Hello everyone!
As I am approaching the end of my first year in Asagiri Town as an ALT, I am finally having my last days at school and needing to say goodbye. Today was the first of the three goodbyes days I will have. This was my biggest school at around 150 children and also the school where I was given the most responsibility and a bigger role in the classroom. This is the school where the homeroom teacher supervising the ALT loves English and always invited me to participate in different things. This is also the school where the teachers always made sure to have a meeting with me but still gave me the chance and encouraged me to play with the children during lunch or during sports time. Luckily this was my Friday school so that whenever they had events such as a field trip, I was able to go with them. I think I would like to write out today’s post in diary form so that I can remember today in the years to come but I would also like to reflect on my time here at this school. I hope that it is interesting for you to read as well.
Friday July 12, 2019: My Last Day at O. Elementary School
8:20 am
I arrived earlier than usual today because they are having a farewell assembly for me. When I first came they also had a welcome assembly but that seemed so long ago.
When all of the students gathered in the gym I was then walked over with the Principal to have my “grand entrance” to a big round of applause. Sitting in the gym and knowing that they point of the assembly for me was touching, but for me I wanted to remember today, just like all other days, I am here to create a good learning environment for the kids and to help encourage them in their English studies. After the opening of the assembly and words from the Principal who thanked me for my year at O Elementary School, it was my turn to give my speech.
Throughout my times at the schools while I could understand and speak Japanese, I never used it excessively. Rather I tried to use it as a way of connecting English that they kids knew. Unfortunately that meant that a lot of my comments to the children went to waste when they couldn’t understand or when I was mistranslated by the homeroom teachers. That didn’t bother me too much because again, not about me. However, for today I really wanted to be able to say my true feelings and express my gratitude for my last day here.
After I gave my speech then two of the kids who were representatives gave me a message in both English and Japanese and handed me a bouquet of flowers that are so huge. At this point I did begin to tear up and the glasses began to fog. After that I gave my final comment and then was able to flee from the gym to another round of applause.
I was actually dreading it a little bit because I hate to be the center of attention and I had to walk in while they were all clapping for me but it actually wasn’t that bad. It was short and sweet but not rehearsed enough to feel like it was just saying bye to another ALT even though that’s what the reality is.
After I returned to the staff room the 1st graders stopped by with their teacher to give me their letters and say thank you. I had these students when they were in the nursery school and I am glad to see their growth since coming to elementary school, even if they kind of still are like babies—unlike another of my schools where starting first grade means the end of them acting like children which I don’t really like.
8:40 am
My first class of the day was the 5th graders. For all of the classes it was pretty much supposed to be a normal lesson but I am grateful to the teachers who saved some time for me at the end to do farewells or who tried to do a more fun lesson since it was the last time. It made me realize that while I couldn’t really judge my impact that I had on the students, it is possible that I had more of an influence than I could have predicted. After an easy class of mostly review games, the students handed me their letters and I signed some of their hats and notebooks.
One of the girls also surprised me because she actually prepared a letter and a present. I didn’t even think I spoke any more or less to her than the other kids although I did know that she was interested in English. It was really touching and was the moment that made me think, this is why I wanted to join the JET Program. After when they were moving on to their next class she began to cry and other students were making fun of her, but her tears meant more to me than she could have known since there were so many times I wanted to quit thinking that I wasn’t being respected at some of my schools here.
9:40 am
The second class of the day were the 6th graders. This is the teacher who pushed me the most when I first came here. Not because she was strict with me but because she herself gave 100% in the class and I had to learn to rise to meet her. It was a good way to break the ice and most of the things I learned in my first year came from her and her teaching style. It made me think, she doesn’t seem like a typical Japanese teacher and that was really inspiring to me.
Today the class was on the final section of the unit and they were doing a “Who Am I?” Style quiz game, but at the end the final bonus quiz was about me and she had me stand up in the front while each student said something about me with “she is~”. While I did feel a bit embarrassed, it was also really sweet. I know I will be seeing some of them next April when they come to the Junior High School but it’s a long ways to go. I would be happy if I’m able to become closer with even a few of them. I want to help influence a few future English teachers if possible.
10:25 am
Between 2nd and 3rd periods they usually have a “sports time” but today it was a different activity for one of the students who will be representing this school at the local storytelling competition. It was nice to just get to sit and listen with the kids one last time. At this school I always felt like I knew my place and that I could join anything and everything alongside the kids and the other teachers which was really appreciated. I cannot say the same for the other two schools I was at but I understand that every school and every teacher is different.
10:45 am
The third period class was the 3rd grade. This teacher really cares about her students and is interested in English as well, so she always put effort into actually thinking about the lesson plan to make it interesting and appropriate to her students. It was basically a normal class but at the end she had the students hand over their letters to me and then I also signed their caps, textbooks, and even a cup. I feel really bad writing my name on their stuff but it’s probably worse if I don’t do it and hurt their feelings—although I did draw the line at signing a recorder case.
11:45 am
My fourth period was open so I used the time to do the last of the housekeeping things and preparing for the new JET who will take over this school from August when she arrives at the end of this month.
12:30 pm
Today my assigned lunch classroom was the 4th graders. I am happy to end with this class because they are all so cute and sweet. They like to ask me questions about how to read random English and made fun of my for my hydro flask since it’s bigger than any of the water-bottles they see here apparently. I am really going to miss getting to witness kyushoku and the kids struggling to eat.
