Lang-8にアップしている日記（２０１５年）です。
Here are some excerpts from my diary in Lang-8.
I appreciate it if you correct my English :)
("-chan," which you often see in my diary, is something used when we call or mention someone who is very young. It's also used when you call girls' names in Japan, as in "Hanako-chan," "Fumie-chan." This "-chan" plays an important role in Japanese in that it gives you a vivid image of a little kid instantly in your mind. I may not use "-chan" when I write something in English, but it has become part of my daughters' names when I call their names, so I cannot help but use it :) )
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- January 4
Ms. Bluff
My little daughter, Haru-chan, walked up to my wife and asked if she could sip some coffee yesterday.
"Haru-chan, coffee is for adults, not for children."
"I don't care, Mom. I can drink it."
"But this is bitter. I like it black."
"I said I can drink it!"
My wife gave in and passed the cup to her. She sipped a bit. She frowned, stuck out her tongue and said,
"It's good."
- January 6
Picturing, Picturing
Last evening Haru-chan talked with my wife and me.
Haru-chan: "Mommy, I like you better than rolled eggs."
My Wife: "Th- thank you very much. Well, Haru, how come you compared me and ―"
Me: "How about this, Haru-chan; which do you like better, Mommy or a piece of cake?"
Haru-chan: "Of course, Mommy."
My Wife: "Yes, of course. Don't give her a stupid question, darling."
Me: "All right, then. What if the cake is totally delicious? Haru, it's got soft and sweet sponge, which melts the moment it touches your tongue, and sweeeeeet cream and oh my, fresh and beauuuuuuuutiful strawberries ― "
Haru-chan (With her eyes rolling, seconds later): "Mommy."
My Wife: "Hold on."
- February 2
Good Old Days
My fellow teachers and I went on a two-day trip in Kagoshima last weekend. On the second day, we had three hours free time at Kagoshima central station. I went to Shiroyama Park, hoping I could get a good picture of Mt. Sakurajima. I wanted to remember one of my adventures in my twenties.
In February 19 years ago, my university friend Yoshio and I biked around Kyushu for a week. We biked 900 kilometers in total. We took a photo of us with Mt. Sakurajima behind, and went back to Fukuoka, our home prefecture.
I went up to the observation platform of Shiroyama Park. There it was, Mt. Sakurajima, directly in front of me. It was so picturesque that I was at a loss for words.
I remembered that Yoshio had left his wallet at home, that, when Yoshio's bike got a flat tire on a mountain road, a kind pickup driver offered us a ride to the bicycle shop, and that one night we slept in a park because we didn't have money; we put our sweater, gloves, scarf and everything in the sleeping bag to keep warm.
- February 11
Anything Will Do
My family and I went to the public bath last Sunday. I took Haru-chan and Yuta to the men's bathroom, and my wife took Tomo-chan to the women's bath.
Yuta always holds something and slowly goes into the bathtub. Not having anything to hold, he held a total stranger's nipple and went in the bathtub.
- February 14
Bitter Valentine
Last night, my daughter Tomo-chan asked me who she was going to give a chocolate to on Feb 14, Valentine's day. In Japan, girls are the ones who are supposed to give boys a present, and the typical present is chocolate.
"Daddy, can you guess who I'm going to give chocolates to?"
"Gee, I have no idea. K-kun?"
"No."
"I get it. H-kun."
"Nope."
"I give up. Who is it?"
"Let's see. I'm gonna give chokolates to S-kun, K-kun, Y-kun..."
"Well, didn't you forget someone special?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
(My name was not included)
- February 16
Girls Are What?
Yesterday my children and I went to a park where we can enjoy a grass slide. The slope is rather steep, so I asked my son Yuta if he wanted to slide down with me in the same sled. He said no, and insisted that he would slide by himself. I was a bit surprised and said something to him that mocked his two big sisters.
"How brave of you, Yuta. I mean, when your big sisters were three, they couldn't slide without me."
