Before Mistakes

Tomorrow, I’ll see new teachers as the chief of English department.

Based on my post on March 6, I say to myself three things:

1) Don’t be afraid of humans and mistakes.

2) Move your body and soul.

3) Just express yourself.

A Small Space in Our Room

The new ETs' room will have a small space for students. They probably don't like teachers' room, but we want them to come more often. So we put colorful English books such as comics and picture books at the new space.

Comics are One Piece and Slam Dunk. Picture books are Elephant and Piggie series etc.

Our dream might not come true soon, but our small space has a chance to become a clean, well-lighted place.

Human interaction will make space into place. I will make an action.  
     

Tadoku Festival

My wife and I went to “Tadoku” festival at Bunkyo Gakuin Jr. and High school in Bunkyo Ward.

We got lots of (“Ta” 多 means “many”) English books. Of course I chose books I want to read, but we also got books for students to read (“doku” 読 means “read”). Most books are written in simple English with colorful pictures.

Japanese high school students have the English Textbook in the classroom. Whether they like it or not, they study it. School is a place to study and as an English teacher, I need to show my students how to study English.

“Tadoku” is not the way of studying. It is a way of life. If there are lots of books, students can have a chance to enjoy reading.

I am just an ET, so I cannot make a library building. But I can create a library box with various and colorful books.

New ETs' Room

Today is Saturday, but I went to our high school. From this spring, our English department will move to another room. The day of moving is March 30, and today I took my personal things to the new place.

I don't like to go to school on Saturday, but I felt good because changing place refreshed my mind.

My wife and I dropped in at a Chinese restaurant. Gyo-za and beer tasted good after moving things to start the new school year.

ET

If an ET means an English teacher, I am nobody because I am not teaching English now. I am just an ET in Japan.

Be Tough and Kind

Toughness. Kindness.

I have been thinking that they are opposite to each other and that they are even antonyms.
Toughness "or" kindness. I have been thinking like that, A or B.

But one of my comrades has told me that they could go hand in hand.
Toughness "and" kindness. She encouraged me to have both of them.

And now I will be tough and kind.

What Can I Do?

I made an oral presentation on Song of the Open Road at Walt Whitman society in Japan last October. And I have been wanting to write about the poem. But I'm busy as a public high school teacher in Tokyo. What can I do?