Oh, hello. Some life stuff happened and the time went by without me noting them here. I plan to crank out some significant events from 2015 in Yuki world in the next month.
Yuki is now 8. She is in 3rd grade. We are now embarking on the second half of her elementary school career, which is hard to believe. I catch us saying, "I can't believe she is 8." We've been saying that every time she hits some sort of mile stone. It feels by the time we acclimate, she gets older and so we are trapped in constant shock by the passage of time. And while we are bewildered by our daughter's growth, we are also faced with our own aging that is amazing in a totally opposite direction and say, "I can't believe I'm 47." So basically, our whole life is based on shock and denial. I am kind of sick of feeling and saying that. But it keeps happening and I am sure it will continue to happen until I die.
At any rate, Yuki is in 3rd grade. At her school, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades are combined and divided into 6 class rooms. The home room, social study, reading and writing are with the combined group with your home room teacher (Mr. Leahy) but they break up into different blocks for Math, Science, Art, and PE and they work with different teacher. During the course of 3 years that are called, the "Intermediate Grades," you are with the same home room teacher but you work with the other 5 teachers at some point so that all 6 teachers will get to know you well, and they team teach. Some subjects are divided based on skills, some are based on grade, and everybody helps everyone else. So the younger grades are exposed to what the older grades are doing, and the older grades learn to mentor younger kids. I love this system.
Mr. Leahy wrote a class constitution that everyone signed. I have posted this on Face Book, but I want to post it here as well for our record:
We the class of C-3 pod hereby declare that our class is intended to be a safe place of calm, positive, curious, and happy learners who feel welcome in our place of learning.
To do this we agree that it is important to look out for each other with sincere kindness, protecting not only physical safety, but emotional safety as well. We will trust each other to work hard, giving 100% effort with a clear understanding that no one is perfect.
We will come to class ready to learn, with a positive attitude and a willingness to make mistakes. We will focus on what we can do, not what we can’t, while we use our materials and classroom safely. We will treat all people fairly, and give them space when they need it. We all have a right to pass during greeting if the activity makes us uncomfortable. We feel that school should give us opportunities to make choices that support our best learning including choice times. We agree that being productive during work times should lighten the load for homework, and provide us with more choices.
We understand that fair is not always equal, and will be mindful of everyone’s unique talents and needs.
We will have fun with our friends at recess and breaks so we can focus on our important work, we will plan, organize, and reflect without losing sight of the mindfulness required to be in the moment. We will work together to keep our room organized and calm by taking care of our stuff, and helping out with shared responsibilities. We won’t forget to breathe. When we need a break, we will have ways to take brain breaks that support everyone’s learning and the overall goals of the classroom.
Words to live by.
A couple of weeks ago, the school had their Writer's Celebration event. It is an all school event where each grade will write something in accordance to their skill, and everyone goes around to different classroom to read people's work. For the Intermediate grades, they were to write a short story. It had to be based on an actual event, but Mr. Leahy gave them permission to embellish. Yuki worked on her story over few weeks, received notes and corrections, and improved it. Then we received an email that over the weekend, they should finish their final draft. Typing was optional and it was OK for parents to help in that department. Yuki insisted she type her story. She also insisted she did not need our help. It took total of about 4 hours but she sat in front of the computer typing, and editing. I was impressed by her diligence so I left her alone. And here is what she wrote:
English
Wednesday-A Nightmare
By: Yuki
Katano Smith
I was there. I was really in
there! Kidzania*! I walked in and
smelled the place. Ahh. Good old Kidzania. Then, I spotted the job I’ve always
wanted to do. The ANA airlines job!!!! The flight attendant job looked awesome!!
Obviously. I served food. Not just any food. Rich, creamy, beef, that was
real!! But it had been touched by 1,0000 other kids.
As I stepped off the aircraft, my
head was FULL of thoughts like, what is the next job I’m going to do? And thoughts like, I can’t wait to
have fun!
While I was looking
for a job, I spotted a poster. “English Wednesday.” Today was Wednesday. NO.
WAY. In a blink, all the thoughts were washed out. I wanted to learn Japanese,
not review English! I totally freaked. “AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” I screamed all the way
down the place. “Calm down. You’re gonna embarrass me!” my mom said, upsetly. I
had to. The way she talked to me was why. If I didn’t do what she said when she
was upset, it would get even worse.
My mom told me to do a job, but calmly. So I
went to Shiseido-a beauty salon-and did my job there. Although we were all
Japanese girls, the teacher must’ve thought I couldn’t speak English. Because
before I knew it, she was talking in English. I felt so sorry for the other
girls.
When the
customers arrived, I stressed out a lot. I got assigned to a customer. My
customer was a small, Japanese girl, who would probably not understand English.
So I decided to talk to her in Japanese (I am not going to write what I said).
When I finished the job, I stepped a few feet
away from the building, and RAN. Also accompanied by screaming. Oh, “why” you
ask. Well, I might as well tell you. It was horrible English that the teacher
was speaking.
Before my mom could say it, I calmed down immediately.
Just the look on her face told me that I was allowed to do another job and I
didn’t have freak out.
My mom suggested
a fashion design job. I wanted to make her happy so I did it. But when I
stepped in I totally regretted it. There, right in front of me were two
American girls. OH. NO. Jeepers!
The teacher asked what are favorite part of our
designs were. I flipped. Help!
When my turn rolled around, I got super
nervous. “I-I…l-like th-the t-t-top h-h-ha-hat.” I stuttered.
We FINALLY got out of the job. I walked
casually away from the building. And right as I turned the corner, I RAN. Oh my
goodness! I couldn’t take it anymore! Why Kidzania, why!!
My mom gave me the “calm down” look. Then I
gave her the “fine I will” look.
My mom convinced me to do a hospital job. As I
stepped inside the building, I suddenly calmed. There was something about it
that the teacher wouldn’t talk in English.
Our teacher asked this one girl if she could
speak Japanese. She shook her head no. Oh. My. Gosh. It hurt! So much pain! I
had to hear horrid English again! Why did we have to go today?
I took a deep breath, and stepped onto
ambulance. The teacher handed me a clipboard and asked me if I wanted to be the
manager. It didn’t seem so nightmarey, so I took the job. But then I figured
out the REAL horror. I had to yell, “ARE YOU OKAY?!” about 3 billion times. On
the outside, I looked serious. But inside, I was COO-COO!
We put the very
heavy “boy” in the ambulance. The ride back to the hospital was like ten
seconds.
When we got back, we were randomly dismissed.
But that was good because I really needed to get out of there or I would freak.
“Mom, can we go now?” I asked. “Yes, we may
Yuki. Why do you… oh, okay.”
And we both lived horribly ever after.
End!!
*Kidzania (as Yuki states in her introduction not posted), is a sort of children's museum where kids can experience different careers and get paid Kidzania money. They can open an bank account and shop with it later, if they wish. I have written about it before and here is the officiat site: https://www.kidzania.jp/tokyo/en/
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