Entries this day: Pb-app Riverside_with_Dan Takabakabaka Xample_lessons two_new_gateway_21_students

Pb app

12:03pm Thursday 29 July 2004

(written on Hitomi's computer with her weird Japanese keyboard)

When I first heard about Pb from a friend of mine, I thought,
"wow!  teach English and see the world!"  But now, after having read
the website and promotional materials carefully, I see that there is
so much more to the experience.  I am thrilled to find that the work
of Pb closely aligns to what I want to do in my life.  I want
to do something positive for the world.

In January 1996, I began 5 years of volunteer work as a youth advisor
in Houston, Texas for YRUU (1).  This involved attending weekly
meetings at our church and encouraging extracurricular non-church
related activities to promote friendships across the city of Houston
(2).

We also attended weekend conferences/lockins about 6 or 8 times a
year.  Conference activities included four main components: Worship,
Education, Creativity and Social Action.  The social action events
varied greatly in complexity and scope.  Sometimes we simply picked up
litter around the neighborhood.  We sometimes made lunches and brought
them to neighborhood community centers and retirement homes.
Sometimes the social action was a lecture on subjects including civil
liberties and anti-racism.  We occasionally did more complex projects
like planting trees and helping to revitalize school playgrounds.  The
adult congregation of my church took part in a home rebuilding project
every year, helping poor families have better places to live.

One of the biggest long term social action projects has taken place
every year as part of the week long summer camp held in late July.
Hundreds of youth take busses to Ardmore, Oklahoma, a small town that
desires revitalization of its downtown area.  While I was in the
program, we cleared overgrown lots, removed debris from demolished
buildings, removed fallen trees, painted old and new construction.
This project has just taken place for the 6th consecutive year; I
don't yet know specifically how they helped the community this year,
but I'm glad to know the work continues.

In YRUU, while individual expressions were cherished, individuals were
encouraged to always keep the integrity of community in mind.  If a
youth broke a rule (3), the subsequent discussion focused on the
question, "how do our individual actions affect the community?" and
"how can we work together to resolve this conflict?" and "what can we
do in the future to help ensure this problem doesn't continue to
happen?"

YRUU also has a continental level organization.  At this level I
attended anti-racism conferences, and participated in design of Y*FUUD
(4), as part of Youth Council 2000?

During my time volunteering for YRUU at different levels of the
organization, I learned that our efforts make a difference and that
our efforts need to be repeated.  With the short age range of YRUU
(14-19 years), the turnover is quick; we would come to the same type
of problems each year and help the youth learn how to resolve their
own issues.

- - - -

During my university days (5), I did various types of work for the
good of the community.  For a few semesters I compiled The Feel Good
Net (6), an attempt to spread smiles and happiness through the
internet.  I became involved with the Student Programming Board, and
created Recycling Day (7) as part of Homecoming 1995.  This brought me
into contact with the Environmental Awareness Group, which worked to
raise the university community's awareness of the value of recycling
and the natural environment.  Our efforts resulted in large recycling
bins being placed in all the buildings on campus (8).

In a glorious attempt at environmental preservation, we presented to
the president of the university an alternative plan to cutting down
some large oak trees to build a baseball field (9).  Our efforts
didn't stop the university, but we did raise individuals' awareness of
the issues.

In my last two years on campus, I was selected as a mentor for the new
Scholars' Community (10), a program designed to give commuter students
a better chance of success during their university careers.  As
mentors, our roles included teaching new students how to select and
register for classes, then during the semester, tutoring students in
various classes (my specialties were computer science and
mathematics), and organizing activities for the students to
participate and bond after school.

- - - -

After graduation from university, I joined The Mankind Project (11), an
organization designed to change the world for the better, one man at a
time.  This non-denominational, non-partisan organization helps
individuals find their own inner truth, and how to express that truth
clearly to those around them. Through this organization, I began a
personal growth experience, learning how to understand myself and how
to express myself clearly and respectfully to those around me.  These
skills were also useful in conflict resolution, allowing me to see and
respect both sides of a conflict and to help resolve the conflict in a
pful manner.  I was able to use these conflict resolution skills
during my volunteer work with YRUU and in my professional workplace.