Then Tomo-chan cut in.
"That's because girls are weaker than boys! (punchs me on the belly) Daddy, how dare you say (steps on my toe) such a terrible thing? (punchs me on "it")"
- February 21
Life Goes On
I went to a funeral last night. This was the fourth funeral I've been to this year, so I was a bit depressed.
This funeral was especially tough; Mr. T's wife passed away.
Mr. T, Ms. O and I were hired by our school in the same year. For the last 12 years, we have been getting along and encouraging each other.
In the funeral, I remember my biological mother, who died at the age of 59. Mr. T's wife went to heaven at 52. Seven years younger, I thought.
Mr. T has no children.
How cruel a destiny can be, I cried, listening to Mr. T say goodbye to his loving wife in his speech. Sitting next to me was Ms. O, and she kept shedding her tears.
Back at home, I decided to get drunk and picked up the whiskey.
My three children had finished dinner by the time I got home, and they started to show me a one-foot balance.
"Why don't you three hold hands?" My mother suggested.
They held hands and stood still, giggling and wowing.
Since I don't know when, I had stopped drinking and been staring at them.
- March 8
Ring Out
Before taking a bath my daughters and I often compete to see who can take off the clothes first. Until now only a spectator, my son Yuta challenged me for the first time last night.
"Daddy, ready go!"
He shouted, then he started taking off his trousers.
Seconds later, he ran to his mother saying,
"Mommy, unbotton them!"
- March 9
Come Again?
My wife was on duty and couldn't join dinner last night.
Tomo-chan: "Grandma, where's mom?"
Grandma: "Out for work."
Haru-chan: "Again? I want her here at the dinner table!"
Grandma: "You know, the Cherry Blossom Festival is just around the corner. She's in charge of it, and, well ―"
Yuta: "(Munching spaghetti) You can't help it."
- March 11
Unequal Treaty
My children and I took a bath together as always last night. It was chilly for a March day yesterday, so I was reluctant to get out of the bathtub full of hot water. I told them to get out of the tub and wash themselves first, which all three opposed. They insisted that I, a grown-up, should go first. I told them to go again, then they started to have a "meeting."
A minute or so later, Tomo-chan turned to me and said,
"Well, Daddy, how about this ― we play janken (rock-paper-scissors), and if you lose, you go out and wash first. If you win, you wash first."
- March 15
R-chan
I went to the graduation ceremony of my daughter's nursery yesterday. Not because my daughter graduated, but because I was invited to the ceremony as a guest; I'm a counselor at the nursery.
The graduates were one year older than my daughter, Haru-chan. No one shared the same classroom as Haru-chan, but I recognized one girl, R-chan, who I met in the local supermarket about two months before.
At that time, my wife was on the verge of nervous breakdown. She was in charge of the Cherry Blossom Festival in the town, and was working 15 hours a day. She came back home in the middle of the night, talked to nobody, and went back to her office early in the morning.
One Sunday evening I asked if she'd like to go to the supermarket with me and our children. On our way to the supermarket she looked out the window vacantly in the passenger's seat and started to cry. I suggested she should quit her job, but I knew she was a responsible person and wouldn't say yes.
When we entered the supermarket, my family and I met R-chan. She spotted Haru-chan, ran to her and stopped. She grinned, stepped her left foot forward and made claws with her right hand.
The pose was so adorable that my wife and I burst into laughter. R-chan's mother came up to us, smiled and bowed. R-chan waved goodbye to Haru-chan and started to follow her mother.
I asked Haru-chan if she was her classmate. She told me she was one year older than her. I was surprised because R-chan was much shorter than Haru-chan.
In the ceremony, the nursery principal called one name after another, and the children replied, walked up to the front and received a graduation certificate.
The last child was R-chan. When her name was called, she was sucking her fingers and didn't know what to do. The principal called her name again. R-chan smiled, but still stayed where she was and kept looking around. "R-chan, go to the principal," someone in the teachers' seat whispered.
