More than anything else, I probably would never have remembered the names of those great Renaissance artists, if it wasn't for that great cartoon of our childhoods.
My favourite was Donatello, Shireen had Michealangelo, Bich had Leonardo and Joe had Raphael. It was perfect!
I also have that show to thank for the great concept of ice cream pizza. Gorgeous.
Showing posts with label kiddies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kiddies. Show all posts
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Thursday, 21 January 2010
#21: Duck!
Today, I had to review the past simple and past continuous tenses in narrative form to a bunch 12yr olds who've already done this subject a billion times over. Right before the lesson started, I thought "Screw It" and did a paper airplane competition with them instead. Managed to wrangle some kinda educational context outta it by letting the winners decide the flow of narratives.
Ended up being one of our most productive lessons ever. Go figure.
Ended up being one of our most productive lessons ever. Go figure.
Thursday, 14 January 2010
#14: Bliss
I have two kids classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The first class is basically a bitch. They're not all bad, but generally the worst ones love to perform that subtle form of psychological bullying that as a teacher, the most you can do is to stop it when you spot it - but tricky to do without disrupting the class too much/showing favouritism/taking too much dignity away from the victims. There's a ridiculous and surprising amount of politics that go on in that particular elementary-level classroom. Generally, I need every minute of the 2hr session just to be able to get the minimum of the set course done.
The second class, in contrast, takes all that frustration from the first class and just fly-kicks it out the window. They'll talkback to the teacher as well, but its all in cheek and playfulness and in the end - they always listen and find themselves having fun without the spite. By the time I get to the end of the 90minute session of this class - I'm surrounded by laughter and lit up smiles and I'm loving my job again.
The age range of the first class is around 9-12yrs old, the second class goes from 7-11yrs. The only real differences between them are their maturity and their levels of ability - the older class is several grades ahead of the younger class. Intellectually - both classes are just as smart as each other. If the second class had been exposed to English just a few years earlier - they would easily be a match for the first class.
But then again, maybe then they would have also lost that sense of innocence that allows them to have fun without the need to put down fellow students at every opportunity.
Though another opportunity to be able to put some serious foot to arse towards the future of our generation makes my job just that lil bit more fun. ^^
The first class is basically a bitch. They're not all bad, but generally the worst ones love to perform that subtle form of psychological bullying that as a teacher, the most you can do is to stop it when you spot it - but tricky to do without disrupting the class too much/showing favouritism/taking too much dignity away from the victims. There's a ridiculous and surprising amount of politics that go on in that particular elementary-level classroom. Generally, I need every minute of the 2hr session just to be able to get the minimum of the set course done.
The second class, in contrast, takes all that frustration from the first class and just fly-kicks it out the window. They'll talkback to the teacher as well, but its all in cheek and playfulness and in the end - they always listen and find themselves having fun without the spite. By the time I get to the end of the 90minute session of this class - I'm surrounded by laughter and lit up smiles and I'm loving my job again.
The age range of the first class is around 9-12yrs old, the second class goes from 7-11yrs. The only real differences between them are their maturity and their levels of ability - the older class is several grades ahead of the younger class. Intellectually - both classes are just as smart as each other. If the second class had been exposed to English just a few years earlier - they would easily be a match for the first class.
But then again, maybe then they would have also lost that sense of innocence that allows them to have fun without the need to put down fellow students at every opportunity.
Though another opportunity to be able to put some serious foot to arse towards the future of our generation makes my job just that lil bit more fun. ^^
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
#6: Connectivity
Today I was able to talk one of my students down from crying fits because he'd got a particularly low mark in his final test. It reminded me a lot of how one time I was able to talk my lil brother down from a raging tantrum by doing much the same thing - I just sat in front of them and tried to show that I understood just what they were thinking and worried about.
Never thought having the mentality of a 9yr old would come in so useful so many times.
Never thought having the mentality of a 9yr old would come in so useful so many times.
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Universal Constants: Missed Demographics & Poo Humour Transcends Translation
What was already established in Japan has now to be turned out to be also the case in Taiwan:
I'm befafflingly popular with kids under 10, and middle-aged housewives. Yet it's just that bit in the middle where it all goes eeeehh..... (O.-)
Hehe I'd be set if I was into older women... and adultery... or was just a pedo...
..Wait wha...? (O.O)
In other news, met a kindergarden teacher the other day with easily the best.kiddies.book.ever...
Three things:
- 1. Those are dung beetles.
- 2. There's a page that features a sloth with constipation.
- 3. There's a page that features a lion with the runs.
Everything is illustrated. In full colour. With different shades and everything.
Taiwan kids get a much fuller education than a person might expect... (^_^)
I'm befafflingly popular with kids under 10, and middle-aged housewives. Yet it's just that bit in the middle where it all goes eeeehh..... (O.-)
Hehe I'd be set if I was into older women... and adultery... or was just a pedo...
..Wait wha...? (O.O)
In other news, met a kindergarden teacher the other day with easily the best.kiddies.book.ever...
Three things:
- 1. Those are dung beetles.
- 2. There's a page that features a sloth with constipation.
- 3. There's a page that features a lion with the runs.
Everything is illustrated. In full colour. With different shades and everything.
Taiwan kids get a much fuller education than a person might expect... (^_^)
Friday, 31 August 2007
Domo Arigato Gozaimashita & Sayonara
It's not entirely unexpected that after spending up to 20months with a class, you end up with a kinda attachment that will invariably move a lil something inside when when one of you has to leave for good.
What was unexpected however, was that this actually happened with all my classes... even with the students I've only had for a coupla weeks. The number of lil sad faces, lil gifts and lil gestures that I've been shown in the past week has been something both amazing and like nothing that I've ever experienced before.
I really dunno what to say...
Thats what pictures are for.
Today was my last day as an English teacher in Japan.
What was unexpected however, was that this actually happened with all my classes... even with the students I've only had for a coupla weeks. The number of lil sad faces, lil gifts and lil gestures that I've been shown in the past week has been something both amazing and like nothing that I've ever experienced before.
I really dunno what to say...
Thats what pictures are for.
Today was my last day as an English teacher in Japan.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49755&l=537c3&id=539715383
Saturday, 17 March 2007
Goodies! II
One of my students, Mizuki, told me today that she would be unexpectedly moving down to Kyoto - and that today was actually her last lesson with me. It was a pretty sad moment - coz she'd only joined around 6 months ago and was really settling into the class really really well and was actually one of the reasons that made my Fridays enjoyable.
Also unexpected was the goodbye gift she gave me - a pretty CK hankerchief/towel thingy... I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it, but its possibly the most stylish present I have ever received from a 7yr old.
Also unexpected was the goodbye gift she gave me - a pretty CK hankerchief/towel thingy... I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it, but its possibly the most stylish present I have ever received from a 7yr old.
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