Happy New Year

イングリッシュアイランドの皆様へ

今年、２０１０、たくさん良い思い出あります。又来年良い思い出いっぱい作りましょう。よろしくお願いします。


イングリッシュアイランド英会話のパットより

                              Happy　　New   Year  !!!!!!

The End

イングリッシュアイランド英会話の普通授業終わりました。今プライベートレッスンの三日間が始まりました。火曜日の３時のレッスン以外は埋まっている。皆さんは楽しくレッスン受けるように頑張ります！来年も色な新しい発見出来ると嬉しい。今年は確かに大変な所色々あったけどその陰で生長も出来たと思います。今、年賀状書いている最中。右手が筋肉痛(;ﾟДﾟ)!昔いみたいに手で書く事出来なくかった。

パット

Still snowing!!

This was this morning and it's still coming down, slowly but surely.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the island.

Merry White Christmas to you,

Pat

Around the corner?

YES!
Finally, the snow has started to fall.  The long awaited snowfall has finally started. It's cold enough and I think there'll be enough snow to at least stretch out the legs properly.  It's a nice feeling to know it's piling up around here...  THANK YOU!




Next week is the last week of lessons for the year.  We are going to wind up with a fun fashion show in Shinkotoni and the Famous People Project in Higashiku.  Shinoro is doing simple questions and job interviews...

Fashion

今月のトピックはファションです。よろしくお願いします。

このしたにある話はファションセンスの無い僕のいろいろな感違え。。。

One thing I am sure of is that I am not fashionable.  My idea of sensible shoes are rubber slippers and dressing up would mean tucking in my shirt, I suppose.  However, when I　lived in Hawaii, I often laughed or smirked as it may have been, at the Japanese tourists parading up and down the beach in there tacky, touristy, neon colored swim wear.  I thought that they were probably the worst bunch of dressers on the planet except for the crazy Germans in their little bikini pants swim wear.
SO...  When I came to Sapporo for the first time I was shocked at all the well dresses fashionable people I saw walking around.  Where were all the neon colors and the pair look thing?  I have to admit that I was a little self conscious about walking around in my rubber slippers, surf trunks, and pretty clean t-shirt.  But that didn't stop me then and it still doesn't now.

Gotta keep those rubbah slippuhs...

Da Bul laia,

pat

Sapporo's Flag

I sometimes do a lesson about symbols.  I　always start the lesson by having the class draw the American flag, following my instructions in English.

I don't tell them what they are drawing, I just tell them to draw rectangles and lines in the appropriate places. After they have figured out what they are drawing, I get them to tell me what the parts of the flag symbolize.  From there the conversation branches out and we discuss different symbols that the student may know.  After the discussion has gained a little momentum, I start asking about Hokkaido, the prefecture's tree, bird, flower and so on.  Finally I ask them to teach me how to draw the Hokkaido flag.  It's a trap!!!  It's far too difficult and most people living here don't know what it looks like anyway.

After we decide to chuck the project and everyone is feeling blue, I zone back in and say, "What the hell? That flag is too complicated anyway.  Let's redesign the flag."

After giving them a few minutes to get their ideas down, everyone presents them and explains why they chose certain symbols for the flag.  Recently, a junior high student designed a flag for Sapporo. The famous Sapporo clock tower is depicted under a branch of lilies of the valley, Sapporo's flower.  There are ten flowers, one for each of the ten wards.  She did a wonderful job of explaining and I now know there are ten wards!!!

Appreciatively,

Pat of the Valley

Life on Mars

It's been a challenge to write here recently.  No excuses but trying to get all the lessons together, the yard cleaned, and keep the family amused seems to be taking nearly all my time.  Recently I used a lesson made by Sean Banville on Breaking News English that introduced a NASA　program to put people on Mars. The catch is that the Mars travelers can never return to Earth. I'm having my students make lists of people they would like to see go. Kind of an interesting  way to get 'em talking.

Heading South

渡鳥

ホームページがちょっとだけ新しくなった！教材がわかりやすくなったかな？あとスライドショーもできて。かわいい子供たち見て下さい！

english island

しんしのつの空に渡鳥いっぱいいました。英語で言わしてもらう。。。

Not me. No way. I'm staying put. These birds are obviously just not cut out for the North.

Stoically,
Pat

Another muscle pain post...

