I'm tired...

I'm tired... been tired all week, I don't know why, really. This week is a 'break' week, where half our classes are not on. In theory this would mean I have half as many classes to teach. In reality, I actually have more, because a) a couple of the part-timers took a day off, and b) a lot of people are taking private lessons this week. Which is a good thing, and I particularly like all the students who are taking PLs.

I also had three days in a row where I've taught 4 classes in a row. Actually, these days, I have 4-in-a-row every day but Friday. It's fine but at some point during the later classes my brain does start turning to mush and I teach on auto-pilot. Which is not as hard as you might think.

So, I have three kids' classes now. I had my first class with two 2-year-olds, and no parents, last week. After the screaming that took place the week before, I was expecting Bad Times. Fortunately, both parents were in the waiting room, and they were needed, because the kids did occasionally take off, and I couldn't very well leave the other one to go round them up. So actually the parents did end up spending part of the class in my room.

But, to my great astonishment, my existing student, the girl, suddenly became the perfect student. Now, usually, while I'm saying things (over and over), she's running around and apparently not hearing a word I'm saying, let alone responding. But this time:
Me: Let's open the window! Open! Let's open! Ooh, how's the weath-
Her: SUNNY!
Me (almost falling over): Yay! Sunny! Good!!

Me (holding out a banana): So... can you find the BANANA? Where's the banana? Hmm...
Her: (grabs it and puts it on the right picture) Banana!
Me (thinking): How many times have I tried to do a matching game and failed...?! (aloud) Good job!! Banana! And how about apple? Where's the APPLE?
Her: (grabs it and puts it on the right picture) Apple!
Me (thinking): Any moment now I'm going to wake up...

Me: And what's this? It's a cat! Meow, meow!
Her (by this point in the lesson she's usually getting antsy and throwing things): Meow! Meow! (imitates my gestures)

Sooo... I was pretty apprehensive about having two of them together... but it's actually had a good effect. I think she's a bit more stimulated, and since she is suddenly being a model student, it gives him a good example of what to do. He's still at the 'everything is new so I'm going to run around a lot' stage, while the girl was suddenly really task-focused and did everything I gave her. Positive peer pressure. ^_^

I was concerned the boy would be stronger than the girl (they are both 2 years old but he has developed a bit more language and is a bit bigger and stronger) and possibly a little aggressive. But he was very friendly. Kids that age like picking things up and giving them to people. Every time the girl gave him something he would say 'arigatou ne!' in such an affable way!

Actually, almost all small Japanese children are extremely cute, and mine in particular. The best part was at the end. This boy never wants to leave; it's a big effort to get him to put on his shoes and walk out. But since the girl put her shoes on, he was willing to follow suit. And then - get this - she took him by the hand and they walked out together!!! As Jim said, that's almost too much cuteness.

Anyway, it's only been one class, no doubt in the future there will be various dramas, tears, even fighting, but at least the first class went well. ^_^