This past weekend saw the annual "bunkasai" at the four junior high schools here in Takahata. This cultural festival coincides with the national holiday held in Japan. It has been a busy few weeks leading up to this event.
At each of the schools, each class prepares a choral presentation with one student paying the piano and another conducting. Each class perform a set song that every class in their grade sings and another of their choice. Hours of practice go into these performances, before and after school, in readiness for the competition. Students also produce a play that they perform which also involves hours of practice and set buildijg etc.
The standard of these performances is first class and this year I was able to attend the bunkasai at Ichu. Congratulations to all the students and their teachers for the great effort. You work very hard for this and it certainly pays off. A wonderful experience for me again this year! Thank you!!
Greg
My name is Yumiko Handa．I ‘m teaching students a t the first Junior High School.
I want to talk about morning our school .
Students come to school by bikes every morning. If it is rainy,they
wear raincoats and ride bikes. There is a lot of parking area here.
It's possible to park about 300 bikes.
There are some some students ,Oendan who are sort of cheer leader .
They always greet students and teachers every morning
They hit the drum once and say ‘ Ohayougozaimasu!’
Japan is now ablaze with fall colors. It’s so beautiful.
There are about 70 cherry trees in our school. The leaves are also great but they are falling in Japan. We are a little sad. The road is filled with red leaves. Japanese call this ‘Koyo’.
Members of the tennis club are cleaning the school road with brooms in the morning or after school.
We have four seasons in Japan : spring , summer , fall and winter. Each season has a different beauty. Now, fall has come to our town. It’s getting cold but I like fall very much.
Fall turns the leaves different colors: red , yellow , orange and purple. They’re so beautiful!!
Most of the trees in our schoolyard have already turned . Soon, all the mountains surrounding our town will be decorated colorfully by colored leaves.
I’m going to go maple viewing; called ‘momijigari’ , on the weekend. My heart will be cleaned and refreshed by their beauty.
See you…
http://www.timwerx.net/language/englished.htm
Found this article on the internet and thought you may be interested. It looks at the perception many foreigners have of English education in Japan. Let's try and avoid this situation and look at ways we can encourage our students to use the grammar they learn from the text book in "real" communication!
The question I often ask is, "Why do all students in Japan study English in junior high school?" And, if you know the answer to that one, then why do all students in Japan study English at high school? So far so good? Then why do so many Japanese study English at university?
Please write your answers here.
Cheers
Greg
Konnichiwa!
My name is Greg Davis and I am an English teacher in Takahata. This is the first time for me to use this blog so I thought I would introduce myself. I come from Singleton, NSW in Australia. Singleton is a small town in the Hunter Valley, about two and a half hours north of Sydney.
In 1994, Mr Suzuki, Superintendent of the Takahata Board of Education, came to Singleton with the first group of students and, as an English teacher at Singleton High School, I was asked to host him and also teach an English class to the students. That lead to to the annual visits to Singleton and also to my being asked to come to Takahata in 2000 to help teach English here.
I was initially to stay for one year but that turned into two, during which a sister-school relationship was established between Singleton High and Takahata Senior High Schools. I then went back to Australia but wanted to return to my new home of Takahata so came back here in 2002 and have been here ever since (and want to stay here forever!!!)
I started my career as an elementary school teacher before retraining to teach English at junior and senior high schools in Australia and have since done a diploma course in teaching English as a foreign language. I've been teaching now for 23 years but the past seven have been the best. I am able to work in both junior high schools and elementary schools and I LOVE IT!
This blog will be a great way for all of us to share our ideas about teaching English and I also hope to be able to add information on a regular basis. Looking forward to reading what you all have to say!
Ganbarimashou ne!
Greg
This blog has been just made for giving messages from Takahata. The English Teachers will update this blog from time to time. We would like you to check this. It would be great if you give us comments on it.