Six weeks ago, the kids in Aurora graduated from their first year at The World International Preschool, and moved up to the next level as Shooting Stars.
I moved with them into a much larger classroom, and rather than working with a Japanese partner, I became their only teacher.
Teaching alone has been the most challenging thing I've ever done in my working career.
I love it because I have full creative control over the class and what is taught, but it also means that I am the only teacher who the kids interact with for the majority of the day, as well as the only people I really interact with are the children.
And believe it or not, four-year-olds want A LOT of attention.
Before 9 am, I have heard children call my name at least fifty times, and the school day hasn't even began. Even with a class size of twelve, all of the children constantly want to talk to me, play with me, or show me something. If they draw a picture, they have to make sure I see it. If they build something with the blocks, it's absolutely necessary that I am aware of what they made and what it can do. Every time we do a group activity that requires them to write, draw, color or make a craft, at every single step they are all shouting, "Miss. Allie look! Look Miss. Allie, like this?? Look look, Miss. Allie!!!"
The amount of patience I have grown to have over the past year amazes me.
Each time they want to share something with me, I do my best to give them my full attention and show they how impressed I am with what they are capable of.
I want them to know that as curious as they are about me, I am equally curious and interested in their lives.
Working without a Japanese partner has meant that the amount of English being spoken in the classroom has risen drastically. Not only are they speaking more English than ever before, they are always translating English words into Japanese for me.
At lunch they will explain to me what the foods are called in Japanese and which ones their moms and dads like to cook at home. During story time, as we flip through the pages of children's books, they will point to pictures and tell me the objects name in both languages. Their ability to translate so quickly shows me not only is their English vocabulary expanding, but to also be able to explain it in Japanese shows that they really understand what it is.
The kids are all trying so hard to communicate with me, and everyday they share stories with me about their weekends, families, what they like to do at home, something special they saw or ate, or where they are going after school.
One of the kids in Shooting Star went on vacation to San Diego, my hometown, and when he returned it was all he talked about for the next few weeks. Everyday he wanted to tell me about what he did while he was in San Diego and where he went... especially the zoo. All day he would talk about the animals, during story time he would read books to me that were about animals he saw, and during free creative art time he would draw me animal pictures. It was non-stop San Diego talk, and often the stories he wanted to share were those he had told me numerous times before, but each time I was sure to give him my attention, because above all else, I was so impressed with his ability to express himself in English.
My kids in Shooting Star are the same babies I had in Aurora who didn't know a single word of English when I met them last Spring. Obviously, they are still in the beginning stages of learning a language, but the speed of which they are picking it up makes me very envious. I'm attempting to learn Japanese, and it requires a commitment to study every night and to not be shy in using it in real life situations and conversation. Any adult who is studying a language knows it's a hard and slow process that takes a lot of dedication. I watch the kids in Shooting Star learn it so quickly and naturally, and at their age they don't struggle with the self consciousness that us adults do, when speaking in a foreign language.
Currently, their favorite thing is to ask me, "why?" "Why, why, why, why, why?" Is what comes out of their cute little mouths, in response to everything that I tell them.
"Ok, it's time to clean up."
-Why?
"Because the bell just rang."
- Why?
"Because Mr. Chris rang it so that everyone knows they need to stop what they are doing and clean up the toys."
-Why?
"The clock says it's 8:50 and that's the time the bell always rings."
-Why?
"Because school is going to start, so now it's clean up time so we can have snack."
-Why?
"Because that's what we always do in the morning."
-Why
" I don't know, I didn't make the schedule, it just is this way."
-Why?
"Because when Miss. Rie made the school she decided this is what we are going to do."
-Why?
"There is a schedule for everyday, and it begins with snack and then morning routine. I don't know, can you ask Miss. Rie, it's not my school I don't know what to say."
-Why?
"Aggrrrhhhh (pulls hair in frustration) can you please just clean up and then sit down for snack?"
Their obsession with asking "why?" in response to everything I tell them can be exhausting. They want an explanation for everything. They are never satisfied and I can't always answer their questions. They ask why so many times that I start to realize I can't even explain the reasons or purposes behind the things I tell them to do or the things I say.
As crazy as they can make me feel with their constant inquiring of, "why?" it's a really good sign of how inquisitive and curious they are about the world around them. They are looking for me to explain the things they don't understand, and they are standing there, waiting for explanations in English.
This is beyond impressive to me.
I am so proud of my class and how much they have learned and how eager they are to speak with me.
It's a struggle and everyday is challenging, but the results are so rewarding that it makes every minute of it worth the effort.
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