Wherever the road takes me

I have left behind my fabulous friends and life in Hollywood to become an English Teacher in rural Japan. Who knows how long I'll stay here. Who knows what I'll do next. But check here to find out about my latest adventures.

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Adult Classes pt 2

I have recently taken on the challenge of teaching grown-ups....Honestly, other then speaking English, and having the ability to recite lyrics from popular Beatles' tunes...what qualifications do I possibly possess that would prove I have Adult class teaching abilities. My students include a priest, the mayor's wife, a couple of teachers, a convience store clerk, dress designer, and this strangely charming know-it-all who happens to also speak French....I don't know. I personally thought this class would totally rock, and give me the opportunity to finally meet adults from the community...but honestly, I think that it may have proven that I am actually a much worse teacher then I originally thought. I have managed to come up with a few weekly time killers...for instance, every week we explore the lyrics of a different English tune (this week's song was Country Road...take me home, by John Denver) and I bring in a strange, but delicious example of "foreign" food (this week we had rice Krispie treats, last week I made salsa, next week: hummus?) and ask everyone to talk briefly about their weekend...(usually, all of that stuff kills about 30 minutes...then i have to struggle with about 1 hour more of new material.)

But whatever...I'm trying...and sometimes just for fun (okay its only to amuse myself) I will teach the adults stupid things...for instance, tonight I explained to them the differences between a shopper, a hand bag, a tote, a clutch, and a wristlet. I followed that mini-vocab lesson with a lesson on "the claw".... which is actually a term my friend N, came up with, after watching Japanese women wander around with many shopping bags hanging from their upper arms, and their hand facing upward in "claw" formation. These women now, thing the Claw is an actual english term...and frankly, i didn't want to correct them....

Next week I'm teaching them slang, any suggestions?

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