Young at heart

I really like teaching the 1 nensei in this school. Janet and I were just talking about them and we were laughing our heads off at the things they do and say. Stepping into the 1 nensei classes can help me forget my boredom or moodiness at work. They're so incredibly fun and engaging to watch. Especially my favourite class,1年1組. It's like stepping into a playground because they're always so loud and enthusiastic. They'll raise their hands (their hands shoot up in seconds, or shoot up and down, or they'll jerk their hands funnily) and shout "Hai!" or "Hey!" (??), whenever they get asked a question. I literally have to cover my ears when they do that. For some boys who don't know the answers, they still like to stand up and mug around by giving answers that are so weird. And sit down beaming, proud that they had made the class laugh.

The JTE was giving them back their test papers today at the end of the class. It was interesting to watch the kids' reactions to their scores. There were boys who were so proud of their low scores that they announced to everyone. In turn, they got a pet on their backs or a delighted laugh by the other boys. Some started pushing and shoving each other after sharing their marks. And for those boys who got a perfect score, they were cheered or booed "You suck!", depending on their popularity in class. The girls would quietly take their sheets back to their desks. You could see the secret smile on those who got 100 points. If you're looking for a bit of action, come to a 1 nensei class when they're getting back their test papers. :)

Sometimes when I look at them, I chuckle to myself. Because they behave just like elementary school kids. But I like the playful nature of the 1 nensei. It's enjoyable to experience that especially after teaching a class of serious and zonked out 3 nensei who obviously are spending too much time cramming for their upcoming senior high school entrance examinations.