I could tell you about pains here and there, but it's not as bad as I had expected. 休みの間に羊蹄山登ってみた。きれいな空気と運動で頭すっきり！

今月の勉強は町を作る事になりました。ペーパークレーでどんあ物出来るかな？

羊蹄山のビデオ作ってみた(~_~;)

Exhaustedly,
Pat

Talk Story

In Hawaii, when friends get together and chat about what's up, we say we are talkin' story.

For example,

Mother: Hey Junior, where you was?
Junior Boy: I wuz down da gym talking story with James.

I'm guessing it's not necessary but here is the translation.

Mother: Hi Junior, where were you?
Junior Boy: I was at the gym shooting the breeze with James.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that when I was living in Hawaii, I often ran into friends on the street or in town. More than once, I passed friends while driving in opposite directions but we both stopped, backed up and proceeded to talk story! This probably doesn't happen now with the advent of the cell phone and all, but at the time it was a very important part of the way we interacted with friends and maintained those relationships.

The reason this all came to the front of my mind was I actually did talk story the day before yesterday. Just by chance, an old friend from Katsura Golf Club had some business in an office near the school. He was walking by my house which is across the street from the school and he saw my name on the entrance to my house. Pretty big coincidence because Sapporo is not a small city. He had borrowed a putter from me back when I was working at Katsura and he brought it to the house. Maybe his purpose was to check out the scene at my house, because I told him clearly, two or three years ago, I didn't need the putter back. Anyway, he finally called me and told me that he was in the office near my school and to drop by on my way back from Kitano where I had been working. To be honest, I felt a little uneasy about having to adjust my day to include a visit, but I decided to go.

We chatted and I surprised myself at how much I talked. When I'm in the classroom I am always conscience of how much I talk and constantly holding back. Apparently it had been a long time since I could let it go and just talk story. About thirty minutes later and feeling stress free I went home had lunch and then off to the afternoon lessons. I talked so much I　thought I was going turn portagee!!!

So what I'm really getting at is that I'm going to start a talk story lounge type lesson for free! Anybody who like talk story, just come on by... das right! free 英会話！　　Details have yet to be decided but I'm guessing Thursday or Friday nights... or Friday afternoons???

Longwindedly,

Pat

The Official End of Summer

Silver week has come to an end. Sapporo is cooling down and soon it will be winter. Please dress warm and get enough sleep because it is officially "cold" season. My son has caught cold and I've had a few students out with colds as well. Stay active and be healthy...

Preventatively,

Pat

Trees

Muscle pain is starting to let up a bit. I can't seem to get the hike up Mt. Yoichi off my mind. I think about the next trek... Yotei? I have a few days off next week and I've never climbed it. Maybe I'll give it a go next Tuesday weather permitting. There were some great trees behind Kiroro near Mt. Yoichi. As I was walking down from the mountain on Sunday I was reminded of one of my favorite children's books The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

What does that tree symbolize? I tend to think that for me it's straight and simple. The tree is a tree, not a parent. A tree is a symbol of our planet Mother Earth. She gives selflessly and we take.

I hugged a few trees last Sunday...

Ecologically,

Pat

Muscle Pain

Mostly in the back of my leg, hamstrings and calves.


Just 4 more months and this beauty will be covered in snow...

Click here for boring video

Tenderly,
Pat

Now that is a cute girl!!

I'm not much for bragging, but have you ever seen such a cute girl? These pictures were posted on Facebook and I thought it might add a bit of color here too. My brother his wife and their lovely daughter. Great to see them all happy.

Boastingly,

Pat

大きくなったらなになりたいですか？

What did you want to be when you were a kid? 子供の時何になりたかったですか？僕は色々な仕事をやりたいと思った。まずロックシンガーでしょう。。。そしてプロフットボールの選手。。。それからプロゴルファー。。。とゴルフ場の管理。そのあと英語を教えるようになってこれからはどうかな。出来ればもうちょっとこの楽しいやりごたえあるの仕事させてもらいたい。宜しくお願いします。出来ないなら海賊なろうかな。。。


今月のテーマは仕事です。仕事の面接に使うような英語を練習します。覚えたら仕事面接ゲーム月末にやります！

Hardly Workingly,

Patrick

Googlization

I was pretty confused. Does anyone have a Google account and share a computer? If you do, you may have experienced trouble managing accounts. I finally got into my Blogger account. I couldn't get back in here after my wife changed the password to get into my Youtube account. It's craziness. I can't remember what mail address I use or she uses and she never keeps the same password for any two accounts. Of course this is the safest way to go. No one can get into her accounts, not even her...Finally, after two hours of cursing and swearing at my machine I can say that the Millionaire video is up. I just showed a few of the kids. Everyone took part and they all seemed to get a kick out of it. Hope to do something like this again in the future.