One minute passed, and I thought the principal would walk up to R-chan, but she didn't. She kept smiling and waiting. The girl sitting next to R-chan stood up, held R-chan's hand, and took her to the front. R-chan finally received her certificate. Without bowing, R-chan went back to her seat, escorted by her friend. The principal went back to her seat, quickly wiped her tears, and went to the front again to give a speech.
In the ceremony teachers sang a celebration song for the graduates. Some of the teachers were sobbing so hard they couldn't help but stop singing. I wondered if they had remembered some of the adorable moments they shared in the last three years at the nursery.
- March 16
Little Artist
My son Yuta loves tangerines. Last night he peeled a tangerine, turned the skin over and said,
"Daddy, look. Flower."
(a photo taken by Tomoka)
- March 27
Game Is Over
My wife scolded our daughters for their poor table manners this morning.
After she went to a different room to change clothes, I turned to my daughters, shrugged my shoulders, rolled my eyes and whispered, "Whew!" Then I made ogre horns with my forefingers, placed them on my head and growled. I started to bite the table, their pajamas, their hair and everything in the dining room, which made them laugh a lot.
When my wife came back, Haru-chan said to me,
"Oh, Daddy, that was fun! Do it again!"
- March 30
L-word, Please
I took my three children to the barber the other day. The barber refused to cut the hair of Haru-chan; she had some lice in her hair. She suggested I go get a special shampoo to remove the lice at a drugstore. I got one on my way home, and took it with me to the local public bath. (My family and I have gone to the public bath for about a week because the bathroom is currently being renovated)
Haru-chan looked around in the dressing room and asked me in a loud voice,
"Daddy, where is my lice shampoo?"
- April 20
A Definition of a Wife in Their Late 30s
My family and I went to the public bath last night. After taking a bath, my son spotted my underpants and said,
"Mommy was wearing this."
In the elevator, I asked my wife if she had worn those underpants before. I described the pants for her.
"No."
She replied.
"Not those."
- April 23
Pinky...
When my daughters were away, I bought Yuta a can of juice yesterday. I told him not to tell his sisters that he drank juice. Then I put out my little finger to pinky swear.
Not knowing what to do, he sucked my finger.
- April 26
Team
I asked my daughter Haru-chan where she would like to go this weekend. Her brother Yuta joined.
"Haru, where would you like to go?"
Haru-chan: "I want to go to the zoo."
Yuta: "― and,"
Haru-chan: "― to the park ―"
Yuta: "― and,"
Haru-chan: "― to the doughnuts shop ―"
Yuta: "― and,"
Haru-chan: "― to the aquarium ―"
Yuta: "― and,"
- April 30
I'm Sorry
Last night, Yuta started to cry all of a sudden. When I asked why, he said he was hungry. I laughed, but he told me off saying, "It's not a laughing matter!"
drawing contest
- May 22
A Happy Surprise
Yesterday my fellow teacher, Ms. M, saw some students of mine in the school cafeteria. They graduated from our senior high school this spring.
"I heard something surprising from them."
"Surprising?"
"Yes. Remember Mr. S?"
"Mr. S in class 3, and your badminton boy."
"A-ha. He scored the best in the English course at university."
"You're kidding."
"No, that's what I've heard."
"I don't get it. His English was... well..."
"A-ha. Not one of the best. But he kept listening to English in your class for the last three years, and who knows, he's now the only student who can understand what the lecturer, a native speaker of English, is talking about."
(I teach Enlgish in English, not in Japanese)
Back at home, I celebrated with a glass of beer :)
- May 30
Simple Gesture
A former student and I went to a Chinese restaurant after school yesterday. Masahiro, who I taught many years ago, graduated from my high school, and this week came back to the school as a student teacher.
He worked for a company after graduating from university, but quit the job where his co-workers and he had almost nothing to do the whole day; some even stayed in the restroom all day long, probably enjoying their smartphone.
