From the Heart of Tokyo 東京の中心から

English Teacher

英語の先生

Please see below the Japanese text for the English text.　このもの語足りは私の英語のクラスについてです。たぶん、全部の友達はまだ分かることはアメリカから日本来た前に緊急の看護婦で働きました。それは殆ど９年間前に。日本に来たときに、子供二人は小学生ので、私はいろいろことを忙しかったです。 日本語をできないので、ここに看護婦のようをできません。そして、子供たちは大きくなったから、新しいキャリアを探しました。自分の手腕とか興味とかを考察をしたと、あら！もちろん、英語の先生なりたいです。それは３年間前にので、熱心でなりました。プライベットなレッスンはよいだので、改良をしに東京のテンペル大学区に出席もしました。そして、一年間で専門学校で英語を教えています。３月から、日曜日の午後に、友達たちのグルプのレッスンをします。それはZoomUPです。みなはいろいろレベルをしてので、クラスは楽しくて、面白いと思います。それについて前のポストがここである。いくつの生徒はもっとチャレンジなクラスを欲しいから（例えば、TOEICをとる人）、ZoomUPProを作りました。

そして、ZoomUPProのクラスは略毎週火曜日の夜である、７時半から９時まで起こります。  生徒の予定の場合は参加して、おのおののレッスンは独立のスタイルです。Mixiを作るので、コミュネティーを参加する後に、レッスンを参加したかったら、MixiのZoomUPProのコミュネティーで、イベントをサインアップすること方法。標的の生徒は中級レベル以上理想なであります。自分で資料を作るから、参加するつもりの生徒場合は作れます。考えることは、私の近所で働いているの人は仕事の後に、参加します。（近所は六本木一丁目だので、オクラホテルとか、アルクヒルズなど）

昨日は初めのクラスでした。一人だけ生徒は来たが、彼女は勇敢なので、成功したと思います。たくさん準備をしました。私の考えはクラスの方を決めて、レッスンを作ったら、後に続きやすいなります。 オリジナルのZoomUPのような、最初にWarmUPBookを読みました。この本の目的は耳を英語を慣れています。その本は子供の絵本だけど、面白いくて、たくさんいい言葉はあります。本のテームは子犬は風が引きます。次ぐに一緒に作ったクロスワードパズルを解答しました。そのパズルの言葉はWarmUPBookからや次の書いた物語からです。パズルは物語読むこと前には故意です。難しい言葉ので、それは勉強することです。次に、書いた物語を読んで、言葉とか文法とか発音とか意味も勉強しました。その物語はインフルエンザについて。９０分のクラスで英語を話しました。クラスは終わりに、生徒は全部の資料を持って帰りました。（絵本以外）そして、生徒は強化できます。将来のクラスのためいろいろ方法を使うつもりです。

ZoomUPProを参加したかったら、Mixiのコミュネティーを見てください。私に連絡をしてください。 将来の予定クラスは１２月１日や１２月１５日であります。９０分のクラスの値段は２０００円だけど、毎の４回目の参加したクラスはおきに半額をします。このポストは広告のようだけど、英語を勉強したい人は私の近所で働いたら、たぶんZoomUPProを見つけたら、喜んでいます。　日本語の間違いをごめなさいね。

This post is about my group English classes.  Probably most of my friends know that I spent many years working as an Emergency and Intensive Care nurse.  But when I came to Japan, I found that I couldn't work as a nurse because I couldn't speak Japanese.  The kids were young then, so I was very busy anyway, volunteering at school and whatnot.  But as they got older, I started casting about for another career.  I considered my skills and my interests, and realized that I wanted to teach English.  So over three years ago, I started teaching English in private lessons.  I found that I really liked it, and (bragging here) I'm good at it.  So I got a part time job teaching English in a vocational school and a hotel.  I also started a casual group class for my friends called Zoom UP, where Japanese people of all ages and levels can gather for a fun English conversation class .   Here's a prior post about Zoom UP.  Some of my friends told me that they like Zoom UP, but they'd like a more challenging class, for example, people who are studying for the TOEIC exam for work, so I decided to create Zoom UP Pro.

Zoom UP Pro will be held on Tuesday evenings, from 7:30 to 9 pm.  This class is for Intermediate level and above English learners.  Because the classes are independent of each other, in other words, free standing, the student can attend the class depending on his or her schedule.  I've made a community on Mixi, which is like a Japanese Facebook, and once the student joins the community, she can sign up for any class she plans to attend by joining the "event".  My thought is that people who work in my neighborhood may want to join after work.  That would be Roppongi-itchome, Okura Hotel, Ark Hills area.

