A beautiful clean apartment for the next teacher

Tomorrow I have to move out of my apartment to make way for the incoming teacher. I cleaned all day today. In fact, I think this is the cleanest the place has been in five years! I left a few simple decorations too. The next guy will arrive to a nice, homey, welcoming apartment.

ONE GOOD DEED: Clean and beautify the apartment for the next person.

Volunteering at HEC Camp

From today till the 29th I will be volunteering at an English summer camp for junior high and senior high school students. HEC (Hokkaido English Challenge) is one of the best things I have done as a teacher here in Hokkaido, and I am happy that I can finish my time here with one final camp.

SIX DAYS OF GOOD DEEDS: Volunteer at an English camp.

Parting gifts for the adult class students

Today was the last class with the adult students. We had a party with lots of delicious food and drinks, goodbye speeches, and parting gifts. My students gave me a set of Japanese jinbei (sort of like pajamas), and a magnificent album with all their photos and parting messages.

ONE GOOD DEED: Give away parting gifts to my students.

Books for the other kindergarten's library

I said goodbye to the other kindergarten today, and gave them English books for their library as a parting gift.

ONE GOOD DEED: Donate books to a kindergarten library.

Mad money at the kindergarten fundraiser

Onishika Kindergarten, which I just said goodbye to you yesterday, had a fundraiser tonight. There were games and food for small fees. I was happy to fill up on chicken-on-a-stick, soba noodles, chicken nuggets, and potato mochi, while playing mini-bowling and a superball lottery.

ONE GOOD DEED: Support the kindergarten by spending money at its summer fundraiser.

Books for the kindergarten library

I made my last visit to Onishika Kindergarten today. I will be returning to America next month to pursue a career in ESL teaching. The kindergarten kids were so cute--they gave me a picture of me that looked like Ernie from Sesame Street! It was a happy sayonara.

ONE GOOD DEED: Give English books to the kindergarten library as a parting gift.

Broken glass at the kindergarten

Yikes! Better not let that stay there!

ONE GOOD DEED: Notice the broken glass lying outside the kindergarten before the kids do.

Everybody loves slugs

It had rained early this morning, so there were puddles around. On the way to work I came upon some elementary students marveling at a bunch of slugs. Some of them wanted to step on them or torture them, but I put an end to that.

Who knows if such simple life forms really experience "suffering"? Probably not so much. But what is certain is that we humans need to learn to respect other forms of life.

Being a teacher is not just about teaching your specialized subject, it's also about modeling good character.

ONE GOOD DEED: Encourage students to respect the lives of slugs.

Minnesota wild rice

The nurse at one of my schools was confounded when I told her about the black rice we can get in Minnesota. So today I brought her a little gift.

ONE GOOD DEED: Give Minnesota wild rice to a co-worker who'd never seen such a thing before.

A farewell party

Four of the foreign teachers in this area of Hokkaido, including myself, will be heading home in August. I helped organize a farewell party, which turned out quite moving for everyone. I even got a little choked up.

ONE GOOD DEED: Organize a farwell party for all the foreign teachers leaving soon.

Cookies for class

Just makes everyone smile.

ONE GOOD DEED:  Bring cookies to the evening English class.

Everyone makes mistakes

Today there was a festival in my town, and the brass band from Onishika Junior High played.  One member, the trumpet player, is particularly good.  Everyone is always amazed.  But today he completely choked.  Afterward, I saw he was almost ready to cry.

ONE GOOD DEED:  Give my student a pep talk -- everyone makes mistakes.

Education survey

For today's deed, I helped out a university student who was doing a survey on education in Japan. I reported my experiences as an Assistant English Teacher here in Hokkaido.

ONE GOOD DEED: Fill out a survey for a university student's project.

Momiji manju sweets

I had some gift sweets left over after Hiroshima. There wasn't enough for all the staff at the school I was at today. Which is why I gave them all to the English teacher who was anxious that she'll soon be turning thirty.

ONE GOOD DEED: Give sweets to comfort a co-worker.

Shredding

The students took achievement tests all morning, and I was left sitting around twiddling my thumbs. Until I spotted a teacher shredding the completed test materials. Apparently they have to destroy them so that other schools can't peak. I jumped in with enthusiasm, "Hey! Why don't you let me help you!" It was admittedly a means to stave off boredom, but it helped the other teacher who was quite busy.

ONE GOOD DEED: Help a teacher shred test documents.

This box too?

While getting a breath of fresh air outside the office building, I noticed a man start to unload some rather heavy boxes. That was a good enough prompt for the day's good deed...

ONE GOOD DEED: Help a man unload boxes.

Being a role model

Trash collecting - I love it. But what I love even more is when students notice. This morning I was walking to school and stopped to pick up a stray plastic bag. Some students were following behind and clapped in praise. It gives me hope that I can teach by example.

ONE GOOD DEED: Pick up trash, setting a good example for students

Ladeling soup

Every day at school teachers dole out plates of school lunch. Two or three jump up to help serve. When I first arrived in Japan knowing no Japanese, I thought I'd best leave it to them, as I'd only get in the way. But after five years, I realize how silly I've been. Why not help?

ONE GOOD DEED: Help serve school lunch for the teachers.

A parting gift for the vice-principal

Spring has come, which means that transfer season is here. This is the time of year when staff transfer to other schools. This year we're losing a certain vice-principal who has made my days a joy. He's kind of a quirky guy, but I grew to like him. He always wanted to practice English with me, and he also made funny faces at me during the morning meetings.

ONE GOOD DEED: Give a transfering vice-principal a parting gift of Minnesota wild rice.

Graduation rice cakes

Today's graduation ceremony at junior high school was especially moving. I'd taught these students since they were in fifth grade elementary. What's more, since I will be leaving come next July, it felt a little like my own graduation. Memories arose not only of students but also of everybody in the town that I will have to say goodbye to. I was more tear-eyed than usual. Meanwhile, the students were bawling.

I never felt much for graduation ceremonies before Japan. I hated my hometown school and felt no connection to anybody but my small circle of outcast friends. And my university was so gigantic and anonymous that a graduation ceremony felt thoroughly, thoroughly meaningless. When I look back at my whole school career, it's amazing that I can only think of teachers who were jaded, insensitive, neglectful, or mean. Most people I know have at least a few memories of teachers who touched them. Somehow I just don't.

But here in Japan I feel different. Working as a teacher, I have much more emotional investment. I love my students, even when they are naughty or unresponsive. So graduation ceremonies are meaningful for me now. I can't remember one where I didn't tear up at least a little.

I hope my students will remember me better than I remember my teachers.

In any case, everyone got to take home some mochi (rice cakes filled with sweet red bean paste). Back at the office, I took them out and was about to bite into them when I had a better idea.

ONE GOOD DEED: Give away my graduation rice cakes to a coworker.