ABC's and 123's

It's about time that I give a classroom report. :)

So today I'll write about what I'm doing in my elementary schools, and next time I'll fill you in on what I've been teaching at my three junior high schools.

As a reminder, I go to a different elementary school every Monday and Friday. It's a great way to start and end each week. The word I use to best describe my elementary students is genki, げんき, which is Japanese for energetic! They love English class, but what's not to love about singing songs and playing games!?

San-nensei (third grade) class at Taiyama Elementary School.

The main classroom teacher plans the English lesson, so I don't really have a say in what I help teach. I'm sent a lesson plan ahead of time for me to review before I go to the school. But half the time, the plan is in Japanese, so I just wing it when I'm in the classroom. Whatever works. :)

At the bigger schools -- like Osanai E.S. and Kuji E.S. -- I teach all of the 5th and 6th grade classes only. But at smaller schools -- such as Ube E.S. and Taiyama E.S. -- I teach all the grades, first through sixth.

For the older elementary grades, we follow a book, and I usually teach them how to do a basic self introduction. Animal names, food, sports, body parts and clothes are also common topics for elementary school students. For the younger students, I often teach the alphabet and numbers in English.

Last week we taught numbers and body parts in a fun way. I would say, "I'm a monster with six eyes." Then the kids would draw six eyes on their monster....

Like this. :)

Here are a couple of pictures of students making monster creations...

Nice work. Eye like it!

The third grade students displaying their works of art...

I loved how each monster looked different!

In the first and second grade classes at Taiyama Elementary School last week, I also did a lesson on numbers. We played "number basket," a variation of "fruit basket," in which the kids each had a number and had to run to a different seat when their number was called.

Cute. :)

Group picture at the end of class.

When I go to an elementary school, it's usually for the entire day (8:30 - 3:30), and I have five or six classes! I'm sometimes worn out by the end of school, but it's fun.

So that's my elementary report. In other news, I'm happy to report that my back is back to feeling fine. Hooray!