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November 30, 2005
did i ever mention that i am a dedicated teacher?
ok so this was around 11/30 when i had just wrapped up my first quarter on jet heh:
the second year students are heading out to their school trip to osaka and nagasaki this year next monday. sooo, in trying to be a little more responsible, i'm trying to get all my jte's, who have to go, to finish up the presentation grades for my first year students heh.
so the presentation grades for my students works like most oral presentations. you get points for x, and points for y, sum them up, and you get their total. now one thing i hadn't planned on was that they had double the preparation time then what was previously mentioned. so in an effort to balance this, i doubled their points for my preparation category and divided by two to get the correct amount.
and it worked well for the most part.
until you get the 1.5, 2.5, 3.5... this is out of 4 total points btw.
and it gets even better when the student is one either i, the jte, or both of us don't like...
so how do we decide whether to round up or down?
a scientific process? a gruelling thought of hoo the student performed during the quarter?
haha yeah right.
rock-paper-scissors baby!
Posted by Jeff at 04:39 PM | Comments (0)
something i highly ask you all to do.
it's a great cause, and i've been participating in it for the last three years (or however long it's been). please check it out.
Posted by Jeff at 09:52 AM | Comments (0)
something nifty
a fun read.
Posted by Jeff at 09:32 AM | Comments (0)
November 28, 2005
yay
about two weeks ago i helped some third year students study for the eiken, or english proficiency exam. of my 5 students that took it, only one of them didn't pass. i'm very happy for you gals!
congratulations!
Posted by Jeff at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)
you know who your friends are when...
they're willing to do this. for a price anyways:
dickson: well, my offer still stands to express ship a burrito to you
d: for a measely $60
m: lol
m: mmmm
m: that's about 6000 yen heh
m: /tempted
d: for a burrito that's been sitting in a box for 3-5 days
d: what a steal
d: extra $6 and i'll toss in a Pepto Bismol
d: i'll throw in a barf bag for shits and giggles :-p
...i'm thinking i'm thinking.
Posted by Jeff at 09:35 AM | Comments (0)
ok... it's REALLY been a long time.
ok, so the plan is to update thoroughly through 11/2 to now, and in hopes i will have everything/most-everything done by tonight at somepoint - so please refresh constantly and pray that i get off this busy/lazy chinese butt of mine.
Posted by Jeff at 09:19 AM | Comments (0)
November 27, 2005
fatigued.
recovered from thanksgiving by passing out on a tatami floor with a sleeping bag as a pillow.
life is good heh.
and the new harry potter movie is enteretaining heh. even if you ignore the fact that japanese movie theaters don't use ac, and they leave the volume really low since `no-one` understands english anyways.
bastards.
Posted by Jeff at 07:10 PM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2005
happy thanksgiving!
part 2!
it took a week of planning. mass emails up the wazoo, and finally it all came together. john and i planned thanksgiving dinner in fujinomiya (many thanks to doug for loaning us his place) for the fuji crew and guests - and to be honest it was awesome.
though there was no turkey, or a table and chairs for that matter, we had plenty of food and drink to go around ten fold (pictures? yes). on the menu were: chicken legs, carrots and pineapples, mashed potatoes, fried rice, yakisoba, potato salad, salad, chinese yakiniku, curry, thai curry, garlic bread, mushrooms and celery, white rice (of course), apple pie, damn and a lot more than that.
let's just say doug will have a ton of leftovers to last him till christmas at least heh. i think that sums it up pretty well. good food, good friends, good times.
...and beware the deer in nara.