Masahiro now wants to be a math teacher. He was one of the most mischievous boys, and the smartest. I think he'll make a good teacher.
During the dinner with him, I somehow remembered something that changed my life when I was 25 years old.
I had a terminal cancer in those days, and some of my friends came to visit me in the hospital.
One of them was Mr. Kumabe, who was one of the senior members from my university's Shorinji Kempo club. He came all the way from Tokyo to Fukuoka.
He was with another senior, and the two encouraged me a lot in the hospital room.
After the two had left, Mr. Kumabe came back to my room, saying he had left his bag. He then said to me, "You are the Kyushu champion. Do not give in."
I encouraged Masahiro, saying he was one of the smartest boys of mine, and I was proud of him passing the T University.
I hope my words meant something for Masahiro, as Mr.Kumabe's did so in my life.
- June 12
No Teacher Is Perfect
This morning a teacher at my school told others that he had seen a student with his legs on the desk and a fan in his hand in another teacher's English class.
The English teacher (I'm in charge of her education this school year, by the way) has just graduated from university, and still has many things to learn. I didn't like the way the fellow teacher kept complaining all morning here and there in the teachers' room, even within her earshot.
No teacher is perfect at the starting line, and school is supposed to be a place where teachers and students make mistakes, trying to become a better person. So tolerance is an important ingredient in education, in my book. Besides, he should have realized that there are short and young female teachers who are afraid of telling off big students; age doesn't matter here. Teachers have to cooperate as a team.
I gave her the following homework;
1) Let a stuffed animal hold a fan.
2) Scold him.
Yuta jumps down from a chair and says, "Ninja."
- June 15
Comedian
In one English lesson out of seven, my students demonstrate their oral English in front of everyone in the classroom. To be exact, I pick up cards at random to choose one student after another, and they make a one-minute speech based on the topic of the day. I use the microphone and the amplifier so that the smallest voice can be heard and shared. We talked about our favorite movie today.
There's this popular kid in my class, Yuta. When the class had about two minutes left, I said, "Any volunteers?" Then all the students looked at Yuta and said, "Ahem."
"Yuta," I said, then everyone started to laugh and cheer.
Yuta went up to the front, picked up the microphone and started to talk about his favorite movie, "Home Alone."
"There is a, well, a boy in the house. And there are adults, bad, bad adults, yes. And the boy puts obstacles in the house. (Walks to the left) Well, put, put, put, put. (Walks to the right) And then the bad man touches the door ― OUCH!!"
(outburst of laughter in the classroom)
- June 22
Dessert Rules
My wife took me and our children to the public bath last night. It was Father's Day yesterday in Japan.
After taking a bath, we passed by the restaurant on the second floor, where we usually eat dinner. Then Haru-chan suggested we go into the restaurant for dinner. My wife told her that we were eating at the restaurant on the first floor, but she wouldn't listen. "I gotta eat ice cream here!" She shouted.
Finally Haru-chan gave in and reluctantly followed us to the first floor.
Right next to the entrance gate was a dessert section, full of all sorts of desserts; cake, pudding, many kinds of fruit, ice cream and many others.
Haru-chan turned to her mother and said,
"Mommy, let's sit here."
- June 27
Her Plan
(Haru-chan believes that people become stars when they die.)
"Grandma, I will save you so that you won't become a star and go up to the sky."
"You will? How nice of you. But how?"
"Well, I'll hop on your back."
- June 28
Po...?
(A Japanese superstition goes, "If you whistle at night, you'll see a snake.")
When I was whistling in the kitchen yesterday, Haru-chan talked to me.
"Daddy, stop whistling."
"Ah, why?"
"Because a snake will come."
"A snake."
"A-ha."
"How come?"
"That's what I've learned at nursery."
"Gee. Out of curiosity, Haru-chan, what kind of snakes do you think will come to me if I whistle? Are they big ones or the ones as small as an earthworm?"
"Poisonous snakes."
