Formula of L.O.V.E 愛の法則

I saw something very interesting on TV.

What does LOVE stand for?

This is what LOVE stands for, dedicated to.... unmarried couple

L- Listen   (listening to what your partner says)

O- Observe (Watch carefully what your partner and understand how he/she behave)

V-Value (Know and understand your partner's value)

E-Evaluate (Think to see if your relationship is working, if not, what is wrong?)

 

And, when you get married, there will be a small change.

L- Listen - this is same

O-Overlook ( close one eye and just accept your partner as he/she is instead of pointing out and complain what you dont like)

V-Voice (Talk to each other often and dont forget to give compliments on daily basis even for a small thing)

E-Effort (Once you are together, you should know that there might be a difficult time but you can try hard to make it work)

 

 

"My baby won't sleep!"

I was watching super nanny on youtube- i used to watch this show all the time in US and now i watch it on youtube- i really wish there was a japanese translation or they will put it on jp TV but unfortunetely they dont have it. There are some tequnics that JO uses that really applies to even the behaviors in the classrooms.

She always metions "Routine and daily schedule has to be consistant"

that is very very important even in the classroom. Everytime we give a lesson, we try to have the same routine although often times it gets disturbed by students, but we try out best to have the consistancy so that the kids will automatically realize that it is time to do whatever.

one of my friend from college was going through a hard time about her baby son won't take a nap, and I had emailed her some techniques that i saw in the day care i used to work and  i thougt she could use it-

 1. Its better to always have a nap time in the same routine- for example, in the day care we would always talk to the babies "its nap time" or "lets go to bed" around the same time, and put the soothing music. the babies know that when this happens, they have no choice but to go to bed. at first they might try us by fussing and screaming but after a while they kinda give up and it becomes their routine.

2. It's good to have some kind of activity or play in the morning- at the day care we have circle time when we all sing some nursery rhymes, and outdoor play when we play with bubbles, or simply being carried and walked just around the corner. so they have fun playing and it also make them a little bit tired- of course when the baby is so small you cant play outside for long, but it doesnt mean you cannot take them to play at all :) even inside the house there are lots of ways to interact with babies, and when you have that happy connection, its very nice for both caretaker and a baby (i used to teach jP songs to kids in Nw zealand and they loved it)

3. Nursing room-- must be dark and quiet- but SHOULD NOT BE COLD!!!!!!! allow it to be comfortable place with baby's favorite cuddly or dummy- but dont put too many stuff that can distract babys attention from sleeping!! when the room is cold babies cannot sleep well, it should be kinda warm :) although if it gets too warm they might wake up easily, but anyways babies sleep is alreas REM sleep, which means they wake up pretty often. they will have light sleep and deep sleep repeatedly, so it is pretty normal for babies to wake up often, but when being put on routine, they will slowly get used to it- until we get the hang of the baby's personal time, just have to hang in there--

 

Most concerns and stories i see on yahoo chiebukuro (its like Ask.com and ppl leave questions and others anser) i really feel the difference between the american way of putting the kids to sleep and japanese is way different. first, most American (western) houses have "nursing room" where a baby can be alone, but most japanese houses, because of the size, but also many moms will do "soine" 添い寝　which means to sleep naxt to the baby- and sometimes the baby will sleep between mommy and daddy on the futon on the floor. So i could say jp parents are physically closer to the baby and take more time and attention in as far as the bed time routine where as American parents will once walk away from the room with a waki talki and go to the nursing room to check every once in a while, or when the baby cry. ---- I think personally i dont wanna have to share the seeping room with my husband and a baby.... but who knows, i was raised by this way so

   It is effective in a way- 1. kids will experience more skinship and feel secured, and parents can make sure that they are safe.

2. mom can nurse the baby and as the baby falls asleep she doesnt have to move the baby, just continue sleeping.

and i believe there are more, but also this might break the privacy for mom and dad, and dad might feel pretty.... left alone  if every dad is helpful and good at taking care of the babies- its great but they might also feel scared to sleep next to a tiny baby they might not be able to sleep. "i dont wanna smash the baby!"]

 

anyways, i feel grateful that being bilungual brings me benefit of getting information on this matter in both languages-!! it gives me more opportunities to learn and thats what it makes child development study more interesting!!!!

 

 

 

Chinese Proficiency Test! 中国語検定

 

来年　中国語検定３級というのを受けようと思う★

文法とか発音の問題があって結構難しいんだけど自分にとってチャレンジになるから

頑張ってみる。　台湾の中国語には慣れてるけどこの試験は中国の漢字で少し私には難しいけどー

i ll do my best!!!!!!!

