Day 34 - Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Day 34
Went to work very early again (Hey I'm on a roll)...I'm not sure if I mentioned that a part of my classes you should play a game with the kids...A PART OF EVERY SINGLE LESSON. The only challenge however (and this is at some schools, because others already know what games they want to play for that class) is to think up a different "interesting" game for them to play, which will actually make them learn... And it really takes nothing to get their interest...Just being there is enough. In a game with the grade five students today, there were 2 teams... Team A - Mario Brothers and Team B - Bleach (A Japanese animation cartoon)... The lesson was about different countries and their flags.. So the aim of the game was that a person from each team should run up and touch the flag of the country (which were already on the board) that I call...And the first one to touch the correct country flag. will get the point....For example...the class will shout "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" Then I will say, "I am from.....China" then they would race to touch the China flag (They were already told what country has what flag plus the name of the country is on the flag).
Ok. so there are about 14 - 16 ALTs in my area...4 of us with the company I work for (used to be 5 but 1 resigned). And all the others with JET... JET is organised by the Japanese Government. JET has all the Junior high and high schools in my area...While the company I work for has all the elementary schools. And this is especially for Stewart...JET is much more organised than my company and they also pay more money. However (don't know if you know this but) with JET, you can do only a certain amount of years, while with my thing you can stay here forever if you wish. Also with JET, you don't get a vehicle but a bicycle (and maybe is buy yuh have to buy it)...and with JET, the schools are normally pretty nearby, some of them walking distance...With my thing (for me) all the schools are as far as the east is from the west...some people get lucky and get only one school...but these people dem kill dem wid work....Also with JET you have to plan more...with me though I sit and wait for the teachers to give me a plan... Well that also maybe dependent on the area where they place you. They can probably even mix you up with high, jr. high and elementary... and again for my area, they put all the JET ALTs on one apartment complex...With my thing, you decide where u want to go...So in other words my thing is somewhat a bit more flexible in terms of living arrangements etc but JET them put yuh up and you pay less for rent as well because it's heavily subsidised by the government... I don't know, but maybe if I actually researched more about JET, I probably would have chosen them over my company (MAYBE)...Is jus dat all of dem have to a ride bicycle...all inna snow and rain...Only one of dem mi si wid car and is the girl from South Africa...and dem did even a tell har not to drive to school...But she seh shi nuh pay dem nuh mind. I see though where many of the JETs actually transferred over to the company I work for...I don't know if it is a love for Japan or dem tired a JET or is simply their contract up...
After work, I then went to the Gym with one of the JET ALTs (I got a free gym pass from someone at the Bible study yesterday). I did some weight training and some abs business, as well as some shoulder, chest and back-building exercises...stayed there for about 2 hours. (Cause mi want get tick, yuh si mi)...
Well likkle more fi now...
Went to work very early again (Hey I'm on a roll)...I'm not sure if I mentioned that a part of my classes you should play a game with the kids...A PART OF EVERY SINGLE LESSON. The only challenge however (and this is at some schools, because others already know what games they want to play for that class) is to think up a different "interesting" game for them to play, which will actually make them learn... And it really takes nothing to get their interest...Just being there is enough. In a game with the grade five students today, there were 2 teams... Team A - Mario Brothers and Team B - Bleach (A Japanese animation cartoon)... The lesson was about different countries and their flags.. So the aim of the game was that a person from each team should run up and touch the flag of the country (which were already on the board) that I call...And the first one to touch the correct country flag. will get the point....For example...the class will shout "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" Then I will say, "I am from.....China" then they would race to touch the China flag (They were already told what country has what flag plus the name of the country is on the flag).
So now one time I said, "I am from Italy" and a little girl from one of the teams run up and touch mussy Australia I think...And when the other team got the point for touching the correct flag....The likkle girl start bawl, shi neva stop till class done. I heard about this but it just break my heart to see them cry :( while the others are having a whale of a time...But di res a pikney dem neva business, game did haffi gwaan...And even though the likkle girl team win, shi neva stop bawl.
I got a call today at the school from the person who should come and install the internet in my apartment...They said that they will be there tomorrow (horayy). So one more thing I need to sign up and then I should have internet at home 3 to 4 weeks afterward...One month an add yuh haffi wait fi get internet (hiss teet).
After the classes, I went to the bank to change US currency to pay for ticket to go to Germany...This time they changed out all of it in yen (hooraayyy)...I then went to the 100 yen store and bought some more stuff for the apartment, like broom and cushion and dem tings deh.
ALTs in my Area
I got a call today at the school from the person who should come and install the internet in my apartment...They said that they will be there tomorrow (horayy). So one more thing I need to sign up and then I should have internet at home 3 to 4 weeks afterward...One month an add yuh haffi wait fi get internet (hiss teet).
After the classes, I went to the bank to change US currency to pay for ticket to go to Germany...This time they changed out all of it in yen (hooraayyy)...I then went to the 100 yen store and bought some more stuff for the apartment, like broom and cushion and dem tings deh.
ALTs in my Area
Ok. so there are about 14 - 16 ALTs in my area...4 of us with the company I work for (used to be 5 but 1 resigned). And all the others with JET... JET is organised by the Japanese Government. JET has all the Junior high and high schools in my area...While the company I work for has all the elementary schools. And this is especially for Stewart...JET is much more organised than my company and they also pay more money. However (don't know if you know this but) with JET, you can do only a certain amount of years, while with my thing you can stay here forever if you wish. Also with JET, you don't get a vehicle but a bicycle (and maybe is buy yuh have to buy it)...and with JET, the schools are normally pretty nearby, some of them walking distance...With my thing (for me) all the schools are as far as the east is from the west...some people get lucky and get only one school...but these people dem kill dem wid work....Also with JET you have to plan more...with me though I sit and wait for the teachers to give me a plan... Well that also maybe dependent on the area where they place you. They can probably even mix you up with high, jr. high and elementary... and again for my area, they put all the JET ALTs on one apartment complex...With my thing, you decide where u want to go...So in other words my thing is somewhat a bit more flexible in terms of living arrangements etc but JET them put yuh up and you pay less for rent as well because it's heavily subsidised by the government... I don't know, but maybe if I actually researched more about JET, I probably would have chosen them over my company (MAYBE)...Is jus dat all of dem have to a ride bicycle...all inna snow and rain...Only one of dem mi si wid car and is the girl from South Africa...and dem did even a tell har not to drive to school...But she seh shi nuh pay dem nuh mind. I see though where many of the JETs actually transferred over to the company I work for...I don't know if it is a love for Japan or dem tired a JET or is simply their contract up...
After work, I then went to the Gym with one of the JET ALTs (I got a free gym pass from someone at the Bible study yesterday). I did some weight training and some abs business, as well as some shoulder, chest and back-building exercises...stayed there for about 2 hours. (Cause mi want get tick, yuh si mi)...
Well likkle more fi now...
Comments
Also what is the website?
As zro_tolerance said whats the name of the company you work for?