Most of the time I feel like my junior high students are just mid-sized Asian automatons. Some of this is probably due to my lack of appreciation of a culture that encourages members to fit in more than mine does. Most of it is probably due to my inability to understand Japanese. But ever so rarely, my students surprise and delight me.
More and more, I adore Moe. She’s the prettiest and feistiest girl at this school. I noticed her immediately even though she has that same short hair style that almost all the Japanese girls and boys are sporting. Unlike all the other students, she is DETERMINED to communicate with me, even if her English isn’t that great. (It isn’t even the best in the class). All the other girls are so shy. If they have hair longer than that androgynous pre-mullet they lower their heads down try to hide their faces under it the moment I approach their desk. But not Moe. The spunky volleyball star has got something to say.
Today the students had an unstructured English class while they prepared questions to ask me during their speaking test. A lot of them were goofing off. I was trying to take advantage of the distracted energy and engage the students in conversations they actually care about. I figure that if they realize that there are thing they truly want to communicate in English, they’ll be more motivated to learn it. Moe was writing something in pink chalk on a board at the side of the class.
MSTBN –with a ^ over the T
Her friend said something to her and she added an inverted ^ below the N for good measure.
Me: What is this?
Moe: Band. School fair. October.
Me: Ah! It’s the name of a band. Are you in a band?
Moe: Yes!
Me: What do you play?
Moe: I pay drums. Air drums. (pretends to play the drums)
Me: Air drums?!
Moe: Yes! (points to friend with one hand and makes clicking motion with the other) Air castanets. (points to back of class) He plays air triangle. She plays air guitar.
Friend: (raises hand) Air piano!
I’d almost forgotten that sometimes teenagers can be cute, creative, and absolutely hilarious.