Halloween Week

Halloween is next week Wednesday. Celebrating Halloween at Eikaiwa class has always been popular and even more so lately.  Today was the second day of Halloween Week.  The kids really took to the costumes.  I was a little surprised at just how much.  One boy asked if he could take it home!  When I refused, he asked again, "How about just the hat?"  I was tempted to give it to him...   BUT there are four more days of Halloween ahead!!!

Hallowedly,

Bob the Builder

Bohemian Rhapsody

Ok, Ok THIS is the last one... I promise!

OK.  Here it is; the real last video.  Who are these characters?   I do know Doraemon...

Finally,

Pat

Yet Another

This may be the last video of this series. These guys are just too good to be true.  They did all the filming and prep.   I just chopped the video together.

 I love my job.

Lovingly,

Patrick

Videos

Yet another and another video.  I'll get them up on YouTube once I figure it out!!!  For the time being here they are...

Fabulous 

Fridays...

Great aren't they?

Fantastically fabulous,

Patrick

Technical Difficulties

I'm not going to admit that I am technically challenged.  I messed up the iPhone recording which is dead simple.  I then realized that the sticker I had so stylishly chosen for my video camera was placed directly over the microphone and I messed up another recording.  Finally, a recording that has some clear voices!  The Thursday girls!

These are the videos so far.
今までの完成したビデオです。宜しくお願いします。

Sheepishly,

Pat

Book of the Month

If the country were ruled by children, what would happen?  This children's novel explores that question and throws up a hero that is extremely likable.  If you are looking for a charming read that is also thought provoking this may be what you are looking for!

Apparently the author told this and other stories to children who were victims of WWII in Europe, lifting their spirits and giving them courage. At least that is what the preface claims...

Regally,

Pat the First

Waipio Valley

On the Northern tip of the Hamakua Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii there are many valleys.  Two of the most famous valleys are Waipio and Waimanu.  They once held large populations in ancient Hawaii.  Taro is still cultivated in Waipio Valley.  One of our own at English Island is going to travel all the way to the Big Island, take a tour and soak up some of the alleged power in the valley.

Personally, I like both valleys very much; been to both many times.  Waimanu Valley is about a four or five hour hike to get to,if I remeber correctly, so it's better to plan on spending at least one night.  One thing that doesn't thrill me about valleys is the limited sunshine.  The sun peeks over the valley wall at 10 a.m. or so and disappears over the opposite wall a little after 3:00.  It's OK for a couple of days, I have to admit I like it at first.  But because of the short sunlight periods, I can definitely say two things.

1. Valleys are cool.
2. Valleys are mysterious.

Waipio Valley

Waimanu Valley

I hope her trip is a fruitful and safe journey.  

Aloha,

Patrick

Weekend

The weekend has come.  What a hot week it was!  The rooms above English Island are being renovated and it was a little noisy during some of the classes this week.  My apologies for any inconvenience it may have caused anyone.  Construction will be completed by the end of the month.

Please have a wonderful and safe weekend.  I am going to straighten up here a little this weekend and look forward to the three-day weekend coming up.  I want to get up in the mountains and test out my new GPS device!!

Adventurously,

Pat





一週間が終わりました。本当に暑かった。
教室の２階で改装工事が始まり少々うるさくて気になる人は気になっていると思います。
申し訳ありません。今月いっぱいで終了の予定です。

どうか良い週末を迎えて下さい。
私は今日明日は教室の片づけをします。
来週末の連休は山登りをしたいと思っています。

Health

This month topic is health and body.  I also twist this topic to talk about and describe people. This month is a full month and some classes will be doing the famous people projects while others will be studying health vocabulary and descriptive adjectives.  The younger classes will be learning some body vocabulary and some simple adjectives to talk about the body.  They also use these new words to talk about some familiar characters as well.

今月のトピックは体と健康。人の外見を表現出来るようになりましょう。学年に会わせて勉強はそれぞれけど今月も忙しい月ですよ。


Spuddily,

Pat

This month we are studying the body and health.  I also use this topic to talk about people's appearances.  This week will be a very busy month at English Island.

Show Time!