Posted by Jeff at 11:13 PM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2005
ok it's definitely been a long time
shoot, it's been really busy these last few weeks, and more to come heh. hopefully though i haven't forgotten all of it, and will try to update things chronologically as well heh.
so let's start with some fresh antics heh.
my students these days are working on their final projects. the final project this year is a skit that a group of 2-3 have to present in front of the class. lately each class goes through phases of writing it in japanese, translating to english, making props, and finally presenting (roughly).
soooo let's go to my 14 homeroom (the difficult class, but not so bad now cause i don't have to teach). so during these classes, i carry around with me a japanese-english dictionary which, honestly, has been one of the more useful things i bring to work.
chinami: sensei, we need help please.
me: ok.
haruka (they're partners): how do we say [japanese phrase] in english?
m: um... i don't know, i know! my best friend! /opensdictionary.
c: omg serious? how sad! you have no friends!
h: the dictionary is really your best friend?
c: it's ok sensei, we'll be your friends!
h: no... he has to have friends!
h: ... right?
heh, yeah... haha.
moving on to 15 homeroom with yamaguchi sensei. btw i was incredibly impressed with what these two have done. the average skit i've seen will last no longer than 1 minute - whereas they have filled the page and it will clearly be at least 5 minutes (the requirement):
miyuki: sensei, we need help please.
me: of course! /walksover. yes?
fumi (partners): we need help translating this please.
m: /takes a look. what does this mean? [they are directions].
f: oh, well you see the road turns, and then turns, and then at the red light... and then...
and i am not joking. i saw this on their paper and even made a photocopy as proof.
`it turns the following signal right, it turns to the left afterwards, it takes a right, and it turns to the left then, because a gay hourse comes into view for a moment.`
i had to leave the room laughing. after about 5min.
m: so you meant `grey house right?`
mi: no.. we meant はで. (yes that means `gay`)
remember you're a teacher jeff. remember. hold it back. anyways, i was halfway finishing up with helping them translate their skit, when the bell ring. i told them if they wanted more help that they could come by after shool and i'll help translate for them.
so... after school...:
m and f: sensei! please help us finish!
me: /nod.
after awhile of correcting.
m: ok so what are you trying to say here?
mi: well we want to say that yamaguchi sensei came to the wrong house.
m: ok and?
f: well for example, she came to the gay house.
...
mi: i think it'd be pink or something.
...
(it hurts).
Posted by Jeff at 04:32 PM | Comments (2)
November 16, 2005
omg
this is damn adorable.
Posted by Jeff at 01:17 PM | Comments (1)
November 11, 2005
haha i got a kick out of this
７．Frequently Asked Questions
Question: My dog ate my answer sheet, what should I do?
Answer: Your answer sheet must be sent to us by its deadline of the Monthly Test. Please submit your dog to us by the deadline of the Monthly Test. We will grade your dog by x-ray, however if your dog runs off/otherwise refuses to be x-rayed, your score will be counted as ‘late’. However, in some cases we will allow your dog to submit the answers over the telephone using the CLAIR, one bark -> A, two barks -> B answer system. If you fail to deliver your dog/get your dog to telephone us/have him send a fax complete with paw print, we will stop delivery of course materials to you. Your dog will however be allowed to continue taking the course.
For information on “I can not submit this months answer sheet due to being abducted by rock n roll loving aliens please contact the Japanese Language Course helpline.
Posted by Jeff at 01:21 PM | Comments (2)
November 08, 2005
rule no. 1
you do not teach your sensei's bad words or slang.
like i did today.
today's lesson was:
1. weaksauce
2. ghetto
3. wannabe
why? i dunno, i kind of make these all up on the spot really. bad jeff? maybe. fun class? definately heh.
goto sensei: so what is weaksauce?
me: [thorough explanation].
g: ahhhhh i got it, /pointstoitousensei. he is weak sauce!
wakazono sensei: hahahahahahaha.
m: ... well no... [another thorough explanation].
itou sensei: ahhhh i got it! is it any good with rice?
w: hahahahahahaha.
m: ... [a final explanation].
g: ok, i will start using `weak sauce` at lunch, for example /pointstoitousensei.
w: hahahahahahaha. weak sauce!
hahahaha, it's a shame i can't convey how funny that actually was. then we got to ghetto:
m: [a thorough explanation on `ghetto].
i: ahhh the principal is ghetto!?
w: hahahahaha
m: noooo...[clarifys]. like yoshiwara station.
w: ahhhh so it smells?
m: noooo...[more clarifying].
g: itou sensei is ghetto!
m: ...ok fine... yes ;P.
and then there was `wannabe.`
g: ah i got it! you mean that australian...thing...you know it...
w: wallaby?
g: yeah that's it!
m: ...no it's not.
g: oh...
hehe i love my job.
