Day 13: Open School Day

Today is Saturday, but Notre Dame Elementary actually had classes today. Once a year they have an “open school day,” in which parents are invited to join the classes and observe the lessons of their children’s teachers. After breakfast, Mrs. Nagasaku and I took the JR to Kyoto and the subway to Matsugasaki station near Notre Dame Elementary. The other teachers and I had a morning meeting before all of the classes began.

My lessons for the day were taught with the English teachers Miko Sensei and Afrela Sensei. Before our first class we put the final touches on our lesson. Here is the basic outline of the lesson we created:

1. Greeting and Hello, Happy Day song

2. Months of the year song with the names on the TV screen

3. Tailspin story and sequencing

a. Read cards and place on the blackboard

b. Act out drama of story with Afrela and Miko

c. Have students close their eyes and then identify the missing pieces

d. Mix the parts of the story on the board and have the students place them in the correct order

4. New song: Body Parts (I learned to play it on the guitar for our lessons)

5. Body parts review: students match terms to pictures and then play a relay race game with the cards

6. Goodbye, and see you later.

The parents and the kids loved the lesson we put together. Miko and Afrela always make their lessons fun for the kids and also include a number of different activities in each lesson. Providing a variety of activities is a fun and effective way to teach. I am glad that I was an equal part in the creation and implementation of the lesson. I love to play the guitar, so that was awesome too. We will be repeating the lesson next week to the other third grade classes.

Lunch today was eaten in the classrooms. I joined the third graders in room ten for some sushi and green tea. The students in room ten all stood up, faced me, bowed, and thanked me for being part of their class for the week. After a math lesson it was time for the day’s final prayer, and the day was over. Mrs. Nagasaku and her daughter, Ai, picked me up at school and we went to a nearby French crepe shop for some food. I actually ordered a hamburger, my first since being in Japan. The three of us went to a place much like Universal Studios called Eiga-mura. I was tired, but it was an interesting place to be. I dressed as a samurai, threw throwing stars, and watched rehearsal for a Japanese television show. The best part of the day, though, was when we watched three actors sword fight outside; they asked for volunteers after their performance and Mrs. Nagasaku raised my hand! So, I ended up with a sword in my hand and one of the actors and I pretended to fight. He asked me if I understood Japanese, while a large crowd had gathered to watch, and I told him I understand a little. Luckily he only asked me my name, so I could answer the question.

I was exhausted by the time we got back to the Nagasaku’s house. Mrs. Nagasaku made some curry and chicken for dinner, which was delicious. My internet doesn’t work very well here, so the nights are not very productive. It didn’t take long for me to head to my room and go to sleep. Sleep is one of the few things that are the same over here.