some inspiring school moments...

**was walking down the hall today and two of the bad-ass delinquent-esque boys were scrubbing the wall where, i'm guessing, they'd been caught doodling. i always say hi, sometimes they reply with a slang 'ohas as'. today they beat me to it, regurgitating something i had taught them in a few seconds of downtime. they shot a 'what's up' at me, complete with the head nod. i responded and then let a huge smile grow across my face as i kept walking. english in action baby!

**yesterday was the last class session for my third year students at yoshikawa high school. because i only teach there once a week, on tuesdays, i rarely have a grip on what's going on so i didn't know until the middle of the lesson that i wouldn't be teaching them again. i stopped class a bit early b/c i wanted to give them a heartfelt send-off and i decided on the spot it needed to be done in japanese so that they might actually understand some of it. i launched into it...how they need to stay curious, ask lots of questions, see and learn from other parts of the world, don't be afraid of their individual ideas. i attempted to explain how the man who thought of the airplane was deemed crazy before he and others actual realized his vision. i'd asked the japanese teacher to translate but he just kept waving me on, as if the kids were getting it. he only had to step in to translate 'explore' for me. they laughed when i attempted jokes, nodded when i said important things... after class two of my favorites came up to tell me they'd understood and thank me for teaching their class. how bizarre to see these students moving on. i’ve taught them for two years; they’ve taught me for two years. i managed to refrain from crying or bear-hugging them.

**i was readying hand-outs for class in the copy room when i heard two of the tiniest first year girls quietly talking in the hall. they were discussing my name, how to spell it and pronounce it correctly and the translation of sensei. there was also some discussion as to whether in english you should say tiffany teacher or teacher tiffany. when i exited they excitedly waved and chimed ‘herro tee-fa-nee teacha'. how friggin’ cute is that?!