Letters from Japan: 10/2/2002 "The Japanese Astronaut"

OK, this is still not my day off but I thought I would share a few things with you...

I told you about how I play the question game as a warm up with my students (or maybe I didn't...) Anyway, there is this cube with the question words who, what, where, when, how, and why on each side (one word per side). The student rolls the dice and has to ask another student a question using that word. I get bored with this because my students always ask the same questions..."How do you come to Nova?" "What time do you wake up?" "Where do you live?" "Who are you?" I hear these questions ALL THE TIME! So to mix things up a bit and make them stretch their brain cells, I started telling each class that they could not ask a question that they have asked in the past. I told them I was bored hearing the same questions. So now that I have thoroughly explained that they are not allowed to ask boring questions, I am all set to hear these new, wonderful, thought-provoking questions...I motion to the first student to roll the dice and ask this new and improved question...he rolls the dice and it lands on "When"...and the question he asks is..."When did you get up this morning?"...................................................(crickets in the background....)

I let the question go because he obviously didn't get my motivational speech on stretching his brain cells to new dimensions. But I am tenacious (remember Tenacious C?), and I continue with my motivational speech/plea for stimulating questions. Enter Kenji. Kenji is about 19 or 20 and a low level student. I have learned not to expect much from my low level students because they are still grappling with the basics. But I give my motivational "stretch your brain" speech anyway in hopes that there is a god. And here is what I get...Kenji rolls the dice and it lands on "Why." Now this question is usually the most difficult for students to form a question with. And usually I end up hearing the same question..."Why do you study English?" But Kenji is taking me to task...he sits for a minute in silence and I can see the wheels turning...finally he asks..."Why did God make human beings?" WHAT?!?! HOLY KUSO! THE EAGLE HAS LANDED! After picking my chin up off the ground, I almost jumped over the table to hug him! I am sure that you all are thinking I have flipped my bean (and maybe I have...) but it is one of those things that maybe only teachers can understand, when a student finally goes where no other student has gone before. After that question, our questions and answers only got better. It was magical. Yes, I am a dork.

Well, I told you that I had things to tell you but I guess I only have that ONE thing and I will save the rest for Friday when I have lots of time to write about Hakone. My latest news is that now my big sis is coming to visit me in 2 weeks. This means MORE WRITING MATERIAL!!! OK, that is all, goodbye for now. Love me