A Day in the Life

Every morning I walk to work. I get to school, swap my shoes (can't wear outdoor shoes inside) and head to the teachers office. I duck to get in the door and shout a Ohiayo Gozaimasu....I get a chorus of the same phrase back and head to my desk. Its 8:13

The teachers office is where anyone who's not a student resides when they aren't teaching. Its a long room with a wooden floor that feels like its about to give in some places. There are four groupings of desks. One for each grade and a forth that's for the "extra" people. I fall into this category, as do the school secretary, maintenance man, school counselor and a special education teacher but only because there isn't enough desks for him at the 3rd grade grouping. The vice principal and "schedule man" (he also teaches math) sit at the head of the room. Kocho sensei (principal) has a monster office to himself behind a closed door.

A minute or so later the first bell will ring and the teachers meeting begins. Kocho-sensei clambers into the room and the one predetermined teacher, I'm not sure how, stands up tosses out another Ohiayo...we reply with the same, and then were off. Anybody with anything to say about anything that is happening that day or in the near future says it then. To say that I tune out during this time would be an apathetic way of describing my approach to these meetings. I just cant follow a lot of what i being said besides the date.

Every once in a blue moon I think I hear my name and I'll look up...a couple of the teachers will smile at me, I kinda nod like I agree and understand with what is going on and then return to staring at the top of my desk. After the teachers say what they need to, kyoto-sensei (vice-principle) gets a chance to say whatever is on his chest and then kocho sensei after him. Anytime kocho-sensei says anything you can almost hear a quick exhale from a couple of the teachers. I've deciphered it to mean this, "Well shit, that wind bag is gonna talk for 5minutes and my coffee is gonna get cold." They stare at their desk in protest.

Kocho-sensei finishes and then the head teacher for each grade conducts his/her own little meeting about the days schedule for the students. This is where last minute changes are made for whatever reason. Then another bell rings. After that, homeroom teachers head to their appointed classes and relay any and all necessary info to the kiddos. The time is now 8:41.

During all this I'm either still staring dramatically at the top of my desk or I've gotten bored, made myself a heavily caffinated tea and am farting around on the internet. I pause to note this, out of every ALT's I personally know I am the only one to have internet access at my desk that I can use whenever. I'm using it now. I do not take this for granted, and see it only as a matter of time before some takes it away for any reason. My fingers are crossed they don't.

First class begins at 8:50. If I'm not teaching then there's several other ways to keep myself busy. These are just some...

-Preparing for lessons next week
-Writing a witty blog
-Studying Japanese
-Slamming my head against my desk (result of studying Japanese, almost as productive)
-Wander the halls poking my head in on the art or homemaking class
-Figure out some way to make the "English Board" interesting (Future Blog)

So four periods pass, fifty minutes each with a 10 minute break for the teachers to get set for the next one. At 12:40, lunch comes along. I've written about this before...please see the archives.

After lunch then we have all have a thirty minute break to do with as we please. In the winter months I showed portions of movies in English. If its not snowing or raining then the boys are outside somewhere knocking each other over and the girls flocking from huddle to huddle giggling all the way. If it is snowing or raining then the students just disappear. I haven't quite figured how this happens but I'm working on it. Personally, I'm ready for spring cause I'm gonna introduce frisbee and the hacky sack and see how they take to it.

Now the kids are full, a little tired and lethargic. This is the dreaded part of any school day. 15 minutes of cleaning time. Many of the teachers just work( or pretend to work) through it. I always think I'll just skip it.......just this one time, but then a gaggle will come and begin cleaning the floors right behind my desk, first thing, before its even time to start. I could swear sometimes someone is messing with me. You'd be surprised with 25 teachers and 275 students just how little gets actually cleaned. Again I can delve into this further and shall do so at a later time. The 2 o'clock bell ring signifying the end of cleaning time and 10 minutes until the beginning of fifth period.

There are two more classes, this takes us straight to 4pm. The san-nensei's go home and the club activities begin. This involves 99% of the remaining student body, so once again everyone is pretty busy.

At this point I try sometimes to stay late, do some extra work or talk with the kids but in earnest I've filled my obligation for the day and everyone knows it. To me all the teachers begin saying goodbye, even if I'm still sitting at my desk working. Its almost an invitation to take off. Most of them will be there until the second coming of christ....seriously. Most teachers stay well until 7 or 8pm. This I do not understand, nor will I because I wont be there that late, but I do know there is a sweet bonus twice a year for everyone but the lowly ALT.

So I leave and swap my shoes again before leaving the building. The san-nensei's will give me high fives, I'll play tag with the boys and again wave at the girls as they giggle in some corner.

I walk home, sometimes buying a bottle of wine to read with and watch the sunset from the sliding glass door of my wee apartment.......waiting for the maid to show up.