2008.10.27-31

On the 27th, I went to Nishi Nakada ES. It was fun. Not much to report.
The other days I stayed at my school. Not much to really report from that. I'm slowly learning some more names. Got taught a word that, if I had just begun learning Japanese, I probably shouldn't know, but I've learned Japanese for long enough to feel fine knowing yet another naughty word. I think my inability to learn some of the names of the students is getting on their nerves as noted by "え、もう教えた" and then lack of name giving again. Damn retardation in the area of name remembering. Feel in love with the first years again through Halloween activities and with third years through...talking with them. I think I could fall in love with the second years if I were there more often...but I'm not, so it's kinda hard to do that.
Tests in two weeks. That should be fun.

Oh, also had a pretty big earthquake Wednesday night/Thursday morning. And by pretty big, I mean it's the biggest I've ever felt but it really wasn't that big.

2008.10.24

Today was a full day. I had 5 third year classes, and one first year class. It was pretty good. Tiring, but good. The teachers and I didn't have time to make a lesson, so I just came in and walked around the classroom. Perhaps not the most entertaining lesson, but it was enough for me. I got to do a dialogue with a few of them. It was pretty good. Luckily I was able to memorize my lines.
Not many booze, since I really don't have many left...although I did buy two beers...but I didn't finish even one.

2008.10.23

More first year fun times. More popping in through windows. More strange looks from the other teachers and I'm crouching outside a window waiting to pop up and tell everyone what time it is in America and how the weather is. It was rather cold today. Rather. But, it was fun. I didn't really startle anymore students...unfortunately...or fortunately...I'm not sure which.
Today was also 'Viking' lunch - basically a buffet for a couple of third year classes and their teachers. It was pretty fun. I didn't eat anything, but hung out with the students and started to try to remember names; my next goal in this experiment of teaching. It turns out, they don't seem to hate me, so life is good. The least I can do for them is to remember their names.
More booze, and more bread, and more movies.

2008.10.21

I had some fun with first years since second years didn't have normal classes today (it's a special week revolving around dreams and the future). After that, I went to a seminar about Classroom Management. It was pretty good. It turns out I'm a "Firm but Fair-style" teacher. Yeah for me. Second was the "Laissez-faire style," but #1 is clearly #1. "Authoritarian" came in just about as last as you can get. There's another style, but I'll leave that one a mystery. ...I'm too lazy to turn the page back over.
Came home, and watched some movies, and typed up my speech for tomorrow, and picked out what parts of what movies to show. It took forever, but I did it. The speech is about 8 pages long. This is really going to suck.

2008.09.24

I had some fun with the first years today. I met 1-6 finally. That was fun. Did my self-intro and then played Hangman for the rest of class.
Other than that, not much to report. I feel like a slacker and really want to go get drunk with friends, but I teach elementary school tomorrow so that means a full night of sleep and half a pot of coffee tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll watch a movie...