Well! Had my second class on Wednesday and it was fun. More learning Kana but she focused on it a lot less (in fact, a few of the kana didn’t even get a shape or stroke lecture!). Best part of it was my teacher drawing a fat, very content, sitting cat on the board to show the class ‘Ne.’ And the Penguin for ‘Fu’!! She is an older woman but so adorable!

Over all class was fun though not entirely useful.

We sang some songs (one Hiragana Song and one “common phrases” Song) which were amusing but beyond pronouciation went to fast for the class to catch much. Then she opened a document filled with ‘Things to say when introducing yourself’ and just started having us repeat things a few times then asked us to string together a few and say it to the class. If you did it correctly, you got to leave class early–which I did. But, in retrospect, most of it I understood already (if not every word then the gramar behind it) so that was easier but some things I’ve forgotten so I can just imagine what it was like for the other students who have spent a total of two days with Japanese felt. It was very fast and whirlwind-ish.

Part of this I’m going to blame to add-drop week. A lot of kids don’t show up/are getting their schedules sorted out so some teachers kind of fluff the first week a bit until they can start teaching for real.

Only Monday will tell!

I’ve come to terms with the “handwritten” way but am still a bit irked by the writing over and over in squares and triangles and diamonds and lopsided rectangles to get to proper angle and ‘shape’ and width. I also am not to hot on the idea of being quized on what kind of ‘shape’ the kana is and which strokes make it up. Not because I don’t think the information is interesting or anything but because it feels like a waste of time that could be focused on other things. Learning that info in passing is fun. Having it be the focus of a quiz? Not so fun.

Perhaps its just the culture of shock of working on my own and now being in the classroom. In which case, I will surely get over myself. Today will be my second day of class so we’ll see how it goes!

@Mister: He first just went “Ee” very loudly then stopped went back and started “Ee” pause “Ee” pause “eh!” He looked very pleased with himself and the girl who spoke Japanese behind me found him very amusing. His hobbies were video games and “Endo” instead of “undou.”

• This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by  Maria.