There are some days when I really, REALLY wonder why on earth I bother trying to teach these kids of mine. Don't get me wrong - some of them are amazing, intelligent students who are really interested in the intricacies of the English language, who take notes, who ask questions, who genuinely WANT to understand how to use this language.
However, I would say 85% of my students couldn't give a rat's ass about putting even the TINIEST bit of effort into English class. I have only been in Japan for less than 5 months now, and I made the effort to learn how to read hiragana and katakana alphabets, and while I'm not perfect at the reading, I think I do okay.
So tell me, why on earth should I even BOTHER making the effort to prepare lesson plans, games and activities for a class where these kids have been coming to class every week for YEARS, and they STILL CAN'T READ THE F****ING WORD 'SIX'? What sense does it make? What is the point? Years and years of coming to a class, and they can't and won't read the word 'can', or 'five'? Have they learnt nothing? What is going on here? Obviously nothing that I do will encourage or inspire them to try to learn to read or write. And quite frankly, if they don't care, why on earth should I care? Is teaching here just a total waste of my time???????????
3 comments:
if these are the angst ridden teenagers then try to make it sexual... i guarantee it will work yam! they'll be reading the numbers "six" and "nine" like old pros!
Yam these are LITTLE KIDS!!! They must be what, 7 or 8? The older kids are usually pretty cool. Sometimes. Sometimes they suck too. Sometimes they all suck. Sometimes this job sucks!
Emy!! I feel your pain! It's not you it's them and mostly at that age - It's their parents. Just think of all of the good things you get to do during your year there! Thinking of you.
Tracy
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