Tsuta Elementary School

On Tuesday I had my first day teaching at an elementary school. I went to three classes, the 2nd, 4th and 6th grades. Its a very small school, and the biggest grade is 12 students. So it was perfect for an English class. I've found I prefer the smaller classes (and the younger kids) because they're much more conducive to interactive learning (and elementary students haven't grown an attitude yet). Not to hate on my Junior High students. I like most of them. It's just so much fun working with the little kids. I showed them pictures from my travels in Europe, and when they saw London's Tower Bridge, their jaws dropped and they were all chattering with a million questions, "wow, can cars really drive on that bridge?" "what happens when a boat goes by?" "REALLY!? The bridge goes UP!?" They're so enthusiastic, it was great.

I had heard from the other JETs that teaching in the elementary schools is different, because you're not teaching as an assistant to a Japanese English teacher, you actually plan and run the class. So I made lesson plans for all three grades, including games and vocab review and showing pictures to introduce myself. But when I got to the school, they handed me an already prepared lesson plan. Tsuta Elementary is one of the few elementary schools that actually has an English program in place, so they actually have a syllabus. So I was able to do a little of what I had planned (reading a book about the zoo to the 2nd graders), but not much else.  On the one had it made things easier for me. On the other hand, I'd have liked to try out some games and run a lesson on my own. Though I know I'm still learning how to do that. I'm going to be going to three elementary schools eventually, so at the others I think I'll have more freedom.