- - - -

In my own small ways, I work toward a better environment.  I rarely
use escalators or elevators.  I don't smoke or drink alcohol.  I don't
use air conditioning (12), and I carried trash off Mt Fuji's Gotemba
trail in July 2004.

I moved to Japan so that I could begin exploring the world.  I look
forward to this chance to join Pb and do something positive and
helpful for the world.

- - - -

I enjoy teaching.  I have been teaching various subjects since I was
in high school, teaching my brother how to do geometric proofs.  My
preferred style of teaching is one-to-one, so that I have a chance to
really understand what the student wants to learn, what the student
knows so far, and what methods work best for the student.  Everyone
learns differently and has their own preferences for classroom styles.
I like to help students learn in their preferred style.

I encourage students to write a diary in their target language.  I'm
glad to see the GET program does as well.

I worked at Nova for 12 months after my arrival in Japan.  I now work
at Gaba (13) because the classes are one-to-one.  On Pb, I
understand I will have as many as 8 students per class.  Because they
will be the same students each day for 90-some days, I will be able to
understand what is in each student's mind, and what each student wants
to learn.  We will have a great time.

	I look forward to serving
        - Rob

= = = =

(1) YRUU is Young Religious Unitarian Universalists
    http://www.uua.org/YRUU/

(2) HACYAC is Houston Area Churches Youth-Adult Committee, which
    fostered connections between individuals and between YRUU groups
    across the city of Houston.

(3) There were four rules at the conferences (not including logistical
    rules of a particular church), which were summarized briefly as
    follows: no sex, no drugs/alcohol, no violence, yes respect.
    These simple rules allowed the individuals to flourish within the
    community.  The community was so empowering that the youths strove
    to preserve it, self-enforcing each other against any rule
    violations.

(4) Y*FUUD is Youth Funding for Unitarian Universalist Development, a
    scholarship fund that intended to allow individual youth groups
    access to funds to create their own activities.  I specifically
    mention this because our vision required that the individual
    activities be self-sustaining.  The application form required the
    group have an idea how their activity would fund itself after its
    inception.
    http://www.uua.org/YRUU/governance/ycresolutionarchive/yc99.htm
    http://www.uua.org/YRUU/youthoffice/PDFS/yfuudGrantApplication.pdf

(5) Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, University of Houston
    1995

(6) The Feel Good Net http://www.robnugen.com/dusty/fgnet/

(7) Recycling Day successfully collected 14,000 pounds of recyclable
    materials in one day.  http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol59/93-10-04.html

(8) http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol59/94-01-27.html

(9) http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol59/94-01-31.html

(10) http://www.scholars.uh.edu/index.php?pg=history
              
(11) Mankind Project http://www.mkp.org/

(12) Partially to save money and partially doing my part as a global
    citizen, I don't use air conditioning.  For the past 9 years,
    unless living with a roommate, I've not used air conditioning in
    my apartment.  (Houston, TX average temperature and humidity is
    greater than that of Tokyo.)

(13) Gaba Jiyugaoka branch: 03-5726-0483.  My manager's name is
     Tetsuya Iwano.

Riverside with Dan

3:18pm Thursday 29 July 2004

(written on Hitomi's computer with her weird Japanese keyboard)

Just hung out with Dan by the river in Tsunashima. After he took me to his favorite new internet cafe so I could print 3 pages (of a document already on the web, that took me less than minute to type in the address and press print) at a cost of 420 yen, which included charges for thirty minutes of internet surfing, we went to Subway and Book*Off and McDonald's and a drink machine for Dan's lunch, perusal, fries, and drink respectively. At Book*Off, I took a picture for Frank, of the cover of _History of the NBA_, a hardcover book that I would buy for him for 500 yen (I used the word "splurge" when I emailed him a photo of it), if he were still living here. At McDs I bought a 100 yen vanilla shake. Yum.

Dan and I Chatted about silly stuff and marveled at the bridge flexing downward when the trains went by. Huge iron I-beams flexing about an inch in the middle of a 20 meter span. Makes me wonder if the tracks are layed to be an inch too high in the middle of the span, so the result is a level surface.