I have already admitted that I make a hobby out of browsing BookOff and it has become a chore finding a place to put all the books that I bring back to the school.  Thanks to the contribution of my generous landlord, I can continue my little habit.  For the students who have taken an interest in the expanding library, we now have a luxurious showcase for our mutual pleasure.

 I couldn't resist snapping this.  These shoes belong to two 5 year old girls!!! Pure glitter!

In other news, the air conditioning has been working overtime to get us through this hot summer. I was hoping we were through the worst of it, but next week looks like a scorcher!!!

Sweaty Kneesily,

Pat

Office Day

There are no lessons at English Island today.

It has been an undeniable pleasure getting to know all the new faces at English Island this year.  I vow not only to encourage their energy and enthusiasm for learning but to increase it. Today I will plan lessons, organize files, and hopefully have some time left over for making some discoveries that will  make learning English even more fun.

Having said that, back to work!!!




Officially,
Pat

Midsummer's Night Dream

 I went to Numata last weekend.  To be honest, I didn't expect much, but I was moved!  
It was not the scene I had expected.  The dark skies were filled with small glowing 
lights and they lit the forest so that I felt I was standing in the middle of
Tinkerbell's village.  I  strongly recommend visiting Numata during this season
if your heart still entertains romance.  

In other news the garden outside the classroom window has matured a little.
You are welcome to steal from it when I'm not looking...  I'll know you've read this.笑

Summer heat zaps energy and makes delightful sweets all the more appreciated.
Time to get to the gym and make this count for energy and  not blubber. 
 It was delicious.  Thank you!!


Summerishly,

Pat

Exile

I admit that I wasn't exactly sure who the leader of Exile was. I admit that I didn't know Atsushi was the singer along with Takahiro.  I did know one of the dancers was named Usa and another was named Akira.

Thanks to Kai and the Donk modeling agency, I was given the opportunity to attend the event at Sapporo Dome put on by Exile. My wife thought it would be a good idea to go.  Not wanting to be the party pooper, I went along.  Apparently, she was moved and is now considering joining the fan club in an effort to get nearer the stage.  Hopefully, this fever will pass and we can get back to life without Exile.

Not that it wasn't a great show.  I'm sure many people like that kind of thing; apparently 4 million people went to the shows held on Saturday and Sunday.  It's not that I don't like soul or funk or rap, I do!  I've never really listened to Exile and to be honest, I don't know what they are singing about.  Maybe I could listen more closely.  Then again, I have a lot of things going on!

Today marks the start of July and all the topics change!  Also a new topic for the older kids is in the works.  I'm searching for a foreign school to hook up with and share projects on ePals.com.

Let's have a great July.

Exiltedly,

Patsushi

New Topic

Next month is coming quickly and the older students at the Shinkotoni school will be trying out a new topic.  We are going to talk about our city, Sapporo.  If the kids like Sapporo half as much as I do, I'm sure it will be fun.

Sukily,

Pat

Website

The website has been updated and now has the complete set of handouts for the Shinkotoni and Shinoro schools.   I apologize to the students in Kitano and Tonden, but the handouts are available in the handout section of englishisland's HP.

Click here for the handouts!  全てのハンドアウトはここです。

In other news, I am still a complete garden junkie.  にわいじりにはまています！

Behind Schedually,

Pat

Excuses

My father always told me, "Excuses are like a......., everybody has one."

Here's mine. (For not posting)

I have been gardening up a storm and every spare minute not actively teaching or preparing lessons, has been spent in my garden.  In fact, I was facing the daunting task of having to move and therefore even my usual inadequate efforts at gardening were on hold.  I figured that if I had to be out by August, there was no point in weeding or planting a garden.

The situation changed for the better and I can stay!  I was beyond relieved and felt downright thankful for the blessings that I had not wholly appreciated until that moment.  I decided to redo the garden in a big way.  Now, the BBQ area is in and the weeds are out.  When I can pool my pennies, I'll get some ground cover and improve the walkways too.

Regardless, of my feelings towards pulling weeds, I can no longer run from the truth.  My hobby is gardening.  If it weren't, I am spending a lot of time doing something I hate.  To be honest, I don't feel that that is the case.

My hobby is gardening.

