Back to School

After a month of dossing, it was time to start "work". My job is basically to entertain the kids during their English lessons. I teach at two junior high schools (ages 12-15) - both small rural schools with less than 200 pupils in each. However, the two schools are quite different.

At one (Kamisho) the kids are very well behaved, and their English level is high. They are motivated to learn, and there's no messing during lessons. I really enjoy teaching here, as lessons are basically fun time for all.

At the other (Shotoku) - the kids are more streetwise, but less well behaved, and there are a few rude boys in the pack. This makes my job a little more difficult, but it's still fun for the vast majority of the time. Some of the kids can do backflips and somersaults, so when I'm bored, I hunt them down, and make them perform for me. My predecesor didn't like this school much, but so far, it's going well for me. I have made friends with the Principal and Vice Principal and we recently went on a fishing trip together, which I'll tell you about another time.

At both schools the teachers are friendly, although most of them don't speak much English ( not in school anyway) so conversations are generally short lived. However, during office parties (enkais) which are an important part of teacher life, after the asahi, sake, and shochu start flowing, English suddenly seems to appear from nowhere, and the teachers are keen to chat.

Both schools are set in beautiful surroundings; mountains, trees, and rice paddys everwhere, and both have koi carp pools. At kamisho there is even a school dog, so in times of boredom I head to the kennel and take Shiro (white) for a stroll.

I normally teach two or three classes per day, and always with another japense teacher, so it's normally quite fun. It's true that the Japanese work hard - I come in at 8 and leave around 4. They come in no later than 7:45 and wont leave till 6 or 7, or sometimes even 10 or 11! The kids also stay after lessons for "club activities" such as baseball, taiko drumming or brass band, and have to come to school on Saturday for this too, so don't have much free time.

My work load is perfect. There is enough to keep me busy, what with making Harry Potter work sheets, or designing new £1 notes for the Royal Bank of Baldwin, but there is always time to surf the net, go for a wander, or learn some kanji.

Although I know it's early days, so far, so good.