ミリオネアのビデオはアプしました。見てくれたら嬉しいです！

竹串

焼き鳥大好き！Yes, I love chicken.こんがりと焼きあがった物を食べると最高！色々な店は行くけど僕のイメージどおりの店は竹串。新琴似７条２丁目のあたりにあります。この店に行き始めたのは約１０年前。辞められない！！！If you are a chicken lover too... 是非!値段も良心的です。

Chicken Heartedly,
Pat

Millionaire

も始まっているよ！イングリッシュアイランド英会話のミリオネア。テーマはスポーツです。月、火、水、の所はCHAMPION５，６人しかないんです～。木、金、土頑張って下さい。来週の月曜日YOUTUBEにビデオアプしたいと思います。楽しみです！

Hopefully, The kids are having as much fun as I am. The actual quiz is taking more time for each person than I had anticipated. Sometime I had to rush some of the kids or choose categories and questions for them. Sorry, but that's the breaks and I'm just a beginner Minomonta. I think I'll reduce the number of questions form 13 to 9 starting tomorrow. Congratulations to the $1500 dollar winners and better luck next time to the ones who came up short this time.

英検の申込みは今月です。

Hurriedly,

Pat

Video Games

I think it is pretty ironic that we buy our children these portable games and begrudge their use. I don't know how many adults use portable games here in Japan, but I'm guessing more than a handful use them. I occasionally see parents waiting in the car to pick up their kids from lessons playing these handheld games. Personally, I have spurts of use and then long spells where I don't touch them t all. I remember Contra by Nintendo and spending far too much time trying to get to the heart of the alien that lived in the jungle!

I put up some online flash versions of a few of the games from the eighties and early nineties. Give them a run, but don't play too much, you may develop tendinitis.

Nostalgically,

Pat

A Great Wedding

It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony. I hope these two can find a way to stay this happy for a long, long time. Congratulations to Rhys and Asuka. We'll handle the ship without you this week. Enjoy the time with your family!

Glowingly,
Pat

Did it...

It's up. Check out the new desiiign.

Thankfully,
Pat

Progress

Dangerous

The kids in Kitano were great today. They are SOOOO cute!! We previewed the Millionaire Quiz Show material and I have a pretty good idea where each class is at and what I should have them do to get the most out of the exercise. I spent the evening chatting about TESOL. One of the people who attend lessons here is a JHS English teacher and we invariably talk about work. I always worry about boring my students as any self-centered, slightly conscious of the world around him, middle-aged foreigner living in Sapporo would and should be. I am aware that the 英会話 business topic is O.B., but it seems O.K. to bring it out in our musings about education. Hope I didn't overdo it...

In other news, the new website might be up in the next week or so!!! I'm rolling along and if there aren't any major snags I can imagine changing over the top page as early as Sunday.

Optimistically,

Pat

Hump Day

It's Wednesday and it's not that I don't like Wednesday, I do.

Patiently,
Pat

Kitano Boys

I love these kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Adoringly,

Pat

Burn Out...

I feel it coming, I really do. The end is nowhere in sight but I have this overwhelming feeling I can do it and I will come out of this just fine. I'm starting to obsess over renewing the site. I put up some new maps today. If you are not sure where we are or perhaps where you are, these maps will surely be helpful. I haven't quite mastered the technique of map making, but I made a crude attempt and it seemed better than what I had previously written so... there they are.

So back to what I said about feeling it coming. Burnout... I haven't been exercising. I just fold my legs and type, click and puzzle during every free second of the day. Those free seconds are pretty liberal recently. Obon or summer vacation hasn't quite finished yet and a lot of the kids aren't showing up. Popularity dysfunction or they are all just busy. Hope it's the latter. Almost midnight and I think I'll call it a day. In the off chance somebody reads and actually understands what I am typing here. The web address is http://www.englishisland.jpCheck the maaaaps...

Flickeringly,
Pat

The Heat Continues

Back at the helm here at 札幌北区英会話 paradise イングリッシュアイランド。 I was hammering on the keyboard all last night until midnight and I finally came up with 14 pages of questions for the Sports Trivia Challenge. The questions may not be exactly easy but the answers are pretty obvious and if everyone buckles down and concentrates or better yet, uses powers of deduction, we'll be just fine. I know it's a lot of material but I don't expect anyone to study it! BUT!!! If someone does try to study it all, it won't be hard to remember the correct answer. I am trying to develop the kid's なんとなく感　and have a good time doing it. Let me know what you think...

