parasitegirl | Entries tagged with yuuto

I saw My Twin this morning on the way to my train. I saw both of them actually, but only one is My Twin, the other one is the Other Twin. I don't have a serious bond with the Other.

They are habitually late for school. This hasn't changed in the three and a half years I've known them. I didn't need to be at school as early as homeroom teachers so I usually walked the last way to school with the twins. I saw them most mornings for three years. We talked about poop, cars, and poop.

I miss My Twin. In general the saddest part of my new job is that I am not in one school all the time and can't see students improving (in English and other topics) or growing as children. If there is a student I miss, it is My Twin...followed by the bilingual sisters who like to read.

The worst dream I've had this year, when I changed jobs, is one in which I found My Twin at the side of the road unable to stop crying and tell me what happened.

Last year there were students who loved me more (one who wanted nothing more than to be near me) but My Twin was generally assumed to be my student. The teachers knew he was mine and the students knew it as well.

When he found out I was changing jobs (all the teacher changes get announced on the last day) he ran off...later I would learn that he went to write me a goodbye letter, one that an assistant teacher brought to me at the going away drinking party...which is on my desk today along with a wonderful letter from my bilingual sister. He writes about how his favorite English classes were Twister and "Let's Make An Original Dance"

When he was a 2nd grader I was in his math classes. I was the Twin Whisperer....the one who could keep him on track with his textbook because he wanted to do good for me. He is also the student some of you might remember as the "pen-sticker/pencil-dicker" "Goovar Andal" episode...or his in-class gorilla dance. He made me a name tag from a milk cap and checked my school badge regularly to make sure it was there, and regularly checked my schedule to see when I would be in his class or teaching him.

Some times, at the end of 2nd grade...when he was old enough to not do such things, he would still reach for my hand if we were all sitting.

The Twins are still runts. I can still tell them apart. They 're 4th graders in 3rd grade bodies.

They did their uncool little dance of joy when they saw me this morning. My Twin, as always, checked out my accessories for the day and enjoyed my necklace of hand milagros. When I told them to hurry up and get to school the Other ran, but My Twin kicked off his shoe so he could spend time with me and chat as he got it back on.

I miss My Twin.

I saw My Twin this morning on the way to my train. I saw both of them actually, but only one is My Twin, the other one is the Other Twin. I don't have a serious bond with the Other.

The worst dream I've had this year, when I changed jobs, is one in which I found My Twin at the side of the road unable to stop crying and tell me what happened.

Some times, at the end of 2nd grade...when he was old enough to not do such things, he would still reach for my hand if we were all sitting.

The Twins are still runts. I can still tell them apart. They 're 4th graders in 3rd grade bodies.

I miss My Twin.

I found out where my twin ran off to.

He ran off to write me a goodbye letter.

Unfortunately for him the 3rd graders had to move desks and such today and by the time they were done, I'd gone home. One of the other departing teachers found him searching the school for me. So that teacher took the letter and brought it to our dinner.

Like I needed more reasons to cry. Like Mori sensei, the other dancing sensei, holding me and sobbing uncontrollably wasn't enough (I have promised to call her if I ever need anything,. She lives near me and she's helped me in the past when I was too sick to leave my home...she doesn't speak any English, but has appointed herself my Japanese mom)

My letter from My Twin says, in very very bad handwriting... in Japanese:

Kathryn Sensei,
Thank you for teaching me English. Your lessons were very fun. I most enjoyed fukuwarai, twister, and the make your original dance class. Please do your best at your next school.

-Yuuto.

For all of the thank you letters from students I got last week...today's letters from Akie and Sanae, the boy with the kitten, and my twin, were all 100% unprompted and unrequired...and thus, priceless.

I am gonna be so red-eyed tomorrow when I report in at city hall.

All the teachers are in slow-motion due to being at school last Saturday, myself included.

Today I taught three 3rd grade classes before 11:30. The class topic started
with foods and transitioned into colors/coloring.

I was reminded of one essential fact: ADHD kids love my English classes. Because my/our English teaching style hinges on things like allowing all the children to blurt out answers whenever without raising hands (no scary English spotlight, more room to make mistakes, and more of a chance for the confused kids to listen to the ones who get it), a lot of gesturing and running around (for example we don't make them say the colors, we make them run and find the colors I say) and a variety of interactive activities that just happen to be in English... it is ADHD Nirvana. At the On Paper school there are two boys with Aspergers who are also excelling in English so far.

We've also got a new ADHD kid in the 3rd grade. I'll call him Huggy. He prefers female teachers to male, which is strange for me because the prior (male) problem-children I've encountered have always rushed to our vice-principal and other men in the school. Huggy rushes around me, occasionally stopping to hug me regardless of what I may be teaching, and then gets into the various flash cards I have until the window sills are full of opened and examined card packs. I just have to make sure that he has small tasks to help me with while I teach (holding my flashcards, passing out sheets, helping students who don't understand) or else it gets crazy.

Memorable points of today's classes:

Getting my foot crushed during the hokey-pokey.

Almost getting my skirt pulled down by by a child attempting to scale me. My lighting quick reflexes kept me from exposing my teal underpants, no doubt saving many children from trauma/future fetishes.

Watching My Twin draw a penis expelling urine on the "kappa" he was supposed to be coloring in.

A lot of hugs.

Seeing children color "Kappa" a variety of colors including traditional green, gay-pride rainbow, vibrant orange, and something I can only describe as bruised zombie.

Watching my fellow teacher hold up an eggplant only to hear one student yell out a Japanese slang-word for penis. The teacher repeated the word with questioning inflection, held the eggplant to her crotch, and then we both shook our heads no.

One girl, who has never been abroad but is hella-smart and obsessed with English, sang the theme song to Kim Possible to me. She probably understands about 60% of what I say in class, which is amazing.

My Twin loitering around after class to talk to me and touch my earrings.

When I saw two boys slowly walking back to their homeroom after recess, I reminded them that 3rd period (after recess) would be English class. They cheered and RAN down the hall to get prepped for class.

I wore half a cabbage like a stylish hat.

It's a small miracle that I only average one coffee per day nowadays. I don't know how I do it.