Jeanneabeck’s Weblog

With the opening ceremonies coming and going, the 2nd semester has officially begun. Since the Japanese school year starts in April, assistant language teachers not from Asia begin after a third of the school year has already passed.  I’ve been placed in two different high schools, one is my host school, and one is a visit school that I visit 1 1/2 days each week. Prior to yesterday I’d only visited my visit school once.  As a vocational high school, it’s pretty good school, but nonetheless, it does not cater to the same students as my host school.  The students were pretty loud and obnoxious yesterday, talking out loud during the assembly and whatnot.  Of course, being the new girl, I had to give a speech to both the teachers as a group and the students, and of course, they preferred me speaking in Japanese since I’d studied the language before.  Being in an unfamiliar place with rude students, I was nervous and didn’t do that well on my speech.  It didn’t really matter so much though. I wore a suit, I spoke Japanese, I tried my best.  Some of the teachers told me afterwards that the staff was impressed, so I was grateful.

This whole ordeal was great practice for today’s opening ceremony at my host school, where I did a lot better.  The students were a little chatty during the assembaly, but I guess I would be too if the teachers’ were enforcing the rules.  On a whole, though, these students were much better.  My host school is the 2nd best high school in Iida and with a strong international studies program, caters to students who are not only college bound, but have their eyes fixed on the better universities of Japan, as well as wish to study abroad.  I’m glad to be placed in two different school environments, and see how these schools compare and contrast.