I have decided to take "Chinese proficiency test! (ONLY in JAPAN)  next year- so I took a sample test today for grade 4, (grade 1 being the best- 4 is like beginners level)

for each section i got different score but

scrambling the word to a correct grammer sentence, i got 70% right-:)

test is here（free, no need to sign in)

サンプルテスト受けれます↓　３級２級もあるよ！

中検4級文法語法（並べ替え）模擬試験問題！！

 

 

 

 

英語を学ぶ目的と意味 Purpose of Leaning Engilsh

もちろん、私にはひとつかなり大きい意味があります。

 

アメリカ映画が大好き★英語の映画なら、どうせなら字幕で間接的に観なくてもいいようになりたかった。医療用語や歴史などでは今でも本当にちんぷんかんぷんで辞書で調べたりすることもよくあります。

そして、アメリカに住んでから　アメリカには家族や友達がいてアメリカで出会った外国人の友達との話すコミュニケーションツールも英語、コミュニケーションとしての英語があります。

そして、教育のための英語。　子どもたちが英語を学習することは今ではもう

当たり前のように注目をされていて、でもそこで「バイリンガルになること」や「ペラペラになる」が目的であってしまってはいけません。　どういうことを英語で学ぶのか、そこを教えていくにはもちろん大学で専攻した教育もそうだけど授業を進めるなかでの普段の生活から　読んだり観たりする教育に関する情報は英語のものが多い。

例えば学習障害について。学習障害についての研究や注目はアメリカの方がずっと早くそれに対しての対策も考えられている　またcounseling 技術や advisor のシステムも確立されていて、日本の福祉業界が学べるところがたくさんあるんだと思う。　もちろん日本医療や産業が優れていることでアメリカが報告した結果を日本の技術でまたさらに形にしていき、それを実践していい教育のために使う。そういう風にしてやはり、正しい教育をしていくことを実現するためにはもちろん日本だけではできない。世界全体で助け合いながら知恵を出し合いながらすることが大切なの。

 

学習障害を教えることで悩んでいる人の意見も　日本人の意見だけを読んでそれが全部いいものだったとする「OOがあるけど、これを乗り越えたらいいことがある」ってね

それでいっかじゃなくて　他の国ではどうだろう、　貧困や治安の悪さなど

他の要素もかかわってきているような地域でのclassroom の中での学習障害の対応は？そんなことできるのかな？　そういう資料を探し、読んだりできるのもだいたい英語。

そうなってくると「なぜ英語を勉強するのか」という質問さえしなくなるくらい　英語の学習は当たり前の、自然に生活の一部になっている。

日本語（母国語）でのreading, writing をしっかり行うことが英語でのそれをimprove する方法だとも言われている。もちろん何を考えるのかどうしたいのかがはっきりと出てこない場合何語に訳したって意味不明になるもんね。

ピアノをひくこと、踊ることや歌を歌うことは感情のコミュニケーション

数学は　数字のコミュニケーション

というようにコミュニケーションは英語（言葉）だけではないんです。

英語を学んだらできることや、広がる可能性はすごく大きいような遠いような気がするかもしれないけど　実はそうでもなくって本当に近くにある。

Share っていう言葉は　分け合う　共用する　とかの意味があるけど

日本語でぴったりにはまる言葉が見つかるかっていったら私の中ではshare は　shareなの。　でも　それはただの英語の単語じゃない、行動なんだ★

私と、枕shareしよっか、っていう感情、動作からshare っていう言葉が出てくる！

はんぶんこ！とか言うね　日本語だと。

いろんなことにどんどん興味をもって、得に文字に、音に触れること、これは子どもにとって大切なこと★

本をたくさん読んでいると自然にいろんなことを知るようになるー★　自然に興味を持ったり

地理に興味をもったり　人に興味をもったり　動物に興味をもったり。

それが、また、いろんな国の本を読み出すと　ひとつの国ではかけないようなことが書いてあったりする（いろんな人種の話や珍しい動物の話、アルファベットの物語　など、）

英語熱がとってもヒートアップしているなかだけど、私は子どもたちに

必死に英語を話せるようになるために特訓するとか　日本語より英語だよ！とか

思ってない。

どんな場所でも　一人でも　自分で判断し行動する力をつけて

一人だけでは生きていけない世の中なんだから周りの人と助け合う心、そのための思いやりの言葉、そして問題解決のための知識と知恵をつける。

文化を大切にし　家族を大切にする。　勉学に励む。自然を楽しんで、動物と触れ合って

色々な景色を見る。　そういうすばらしい経験を通じてたくさんの人に出会い、その情報をshare する。　何かについて真剣に意見の違う人と語り、議論し、ぶつかりあった末に　理解しあい、違う人たちが自分と違う意見をもったときどのくらいrespect できるのか。　それによって自分の意見はかわってしまうのか、それとも更に強くなるのか。