- July 6
Fifteen Years
July is the busiest month for me. I've been at work for 15 hours a day on average last week. Yesterday I slept till noon because I couldn't get up; my backache was killing me. In the afternoon, though, my family and I went out for some windowshopping. My wife suggested we go to an Izakaya bar for dinner after shopping.
When we reached the Izakaya, my heart skipped a beat; it was the very Izakaya I went to 15 years ago. In those days, I was 25 and a student teacher.
In Japan you have to go through two-week lecture/practice-teaching at a school to get a teacher's license.
There were two other teachers who were studying and practiced teaching at the school back then. Three of us decided to get together at the Izakaya for a beer party on the last day at school.
"What a coincidence. Remember anything about this Izakaya?" My wife asked.
"It's weird, but I don't remember anything. Was it really this Izakaya?" I said.
I even forgot the two other trainee teachers' names, after all these years.
I was drinking beer and thought about how far I've come.
In those days I was broke, single, wasn't sure whether or not I could be a school teacher ( The competitiveness is extremely high in Japan). I even had my parents pay my pension in those days.
Now I'm a school teacher, Health Care Chief, Special Support Education Chief of a senior high school of 2,500 students, leader of English teachers for first graders, in charge of four different entrance exams. I'm advisor of a new English teacher.
And I'm a father of three children.
I wondered if the other two trainee teachers had become a teacher too. One was a 22 year-old energetic university student. His history lecture was awesome. The other was a 25 year-old woman. She was taking the correspondence course for education from Bukkyo University like me, so we hit it off and were encouraging each other. She cried on the last day at school, not wanting to say goodbye to the students.
Then I vividly remembered Ms. Yamada, who was in charge of my education. She was an enthusiastic and humorous English teacher. Sacrificing her lessons, she let me teach her class many times so that I could be experienced. I learned from her what it really takes to be a good teacher.
I remembered how much I kept complaining about my work, and felt ashamed. I had forgotten how blessed I was. "I didn't become a teacher all by myself", I said to myself.
- August 3
I Care
My daughters and I talked after dinner last evening.
Haru: "Daddy, you'll take me to Nishimatsuya Shop tomorrow, won't you? I want new pajamas, skirts and ..."
Tomo: "But pajamas and skirts are expensive."
Haru: "I don't care."
- August 6
Mr. Hungry
(Udon are Japanese white thick noodles, and gyoza are Chinese dumplings)
When he got home yesterday, Yuta said,
"I'm home! Is dinner Udon today?"
"No. We'll eat gyoza tonight."
"Gyoza and udon?"
- August 14
Reporter
My wife was busy cleaning the house this morning, so I decided to cook lunch today. I felt like eating yakisoba noodles, but before going to the supermarket, I asked her if there was anything she wanted to eat. She answered, "Yakisoba noodles."
My eldest daughter, Tomoka, was busy doing her summer homework, so the other two children and I went to the supermarket.
It was hot, so I bought them a bottle of melon juice after the shopping.
"Do not tell your sis that you two drank juice at the supermarket," I ordered them. Tomoka will get mad at that.
"Gotcha," they said, drinking the juice.
When we got home, Yuta opened the doors and yelled,
"We're home! We didn't drink anything!"
- September 4
Occasional Father
Yuta is sometimes mean to me. This is probably because he's mimicking what his big sisters do to me. During dinner, they always chant, "No more umeshu (Japanese plum whiskey), Daddy!" He no longer allows me to kiss him on the cheek.
Last night, it started to rain cats and dogs suddenly. The windows started to tremble and make sounds. Yuta then crawled up to me slowly and held on my leg. I held him up to my chest and hugged him to sleep.
- September 5
Girl
This morning I gave a plate of milk to my pet cat, Kuromi. Haru-chan joined me.
"Yummy, Kuromi? Daddy, Kuromi's a cute girl, isn't she?"
"A-ha. But Kuromi isn't a girl. She's twelve. She's a grandma."
"No, she isn't."