Check the PDF File

Trivially,

Pat

美味そう！

I got back last night, but I have to admit I was in no condition to do any happy computing last night. It was an exhausting three nights. I played more tennis in the last three days than I have ever played before. That's not saying much as I have never been much of a tennis player.
As I debate the highlight of the trip I post one picture that makes me appreciate living in Hokkaido! Haboro has the best kaisendon I've ever feasted on...

Shrimpily,
Pat

Obon Holiday

I guess most people take a few days off in the summer here in Japan. I usually take a week off from lessons. Over half the kids and some of the adults can't come. This cause a pretty big disruption when everyone scrambles for make-up lessons. There isn't really anything for me to do during overpriced and overcrowded Obon. It's Wednesday and I am here at my desk as usual. Only difference is I haven't shaved, I'm wearing shorts, and I'm thinking about going for a drive if the weather improves. My son Kai was supposed to have a tennis match today and I was really looking forward to watching him compete, but it looks as though it has been cancelled.
I had big plans! I bought the new version of Home Page Builder and mad a few attempts at a page. It's not bad, but I don't have it under control quite yet. I also want to finish up the kids videos. I should probably do that before I forget what little I managed to learn about Movie Maker. Software is getting easier to use, I admit, but mastering it is another story it seems. Finally, THINK TRIVIA is my new motto. I have discovered there is a lot of flexibility　within this trivia theme to teach some useful patterns for communication.
I'll report back when I have something worth saying.

Apologetically,
Pat

Feelin' dizzy...

It's been so hot lately. Yesterday was a solid 35℃and nice n' muggy. I didn't spend much time outside. I don't know if I am under the weather or just suffering from the heat. Next week is a holiday here at english island and most people will at least take a few days off next week for visiting graves and maybe family who haven't gone to the grave yet. イングリッシュアイランド英会話教室　is not going to be resting though. I have a million things to do!

∵　First, I have to finish editing all the famous people project videos.
∵　Second, I have to finish (start) the Millonaire Sports Trivia for the next month.
(I tried explaining but the kids couldn't seem to imagine
what I am trying to do. I have to get some kind of English
down on paper so they can get a clear image.)
∵　Third, I have to decide what to do about my struggling and inefficient website.

After writing the list down, it doesn't seem so bad. If I can get some help on the last one there, I might even be able to take one or two days off too. I hope the heat wave breaks, but it's going to rain like hell when it does. It's so humid here. People often say "ハワイみたいな天気ですね。なれているんでしょう。。。" For the record, I have never expereinced weather this humid in my life.

Moistly,

Pat

Sports

Playing or watching sports must be one of the greatest pleasures in my life. There are few sports that I don't enjoy either watching or playing. When I was a kid, I played football on the street in front of my house whenever enough kids could be found to get a game up. At about seven years old I got the golf bug and haven't been able to quit successfully since then. In high school I found basketball and Michael Jordan became my hero. At university in California I discovered LaCrosse and it still remains one of my favorite sports, even though I haven't touched a stick for years. However, my favorite sport is snowboarding, hands down. I'll never be any good at snowboarding I guess. I don't make any double mctwistees or pull 360's. In fact, I recently started hiking up and then coming down only once so you could probably say I am more of a hiker than a snowboarder. Just thinking about snowboarding makes me want to get out and train. I think I'll go for a run before lunch...Looks like it's going to be a hot one today!

Longingly,

Pat

Ryo Ishikawa

I'm heading out in to the rain and the bad weather. I am going to go walk around Otaru. I wouldn't do that if I didn't have a very good reason. I am going to watch Ryokun. He was absolutlely phenomenal last year when I went and I guess I shouldn't let him down. I'm taking a big umbrella!

Soggily,

Pat

Rainy Days

Perfectly good weather for ducks and frogs today. Worms are probably excited as well. It's a good day for me to try to figure out the new world of computing. I have revised a very bad web site three times over the last ten years and have never come up with anything that resembled up-to-date. My son's tennis match was cancelled. To that cause I was recruited for a ride back to the tennis school where he and his mates had decided to spend the morning volleying their disappointmet at the cancellation away. When I got home the debate was in full swing. Gotta love the cell phone. My son naively made a call requesting his indoor tennis shoes which of course he had not packed to his mother who would have had no way, of course, of getting them to him as the tennis school is a good 40 minute walk away. I suppose I was to be recruited yet again. Not that I have nothing to do, mind you. Anyway to make a long story a little shorter, the last thing I heard as I quietly escaped to work was a rant from my wife about some study session he would have been able to attend had he immediately come home with me after the cancellation. She claims to have remebered the seminar after finding his crumpled, wrinkled school uniform on the floor of his disaster of a bedroom. I went to work , got it off my chest and made coffee, of which I delivered one cup to the mrs. She looked a little more composed then, but her mind was obviously elsewhere...
めんどうくさい

July Project UPDATE!