私は、家族という考え方とかも、アメリカにいってすごく変わった。

人生の生き方も、すごくたくさんの種類があるんだなあと感心した。まずはsecond chance の考え方。つらいことがあってもリラックスする方法をみつけることやプロからのアドバイスをうける対策や（カウンセリング）ドラッグやアルコール中毒を治すリハビリテーションの認知度など、一度犯したミスからは立ち直ることができるのだから過去は受け入れてこれからを変えていこうという姿勢。

と同時に日本人の「我慢」強さ　に感心した。武士の魂か。　日本人の出産はほとんど　自然分娩を好む。「おなかを痛めて生んだ子」というフレーズがあるくらい

無痛分娩はアメリカではかなり主流で　痛みはストレスにつながり我慢することも体に悪いことだというもともとの根本的な考え方が違うからだ。

そういうのを両方知ると、とても勉強になる。　実際に痛くないほうを選べば、ストレスが少なくとてもhappy な気持ちで子どもを生めるしそれは赤ちゃんにとってもいいことなのではないかと考えると同時に、それほど大変な想いをするからわが子があんなにかわいいと思えるのか。　など。

選択肢は多い方がいいかもね。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What does mommy want?

Me " So let's make OUR VERY OWN LIST for Christmas! We have 7 pages, so you can write 7 things you wanna ask for Santa, and here are pretty colored and patterned origami papers and wrappers so you can cut and glue them if you like, or you can draw on your own."

and children work on their project... after about 20 min.

one boy says " I have one more page left"

Me " Ok, so what do you want?"

he " what do YOU want Azusa?"

Me" me? I already wrote down 7 things i want, you can ask for one more."

He" Its okay, i will ask him what you want."  SWEET

Me " Thats so sweet of you, but maybe you could ask one for your mom and dad?"

He" oh yah, ok!! she likes... Kimchi (Korean Style Pickled cabbage)!"

Me"ah.. Kimchi? you wanna get her Kimchi for christmas? ok, but what about something pretty? u know, women loooooove pretty things for christmas.."

Another girl (7) " Yah! like necklace, or bracelet, or ring!"

He " uh... okay..."

She " wait! i will just go and ask!" And she goes and ask his mom (she is also a teacher- my boss :)

and she comes back and says " She said she likes CHICKEN. and Cake for dad."

So FOOD beat  my idea "girls love pretty things for Christmas"- but i thought Kimchi! was a cute answer. Kids know what their mommy like!!!!!!

It's not fair! ずるい！

I am in only child. So I didn't have to learn how to share too much as I was growing up. When I was little, I used to play @ the park a lot and my mother would always bring a book with her so she doesnt get too bored while im going down the slide thousand times. In old times even if you didnt know the people, you would make friends @ the park very easily.  Kids will start asking if you wanna play tag with them, or share a sandbox toy with them, but I wasn't very good @ sharing or competing with others, so i was really shy to play with them.

At that time my mom wouldnt really help me, she will continue to read her book as she sees her pathetic little girl running toward her crying. My mom says "What happend?" Before I could say anything, another girl who is standing behind me with MY toy says " Hello, Aunty (in Jp, we call a friend's mom or middle aged women aunty) this girl is your daughter? I asked her if i could use her toy, and she didnt say anything. and she gave me her toy so i was using it, and then I asked her if she wants to play tag with me, again she didnt say anything and just started crying! whats wrong with her?"

Surprisingly she was as old as i was. My mom says "She is really shy, but its funny that she cries when you asked her to play with you huh, sorry about that" and my mom tells me "GO PLAY WITH HER, SHE IS NICE" and i just say in a littlest voice

" I wanna play here by your side..." my mom was like "here is just a bench, you cant even dig in sand here, its not fun- go play with friends!!! you can meet lots of new friends there"   " I dont wanna play with friends. I wanna play with you- here. you can read your book, its okay. Ill just stay here...."

