Blog category for posts related to teaching English, getting involved at schools, and anything related to life at school for ALTs. [Parent Category: The Mikan]

Read more about the article Have you heard of Brass Band Camelia?

Have you heard of Brass Band Camelia?

By Patrick Peh

Prelude

At the end of January we had Tsubaki “Matsuri” (meaning Festival), which is a massive festival held at Tsubaki Shrine, marking the coldest day this winter. But what I am going to write about here is not so much about the festival but about a concert band of the same name. In my final year of the JET program, I had the honor and privilege to perform with Brass Band Camellia in Masaki Culture Center. Previously, in Listen to the Japanese School Band I narrated the story of students playing their instruments in band. This time, I will write about their teachers who play their instruments in band.

(more…)

Continue ReadingHave you heard of Brass Band Camelia?
Read more about the article Listen to the Japanese School Band
*

Listen to the Japanese School Band

By Patrick Peh

A Door Opens

Beyond this door, you will find young aspiring musicians of Uchimiya Junior High School  preparing for their big day tomorrow. Tomorrow is August 2nd, which is the second day of the JHS division for the 70th All Japan Band Competition in Ehime. This band of 30 odd members will perform under category A in the competition. This article hopes to be a refreshing post as I only talk about Japanese bands in schools, which is different from The Sea, The Iwa & The Classroom where I would write about things around the neighborhood.

(more…)

Continue ReadingListen to the Japanese School Band
Read more about the article The Sea, The Iwa & The Classroom
*

The Sea, The Iwa & The Classroom

By Patrick Peh

Prologue

Not long after my arrival in Baishinji, I decided that it would be a tremendous waste not to write something about it. This place is not only rich in heritage, but also representative of a coastal suburban area close to the city. The reason it took so long for me to produce this piece of writing is because I wanted to do the Nakajima article first (Into the Seto Naikai). It was also because I was spending a lot of time refining lesson ideas (maybe I’ll do an article on the way I refine my lesson ideas as well), and editing previous drafts of this post.

(more…)

Continue ReadingThe Sea, The Iwa & The Classroom

Diversity awareness lessons

By Dom Chen

Hi everyone! For those of you who are interested in incorporating diversity and/or racial awareness within their lessons; there is a google drive containing material focused toward teaching racial issues in the classroom. We are in special times right now, and also in unique positions, as we have access to different levels of public education. People have been voicing a desire to run their own classes on racial issues recently, and I think this google drive is a great starting kit to do just that.

(more…)

Continue ReadingDiversity awareness lessons

All Kinds of Goodbyes: Deciding Whether to Stay or to Go

By Bennett Pérez

“Oh!

Darling you gotta let me know,

Should I stay or should I go?”

-The Clash

Time froze as I stared at the recontracting paperwork lying in front of me. I was flanked by my BOE supervisor and Carolyn, a fellow ALT, who had only just confirmed that she was not recontracting. What was taking me so long? I had walked into the Board of Education with my mind already made. I had spent all of Christmas break discussing whether I should recontract, and why, and why not, with my loved ones (in Japan and back home). It felt like I had had the same conversation a million times. I was trying my utter best to ensure that I wasn’t  making a hasty or irrational choice. When there seemed to be nothing left unsaid, I was finally satisfied that the choice that made me happiest was to return home.

(more…)

Continue ReadingAll Kinds of Goodbyes: Deciding Whether to Stay or to Go