“May I just say… hi. How ya doin?”
Sorry for the silence, all. Or just you. Hi, you. Happy New Year.
My last post was December 11th, almost two months ago. In the time between then and now, I took the top level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT N1), visited my family back in the homeland, met my adorable niece, took my wife to a neat little hotel and hot spring for her birthday, and taught a whole bunch of classes.
My results for the JLPT N1 came back, too. I passed. No big deal (it’s actually a huge deal to me), just don’t have any higher level JLPTs to take (I could totally take the kanji tests if I weren’t so lazy, so that’s just an excuse to rest on my laurels).
Other than that, I’m not sure what kept me from at least posting an update. I actually did an exercise to help me focus towards the end of last year to push myself through some work. I had an assignment to make for my students and couldn’t get started on it, so I tried to psych myself up. I started by asking myself questions about what I wanted to achieve, and I typed this all out.
Then, I started answering. Not sure how many of you can relate, but I feel like I don’t control the entirety of my brain. When I ask questions internally, sometimes I get answers in a similar voice. I typed the ensuing dialogue out, and italicized the questions. The italicized voice feels more critical but less under my control. The standard text is the voice I feel I have more control over, and it feels more like my own. You can read it after the jump.
What do you want?
I want more direction.
What do you want your students to do in class?
I want them to use their brains to communicate in English.
Really?
Actually, I want them to use their brains.
Is that too much to ask them?
I don’t think so. I’m a teacher, I could be asking them to do more. I don’t like being the kind of teacher that gives too much work.
That’s just because you like when students like you. Is that your job? For students to like you?
Partly, but I’m kind of seeing your point. Go on.
See, I know it’s important for your company that you are well liked at the school, and I know you have fun talking with the students, but you have to realize that you are not their friend and you can’t be. I mean, you’re 30. It doesn’t feel old to you anymore, but what did you think of people who were 30 when you were their age?
You mean like Mr. M? I thought we thought on a similar level, even though he was more mature than I.
No, that doesn’t count. Mr. M was not the average 30 year old. How many 30 year olds did you know back then?
Not many. I can only really remember people around my parents’ age or my teachers’ ages.
Then think about that. How many teachers were you close friends with?
Better question for you, though. In classes where I felt close to the teacher, how much of the information did I retain?
That’s kind of a screwball there. I mean, it’s been so long since you’ve been in classes, you’ve forgot most of the things you learned, old man.
So I retained information I enjoyed, or information I received through making mistakes. How do I use this revelation to teach children something I think will be useful for them years down the line?
Who told you these things had to be useful years down the line? How long was the information you learned in middle school or high school useful to you?
During high school and college…
Exactly. You just need to teach them what they need for now or the next step up, so worry about that.
Yeah, but I want them to have a good time with it, too.
Well, when you start a class afresh next year, tailor your class to be like that, but you’ve got a lot to work on. Look, come back again after you’ve got an activity printed and we’ll start working on it. Fair enough?
Fair enough. Let’s get crackin’.(fin)
So how did this all work out? It went well, though I didn’t come back and continue typing after the assignment was made. The next day, I continued the dialogue after looking back on the first one. I think that day was a bit more laid back, and things got a bit silly. I’ll post it later.
stevemanly 