First Days of School

I’m a teacher. It's weird to realize that I am the teacher now when I have been a student all my life. It’s strange because I don’t feel strange. I don’t really feel any different at all standing at the front of the class. I just feel like me… BUT I LOVE IT!

I’ve been at my main school, Oike Junior High, for three days now. I have 16 classes, totaling around 850 students. I am the only foreigner and the only native English speaker, so being there is quite an experience!

To be able to fully convey what my experience has been like, I need to tell you about the American that had my job at my school before me… I hate to talk poorly about someone I have never met, but my experiences there are directly linked to him in a way… so I’ll just stay it straight. My predecessor was a 41 years old 6 foot +, 300 pound + American male. He wanted to pocket the money that the Board of Education gives us for transportation, so he would ride his bike for about an hour to get to Oike, and show up literally soaked with sweat. We were specifically instructed to not eat junk food in front of the students, but he would walk around the school chugging a 2 liter coke every day (eating or drinking while walking is very rude in Japanese culture). From what the teachers and vice principle have told me, he didn’t work hard or care much about being involved with the students. So pretty much no matter what I do here, I am golden in everyone’s eyes.

The beginning of the semester opening ceremony was my first day at Oike. I had to make a speech to the whole school in English, and was told to translate for myself into Japanese. As I walked over to the gym for the ceremony, I felt like I was in a parade. All of the students were crowded into the corridor and would stare at me, smile at me, wave at me, shout “hello” or talk to each other in Japanese about me screaming things like, “Gyyyaaa! KAWAII!” (Ohhh! She’s so cute!) Made me feel like a million bucks, that's for sure. As I sat in the back of the ceremony looking around at all the students, I almost cried. I was so excited to finally be here! After all these years of prep, prayer, and following God’s direction in my life, these were the students I am being entrusted with for this year.

The following day I began teaching. I walked into my classroom, and one of the girls sitting up front turned around and yelled to the rest of the class in Japanese, “Oh my gosh! She’s so much better than the other teacher!” I started laughing, of course. Then all the students started murmuring to themselves, “OH! She understand, she understands!” Nice way to start out my teaching carrier. My first lesson for every class I teach is my self-introduction lesson. I have blown up, laminated, and attached magnets to a bunch of pictures of things in my life. Family, friends, places I’ve traveled, my hometown, hobbies, languages I’ve studies, etc. I try to make them interact as much as possible, asking them if they have siblings too, or having them guess things about me. I’ve discovered the “How old am I?” question is quite dangerous. I’ve gotten 37, and even 50 as answers! I have a picture of me as a baby, and the students always freak out when I show it and start asking each other in Japanese “Is that her baby?” Its funny to listen in on them as I do my presentation, cause they still haven’t quite figured out that I can understand whatever they say… “Wow! She can do anything!” “She looks like her mom!” etc. The second half of class we play a quiz game in teams about trivia from my life. “How old is my brother?” “What’s my grandpa’s trucks name?” How many countries have I been to?” The students get pretty into it, its really fun! Some of my kids are super ADD and are standing on their chairs and trying to sit up in the windowsills instead of in their chairs, but I think they will be some of my favorites. ;)

Lunch time I get to eat with the students. The students all eat lunch in their classrooms in groups that are assigned by the teacher and only rotate every few months. My first lunch I got put with a group of students that was so shy they wouldn’t even looks at me or tell me their names. Luckily, the girl that screamed “this teacher is so much better than the last one,” Sae, keep yelling questions to me in English from the other side of the classroom. “Teacher!! Do you have a boyfriend?”
“Yes, many many! Do you have a boyfriend?”
“Yes, many many!”
(Best way to dodge the question, and give everyone a good laugh).
The next day Sae and her friends all ran into the hall as I was walking by and wanted me to hug them. Hugging a Japanese person is like hugging a cardboard cut out. They never hug, so they have no idea how to do it and just stand there with their arms out. It’s really cute and pretty amusing.

When I’m not in class I’m in the teachers room at my desk editing and grading assignments. The last two days of school I graded all of the second and third year paper about what they did during summer, and wrote the students little notes. One of the second years went to Bible camp over summer. I haven’t taught their class yet, but I’m looking forward to meeting them! Statistically there should be 4-8 Christian students at my school. I can’t wait to find them! J

There are a lot of really really cool teachers at my school! Most don’t speak English, so they are really happy to be able to speak to me in Japanese. The vice principal is super super chill, and so is the school nurse, tea lady, and rest of the staff. J

There is a cleaning period each day where all the students clean the school. I’ve been joining the students in cleaning. They don’t use mops, just wash rags. They do this thing where they put the rag on the floor, put their hands on it in a crouching position, and then stick their butts up in the air and push the rag down the corridor. I’m really bad at it. I either get stuck and can’t go forward or go two quick and fall down… it’ll take some practice. Teachers usually don’t clean, so the vice principal LOVES it that I clean with the students. I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten on his good side already. Plus, it's a great chance to chitchat with the students.

I go to my second junior high next Wednesday. I’m only there about 4 or 5 days a month. Every Friday starting this week I will be at Tokiwa Elementary School, just down the street from here.

So that's the story!!!!!!!!!! I’m a teacher.