Now i'm a teacher, and i have to teach my kids (students) how to share- and its really really hard. Only child is sooooooooooooo used to being No.1 @ everything and they dont find it easy to share things, or people.

kids with siblings on the other hand, they are always competing. I have two little kids coming to my home for English lesson every week and today they had fight over the color of a cup. A yonger bro. got a blue cup and sis didnt like that, so she started crying even without telling him anything. I thought it was strange since they always talk to each other, yell at each other, grab each other and at the end they solve the problem. Either she was stressed out or tired of fighting, but i felt little bad for her. A kind brother actually swapped his cup with hers quietly as he saw his big sis crying. GOOD MAN. Then i thought, "what is the big deal about the color of a cup?" When do we go over that feeling of "ITS NOT FAIR!!! I NEED A BLUE CUP!" and finally gives in to choose any color of cup?  but maybe its a good thing to especially liking something- it might lead to a competitive personality which even results in trying for a new position or reaching more difficult goal in job?

there are so much you can learn by just spending evey day life with your siblings- I felt that especially today- After the lesson, i had called them and sat them down and we had a discussion.

兄弟がいることによって学べることってたくさんあると思う★私は一人っ子だからそう思う。　与えられることが当たり前の世の中じゃないから、戦って競争して、その中で思いやりももって。毎日の生活の中で家庭の中に小さな社会があるわけで兄弟間のやりとりってそういう大人になっても役に立つコミュニケーションを学べると思う。私は今教える仕事をして子どもたちにshareすることを教えるけれど層簡単に子どもは理解しない。ほしいものはほしい、絶対にわけたくない。

そんなことが原因で今日はうちに来る子どもたちはけんかをしてしまったけど毎日の生活のなかで大事なのはそのけんかのあとにちゃんとお話をすることで解決できるかどうか。大人になってもお話はとっても難しいけど、重要なこと。だから、おうちに帰す前にこんなことを話し合いました★

★　we are all friends, and we love each other. We dont need to cry because we didnt get what we wanted. you have a mouth, and you have your words, you can talk to each other to find the better way.

みんな仲良しでいたいよね。大好き同士だもんね。だから、何かがほしいとき、それでけんかになるときなく必要なんかないよ。お口があって、言葉が話せるでしょ。何がほしいのか、どうしたらいいか話し合いで考えよう、いい方法が見つかるからね。

★ If you want to get something, you need to say it. You need to earn it. Things will not given to you, you have to try hard to get it. For example, today was just a cup, Taz got the blue cup first because when I asked the color, he said it out loud "BLUE", if you wanted it, even if it was after he said it you should try saying it- don't give up easily!!

何かを手に入れたい時、かってにそれが手に入ることはないよ。努力をして、頑張って我慢した人にそれは手に入れることができるんだよ。今日はそれがカップだったね。Tazが青いカップを最初に手に入れることができたのはなぜ？それはTazが私が「何色？」と聞いたときに先にblueと大きな声で答えられたね。だからだよ。もし、負けた。と思っても最後まであきらめずにblue! blue!　といえばいいよ。途中であきらめて泣いたら絶対に手に入ることはないよね。

★ Let's give ourselves a BIIIIIIIIIIIG HUUUUUUUUUUG :))))))))

じゃぁ、みんな大好きのハグしようか★　おいでーぎゅううううううう

and we were so happy at the end :)

November Lesson おうちえいご

Discussion Theme "Family"
of course the kids cant talk in English, so first I brough up the topic
"why is a family important to you?"
 
Y said
"If Im alone, i would be really lonely" 

and T ( younger brother, 4 years old) said
"because i cant cook yet so i need my mom to cook for me"

haha!! boys...!!! that was cute though.

so i had them draw the picture of a family that they would have, in imagination family!!
Then Taz drew...
"a big ghost, himself, his siter, and a blue bear" ( i use this blue bear for my class-Blu chan is his name)

Yai drew... "her mom and a blue bear"
well, my blue bear is so popular.
i asked her " where is yourself in the picture?"
she says " not there, just my mom and blu chan."

I got new books to add my my "little library corner" so they were really happy
I love children's books, i enjoy reading them too.
Its really great that they LOVE taking a book home, even though they cant read yet, they enjoy looking at the pictures and they always say "it was a really good book!"