So pretty much all the kids have finished writing and having their projects videoed. In the end, none if the kids rejected the idea of having their project recorded although a few didn't exactly seem enthusiastic. I imagine the reason may have been a case of stagefright. One last group today and then I have to put the last videos together. I admit I'm getting a little better, but my editin skills and sense leave a lot to be desired. 新琴似中学校の三年生プロジェクトも気になります。 Was everyone able to become travel agents?

I mentioned to the Saturday class that posting the video on Youtube was an option. They gave me looks that told me that if I did I would have to start locking my door at night. I wonder if anyone would mind if I posted a short clip here... I better play it safe and not go public. If my editing skills do, in fact, improve I'll give a copy of the projects to each student! That way, they can choose how to share it or not share it with others...

Cautiously,

Pat

Kiroro

So yesterday I realize that a fat lump of aging foreigner in Japan is not that cool. The only thing I have a chance of changing about that realization is the "lump part". I ran about 8k last night and masochistically decided to climb 余市山　this morning. I wake up late and although my leg is cramping up I decide to give it a go. Take the ropeway from Kiroro and then a 2 and a half hour climb to enjoy the view; good plan if it were April. Apparently, the ropeway doesn't move in the summer and autumn months. Not to be deterred from antilumpiness, I simply started walking up the Kiroro Ski Area and sweated it out with the bugs abuzzing. I found a crayfish in the trail!!! What the hell could it possibly be doing there???

Buzzingly,

Pat

You're a vegetable... They hate you...

I'm not much of a gardener but this year I am having a better go at it than usual. My first DAIKON!! I could be turning Japanese.　　Every day there is something to eat fresh from the garden. What a luxury indeed. The tomatoes haven't turned yet. 楽しみ！！

英検

Hi,
He could be studying for all you know... I'm pretty sure he isn't though. Last weekend, or more specifically last Sunday, we went up the coast to Hamamasu town, about 50 miles south of Rumoi . After paying 2000 yen for a parking space we promptly set up the barbecue and used up about four spaces which should have cost us double the going rate at 4000. If we had decide to spend the night, it would have/ should have been 8000 yen. I can park in downtown Susukino for less. The last part of July and the first part of August must be the most expensive time to do anything in Hokkaido! I guess New Year's could be considered expensive too, but as I am usually holed up or on the mountain, I don't notice.

英検の勉強が始まった！始まった！イングリッシュアイランドの生徒たちは500円で2時間勉強出来る事になています。ただ2時間集中出来るかどうか。最初はただでいいんじゃないのかな？BUT, it isn't free and to have the test taker not feel responsible for the results would be a big disservice. SO! Please bring the one-coin and I will do my best to help you nail that little test!!!

Yes, I will work for less than the legal rate in Japan. I work for less than the legal rate in most developed nations anyway. As long as the students here want to take English Grammr tests, I will offer extra classes at a nearly free rate, but not completely free. The first class with more than one student was held today. It went famously and the kids seemed relieved with their success in the listening section and the question sections were pretty smooth too! Now trying to find a way to make this fun...hmmm....

Grammatically,

Pat

July Project

We are now in our seventh year as an 英会話 school here in 札幌北区新琴似.

Right now there are a bunch of things going on!!!

In this unusually warm summer, there are five students who have decided to try the 英検 test! They are struggling through marginally interesting material made by yours truly... I have to admit grammar is probably not my favorite way to introduce the English language or any foreign language for that matter.　　However, I think the kids are going to be able to make out just fine. We have started early enough and once they get the vocab and the patterns for regular verbs and "to be" mastered they will be unstoppable!

In other news we have started a project!! The famous people project is meant to get the kids involved in writing and talking about their favorite celebrities. Thirty-six famous athletes, movie stars, singers, animation characters, and politiicans from Japan and abroad are going to be presented next week. The presentations will be recorded (if the kid's allow it!!) and hopefully, I'll be able to get a bit of an amusing movie out of it. Maybe after watching themselves they will feel more motivated for the next project. I wonder what it will be...