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April 18, 2000
The first day of class didn't go the way I had expected. For one thing, some people from the office wanted to take the first 10 minutes of the class for some kind of business. I didn't understand completely, but it seemed that it had something to do with the number of students. However, I showed them my lesson plan and said I didn't have any extra time; they seemed satisfied that the number was all right. The number was much smaller than what I had expected (only 35 or so rather than close to 50). However, a number of students showed up late. I simply couldn't believe that so many students would be late for the first day of class, plus it was frustrating because it threw off my timing. Another logistical problem I have to work on is a more effective way of passing around the handouts. I'm simply not used to teaching such a large class, so that aspect of it is going to be a real learning experience for me. I wish I could explain to the students that they're having the experience of seeing how a veteran teacher deals with an entirely new situation. At any rate, I didn't feel that the class got off to a good start, but I hope that I can establish a better flow to the whole class in the next few weeks.
As usual, the Jazz Chants caught on very well. The students have a good sense of rhythm and caught on to them very quickly. However, it's difficult getting them to speak out! Maybe that will improve as the class continues since I plan to use them weekly, both as a warm-up for the class and as an aid in better pronunciation (specifically intonation and stress).
April 25, 2000
I realized that the materials I gave the students may be way above their heads. I don't want to water them down too much, but I'm going to have to be more selective, discarding some of what I had hoped to use, and spend more time on certain materials in depth. Gardner's Learning Intelligences is one that is important to focus on and will most likely be effective in getting across the concept that teachers need to be aware of students' many different styles of learning.
I have to make sure to follow this up in future classes, e.g., asking after certain classroom exercises, "Students excelling in which Learning Intelligence would benefit the most from this exercise?" I also need some more effective way of illustrating the various intelligences rather than just handing out a list and having students self-select.
That brings to mind the JALT presentation where the presenter had us stand up by group (verbal, spatial, interpersonal, etc.); I stood up with the musical group. Then she had one of the musically inclined participants play a piano interpretation of a story she had just read. The participant's interpretation was completely spontaneous but brilliant! That sort of exercise could just as easily be done with the other intelligences. There's no piano in the room but I'd somehow like to have the students experience the various intelligences in a more concrete way.
There were still a large number of latecomers, which was terribly distracting and resulted in the loss of about 10 minutes of classtime. What surprised me even more is that some students showed up who weren't at the first class. I wonder if other instructors at the university have much lower expectations for the class than I do. Also, the students may not be used to a class where evaluation is based primarily on attendance and participation, thus may not understand the importance of promptness and zero absenteeism.
May 9, 2000
My talk on culture shock was a real bomb! The students went into their "listening mode," i.e., sitting quietly with their eyes on me (Japanese students are really good at this). However, I felt uncomfortable lecturing because my ideas were not well-organized, and I would rather show or, even better, have the students experience culture shock in some way rather than just telling them about it. I don't think they got the connection at all between the exercise we did (back-to-back, changing 20 things!) and the concept of culture shock. I don't want to eliminate that exercise since I think it can be an effective one. However, I have to work on some kind of visual that will have a much stronger impact.
Since a number of the students hadn't completed the assignment on Teaching Styles, it was virtually impossible to have a discussion on the topic. It's a huge adjustment for me teaching the same materials to young people who have not yet had experience teaching, except for a two-week practicum, so can't see the relevance of some of what I'm presenting. I'm going to have to take the attitude that, if their English improves to some extent, that's an accomplishment.
The attendance has continued to be totally uneven with 46 the first week, 35 the second week, and 35 the third week, but each time with different students. Those who don't come to every single class are going to miss out on the overall picture of what I'm trying to present and, while they might enjoy doing individual exercises, in the end their experience will be like trying to do a puzzle that has several pieces missing. On the other hand, I can see a few who are taking the class very seriously and DO see the points I'm making about innovative ways of teaching English. I certainly hope they're the ones who get hired as English teachers because then there's some hope for the future of English education in Japan.