Last night, I held the first ever class of Zoom UP Pro.  I only had one brave student, but I consider it a success.  Like with the original Zoom UP, I started with a Warm UP Book.  The purpose of the Warm UP Book is to get used to listening to English, to warm up the ears.  I use children's books for this, but the words are not overly simple, and the concepts are advanced enough to make it interesting.  This also enhances the student's self confidence.  This particular book was about a puppy who catches a cold.  Next, we worked together to try to solve a crossword puzzle that I had made up.  I took the words from the Warm UP Book and also from the Main Story, a one-pager which I wrote.  I intentionally presented the words in the crossword puzzle before the Main Story to give my student a chance to understand them better when we encountered them in the Main Story.  The story's theme was influenza.  When we read this story, we not only worked on vocabulary, but also sentence structure, idioms, pronunciation, and of course, meaning.  During the entire 90 minute class, we spoke mostly English.  When the class is finished, the student gets to take the material home so that she can reinforce what she learned in class.

If you think you might like to join the class, please take a look at the Mixi Zoom UP Pro Community, and contact me.  The next scheduled classes will be December 1st and December 15th.  The cost of the 90 minute class is 2000 yen, and every fourth lesson attended is half price.  Yes, this post is an advertisement to try to get more students for my class.  Group dynamics will make it even more fun if more people join.  If people who work convenient to my neighborhood are looking for a way to improve their English, I think they'll be happy to find out about Zoom UP Pro.

Switching topics now.  Just for fun, see the photo below.  Nissen International Market in Azabu Juban has some beautiful real Christmas trees for sale, but we won't be buying one.  FYI 29,715 yen is $338.31 USD.  Nissen is a really great store, it has lots of things that I can't find in the Japanese grocery store, such as turkeys.  This week, I bought our 14 pound Thanksgiving turkey (Norbest brand) for 4418 yen, which is $50.13.  Expensive, but there's no other choice, and we'll make the best of it.  I'll be glad when the exchange rate gets back to normal.

ASIJ High School Football

日本のアメリカンスクールのフットボール

 

When Jonah came home from school and told me he planned to play football,  my automatic reaction as a mother was concern.  But then I realized that, as the smallest kid on the Junior Varsity team, he'd have to try very hard, the practices would be good for fitness, and then there's the camaraderie of belonging to the team.  Well, Saturday was the last game, and it has been an excellent season for Jonah.  As it turns out, this football season has been great for the whole family.  ところで、日本語は下に書きます。

During our many years at ASIJ (American School In Japan), we've attended many sporting events, plays, musical concerts, and basically any event that the kids were involved or interested in.  We've watched a few football games over the years, but this is the first time that we've gone to almost every game, even those that were away at military bases.  We'd go to watch Jonah's games, the High School Junior Varsity team, and then we'd stay for the Varsity games which were always very exciting.  As I sat in the stands, cheering for our team, I enjoyed mingling with the other parents.  The Team Moms, Kelli and Lisa, each gave me a program, so I could look at the jersey number and know the players names, most of whom I know as friends and classmates of Jonah and Monica.

Some of the boys on each team are exceptional athletes, it is such a pleasure to watch them perform, running, catching, throwing, kicking, blocking and tackling. A few are so aware, it's quite amazing to see them look around at the other players on the field and understand exactly what they need to do.  I think this is a characteristic that will serve them well in life, no matter what they do.  Some are not exceptional, but are trying very hard to do their best, getting better every time.  The coaches have the respect of all the players and parents as they consistently work the students hard in practice, but they are fair and kind.  Jonah learned so much during football practice from the coaches and other players, and I was impressed by his organization and responsibility, even down to taking care of his equipment, watching his nutrition and sleep, and making sure that his jersey got washed.

The players from the other teams were also admirable, even though they hardly ever beat us.  Most are from military bases, but we also played some Japanese High Schools, in fact, last weekend, the JV played two Japanese HS's at once, that's why there are three different colored jerseys on the field.  The cheerleaders were always fun to watch, they really take their role seriously but with a smile, and you could see their skill progressing through the season.  Every home game, two students from ASIJ would sing the National anthems, first the Japanese one, then the American one, while everyone stood silent and respectful.  One of the Varsity parents announced the games, he sounds very professional.  Of course, there are many other unsung heroes, such as the officials of ASIJ who had to make the very difficult decision of forfeiting a distant away game during the flu season.  It was disappointing, but surely the right decision.

Monica fully supported the team as a student athletic training.  Besides games, she would usually attend practices during the week after school to help Iku with taping, icing, and stretching the players and all manner of injury prevention and care.  Iku is quite a role model for Monica and the other trainers, this is such a good opportunity to be exposed to the medical field while still in High School, and she appreciates it very much.

