Orientation Day 2

Orientation Day 2 – Part 1

It’s about 12 in the afternoon here, only halfway through the second day of orientation, but already it’s been tons more helpful than yesterday. Attended a Q&A session titled “Daily Life of an ALT in Japan”, where the girl, Em, who’s on the island next to mine was one of the presenters. It was really informational and we learned a lot about how to present ourselves and what to expect the first few weeks on the job.

I’m surprised the number of people who are on JET that don’t know or have very limited Japanese knowledge. I have to say, I’m really impressed by them. I just can’t imagine living in the middle of nowhere and not knowing the language at all. I feel that they’re more courageous than me, because I don’t think I could, or would, come on JET without any Japanese knowledge.

Anyways, back to Orientation. The Q&A session was really helpful. We learned tips on how to give good self-introductions to various classes, as well as ways to dodge personal questions. Like… do you have a boyfriend or are you married… questions that many of the younger kids will ask. One of the girls said she likes to answer these with “Shh… it’s a secret”. She said the kids go crazy about it! I might just use that if I’m asked.

I also attended a workshop called “Team-Teaching: Demonstration and Effective Lesson Planning” for Junior High Schools (middle schools) and learned different lesson plans I can use as well as how to best utilize the technology in the classroom. I’m really glad I brought my little video camera, the Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) said he loves to use videos! I’ll be sure to try and create some quick videos. You can actually download the video to your computer, edit it, then download the edited video to your I-pod and use a cord to connect your i-pod to a tv in the classroom. So handy!

I also double-checked the amount of schools I’m teaching at: I’ll be teaching at 10 schools in my city, 2 of which are Junior High Schools (JHS), 2 are kindergartens, and the other 6 are elementary schools. For the JHS’ I won’t really have to do much lesson planning, the teachers of these two schools will utilize me more for games, activities, pronounciation, and creating videos and projects for the students. However, at the elementary schools (which I’ll visit on Mondays), I’ll be doing the lesson plan. So, I want to attend a session here at Orientation on “Creative use of Teaching Materials and Designing Lesson Activities” for Elementary schools. After that session I’ll have my prefectural meeting and find out more about how I’ll be getting to my tiny island. Then, I want to attend a session called “Driving in Japan” and “Thriving as a Rural Jet”  except I’m not sure how much that session will pertain to me… since I’m in a kind of unique situation. Well, I’ll let you know how it all goes later tonight!

Part 2

The “Creative Use of Teaching Materials and Designing Lesson Activities” for elementary schools was really educational, I was surprised at how much we learned. Lots of activities we can do to help students learn. We were also taught what our primary objectives were, we are to create a “zest” for language learning in the students we teach. We reach this objective by following a series of steps the government thinks is the best way students learn. The steps are: 1) listening, 2) memorization, 3) reading, and 4) speaking.

After that I went to my prefectural meeting to learn about how we are getting to our placement and how the rest of our luggage is arriving. From Tokyo, I have to take two flights to reach Okinoerabu. One flight flies out of Tokyo to Kagoshima, the most southern tip of mainland Japan. The other flight leaves Kagoshima to my island. We will be shipping our main piece of luggage from the Keio Plaza Hotel to our placement (should take about a day to arrive), then we are allowed one carry-on and one purse to bring on the flight. So, I’m shipping my main luggage… I took out my money and passport and one extra set of business attire and put in my backpack. My purse will actually be my camera bag. We leave the hotel at 9 am sharp. And leave on our flight from Tokyo at about 11:30 am. We will arrive in Kagoshima a little after 1 pm. Once there, our supervisors will meet us there. Most of the new Kagoshima JETs will head by car to their placements, but myself and the other island JETs will be met by our supervisors and will take another plane ride to our placements. Should take about an hour and a half. So, I’ll arrive at my placement Wednesday evening.

I also met two other people on islands surrounding me. So, from what I know so far Em (the girl who is my prefectural advisor) lives on Yoron the most southern island in Kagoshima Prefecture (right before Okinawa); then I live on Okinoerabu; then a new JET (I can’t remember his name) lives on the next island, Tokunoshima with a few other recontracting JETs; then another guy lives on Amami-shima with a few other recontracting JETs. It was nice to meet other islanders and Em told us we will all become fast friends. Em also told me that, for some very bizarre reason, Okinoerabu is inhabited by boatloads of very good-looking foreign and Japanese men – I had no idea! Also, Em has assured me I will have a great time with my placement and contracting organization. Before, I was thinking of going to the workshop called “Managing Expectations with Contracting Organisation”, but she told me not to go because I won’t really need to manage expectations. That the Contracting organisation is quite nice and will love me as long as I’m bubbly – pretty sure I can manage that.

After our Prefectural meeting, I went to a workshop called “Driving in Japan” which was pretty boring. I can’t decide if I will keep my predecessor’s car or get a scooter. It will all depend on prices. PLUS, I’ve already invested in rain pants and a rain jacket… I feel that a scooter is in my future!

After that, I decided not to go to the “Thriving as a Rural JET” because I was told that as an islander it wouldn’t pertain to anything that I’ll experience. So, my roommate Mandie and I hit the town and went out in search of food. We found a place called My Kitchen and ordered a sandwich, Melon soda, and french fries. Very delicious!

After that we got back to the hotel and repacked our bags and brought our one big bag down to the main lobby to be shipped.

Then, a friend’s family of Mandie’s friend met us and took us out to dinner and to check out the observation deck in Roppongi. It was a beautiful sight and is supposed to be one of the best views of Tokyo. Check out my pictures!

Sorry for a crazy long entry, just so much to cover. I probably won’t update until late tomorrow or the next morning. And I may not be able to use skype until tomorrow night.

Love and Miss you all!