May 16, 2000
Grammar-Translation Method - There was no time for discussion of the chapter in the text. What I'm afraid of is that the students were presented with a hodgepodge of exercises but failed to see the connection between them or the point I was trying to make. A discussion on the pros and cons of grammar-translation method would have helped in that respect. I'll have to see from the journal entries whether they "got it" or not. Particularly, I hope they can see how there can be some value to translation, depending on how it's used.
This is the first time I've tried the Self-Assessment Forms, and I've been happy with the results so far. Even though some of the student make only trite comments such as, "I had a good time," most of the comments are thoughtful and providing me with some good feedback on the effectiveness of what I'm trying to do. Also, the students seem as a whole to be very capable of assessing their own capabilities and efforts, which alleviates a concern about using this technique.
I'm feeling rather helpless in dealing with the tardiness. Today I decided to set up a demarcation line, i.e., one row of tables where no one sits which separates the students who come on time from the latecomers. Possibly, if those who come late have to sit in the back and get less attention, they will avoid feeling ostracized in future classes by coming on time.
May 23, 2000
Pronunciation - The flow of today's lesson was the best I've had so far with this class. Since the beginning, I've felt that my rhythm has been off. It's usually one of my stronger points, but the size of the class, the uneven attendance, the habitual tardiness, and my having to learn the use of equipment and logistics at a new school are all factors that distract me. However, today the number and length of the exercises was just right, moving from quiet to "noisy," from rather passive to more active. I don't know if any of the students are aware of how important timing is in a lesson, and of how planning a good lesson is like creating a well-constructed drama or musical piece with crescendos and diminuendos, critical pauses, building up to a climax shortly before the curtain falls (i.e., the bell rings).
May 30, 2000
Direct Method - The comments of the students showed that they enjoyed the exercises demonstrating the Direct Method, but I wonder if they're really making the connection between what we're doing in class and teaching methodology. I wish there were more time for class discussion, and that I could go around talking more with small groups and individuals. Another way I could find out how much the students are comprehending is by reading their journals, but the size of the class, plus my own lack of time, makes that impossible.
So far in the class I've used cassette tapes, CDs, videos, and, as of today, the opaque projector. Next I hope to make use of the Internet during class. I'm really fortunate to have such a well-equipped room. The more use I make of it, the more chance the students will have to observe that blackboards are quickly growing obsolete, even if they're still used by a majority of the instructors.
June 2, 2000
Re: English conversation class at a different university]: It was interesting to see the reaction of three different classes to the same material. I tried the introduction of comparative adjectives by having them make sentences such as, "Women are noisier than men," etc. The two Wednesday classes, which have somewhat of a balance between males and females, really got into it, almost getting competitive about it. The Friday class, on the other hand, responded with total silence, even though their level of grammar is higher. Was it because there were only four young men in the class? Was it because the students in the class know each other much better and are, therefore, more concerned about losing face? Whatever the reason, it was really frustrating, and I had no idea how to get a response out of them. Since it worked so well with the two previous classes, I know it wasn't a problem with the exercise or with me!
June 20, 2000
I think I finally got it! The reasons this class, which I had expected to be so active, is so reticent. One is that they don't know each other. For Americans that would not deter them from talking up a storm about any topic they get excited about. Particularly, get a group of English teachers in the same room, and you can't get them to shut up.
Another is that because of the absentee rate, students haven't had a chance to build a rapport with one another. The attendees in each class are different, resulting in different dynamics. That makes it extremely difficult to establish the rhythm and flow that can be expected in a "normal" class. The question is how to get the students more relaxed and active, a task which would be much more possible if I met with them on a more regular basis (once a week for 90 minutes is educationally unsound).
It occurred to me too late how I might have achieved more active responses during my introduction of the Schema Theory when I was having them guess the topic of "Gomi" and "Pneumonia." If I had established groups as teams and made it into a competitive exercise with a team answer, I'm sure that would have worked. Oh, well, better luck next year! Meanwhile, at least this class will have the opportunity of watching how I develop my teaching techniques.