Martin had a wonderful time during the games.  He attended as many as he could with his busy travel schedule, and took hundreds of photos.  After each game, he would rush home to his computer and spend many hours going through the photos, discarding the blurry and duplicate ones, cropping a few, and then would put them on my photo sharing site for all the parents and players to see as soon as possible.  Martin's hobby is action photography, and football is an excellent chance to practice and improve this skill.  Actually, he's an advanced propulsion engineer, working in the automotive industry, but with things the way they are in that field, he needs to keep his options open. 

Saturday, November 7th was the end of the season, the photos from those games are here:

  JUNIOR VARSITY       and   VARSITY

If you missed them, photos from the other games are here in this folder:     

ASIJ FOOTBALL 2009 Season   

Martin's  Pro Photography Site is here: PIXBYMARTIN.COM   

今度、全体のブログを日本語で書けないので、これは要約です。 ジョナは初めてアメリカンフットボールを遊びました。彼はチームの中に一番小さい人だから、私は心配でした。でも彼はとてもよかったです。毎日学校の後に練習をした、いつもがんばりました。練習から強くなったので、チームの関係から、友情はよかったです。家族もフットボールを楽しかったです。

８年間に、ASIJと参加したけれど、今年は初めてたくさんフットボールの試合に見に行きました。時々調布であるので、時々軍の基地に見に行きました。  ジョナはJVので、高校の若いチームです。そして、JVの試合後に、Varsityの試合を見ます。Varsityの選手は１１～１２年生だので、その試合はもっと興奮させる。私は他の両親と見て、いつも面白いです。選手のジャーシーの何番を見て、紙は名前を分かります。その人人はモニカのジョナの仲間だから、知っています。

いくつ選手は上手なスポーツマンだので、みなはがんばります。試合を遊びながら、いろいろ手腕を使って、毎週だんだんよくなります。二つチームがあるので、４人コーチがあります。選手はコーチに尊敬します。練習、試合、ジョナはたくさんいいことを貰いました。自制とか、頭の中が整理させたとか、 自分の物のため信頼できったもなります。

チアリーダーもがんばります。愛学校心は大会です。いつも、試合前に生徒は日本の国家を歌います。それ後に、アメリカンの国家を歌います。皆は立って、静かなって、敬意を表します。いろいろも手伝い人はあります。 いくさんは学校のスポーツトレーナだので、モニカはいつも彼女を手伝います。いくさんは鼓舞させる人から、モニカは医者のようになりたいです。モニカと他の学生のスポーツトレーナは選手にいろいろスポートをしました。仕事はときどき大変だけど、モニカはよく感謝します。

マーティンもフットボール季節を楽しかったです。出張から急がしだけど、よくできれば、試合に行きました。たくさん写真を撮りました。試合後にペソコンを使って、悪い写真を捨てて、長い時間かかります。早くのほうが写真がウエブに載せるので、選手の両親に教えます。最近からの仕事は大変なったので、たぶんカメラマンになりたいです。笑。上のリンクを行って、写真を見てください。

Skating Fun, Fitness, Friends and Food

スケートの楽しみ、健康、友達、食べ物

Recently, we joined a group of friends for a special skating event organized by Yagami-san.  Usually, on  Sunday mornings, we participate in the Tokyo City Run, starting from Ueno and ending at Gaienne/Jingu, but this time we took a much more rural tour from Shounandai to Fujisawa, Kamakura and finally Chigasaki.  On the way, we met up with our friends who have traded in their skates for bicycles since their twin boys came along.  ところで、日本語は下に書きます。

The gathering point was Shounandai, which for us is a little over an hour by train from our home.  Jonah hadn't skated for about a month, and when he put his skates on, he found that his feet had grown since he wore them last, but he toughed it out, giving that pair one last use.  Just a short skate through the town, and we came to a long bike trail that winds along the side of a river through the agricultural and bedroom communities west and south of Yokohama.

Actually this event was called the Jerato Run, because our first stop was a dairy farm where they make and sell this delicious Italian ice cream in many interesting flavors, like green tea, plum, choko, and of course vanilla and strawberry.  I've been here a few times, but this was the first for Monica, Jonah and Martin.  We reached the farm on the trail, took off our skates and walked between rice paddies and vegetable fields to get to the dairy store where we enjoyed looking at the cows while our cones dripped.

