Okay so I’ve posted about how there are things that bother me here. Now I’m going to post about how I love my job as an English Teacher at 3 Elementary Schools.
Children!
The best thing about teaching is the children. That’s one thing that is painstakingly clear.
You get let into their little lives with classes, school lunches, and the afternoon break- and it’s great. They are all so cute. I can just imagine them looking back at pictures taken at this time and thinking: “Oh I was so shy then!”, or “I really was a little monster back then!”, or “Awww, look how cute I was!”
Feel. Sick. Mustn't. Turn. Brainless!! ... 🙂 Awwwwwwww ❤
Maybe they won’t think that. Maybe those are just my thoughts. But they are really cute/ shy/ funny/ cheeky/ silly/ clever/ loveable. If you think I’m starting to sound all mooshy-wooshy like those Hallmark cards, you are probably right… But that’s what working with small children every day for 7 months does to you. It’s hard not to get charmed by their little cute/ shy/ funny/ cheeky/ silly/ clever/ loveable faces.
And boy do I see many faces; around 750 (5th and 6th year) is the number I teach every week, that’s leaving out all the even littler faces (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year). It’s so hard to remember their names, and I do want to, but it is close to impossible. There are a couple of persistent students that will get me to remember their names (around 50), but I feel like I know a lot of the students a lot better through their characters than their complicated Japanese names.
Just to name a few: I know a self confessed otaku girl that would die without video games, anime and cheese. I know a boy who wears little girly frilly things in his hair, who is great at English, and is very calm and composed. I know a boy who won’t stop drawing vomit, poo, willies, pee, bums, bald heads… oh wait, that covers many many boys!!! (I have to admit, I chuckle at some of the drawings myself)
Anyway! Show me a face, and I can give you a personal analysis in many cases!
And this is what my experience as a teacher has been so far: A set of very personal, be it one-on-one or one-to-many, relationships. I look at my kids and see little friends that I teach and have fun with. They look at me and see a big friend that they learn from/ pull pranks on/ laugh at/ laugh with/ give food/ talk to/ ask silly questions/ jump on/ grab a hold of/ sing with/ dance with/ play games with/ stare at/ are highly amused by/ teach things. I usually go along with what they want to do and it’s so much fun! Even when it really is quite boring, just seeing the fun they’re having is great.
Teacher = Personal Relationship + Degree of Independence = Nice!
Then another great part of being a teacher: Not being the parent.
I get all sorts of kicks and thrills watching little mini-ninjas progress through life.
However, what if I’m ninja’d out?
Or a certain little ninja is driving me up the ying yang?
What do I do?!?!
Simple,
I walk awaaaaay. 😀
HA!! Take that parents! (non-specific parents of course..)
Best thing ever! And it’s alright to do too. They see me as a friend with an authoritative twist. Friends can walk away when they’ve had enough. Parents can’t. Poor parents.
SUMMARY
The other night I had a nice little summary of this whole story at my local super market.
I’m looking for peanut butter…
that really is all I need, and they don’t seem to have any.
Unlike peanut butter, peanut cream balances very well on my face.
I am disturbed, until suddenly I see one of my kids appear around the corner. He sees me and an expression of delight pops right into his little face. He runs towards me “Kairu-sensei! Kairu-sensei!” *BAM! High Five!* then he asks me why I’m here. “Shopping!” I laugh. Then I continue my quest for peanut butter. My side-kick strutting contently beside me as he has done before at school. Still no sign of peanut butter. We come across his parents. I bow and introduce myself as his English teacher.
They are happy to meet me and the dad guides me to ‘peanut cream.’ I leave the kid with his mother, and get help from his father. Dad then runs back to buy the kid that fizzy drink he wants.
Teacher: Victorious.
I LIED.
THESE ARE NOT SUMMARIES.
(However their typicality does summarise many experiences for me.)
These happy meetings happen more often than not. Today I was exhausted, buying a sandwich at my local 7-11. One of my kids spots me there with a surprised, happy kind of ‘Ah!!’ – I smile, wave and say hello (in a happy, tired way). Her little sister (around 7 and adorably cute) then jumps out from isles running towards me shouting “英語の先生だ！” (It’s the English teacher!) with a big happy face. She gives me a big hug and is so pleased afterwards; blissfully saying “やった…” to herself (means ‘I did it!’ with a kind of lucky connotation) in a way that still moves me. I get the feeling it’s going to be hard for me to be anything other than ‘The English Teacher’ later in my life. Such a bitter-sweet feeling.
In short:
- Get greeted as a celebrity (‘Teacher! You shop here?!’).
- Go on adventure (quest for peanut butter).
- Touch the lives of many (students and their families).
- Dump the extra responsibilities (of parenthood).
- Get something different from/exceeding my expectations (such as peanut cream).
- Get what I give multiplied by a very large number of children (much, much joy).
To be a teacher.
Haha! Maybe that doesn’t quite cover the profession of teaching, but it’s definitely a plus! I can honestly say this has been my experience so far. The more I see these funny little people, the more I can’t help turning into a Hallmark Card. A true sentimental sap. Couldn’t be happier if I tried!
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