Active Learning?

Students themselves listen, read, speak and write?

I want my students to think.

I want them to be active.

Today, my students made pictures, based on English sentences.

To be sure, I should have taught grammar or sentence structures.

But they seemed to be active.

Q.A. in the Classroom

①

How old is Mzee?

②

What is he doing?

③

Why is Owen lonely?

④

What’s the difference between “alone” and “lonely”?

⑤

What are they doing?

⑥

Who is the teacher? Who is the pupil? How do you say “pupil” in Japanese?

What did he teach?

⑦

What do you think of Mzee’s face? An old tortoise and a baby hippo!

　That afternoon, the baby hippo saw Mzee, a 130-year-old tortoise. Owen dashed toward him because he was very lonely. But Mzee crawled away from him. Tortoises like to live quietly on their own.

　Owen, however, wanted a parent. He approached Mzee again and again. Little by little, Mzee began to accept him. The next morning, the park staff saw a surprising sight: Owen was sleeping comfortably next to Mzee.

　As the weeks went by, Mzee began to act like Owen’s teacher. For example, he taught Owen how to recognize edible leaves. Before long, Owen and Mzee became good friends. They swam, ate, slept, and played together.

Translation (5)

立ちどまらなければ　ゆけない場所がある　（長田 弘）

There is another place you could reach if you stop on the road. (Osada Hiroshi, a Japanese poet. 1939-2015)　

Whitman’s Song of the Open Road is a poem of moving. The road is a place for moving. But the final line reads, “Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?”

STICK?!

They seem to stop on the road. And they could reach “another place.”

Translation (4)

たいていの学生は、教科書について考えて居る。宇宙に於て、これほどにも乾燥無味の書物はないと。けれどもまた、必ずしもそうでないと言う日がくるであろう。彼等にして学校を廃め、今一度、試験の心配なしに読んだならば！　（萩原 朔太郎）

Most students see their textbook as the most boring book without colors. They will recognize, however, they had seen their textbook with their eyes closed. Their eyes will open when they leave their school and don’t have to worry about tests!  (Hagiwara Sakutaro, a Japanese poet. 1886-1942)

I’m trying to open their eyes in the classroom as an ET in Japan!

Translation (3)

一杯の冷たい麦酒と、雲を見てゐる自由の時間！　昔の日から今日の日まで、私の求めたものはそれだけだった。　（萩原 朔太郎）

A glass of cold beer and free time of watching clouds! That’s all I’ve been looking for all my days.  (Hagiwara Sakutaro, a Japanese poet. 1886-1942)

It was published when the poet was 49 years old. It looks matured. And it also looks young.

Translation (2)

私はいつも都会をもとめる

都会のにぎやかな群集の中に居ることをもとめる

群集はおほきな感情をもった浪のやうなものだ

どこへでも流れてゆくひとつのさかんな意志と愛欲とのぐるうぷだ　（萩原 朔太郎）

I always take to the city.

I choose to be in the cheerful crowds of the city.

The crowds is like a big emotional wave.

It is a group of vigorous will and desire flowing to all directions.  (Hagiwara Sakutaro, a Japanese poet. 1886-1942)

I think this is the expression of love among passing strangers.

What do you think of my translation?

I’m glad if you give me your comment.

Translation (1)

ただ　たんに　生きたいなー　あーだこーだ言葉のピンで　止められないで　（岡崎 京子）

I just want to live, without being stuck by pins of words and words and words. (Okazaki Kyoko, a Japanese manga artist. 1963- )

あなたも翻訳してみませんか。

Let’s try to put Japanese into English!

Please give me your translation!