They have to write down their name and the "title" of the book on a
"library card" i made, and its actually working! they are getting really good at copying english letters- especially Taz surprises me every time! he is only 4, and once a week english lesson since september, i didnt expect him to improve so fast :)

I think when given no choice, kids will really work hard they really WANNA borrow the book, so even if they dont know how to write english yet, they will try their best to copy and do whatever they have to do in order to get a book.
thats how you get better in a foregin language! 
You must be given a task where you absolutely have to use the language to get what you need.

again, we practiced the song "days of the week" and "hello song", they almost got it :) I explained the meaning too and now they are interested in days of the week!!!

In "computer time", Im taught how to choose, drag and paste by using the mouse- Yai has no interests in computers, but little bro is really into games on it, so i let him play english games for a little bit 15min. -max.
and for that, he remembered how to say "play game, please!!!"

some color reviews and intro. of phonics, we ended our class with a new book, "oppesite" it was quiet nice!!
but again, i really gatta do more phonics..... today was "b" and we tried to come up with the words that starts with B- surprisingly, Yai said "blue" and Taz said "Banana" i was really amazed, cause i didnt teach them phonics yet. but when i asked in Japanese, "b, b, で始まることばはなに？" - what word starts with b, b, b? it was easy for them- only Taz kept on going "ばら" - bara- it means rose. and other japanese words that starts with BBB
its so good that they showed interests in phonics!!!!!!
after learning some phonics i can play the card game for review, so it will be great!!!


and today.....
I played this game at ICI, (after school care i work at )
and the children loved the game, so i wanna share it here :)

its called a pig game- and you can get the print out here
http://www.theschoolbell.com/Links/Dolch/Directions/pig.html

You need
1.21 flashcards (i used only animal flashcards- they are fairly easy to read and they are farmilier"
2.stop sign and pig sign (print out from the link above)

its so easy to prepare but fun to play with kids, if the kids cant read yet, you should use the flashcards with
picture and picture(maybe banana-yellow, or dog-puppy) instead of picture and word.


CHEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!  happy teaching!

Cooking #2- Dumplings :)

Today we made dumplings :))
apart from that, we practiced a song for our little "performance" day, which someday to be here.....

And more and more reviewing on
"in" "on" and "under"- they seemed to be pretty sick of it already, but repetition is the best when it comes to kids- ^^


The big sis. is learning  Piano  from me too in our 90 min. class- so i decided to teache her the song she can actually perform with her little bro. who is really good at singing- because they have never learned english before, it is had to teach them a song with many words so I picked
"Days of the week"  and "Mary had a little lamb"
They come to see me only once a week, sothere isnt much time to practice singing- but they are really excited and today we did our first session, they loved it!!!!!!





Big sis coating Dumplings with Kinako (Soybean flour)

I lover her serious face! so cute.


We tried making 3色団子　3 color dumplings
(green, Pink, and white)
but since we couldnt find cherry blossoms for the pink (its not the season)
I tried coloring the flour with strawberry tea leaves, but we failed.
So, we did white, green(using Green tea powder), and kinako dumplings.
Kids loved it :)



I gatta do more lessons on Phonics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

October

October Class

今日のnew words は
Happy, Sad, Angry!

Jack"O"lantern 　の目、口を動かして色んな表情を作ってみたよ★

今日のsnack time はおせんべいと白い恋人（笑）
Craft activity of the day- Making the Puzzle!!
I had pick a halloween picture out, and cut them out for their own puzzle :)

90 min. passes sooooo quickly!!

They've never had experience learning English, either speaking, reading, or writing, so i want them to get used to seeing alphabet, being in an English enviroment :) So I try to give them writing excercise every time, and they seem to do it very well!!!!


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

おうち Engish!! home english class!!

september class

every time kids come to the lesson- i set my alarm for 25 min.
and we play eng.games, or flashcards, and other ice breaking activities to make the comfortable feeling for the kids to learn english :)

i used my Indiana state university "bear" the other day for the lesson,
then who knew it? kids looooooooved the bear, they named it "blu chan" cause its blue, they were so cute!!!
i used some flashcards of food and animals and pretended the bear' voice
"i want some food- im hungry" and " i wanna play with a friend"
and kids supposed to have NO IDEA what im saying, but they figured out
that the bear was "hungry" and "sad" cause i made all this noise and thanks to my great acting
i realized... that the bear (doll) can be better teacher than an actualy person

Snaks time- they are getting so much better to say "thank you for the food", and todays snack was ramune and chocolate cookies :)
im glad they are having fun in my class, and they always dont wanna leave home. haha
they are also hard working with their homework which is so great!!!!!!


i love my kids