We watched a Family Guy episode called "Death Lives," I think. Pretty funny with a few good lines, some of which I may remember momentarily. Ah: Death is at home and his mom is nagging him incessantly. He goes, "man, I wish my dad were still dead..." Oh and there was the gag that when Peter had a near death experience, and his spirit, when out of body, stole his own body's wallet. Peter, when his fiance's dad offered him a million dollars to not marry his daughter, goes, "she may be worth a million bucks to you, but she's worthless to me."

Dan also showed me an episode of Samurai Jack, but I just didn't feel it. Not so funny to me.

Good to see Genki Man Dan.

Takabakabaka

4:14pm Thursday 19 July 2004

(written on Hitomi's computer with her weird Japanese keyboard)

Going to Takananobaba, a station that I think is on the yamanote line north of Shinjuku, so I can turn in my Pb application. I'm really glad to have it finished, and I look forward to serving on the ship. It will be big good stuff for all involved.

on the train now; naptime.

5:17pm

Woah! Just met some of the peeps behind the scenes here at Pb; chatted mostly with Audrey who accepted my application and helped print my resume and all that; everyone seems really cool and genki and they all seem to be bonded and focused working on this cool project together. Wowowowo I'm really excited!!

Turns out I didn't get the full application when it was printed for me a few days ago, so I didn't have everything, nor really follow the directions for the application (I wrote more than the recommended cover letter length, and my resume exceeds recommended length), but Audrey was quite accomodating and wrote a note saying, "we messed up his application" etc so it will be all good. I need to write a few more things and I'll email them to her soooooon.

Xample lessons

5:50pm Thursday 29 July 2004

(written on Hitomi's computer with her weird Japanese keyboard)

1. Application form

2. Current resume (no more than 2 sides of A4) [mine is 3 pages]

3. A cover letter explaining why you would like to join P B as a language teacher (up to one side of A4) [mine is 2 pages plus 1 page of footnotes]

4. Three brief, original lesson plans (These plans should show the kinds of activities or topics you would consider suitable for the following type of classes. They need not be in great detail, but should indicate the overall structure of the lesson.)

• 50 minute lesson (beginner level) - 8 students
• 50 minute leson (advanced level) - 8 students
• 40 minute lesson for one of the open class [sic] (beginner level) - 80 students
  (Each lesson plan should be no longer than one side of A4)

5. A description of a non-language related activity you would like to organize onboard P B (no more than one side of A4)

I still need to do 4 and 5 above.

50 minute high level lesson:

[Chairs facing in a circle]

Intro:  Each person in the circle, please say your name and two words
that describe how you are feeling now.

Now separate yourselves according to who went to which workshops/activities/lectures

Please find a partner who went to a lecture or activity that you did
not attend.

Take turns: each person spend 5 minutes summarizing the lecture or
activity.  Those who are listening should take notes and ask
clarifying questions.  Must talk for five minutes.

Now rejoin the group, or get into two groups of four.

0) Which lecture/activity/workshop introduced the most controversial
subject?

1) Have you seen any examples of what was discussed in the media?

2) Have you been victim to or perpetrator of these types of activities?

3) What actions can we take to help this situation?

For bwork (homework):  Please look for an article that talks about
this type of situation and bring it in to class tomorrow.

end: please look over the schedule and plan who will go to which
lectures tomorrow (next few days).  Hopefully we can have
representatives at each lecture.

Beginner level:

Chairs in a circle:

Each person in the circle please say your name and your favorite (type
of) [INSTRUCTOR'S CHOICE: animal, food, pizza, ice cream, music,
sport, place to live]

(instructor takes notes to remember all favorites) 

Please listen and repeat:
(first student) "I want to __(verb) (favorite)__.  Will you _____ with me?"
e.g. student's choice was elephants: "I want to watch elephants.  Will you watch with me?"

(next student) "Yes I will."

Go around the circle having each student invite the next student to
do/see/visit their favorite.

Once everyone is comfortable with that, add the meeting location:

(first student) "I want to watch elephants.  Will you watch with me?"

(next student) "Yes I will."

(first student) "Let's meet at the ________."

(next student) "Okay."  (If the students are comfortable, add "what time?")

(first student) "Let's meet at 2pm."

(next student) "That sounds great!"