Today the lunch was curry and naan with a huge chunk of watermelon. The size of the watermelon itself was enough to make me laugh but watching them eat it was even funnier. Seeds were flying, juice was everywhere, one kid was licking it like an ice-cream, one kid was digging his finger in it trying to get the seeds out, and another just ate all the seeds saying it was “a waste” not to. These are the small moments that I am going to miss being at an elementary school.
On the way back to the staff room after lunch, I ran into some 3rd graders in the stairs and they started to talk to me there as well. One of the girls in 3rd grade is a bit rough and rude with me. She would always run away during class communication times and when she was a second grader so told me she hated me. Even today she shook my hand so hard that it hurt and she tried to pry my ring off my finger saying, “get a smaller ring! This one is too big!” I did feel like she was showing that she liked me in the way that she expresses things.
1:00 pm
After eating lunch I returned to the staff room to wait for the 2nd graders to stop by to give me their card. After they gave me the card they all swarmed me and gave me a hug and wanted to shake my hand. The 2nd grade teacher is really sweet and always tries hard to plan her lessons while still including my input so I really enjoyed working with her. Her 2nd graders were also still very child-like and she always let them hug and play with me during recess or after the class ended. One of the girls began to cry and it made me feel bad but also touched to know that maybe, just maybe, I had an impact on these children.
Since today was my last day and I didn’t have any meetings for future lessons, I went out to play with the kids. I felt so loved because the kids wanted to play with me and invited me to do stuff with them, tugging me around and giving me “dolls” made from the random grass and stuff. While my teaching style even when I was working at summer fun was a bit more distant because I don’t want to choose favorites and I don’t care about getting the kids to love me, I was happy that even just trying to be the best teacher I could, I was still able to get some kids to enjoy spending time with me.
1:55 pm
During cleaning time today I helped clean the staff room, just soaking in the last of the hours at O Elementary School where I felt welcome and included for the most part.
2:15 pm
5th period was my last class at this school with the 4th graders. The teacher rarely had meetings with me even when he was the 5th grade teacher but towards the end he started to make a bit more of an effort which I think improved the classes. He also used to do a lot more in class but by the end he was letting me be in charge of certain activities, which I know is not easy for teachers to do sometimes.
The 4th graders are so sweet and at the end he had them each say a comment to me. Most of them were the same, “thank you for teaching me English” or “thank you for explaining English to me when I didn’t understand” but I felt really grateful that he used that class time for something for me. Although I also suspect it was because he didn’t have a plan and wanted to use time. Either way it was a nice gesture.
At the end of the class they gave me their card and then they kind of mobbed me for a hug which was sweet. They asked me where and when I go shopping so that they could see me and one child, who I can’t say that I have favorites but I did have a soft spot for, said he would camp at the store 24 hours to see me.
3:10 pm
With all of my classes done, I had 6th period free. I chatted with one of the teachers who sits next to me who always talked to me when I visited and then I began to write this journal. I realized I had a lot of things to write and am so grateful for how this day went. I think it was a perfect last day which I don’t expect from my other schools.
I am so grateful to the teachers and staff at O Elementary School who welcomed me and included me. It wasn’t all staff but it was enough to make me feel like I could work here without many issues. The school environment was also good and the kids were fun to work with. They are good students and it’s a good school without being too strict. I think that my time at this school will define most of my memories from work this year.
It is 4:26 and I end work at 4:30 so it is almost time for me to pack up and leave. When I get home I will look over the letters that the kids wrote while enjoying the chill that I think I deserve. I have two more days of goodbyes to go.
4:40 pm
Although I thought that was the end, there was still a finale. When it was time to leave all of the teachers came to the door to see me off and they called the kids who were on their way home nearby. The teachers waved bye as the kids made a tunnel and I ran through on the way out. That’s not the end either. As I was driving away the kids stood in the middle of the crosswalk and I yelled at them to go because it was dangerous. Then they asked if I was going to turn at the next street. I said yes and they started sprinting down the sidewalk. They crossed the street to the same side I was driving on and tried to high-five me through the window but I said it was dangerous and they ran and crossed the next street. While dangerous, it did leave me with good memories up until the very last moment.
5:00 pm
After I got home I turned on the AC, made myself a coffee, and settled down in my tatami room to go through and read the messages they wrote. I am not sure how much time passed until I finished reading all 150 something letters but I definitely cried a lot. I wasn’t sure of myself a lot of the time and to get these messages saying that they enjoyed English class or that they hated English before but now they like it, really made me feel like I did what I came here to do. Even the gesture of having all of the kids write me a thank you letter, take pictures, draw notes, and color was more than I could have expected and required cooperation from all of the staff and teachers and a lot of forward planning.
I received a few comments today from different teachers such as for the answers to the survey they do on English, the number of children who said that they think English was fun was pretty high. The Vice Principal also said that my classes were very good. At the end the 6th grade teacher said she was sad and gave me a hug calling me, “her ALT.” While it took me a while to reach the point where I felt I was doing good, I don’t think that I did all that bad either and I am grateful for the guidance and good role models I had throughout this year. I want to continue to grow and challenge myself this next year at the Junior High School too.
I don’t want to forget this feeling so I am glad I wrote it down. When I feel down and discouraged I’ll read the notes again and remember that just because there’s not always tangible proof that you’re making an impact, it doesn’t mean that you’re not. Very grateful for today.
Thank you for reading!
Take care ❤
kiraannjapan 