Monday, the 10th. This was my second day at Izumi. I arrived, went to the teacher's room to drop off my stuff and talked to the female teacher that I was with all of Friday. She suggested that I go to the classroom and play with the kids until 8:30 when the principal addresses all of the teachers before class starts. He also gave me a sheet of paper listing all the places I am going through out the day. Friday I was with 5-2 all day, but on Monday, I went to several classes. As I was walking back to my temporary desk, one teacher talked to me, saying he was the one I was joining for the first period, so I joined him to the classroom. 5-1 was just as energetic as 5-2. I introduced myself and they asked more strange questions, kids that age seem to like strange or funny questions. One that both of the grade 5 classes asked me was what I think of the 5-2 teacher (the female teacher I was with the first day), despite saying that that was a secret, they kept asking the same or similar questions (what I think of her, if she was going to give me chocolate for Valentines' Day, etc). They also asked where I am from, asked me to speak English, asked me if I have a girlfriend, my favorite food, etc. For the first class, I sat in the back and just observed as the students wrote for what I think was Japanese language class (Country Language). Next I went to Grade 3 class 1 for the second period. In this class, they were working on math, so as the students did their problems, the teacher and I went around correcting the students' work or drawing a circle if they are right. They were learning fractions, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, and 1/5. They were so cute. When I did my introduction, they also asked really normal questions like where I am from, where that is, what kinda place it is, my favorite food, what is famous from Seattle, etc. The 3rd graders also seemed much quieter and more calm than the 5th graders. It was fun being able to walk around, interact with the students, and feel active in the class, rather than just observing. After 2nd period, was the first shorter recess, but rather than going outside for it, I decided instead to find the next place I was going, which I did not know what it was, I just knew it was four Kanji that I could not read. It turns out that it was the Special Education area, which in Japan are considered part of the normal school (the students also usually go to class with the rest of the kids if they can). I was a bit taken aback and reluctant at first, but I went in, and played with one girl who seemed not only slow, but also had a cast on her leg and could not stand or walk for all of the recess. We played with tops, and ball-in-a-cup type toys. She seemed to really enjoy it, but seemed very shy and nervous about interacting with me at first, but became more cmfortable as time passed. Then recess ended. There were two kids in the class (including the girl I played with), two teachers, a college girl volunteer, and me. The volunteer worked with the girl while the older teacher worked with a boy with possible anger issues. I ended up talking to the teacher and volunteer, who seemed plenty interested in me, just like everyone else in this area, teaching the kids English, and helping them with their normal work. For the last 10 minutes or so of class, we played. Fourth period, I was still with the handicapped kids, but it was a big group session for all of the kids needing special help. Some seemed to have a teacher permanently assigned to them while others were able to function just fine normally and were maybe just a bit slow or had occassional issues. I noticed one girl was from class 5-1. Japan system tries to integrate the handicapped kids into class normally, giving special help on top of that, thus allowing them to still learn to function normally in society and not be isolated. In the big group, the kids learned about and played with some old Japanese games including pull string tops and special types of cards. I joined the smallest group of children and helped them and interacted with them. It was really fun. One kid got a cut from the cards somehow and freaked out. Three teachers needed to hold him down and carry him out of the room. I was not sure what to do at that point, so I just let the teachers do their thing. Other than that, it turned out to be super fun. I also talked a bit with the volunteer. It was nice because she knew what she was doing, but at the same time was still new and seemed almost excited to talk to me and explain things. I thought I was going to get lunch with class 5-1 but ended up eating with my original 5-2 class. I will say, that class seems a bit closer and friendlier than 5-1. I like the class I was put with. Again they teased me about liking the teacher and were about to tell her I liked her, but I stopped them. After lunch, we played tag and takeover tag. Working at an elementary school is great exercise. Then was music and all three of the grade 5 classes got together to practice singing and playing the recorder for the 6th graders' graduation. There was also one boy who turns out to be a girl with a pink fluffy helmet from the handicapped children class. She was very cute, she kept looking up and smiling at the volunteer and I and would occasionally reach out for a handshake from one of us. She was very cute. The girl I played with at recess was there too in her wheel chair as was the volunteer. Afterwards was another joint class activity where the 5th and 3rd graders all got together in the gym and expanded on and shared the results of the whiteboard meetings from Friday. With that the shool day ended, the kids all wrote their journals at the end of the day, and headed home. I went to the staff room and worked on the journal entry the city wants me to do every day. As I was doing it, I chatred with several teachers, one teacher looked at my journal and praised me super highly on my Japanese, to the point that numerous other teachers also came over to see what I wrote and praised me too. Also the Vice principal gave me some chocolate for no reason. Yay! After I finished, I showed the journal to the VP and headed home. At home I talked with my family, sat around, played, had dinner, and watched TV. But I still find my brother running around with no pants on rather gross.
Well, that is about it for now.
good night!
Well, that is about it for now.
good night!