"Yes, she is. She should be sixty or seventy by human standards."
"She hasn't had a baby. And that makes Kuromi a girl."
Kuromi in 2005
Kuromi in 2015
- September 8
Exception
Yuta has recently started to refuse what I tell him to do. His pet phrase is "Yada(Nope)."
"Yuta, put away the toys in the living room."
"Yada."
"Yuta, help me to find my wallet."
"Yada."
"Yuta, go tell everyone that dinner is ready."
"Gotcha."
(He knows that we won't start dinner unless everyone is at the table)
- September 9
Third Degree
Yuta hates to go to the bathroom at night. But he sometimes wets himself, so my wife and I make him pee before going to bed.
Last night, he wouldn't go to the toilet no matter how many times I told him to, so I gave up and we went to bed together.
Minutes later, my wife came in the bedroom and asked Yuta if he had peed.
"Yuta, did you go to the bathroom?"
"Yep."
"Are you sure?"
"...Yep."
"Yuta, if you don't go to the bathroom, you may wet yourself again."
"I went."
"Okay, good. Then, I'll ask your daddy if you have gone to the bathroom. Okay with you?"
"Nope."
"Why not? I mean, you told me that you'd gone to the bathroom."
"Yes."
"All right then. Honey, did Yuta pee?"
(Yuta turned to me and repeatedly nodded with his eyes wide open as if to say, "Say yes, Daddy.")
- September 12
I Know?
On my way to my homeroom class yesterday, two students of mine came up. They had just finished P.E and were on their way to the classroom.
One of the two said, "I heard that you will be at the singing contest hall tomorrow. Is that right?"
I replied, "Yes, I will, but as a judge, not a singer."
Then she said, "I know, I know."
- September 24
Wrong
On Keiro-no-hi (the Respect-for-the-Aged Day) this year, my family and I ate sushi. Haru-chan asked her grandmother what Keiro-no-hi was. Tomo-chan laughed and explained.
"Oh, my. You don't know what Keiro-no-hi is? Huh, five years old. All right, let me expain it to you. Ahem. Keiro-no-hi means your grandma and grandpa's birthday."
- October 2
You Mean, Dinner
Yesterday was my 9th wedding anniversary. So I told my wife that I would buy some cakes on my way home.
When I got home, Haru-chan ran to me, hugged me and yelled,
"Welcome back! Where's the cake?"
(It was the first hug in months. I named it a "cake hug.")
"Here they are. You're going to eat it after dinner. Got it?"
"Got it, got it."
"Good. Now, go get your sister and brother. Dinner looks almost ready."
"Gotcha. Yuta, sis! Cake is ready!"
- October 8
Sports Day
The other day, my family and I went to my daughter's nursery to see Sports Day. It was a perfect autumn day, and lots of families were there.
During the sprint, a girl wouldn't start no matter what the teachers said to her. A teacher told her something and took her to the last runners' group. I thought the girl wouldn't run again, but she ran. To my surprise, she DOUBLED ― the teacher took her to her twin sister!
I saw a boy with a broken arm. I felt sorry for him, when he started to announce the rules of the match on the microphone. He then went to the Japanese taiko drum to play it. With the taiko beats, children dashed onto the grounds.
Nursery teachers are much smarter and greater than me.
- October 16
Nice Try
Haru-chan spotted a lozenge bag in my car the other day. She asked me to give her one, but I refused and told her it was not a candy, but a lozenge for sore throats.
She thought for a while, and coughed twice.
- October 21
Education
My wife was a little tired having worked many hours at work, and fell asleep before she did the dishes the other day. During dinner last night, her mother started to complain a little about it, saying back in her thirties she never failed to wash the dishes no matter how late it was at night, no matter how tired she was.
Hearing that, our little daughter Tomo-chan cut in,
"Grandma, no complaints during the meals. Meals are supposed to be a fun time; that's what you always say."
"You're right, Tomo-chan." She smiled.