June 27, 2000
I tried a new way of getting students to speak out in class. When I asked the usual, "What's it like out?" which has become part of the routine of the class; instead of trying to elicit an answer from the entire class, I told all of the students to write down three words describing the weather. That way, everyone was involved rather than most waiting for the one or two "brave" ones to speak out. Then, because the room is divided into three sets of tables, I asked each GROUP for a word. This seemed to work. Why? Two possible reasons that I can think of. One is that the number of students from which I expected an answer was smaller;in this case, about 8 each. Another is that Japanese are very group conscious so seem to feel more responsibility when they are representatives of a group than when acting individually. I'll continue to try this technique again since I don't want to revert to calling on individuals.
It was interesting that a student at another (all young women's) school came up to me after class and said she was a very opinionated person but simply couldn't speak out in class. That surprised me since there are only 15 in the class, and they all know each other very well. When we were alone together, she was so strong that she was able to talk me into having the chance to redo an assignment her way. It is sad that the students have been so conditioned NOT to speak out or express their opinions that they simply won't do so under any circumstances, even if it means getting a poorer grade, because they don’t want to embarrass themselves or their classmates. Because I have taught at another university where this is not the case plus have taught Japanese adults for 8 years, I know that this so-called "trait" is not engrained in the Japanese character but can be overcome. Meanwhile, my challenge is to figure out ways of giving students the opportunity to say what they're thinking. Writing it down or saying it to a partner first both seem to be effective ways.
I was surprised that none of the students wrote in their comments about my pointing out my mistakes to the class. I'm sure they're not used to teachers doing a self-evaluation of their own teaching during a class. Because most of them are planning to be teachers some day, I really want them to see that learning is not something that stops on graduation day. Teachers, especially, need to see that evaluation of one's own teaching is an on-going, never-ending process. By pointing out my own observations of how I could have prepared materials better, given better instructions, etc., I hope the students will see how even a veteran teacher is constantly attempting to improve. I'll have to see if anyone comments on that in the journals.
July 18, 2000
I have to say that I was really discouraged after my final Teaching Development class of the term. That would probably be surprising to many of the students since the class consisted mainly of games, and most of them commented that it was a lot of fun. What disappointed me the most was that, although there were 24 students in the class that day, only 12 handed in class evaluations. Perhaps I didn't stress fully enough just how important their feedback was to me. In addition, I didn't allow any class time for completion of the forms as I did in some other classes, mainly because I wanted them to experience as many games as possible.
Furthermore, many of the comments on the Class Evaluations were more negative than I generally receive. In fact, on some sheets, nothing at all positive was said about the class.
September 19, 2000
There seemed to be a much more positive atmosphere in the class this week than there was last term. Perhaps it was mainly that I was refreshed after summer vacation plus had a much better idea of what to expect. Also, the class was small (only 17 students) so I felt much more personal contact with all of them (can finally learn everyone's name). On top of that, the losers and deadbeats are all gone, so only the winners (not of the games we played in class but those who have a positive attitude and make a real effort in class) are left!
The biggest change I've made is to have fewer activities. I was trying to crowd too much into one lesson, since I actually have enough materials for a three-hour higher level class. As a result, my timing was often off, and in my rush to cover as much material as possible I often wasn't thorough enough in my explanations or follow-up, leaving both me and the students feeling frustrated. I really want to work on giving more time for everyone to digest and react to the activities.
In addition, the people I had in the class before (at Asahi Cultural Center) were already experienced teachers, which lent an entirely different atmosphere to the class. I always tend to have high expectations of my students, but, in this case, I must also be realistic. My biggest hope is, that as students feel more confident, they will feel freer to ask questions and experiment. The smaller class number should help in that respect, too.
All in all, I'm really excited about this semester and looking forward to classes that are rewarding for me as well as for the students.
September 26, 2000
It's so difficult to condense a method of learning a language I experienced for an entire year into the confines of a 90-minute class. However, at least the students got some idea of some of the basics of The Silent Way. Of course, they couldn't help noticing the amount of teacher talk, which was minimal, versus the amount of student talk. Many of them also realized the cooperation among students that naturally evolves in such an environment.
