would Ms. Uhren act?”. When situations arise I would all of a sudden “become” and “embody” one of my teachers from tone of voice to gestures. Trying to get the kids excited and attempt to instill passion of speaking I would be Ms. Uhren. Waving my arms about in some grand Renaissance gesture, while Ms. Mah’s glare and funny scrunched facial expression would come out during times of “wtf? What are you talking about? Weird.” Mr. Buddai comes the most predominant as his style is casual and humorous, which easily helps me portray the “Alright, let’s do this, sit down I’m teaching.”

Meet the Boys of 1 -1
My last class to teach before the kids enter their midterms. Class 1-1 is a large class and so is split into two when it comes to doing lessons. One half will learn English, while the other learns Math, etc. Though it’s interesting that one class has 25 kids (with only 5 girls), and the other has 15 kids (all boys). Today I had the 15, all boys from class 1-1.

When I got up in front of them that Hannibal theory began to creep it’s way back into my mind. I smiled and gave my introduction and made small talk with the comments that came my way. They were an energetic bunch, with energy that could go in any direction and would be hard to contain if I don’t keep their attention.
We went over mandatory vocabulary that will be used on their midterm, as I got them to repeat and pronounce my English teacher (a kind and funny old man), would translate it in Japanese to make sure they were understanding. Every so often his explanation would would be interrupted by a student who would joke in Japanese “Sensei, English only!”, “Sensei, no more talking, we want to hear the ALT (me) talk”, etc.

My boys are class clowns all together, but then I realized how smart they are. How their ability to comprehend what I was saying was far better than some of my other classes. They just hate the textbook – as do I. Sadly, they need it for their exams. They were eager to answer my questions, but mainly because the English teacher had chocolates for those who volunteered their answer. That was the first time I saw kids actually willing to volunteer so energetically.
Their excitement died a bit when one student finally questioned where the teacher was hiding the chocolates, considering there was no bag insight. The room went silent when they found out the treats were being kept hidden in the teachers back pocket… Then like an explosion the boys starting complaining to the teacher to take the chocolates out and not keep it near his ass.
I burst out laughing, and I think the boys got a kick at how I found them so amusing. I relaxed a bit more and we continued through the class with intervals of us all joking around.

Repeat after me…
When getting kids to repeat after me, getting them to follow along is a bit of a longer process due to cultural & language differences.In North America we say “Ok, on three – 1, 2, 3…”, in Japan they say “Say-no…”. It works perfectly! When I first did it the class went silent, as the students were in awe that “wow! she knows how to say that?!”

My Day as a Japanese Student

So within the first month or so of me being here, I got to try on a student’s uniform ~ for work! My school was having an open house for junior high school students, and my supervisor informed me that the student union was putting on a play to open the house. She then suggested that it would be a good idea if I joined the play. Cool! I’m up for it! What would I be doing??

“Well, maybe you could be a student? And pretend to take a test?”

“okkkkkaaaayyyyy… am I the only teacher doing this?” – Yes I am!

Dressing like a student
My change room was the audio booth, and I decided to tie my hair appropriately – though I was shocked with how I looked after wards and would then exclaim, “Oh my gooooood…”.All my students were stunned at how I literally looked like one of them! HAHAH!

Because I’m still relatively new to the school, I haven’t had the chance to meet all the kids yet. The students saw me for the first time in uniform whispered to each other “Hey, whose that new girl? I’ve never noticed her before…” then they would be shocked to hear that it’s really their new English teacher.

17 years of drama & acting lessons brought me to this moment…

On stage they actually wanted me to talk really fast in English so the Junior High students wouldn’t be able to understand a thing. So I started talking about why there wasn’t any Tim Hortons, and that I wish there was one because I could sure use a steep tea, double-double with a Boston Cream donut.

My principal & vice principal were take by surprise as they sat pretty much front row left. Teachers who were in charge of media (I.e. filming or taking pics for the yearbook), wondered which student of theirs knew English so well, and could talk so fast! So they zoomed up to my face…then realized it was me! hahah! Good times. My kids are so cute, I actually enjoy interacting with students in fun activities like this, rather than always through a book…

Wearing a student uniform for a school play.

Sports Day

Sports Day in Japan can be one popular day compared to what we have in Canada. That being said, the size & importance of this event will vary in different areas of Japan. In Fukuoka at least, they go all out here. Everyone takes it is seriously.

Sports Day in Japan

Sports Day Layout
Depending on the size of the school, both the staff & student body is divided into more or less 3 colors (red, blue, and yellow). Each group competes by class level (or grade) through a series of relays, as well as through team performances of dancing, cheering, and tumbling (human pyramid building).

Sports Day Preparation
In weeks leading up to Sports Day, there’s hardcore focus, rehearsal and preparations. During the day they will perform for friends and family members but will be judged by the principal, vice principal and a couple other high-profile members.

Aside from the sport relays, the coolest memories of mine were the boys tumbling and cheer team. It’s such a rare sight. It’s really neat to also mention that everything from the team billboards, to the performance costumes were all designed and made by the students themselves (though for the boys, I’m sure their mother’s had a hand in it).

Boys Tumbling. This includes building pyramids, or shooting each other up in the air. This is also one of the most dangerous category that calls out all male teachers to the field as spotters.

 

Teachers can order team colored shirts. I had my graduating kids sign my shirts.