日本語のなんちゃって翻訳

言い訳ですが、レッスン準備とレッスン時間以外は庭仕事ばかりしていました。
８月で今借りている家を出なければいけない話だったので、草取りも全くせず荒れ放題の庭だったのです。それが急に出なくて良い話に変わり、ホッとして今は感謝の気持ちでいっぱいなのです。が、、、、庭が大変なことになっていたので、庭の作業に追われていました。
無事、BBQスペースを作ったり、畑に苗を植えたり、草むしりも無事終わり（永遠ですが）ました。
　私の草取りに関しての気持ちは別にして、現状から逃げられない・・・・私の趣味はガーデニングです。

Green thumbily,

Pat

Book of the Week

The book of the week is Sunshine 1, Sunshine 2, and Sunshine 3.  I just got my copies and although it is a little late, I have been trying to acquaint myself with the changes from last year's text.  I was surprised to see that it is quite different!  I'll be back with more books and maybe more details later.

Sunnily,
Pat

Book of the Week

Beautiful day today!  The website is updated and you can download this month's handouts if you need to...

I stand corrected.  I am an idiot and this book is probably to advanced for me.  Give me back the right click, how can anything get solved without right clicking?  I wish I had a nickel for every time I've right clicked int he last week and been ignored by my iMac.  

Clickingly,

Pat

Book of the Week

I really did it this time.  After saying I was going to buy a Mac for about the past ten years, I finally did it.  My mother sent me this book about a year ago and I scoffed.  I admit I opened it, but couldn't find what I was looking for so I decided to ask the internet.  A speedy and simple solution was offered by the good minds at Apple and now the mystery that this machine was this morning is beginning to become clear.

Macingly,

Pat

Stamp Card

About three months ago the English Island Stamp Card began.  Today is the first time a card was completed.

Congratulations!  Thirty stamps entitles the bearer (student) to a choice of    

either an eraser

or a pencil.



Going by the reactions of the students, I might be better off having a few more serious gifts, especially for the Junior High students.　I already have a few ideas...

HAVE　FUN!!!  LEARN　ENGLISH!!!  The real deal.

englishislanderly,

Pat

Book of the Week

A long time ago when the world of English Conversation was a bit more innocent I　worked at a school called NOVA.  I liked working there. It was easy and both the people that I worked with and the people I tried to help with their English were fantastic.  The lessons were pretty much taken from one book, New American Streamline.  In my four years at Nova I learned some of the lessons in this book by heart.  I learned how to twist and manipulate the texts and pictures to target language that I felt was essential for my students.  This text is always at my fingertips and seeing as how my copy has been around for eight years the corners are bit rounded and ragged.  I bought a new one and I will buy more to have in case someone decides they want to have it around at their house too. The price is $2,560 from Junkudo is you are interested...  The blue book below is the first in a series of three books.

Spring is Coming

Spring is on it's way.  The snow is melting

and the roads are clearing up.  Be careful

not to slip and fall. I have gone down hard

twice in the last week.  Lucky to be walking...

This is a 15 centimeter paper model of the trailer

I will be pulling when spring finally comes.  I'd like to

thank one great kid for making it.  I like it more than

the real trailer!

It doesn't need a SHAKEN!!!!!!

 A radio controlled car racing champion!

Book of the Week

I　should say it's book of the month and not book of the week! One reason being that I only write here once a month, but the other reason being that it is such an interesting read it could be important enough to have its own month.  The book details the impact the fast food industry and the franchising ideology that has transformed America's culture, business, and waistlines over the last 70 years.  I can't say that I agree with everything in the book and I am in no way going to stop having my yearly Big Mac, but it's definitely food for thought.

Punningly,

Pat

Books of the Week

It has certainly warmed up and although watching the snow melt in front of the school was great entertainment I needed more.  Fortunately,  I visited Book Off yesterday, my favorite place to search for literary treasures.  I　hit the jackpot this time.  I found a few novels, photographic travel journals, and a lot of textbooks. I finally wound up buying about 25 books.  If you're a little early and would like to have a look, you'll find the coffee table books on the ...well... on the coffee table.  Also, as we approach the end of the school year, feel free to come in and observe the lesson.  I am proud of all the kids and hope you can find the time to come in and be proud of them too.