Posted by Jeff at 10:03 AM | Comments (1)
November 07, 2005
dejavu, the sensation you've been doing something over and over again...
me: yamaguchi sensei, today we're going to watch a movie, and do this worksheet. we'll have both classes together for both classes and it shouldn't be that hard :).
yamaguchi sensei: you mean one class...?
m: ...no.... you teach two classes with me...
y: /thinksaboutit
y: ah...my brain is still sleeping ^^;;
hahaha <3 work. and then she came up to me just then:
y: ah you're still here! (it's 6:10pm or so)
m: /chattingtoyouguysonaim
y: oh, nm, i thought you were working.
m: ...
lol (ok yeah i don't expect a lot of you to get this, but i was laughing my ass off ;P).
Posted by Jeff at 06:28 PM | Comments (0)
November 03, 2005
where the feck are the cows?
well.. no really. susie drinks milk... but we don't see any cows... anywhere...
makes you wonder where their milk really comes from right?
good thing i just drink oj.
and you have to wonder about some of your friends sometimes...:
anon1: well you know how japanese people are hardcore with their work ethics
anon2: oh ok
1: gotta teach while on break
1: hahaha
me: lol seriously
m: they do paperwork while eating lunch
2: hahah
2: and you're all looking at pron and stuff
2: "lemme rub one out while i'm eating my sammich!"
2: hahahaah
anon3: wtf
3: dude
2: damn americans
1: sick
1: :P
m: omg 2
2: ty, i try
m: you cross lines everyday ;P
2: of course, that's why i'm here
1: | <---- line ---> 2
2: push the boundaries
m: seriously
m: you don't push them 2
2: you just disregard them ;P
2: well lines do exist for me
2: but they're quite far away
anon4: like macking on goats?
2: well it depends on what context
m: and the kind of goat
2: lol yes.
2: hm
2: it's quite rare for us to all still be here at 6:30
m: well except me ;P
m: cuase it's 11:37 am ;P
2: well you're always last man standing by default
2: haha
4: unless he takes an early lunch
2: when's your lunch break?
1: lol
1: what?
1: 2 <3 goats?
4: not all
2: yes, beastiality is a big thing for me
4: he has some standards
2: yeah
2: no gay beastiality
2: otherwise it's ok
m: quoted
2: haha
2: shit
m: don't care if it's out of context ;D
1: ROFL
m: and lunch is whenever you want
1: damnit i wanted that quote
um... i'm sure you all know who it is... but i'm just not going to say...
but yeah, susie, ryan, and brad headed to izu-nitta for some yakiniku and pool that night - which was tons of fun heh (even at almost 10 bucks an hour per person).
but yeah, on the train ride home was when susie brought that up heh.
/ponders.
Posted by Jeff at 11:55 PM | Comments (1)
November 02, 2005
made with 10% comprehensable stuffs
today we had our somewhat monthly assembly at school - where the principal recognizes those students who have placed in any competition and what not, in addition sends a message (of some sort or another) to the entire school.
and as usual, it's all in japanese.
and as usual i understand about 0% of the entire thing.
fun times for me.
but apparently i'm not the only one:
me: kikuchi sensei, i, don't really understand anything...
kikuchi sensei: it's ok, i'll tell you a secret, i don't either.
m: that's bad right?
k: nah i can safely guarantee that 90% of the people here don't understand what's going on.
m: ok, well i'll just go ask a jte.
k: i meant including the teachers...
m: oh...
mmm... so to prove a point:
me: sensei (for future reference, i only refer to my supervisor as just `sensei`), um, can you explain what the principal was talking about? it seemed important.
sensei: um... i... wasn't listening... i kind of stop paying attention everytime she starts talking ^^;.
m: そか...
yeah. i. um... yeah. just yeah.
Posted by Jeff at 12:26 PM | Comments (1)
November 01, 2005
i don't get it
people say this reminds them of me...
Posted by Jeff at 10:59 AM | Comments (2)