- October 22
Clothes Swap Party
My students and I enjoyed a clothes swap party in an Engish class yesterday.
One student after another went up to the teacher's desk, picked up the microphone, and showed and introduced their old clothes, CDs, books and so on. The biggest purpose was for the students to give away something they didn't need to a new owner.
One boy introduced a Spider Man T-shirt, a small one, probably because he got it when he was much younger. I kind of wanted it for Tomo-chan and was about to go to him during the exchange time, when a girl student got it. She looked very pleased with the T-shirt.
- November 6
Tomo's Hair
Tomo-chan had a piano grading the other day. My wife set her hair with hairpins and an Alice band and told her not to touch her hair till the test was over.
I couldn't remember when her hair had become so long. I was looking at it and somehow remembered a photo from our honeymoon; my wife was looking out the window of the tour bus.
- November 16
Three?
Last weekend, my family and I went to a department store to buy Tomo-chan's birthday present. She'll turn 8 on November 20.
She asked me and my wife to buy her a shogi set (a type of Japanese chess), so I picked one up and showed it to her. She then spotted something else on the same shelf. She asked me to buy a Donjara game (a type of mahjong) too.
While my wife and I were going to the cashier, she insisted we buy one game for her birthday and the other for Christmas. I agreed and put the Donjara game back on the shelf.
On the car, I talked to Tomo-chan.
"I put the Donjara game back, Tomo."
"Put the Don ― how come!"
"Well, the number of birthday presents is supposed to only be one. And your mom and I decided to go with the original plan, shogi."
"How could you do such a thing! I said I wanted Donjara too!"
"You may get it on Christmas."
"Impossible! Now I have to ask Santa for THREE gifts!"
- November 19
Unsolved Case
My three children have started to eat a lot, and sometimes try to eat from my or my wife's plates. My wife usually uses plates half as big as ours for children.
Last night, I came back from the bathroom to find a smaller plate placed at my seat at the dinner table.
I asked them, "Now, who switched the plates?"
"Beats me." "Beats me." "Beats me." they said.
- December 10
Come again?
I assign an English vocab quiz at the beginning of every class of mine, and those who fail to score 4 out of 5 points need to write the words / phrases they haven't remembered 20 times before they go home.
Most students come to my home classroom to hand in the penalty sheet, probably because they hate going to the teachers' room.
Yesterday after school, I was leaving my home classroom when a girl student ran up to me and said, "Will you wait for me till I finish writing today's penalty? I mean, it won't take too long."
I asked, "Okay. How many more times are you going to write the word?"
"Nineteen. Oh, and plus another sheet of vocab quiz." she said.
- December 17
You Can't Hurry Mustard
Tomo-chan has started to add some mustard when she eats natto. Yuta asked her if it was okay for him to eat some mustard too. She said no, insisting mustard is for adults. (note: Tomo-chan is EIGHT)
Yuta thought for a while and then said, "I'll be an adult tomorrow."
Tomo-chan asked, "Okay, but how?"
"I'll sleep a lot tonight," Yuta answered.
- December 24
Makes Sense
At the end of every school term, my students enjoy Vocabulary Tournament in my English lesson. Here's what they do: Two students come up to the front, pick up the microphone and get ready. I first give the first letter of a target word twice, and then the Japanese word. Students are to translate the Japanese into English, and of course, the fastest is the winner. Here's an example battle;
Me: "B. B. じてんしゃ."
Student: "Bicycle!"
I use microphones so that everyone in the classroom can hear the voice; some of the students aren't used to speaking up in front of everyone. Although this is a game, I want it to be part of my lecture. It's a tournament, so the winners move on to the next battle. I gave medals to the top three students and took a group photo.
There was this student who lost in the first round but kept murmuring the answer in his seat. In one battle, he yelled, "Yes, that's the word I was going to say!" Students around him teased him saying, "Give me a break! How come you know that difficult one?" He replied, "I know the word because I failed to write it in the vocab quiz the other day." (Laughter in the class)
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