Treasuringly,

Pat

Spring Cleaning

I　know that in Japan it is customary to clean the house thoroughly at the end of the year, but it's such a busy and chilly time.  I'd prefer to put cleaning off indefinitely but the mess is starting to creep into every corner of my daily life.  I　must clean.  I must vacuum, dust, and scrub, but most of all I must throw things out!  As I write all this I remember being gifted a mirror that was busy collecting dust in my father-in-law's house.  Can I? Do I dare toss things like this out?  These decisions haunt me, the pack rat.  I　can't bear to think about my son's Ultraman figures incinerating in Hassamu.  The thought makes me shutter.  What to do?

Clutteringly,

Pat

New Topics

Please forgive me for not updating here more often.  It has been a great winter so far at English Island and Hokkaido has a lot of snowThe kids had a great time talking about clothes and now we are starting on animals.  Hopefully we'll get some "ANIMAL　EXPERT" videos for everyone to  look at.  We are going to study up on interesting facts about our favorite animals and have a mini documentary filming.  Hopefully the kids will enjoy it and hopefully I can get my editing skills back into shape, but the way my Windows Vista has been creeping along lately, I doubt I can get the videos edited and up here fast enough, but I'll do my best.

This is where I spent the morning and having had so much fun, I felt just guilty enough to work the rest of the Sunday getting the animal lessons together.

Seasonally,

Pat

Book of the Week

I don't intend to make any excuses by telling you I have been reading so much I haven't been able to post.  I won't even rant on about mountain expeditions that I haven't been taking.  Anyway, it's cold today too and what's a better way to spend cold windy days than to escape with a good novel.  I was tipped off to a novel about China and the communist revolution by a very good English teacher who I have the pleasure of speaking to a few times a month...

The novel is based on the story of three generations of women.  Apparently this is written by the granddaughter.  The novel starts with the story of her grandmother, a concubine dealt out by her father, bound feet and all.  The story continues on to her mother who took part in the communist revolution.  The rest of the novel follows the granddaughter's (Chang's) life and involvement in the cultural revolution.

There is a Japanese version too. (日本語版もあります） I got the English version Junkudo.  I love that place...

Wildly,
pat

Book of the Week

I should probably call this entry the Book of the Break.  I studied this book everywhere I went over the winter vacation.  Actually, I　have been reading this book and another book called The Essentials of English Language Teaching.

This is not a book I recommend to anyone who does not teach English as a second language for a living. It would be deathly boring.  I do teach EFL　for a living and the ideas in this book have given me some new insight and a concrete guide that I am sure will result in more productive lessons for both my adult and children's lessons.  A lot of the concepts in this book were, of course, familiar to me, but when they are laid down methodically and clearly some wandering pieces to the big jig-saw puzzle started to find their way home...  I　need time to try to make the theories work but I can honestly say...I see the light!

New Topics

いよいよはじまります！明日からレッスンです。レッスンの準備も雪かけも大変でしたけど準備が出来ました。明日から新琴似校は音楽のトピックに沿って英語の勉強楽しくします！！！初めてのトピックと自分も音楽が大好きなので楽しみです。篠路は僕の大好きなスポーツのトピックで英語の勉強します。今月は終わらないで欲しい☆彡

It's been a long time since the kids have been here.  The reason I took such a long break was to go back to Hawaii, but I didn't go.  I was planning to go, but some things came up and I had to put it off.

Anyway, this month is bursting with new material and great energy.  We are going to study English following a musical theme in the Shinkotoni school and in Shinoro we will be studying English through sports.  I love both of these topics　so I am really having fun planning and making the lessons for this month especially.  See you next week (this week?)

Enthusiastically,

Pat

Happy New Year!

I hope 2012 will be a great year for everyone.  I am very much looking forward to all the challenges and joys that life in 2012 will surely bring. I hope that we not only survive it, but survive it all with dignity.  

I am determined to become a better teacher.  I have spent the break studying; reflecting on successes and failures in an effort to make a better learning experience for all the students at English Island.

来年も宜しくお願いいたします。

新年明けましておめでとうございます！