- - - -

This can be expanded to conflicting schedules for meeting times, or
big expansion if we must give directions to the meeting place.

big group activity (beginner level 80 students)

"good morning!"

"good morning!"

(repeat until the crowd responds (more) enthusiastically)

(two teachers model this for the class:)

"How do you feel today?"

"I feel great!"

"Please ask your neighbor, 'how do you feel today?'"

"Answer 'I feel great!'"

(teachers model this for the class:)

"Why do you feel great?"

(together, singing, with American Sign Language hand motions)

"I'm on the Pb,
 sailing on the sea,
 I want to make the world
 happy as can be."

repeat once

Excellent!

Okay, today we are going to (name of activity) _go shopping._

(model for class a shopping situation)

"Hello."

"Hello."

"What is this?"

"That is a wooden flute."

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you."

"How much is it?"

"It's three dollars."

(dialogue stops)

Okay, everybody find a partner!
Please repeat!

"Hello!"
(class A partners) "hello!"

"hello!"
(class B partners) "hello!"

"What is this?"
(class A partners) "What is this?"

"That is a wooden flute."
(class B partners) "That is a wooden flute."

"It's beautiful."
(class A partners) "It's beautiful."

"Thank you."
(class B partners) "Thank you."

"How much is it?"
(class A partners) "How much is it?"

"It's three dollars."
(class B partners) "It's three dollars."

Excellent!  Okay, please listen:

(teachers model dialogue again, adding to the conversation)

"Hello."
"Hello."
"What is this?"
"That is a wooden flute."
"It's beautiful."
"Thank you."
"How much is it?"
"It's three dollars."
"Great!  I'll take it!"
"Here you are!"
"Thank you!"
"Thank you! bye bye!"
"bye bye!"

(dialogue is complete)

Okay, everybody find a partner!
Please repeat!

(go through the dialogue again, one line at a time, allowing the
partners to repeat the lines)

Excellent!

Okay, everybody, how do you feel?

(class) "I feel great!"

"Why do you feel great?"

(together, singing, with American Sign Language hand motions)

"I'm on the Pb,
 sailing on the sea,
 I want to make the world
 happy as can be."

repeat once

Excellent!

Okay, byebye everyone!

non class activities that we can do:

Captain Video: (visual game of telephone) one person shows one other
               person an action exactly one time.  The other person
               tries to repeat the same action exactly once for the
               next person.  This repeats (and the action transforms)
               until everyone has been taught "the" (an) action.  Then
               the original action (first person) and the last person
               perform the action together.

"Nisasa": (Reverse Assassin) teach a new word or song or game or dance
          or handshake to two people and have them do the same until
          everyone knows the new thing

Name quiz: who can learn the most names of people who work behind the
           scenes (cooks, cleaning crew, captain and crew)

Astronomy nights: learn about our universe

One in a million: Find someone else who has
                  done/seen/eaten/visited/met someone/something really
                  rare/obscure

Scavenger hunt: (with themes) "things we realize we don't need
                anymore" or "gifts to the community"

Trash art: make art out of things that would otherwise have been
           thrown away

Teach-a-Talent show: teach a talent to someone and perform with them

Group charades: groups of 5 or 8 have five minutes to plan how to
                perform an action (without speaking) for the rest of
                the group to guess.  "climbing Mt Fuji"  "watching
                fireworks"  "walking a dog"  "riding a train"
                "selling shoes"  "cooking okonomiyaki"

two new gateway 21 students

22:53pm Thursday 29 July 2004

(written on Hitomi's computer with her weird Japanese keyboard)

Today at Gateway 21 I met with two new students whose names I've forgotten; my brain is tired. I have their names written down, so don't worry. The first was a woman who will go in a month to Sydney for a year, the first month of which will be with a host family, and the subsequent months will be in a shared house type thing. She was quite untalkative even when I was like, ask me a question, but overall, I survived the lesson without falling asleep.

The second student was much more talkative, and I nearly made it two hours with him before I suddenly got tired, and was like, "tell me something interesting" and we finished out the last ten minutes talking about family and sports.

I'm on the train to Shibuya now; will be home soon and might have enough brain activity left to type my two example lessons.