… the students tell me what’s on their minds…

The idea of playing games like BINGO, Hot Potato and Tiddly Winks in high school borders on juvenile and ridiculous. However, when learning English in Japan such games are utilized. A LOT. Almost to the point of extremism. I actually had to refresh my memory on such games, as I don’t think I have encountered them since I was oh, say, in the womb. Occasionally I have to shake my head, pinch my arm and remind myself that I am not back in elementary school sitting on the magic reading carpet, dreading having to go to the communal, questionable public school bathrooms and twiddling my thumbs awaiting cookie time.

For some reason there are a couple of games that Japanese school kids excel in for whatever reason. These tend to be games that require little imagination, no original word generation nor any clever ‘thinking outside the box.’ Games where all the words in a sentence are given to them and all they have to do is fiddle with the arrangement, or word puzzles like anagrams. Anagrams seem to be a Japanese forte. I, myself, have always found these to be a complete and utter waste of time but perhaps that is because I suck at them. But really, when is one EVER going to be given a mess of letters, completely out of order and told to rearrange them to form a coherent word? Is this a skill one can boast on a resume –“Can rearrange alphabetic muddle to form ACTUAL words. Averages 104 WPM.” Unless one is dyslexic I see little reason to practice such a task. But it truly seems that this skill might be a bit hyperaccoladed in Japan. So whilst students often balk in panic when asked their names (and howl when I attempt to pronounce them back to them), they are, however, able to rearrange ASBBLLAE to form an authentic word in record time. Go ahead and put that on your resume, kids.

AEBHT

What the hell is that? My mind does not work in a manner in which anagrams come easily for me. I begin making up words in my head – spells that perhaps Harry Potter would use to kill a giant man-eating toad.

I am at the all boys’ technical high school. A student’s hand shoots up. “I GOT IT!”

The teacher waves him to the board. Very slowly, deliberately, he looks at the jumble of letters, ponders it and then proceeds to write on the board:

S E X.

He turns back around and looks at me glowing with pride.

I don’t want to be overly critical, but he’s missing a lot of letters.

Details:

You’re currently reading “… the students tell me what’s on their minds…,”

Published:
2.8.07 / 6pm
Category:
classroom antics, amusing incidents