Determined

Every week, I am determined to write more often, but it rarely happens.
This past week was mostly really good.
My JHS was expecting English teachers from the surrounding elementary and JHS in our town. They would observe a third year English class. My third year teacher decided to step up her game and she planned activities specifically designed for team-teaching (what a concept). Monday's classes were practice classes for Tuesday's demonstration. I completely enjoyed it all. I rarely get to go to these classes and I got to be goofy in front of a lot of stressed out third year students (their high school entrance exams are right around the corner. This will literally determine the futures of many students).
The practice classes were just fine. As far as I was concerned, they were real classes and I wanted to do my best so that the teacher would want to (hopefully) use me more and that the students would ask to have me back. The demo class was fine. My third year teacher was very nervous, but I was very relaxed. The students seemed more involved because they were having fun. We seemed to forget about our observers other than the fact that sometimes they were in the way when we were trying to move around the different groups. The only times I specifically remember being observed is when our first year teacher would not quit following me and when I was talking with one of the groups. One boy was joking with me and said "Oh, Hollie! I think that you are very shy." I said something like "I am a very shy girl", I actually heard Abe-sensei snicker at the next table. Aside from that, I didn't notice being observed. I hope that is a good thing. The third year teacher thanked me for my help and that was the last conversation that I had with her during the week. I DON'T UNDERSTAND!
For the most part, the week was pretty slow. I had two visits to the elementary school. As always, they were fun.
On Thursday, I missed an awards ceremony for the simple fact that I didn't know about it. I sat in the teachers' room by myself. I started getting worried because I didn't see any teachers or hear any students. I was scheduled to team-teach a class for first period and didn't know what to do. Finally, I asked the secretary. She felt bad because she didn't realize I hadn't been informed (thanks to the third grade teacher!). As luck would have it, Abe-sensei was the first teacher to return to the room. Takamura-san explained that I had been asking what was going on. I apologized because I hadn't meant to drag him in on this situation. He apologized because he thought that it was on my schedule. For the rest of the day, he helped to make sure that I knew what was going on.
Today, I decided to be brave and ask what is happening on Wednesday because there is a big circle and red writing. He was shocked that I didn't know...I think that he is fully frustrated with my third year teacher too. Anyway, he was very chatty today and I got a LOT of helpful info from him today. He even helped me sort out the rest of my second year lunch visits. He rocks!
In the meantime, I did four Halloween lessons for the first grade. I didn't realize this until after I arrived in the first class. I made the most out of it though. We started off three of the four classes with "Hello, Goodbye" by the Beatles. I made the most obnoxious gestures you could think of. The first class was so bored with the song, so I thought that I would liven things up a bit. It worked! Now the students are asking if we can sing the song again just so they can see my gestures. The new song that was chosen by our teacher is a Peter, Paul, and Mary song (I don't know how I will spice that up). I think that my first year teacher is on a one-man crusade to bring back the 60's...especially the folk music aspect of it.
My first year teacher is nice and will pretty much let me do whatever I ask, but I have realized that he really doesn't understand much English and he is really boring. What can I say? I love the second graders.
I think that I will stop here because I am really tired, but basically I wanted to say that I have determined to be happy and to do my best. My students give me joy.