Back on skates again, we traveled for about 10 kilometers before reaching Fujisawa, said goodbye to one family and then boarded a train called the Enoden.  I really enjoyed riding this little train, while my friends showed me a map of the route and explained the various stops, many of them famous sightseeing spots around Kamakura.  The area is packed with interesting sites, including the Great Buddha and many temples and shrines.  On one side of the train you could see the ocean, while on the other was lush rolling hills and quaint buildings.  When we reached Kamakura proper, we walked to a bakery which had a wide selection of homemade yeast breads and rolls which we ate standing around outside the shop.

From there, Monica and Jonah, who have busy social lives, said goodbye and took the train back to Tokyo.  The rest of us walked a little further into Kamakura where we found, guess what!  another Jerato shop.  Finally, strapping on the skates again, we headed for the ocean.  Oh, my!  That was the difficult part of the trip.  I've skated along here before, towards Enoshima, and it is always interesting, but this time the wind was soooo strong, the blowing black sand stung like little needles, and the tile surface of the sidewalk next to the ocean was super slippery from the waves crashing.  It was a really challenging 4 or 5 kilometers, and then Yagami-san called a halt and we got back on the train.

Eventually, we came to goal, which was a Pizza and Beer Hall named Mokichi.  Here we had a delicious and fun banquet of pizza and pasta before picking up the train for the late evening ride back to Tokyo.

I love to participate in the Tokyo City Run every Sunday, and the Saturday Night Skate once a month, but once in awhile it's a nice change of scene to see other interesting areas of Japan, touring on skates with my friends, especially if my family also participates.  Here are links to Iwa-san's City Run site, and to Papa-san's SNS site.  If you like to in-line skate, you are welcome to join us whether you live in Japan or are just visiting.  Remember to bring your gear, especially wrist guards, and if you join the night skate, you must wear a helmet and lights.

Other pictures from this event are HERE.  このイベントのマーティンと私の写真はここにある。

Iwa-san's Tokyo City Run site is HERE.  Iwaさんの東京CRサイトはここにある。

Papa-san's Saturday Night Skate site is HERE.  パパさんのSNSのサイトはここにある。

最近、特別ななやがみさんは作ったスケートのイベントに参加しました。 つうれい日曜日の 朝に東京シーティランに参加するので、上野から神宮に滑ります。でも、今度いなかのツアーは湘南台から始まって、藤沢とか、鎌倉とか、茅ヶ崎に滑りました。途中で家族に会いました。その家族は前にスケートが使ったので、赤ちゃん二人はいるから、自転車を乗ります。

家から湘南台に電車で一時間以上かかってので、あそこに友達たちは集まりました。ジョナは一ヶ月間はスケートしなかったので、スケートははいたときに、足は大きくなったと発見しまったが、がんばりました。町からトレールに滑って、トレールは小さい川のとなりです。

実はジェラードランというこのイベントです。最初の止まったのきれいな場所は酪農牧場ですので、店はおいしいイラリアのアイスクリームを買えます。そのジェラードは面白い味だので、抹茶、チョーコー、梅干し、イチゴ、バニラなどです。ジェラードを食べながら、牛を見ました。

その後、１０キロぐらい藤沢に着いたので、自転車の家族にさやならと言いたので、江ノ電車に乗りました。その電車の乗ることはとても楽しかったです。友達たちは地図を見ながら、地方についていろいろ面白い情報を教えました。鎌倉はたくさん神社やお寺があるので、込みで大仏です。 電車から海を見えたので、他の方向は緑の山腹や風変わり建築も見えました。鎌倉に着いたときにパン屋に行って、店の外に立ちながら、おいしいパンを
食べました。

あそこから、忙しいモニカとジョナとさよならと言ったので、二人は東京に帰りました。 残りグループは鎌倉の町を通って歩きました。びっくりだので、ジェラードの店を見つけました。それ後に、梅向かい滑って、江ノ島へ行くつもりでした。それはちょっと大変な部分でした。風がとても強いです。前にそのところに滑ったけど、今度風から、吹いた黒い砂は痛いさせました。表面もつるつるしたので、４～５キロはチャレンジをさせました。それから、やがみさんは立ち止まると決しまいましたので、電車に乗りました。

結局にゴールに着いたので、Mokichiのレストランです。あそこにおいしいパスタとピザとビールも楽しんだから、夜の電車で東京に帰りました。

たいてい毎週の東京シティーランに参加して楽します。そして、毎月の土曜日のナイットランも参加したいです。でも、時々違うの景色を見たいので、やがみさんと参加みなさんに感謝の感情があります。友達たち一緒に特に家族は参加したら、とてもいいです。スケートをしたかったら、上のリンクを見て、もちろんよこうそ。ギアーを忘れないで、とりわけ手首のガードも、夜のスケートを参加したら、ヘルメットが必要です。