What I don't think they realized completely is how much control the students actually have in such an environment. Very few, if any, tried innovative sentences, although I tried my best to encourage experimentation. Perhaps next time I have to make it clear before the "class" starts that they can try whatever they like within the parameters of the grammar introduced.
I also wished I had had more time to introduce many more possibilities for use of the rods. Perhaps I should make that into an entirely separate lesson, especially since I haved to lug the rods all the way to school and back.
October 2, 2000
I skipped my Japanese class! For one thing, I didn't have all my materials completely prepared for my class on Wednesday. For another, it was pouring rain. However, the main reason is that I didn't think I'd get much out of the lesson. The topic on the syllabus was making telephone calls, and I've been doing that for 13 years in Japan!
The teachers in that class don't take into account what we already know versus what we need to know. The last time I went to class, I was the ONLY student. However, the teacher (who will go unnamed) insisted on going ahead with the prepared lesson, even though it was way too easy for me. It was completed in only 30 minutes, so I had time to talk more freely with the teachers (three of them!). I sure wish I could have a teacher like me!
October 3, 2000
The response to Total Physical Response was extremely favorable. It seemed that the students were very comfortable following specific directions, not surprising given the Japanese educational system which stresses passivity. According to their comments, they particularly enjoyed pasting figures on the picture boards of the house, supermarket, and town. Small group work is definitely succeeding in this class, and I have to incorporate more of it.
The only hesitancy I encountered was in getting them to attempt various kinds of laughs. That may be partly due to my not distinguishing clearly between "giggle" and "chuckle," but there was an enormous reluctance to attempt different sounds (for fear of being embarrassed?). I missed the exhuberance expressed by experienced teachers I had in a previous class.
All in all, however, I was satisfied that they had been given a valid introduction to the concept and practice of TPR. Some of those who will be teaching younger students even indicated they wanted to try it in the classroom, although it's obviously a method that can be enjoyed by all ages.
March 25, 2001 (Outtakes)
I've just been watching a DVD of Erin Brockovich. The thing I love about DVDs are the commentaries that accompany them, and this particular one had the outtakes from the film with the director commenting on why they weren't included.
Erin, as you probably know, was a real-life person, "unskilled" single mother of three who ended up working, successfully, on a huge lawsuit against PG&G for polluting the ground water of the homes of hundreds of families, resulting in everything from nosebleeds to cancer. The DVD has an interview with Erin, and Julia Roberts captured her beautifully.
The outtakes (parts eventually cut from the film) included scenes such as her not being exactly the ideal mom when she was busy working on the cases, a "sub-plot" where she got seriously ill (which actually happened), and a lot of the footwork necessary in getting all the evidence. In the director's words, the cuts were made because they didn't move the story along.
I was thinking how wonderful it might be if we could all live our lives without the outtakes, in other words, just go from the part where we're experiencing some bad times and sail right through to the successful ending. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. In fact, a large part of our lives would end up on the cutting room floor if they made a movie of our lives.
Thinking of this as I go through all the prepping it takes to make a class work. If, on the final class evaluation, the most negative comments I get are "class starts too early" or "room is too cold," then I know I've succeeded. The nice part is that I get lots of compliments and sometimes even rave reviews. They haven't seen the outtakes, though!
General Comments
If I were in charge of the education of teachers in Japan, there is so much I would change. For one, they have far too many courses but not much in-depth learning from what I can see. That's certainly going to be true for my class. As such, there's little continuity in or integration of what they're learning. How and when does it all get synthesized?
Another real eye opener for me is how little practice teaching they have. Two weeks is not nearly enough! I had a whole year, full-time, and even then it took me another 4 to 5 years before I began to get the hang of teaching. I also wonder if they're getting any preparation for classroom management? How are some of these young people who don't even have the self-discipline to get up on time ever going to go into a class with 50 students and be able to control them?
