2020-10

#782 Kids are unexpected creatures for me sometimes.

Kids are unexpected creatures for me sometimes.

One day a 4th grade boy suddenly lay his face down on the desk in my lesson. When I called his name, he didn’t answer. Then I walked close to him and called his name many times. He didn’t respond at all. I bended my body and tried to look at his face from under his desk but I couldn’t see his face. Then I touched his shoulder and called his name again. I found that his back was sweating so much.

Since it was a hot day, I thought that maybe he was not feeling well. I panicked because he didn’t respond to me. Could it be a heat stroke!?

I ran out from the classroom and went to the office and said, “one of my students is sick!” Other three teachers came to my class and one teacher called his name. The boy rose up his head. I looked at his face and he looked fine. But he was crying.

As soon as I realized he was fine and he was just crying, I was embarrassed of my over-reaction. I immediately apologized to the three teachers for my hasty action.
Since the boy got a bad score at the quiz, he felt sad and cried. The other teachers were used to these kinds of behavior, so they were not surprised and left the classroom.
Other students surrounded him and tried to cheer him up.

Although he was still upset, I started my lesson again. I said “hey, ○○(the boy’s name), you can take part in our lesson whenever you like.”
Near the end of the lesson, when we were playing games, suddenly he said, “I want to join the game!”

Then we played a bit and finished the lesson as usual.

All students left the classroom. I was alone and began to reflect on what happened today. I still couldn’t understand his tears. I know that he didn’t do his homework at all, so it was only natural that he got such a low score. Why was he frustrated? If he did his homework but still got a low score, I could understand his frustration.

Most important thing is that all my students like English. I try to give them proper encouragement and boost their skills. And sometimes I have to understand their complicated feelings and unexpected actions, too. As a teacher, you always learn along with your students.

Small joy!!(2020.10)

2020-10-29 | Posted in English2 Comments » 

 

#783 Autumn is for reading.(読書の秋)~Western mysterious stories~

There is an old saying in Japan that says, “Autumn is for reading”.
Lately I bought several books to read. Let me talk about one of them.

My favorite author Nakano Kyoko released her new book「中野京子の西洋奇譚」(Western mysterious stories). There are 21 stories, including my favorite Dracula, in the book. (I’ve attended “Dracula seminar” before.)
It’s not only about stories. This book tells the background history, mystery, and funny things.
I didn’t know that the ghost of President Abraham Lincoln haunts the White House, but it seems the myth is quite famous.
Other story such as “Do dogs commit suicide?”

The most interesting story was the Dyatlov Pass incident in Russia in 1959. 9 Russian hikers died in the mountain. The cause of death is still unsolved. For me, Russia itself is a mysterious country.

There are many books and movies about the stories in the book. I’ll check and follow some of the stories.

Halloween is coming isn’t it? Why don’t you read some mysterious stories?

Small joy!(2020.10.16)

My previous article about Dracula ↓

2020-10-23 | Posted in English4 Comments » 

 

#784 Fetch your body! 自分の(理想の)体を手に入れる!

I like the NHK TV program “Tubuyaki Eigo” (世界にいいね!つぶやき英語) and I watch it often.
Today, I’d like to share with you a training method mentioned in the show. It is called the “TABATA Training”.

TABATA Training” is one of the popular “HIIT” training methods in the world. “HIIT” means High-Intensity Interval Training.
The name “TABATA” comes from Dr. Tabata Izumi from Ritsumeikan University, who is the inventor of the training.
He explains that “TABATA Training” enables us to improve both aerobic and anaerobic energy-releasing systems.
The training method is (20 seconds on + 10 seconds rest) x 8 = 4 mins.
The exercise is not easy, but I think it is very effective.
If you continue to do it for only 4 minutes a day, you definitely will change your body.

You don’t need a lot of time and any exercise equipment. Let’s do it!

YouTube link: Tabata Protocol

Other YouTube link:【最強 “たった4分” で脂肪燃焼!】TABATA(タバタ)式 “HIIT” 全身トレーニングでどこでもダイエット

Small joy!!(2020.10)

2020-10-12 | Posted in English4 Comments »