Julia Mira
  • Home
  • Forest
  • Derelict Vehicles
  • People
  • Chickens, Fish, Etc.
  • Outliers
  • Drums
  • Artifacts
  • About & CV
  • Contact
  • Blog

Japan, Nov 3

11/10/2010

0 Comments

 
In the morning, the 60 boys go on a walk around the dam at 5:30, and the 20 girls go at 6:00. We joined them, of course. There's a lot of goldenrod growing on the disturbed soil, but the most wonderful things were spiders which built big webs everywhere. They have brilliant yellow abdomens with black and red markings.


Breakfast was chopped sugared egg, fatty ham, and cold tea served in tea kettles the size and shape of exhibition pumpkins.


Morning assembly was run by the Head Boy. He explained how to fill in a multiplication table, and then there was a timed drill. Can you fill one in in 70 seconds? Most of them could. I read out the answers in English.


Over the next few days, Camilla gave several groups slide shows of pictures of home, explaining things slowly and clearly. The most interesting group was the teachers, who asked penetrating questions and seemed to be willing, nay, eager, to sit for three hours in order to learn more about solar panels, bartering for eggs, and other American exotica.


In the afternoon, I sat in on an English skills evaluation. We three teachers sat on one side of a barrier of desks, and the student, a boy of about 16, came in, bowed, and sat down across from us. He read aloud from a third grade textbook, answered questions, and even chatted. I was impressed with his poise, despite his white knuckles. America, land of individualists, doesn't do this to kids - they're allowed their anonymity. But here, we've seen lots of people put on the spot like that, including ourselves, and asked to deliver speeches or to exhibit their knowledge. You get good at it. Not only that, but people are genuinely interested in listening.


At the teacher's meeting in the evening, Camilla and I were the featured attraction. We were asked to explain: US history, immigration to the US, Catholics vs. Jews in European history, and all points between. 


These teachers seem to orient towards work rather than family. You read about that, but in practice, it doesn't seem as grim as I'd thought it might be, despite the formality of protocols and heirarchy. The relationships between the teachers are deepened by these endless meetings, in which ideas as much as planning are discussed. This is lubricated by the truly hilarious dinners they share. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

      

      

    Archives

    September 2022
    July 2021
    July 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    August 2011
    April 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

    Categories

    All
    Apple
    Biocities
    Buoys
    Calligraphy
    Curating
    Cyanotype
    Driftwood
    Drum
    Edinburgh
    Florence
    Forest
    Framing
    Hanko
    Illuminated Manuscript
    Japan
    Kimono
    Kos
    Kyoto
    Leeds
    Madrona
    Manhole
    Mind
    Mixed Media
    Museum
    Nature
    Oil Painting
    Painting
    Plants
    Pottery
    Reflections
    School
    Sea Life
    Sendai
    Shoyu
    St Andrew
    St Andrews
    Studio Shot
    Taiko
    Tea Ceremony
    Technology
    Temple
    Tokyo
    Vancouver
    Venice
    Watercolor

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly