Entries this day: Work

Work

10:23pm JST Thursday 28 September 2006 (day 13336)

Today at work I had a few difficult students, and one difficult pair: Midori and her daughter Yuuko. Yuuko is at least 24 years old, but *totally* *totally* *totally* turns to her mother for -*everything*-, and can't even read on her own. I was totally like, "Midori, you've got to come separately; she should have her own lesson," and I explained why, etc, and she listened carefully and understandingly, and was like, "yes, but we want to have lessons together."

okay; you're the boss, and I determined from that point on that the best thing to do was treat them like one person, which basically meant just talking to Midori. If I have them again, that's what I expect I'll do.

Had 80 minute lesson with Akiko; it was great; she can speak well, and brings up interesting topics and isn't afraid to talk about problems with Japanese culture and the new PM and Yasukuni shrine and shit like that. We looked at kanji that use 女 as a base, which seem to have a fair number of "negative" meanings. (Unfortunately, the kanji means woman). 男, which means man, is used in a fair number of kanji with powerful meanings.

Had a 13 year old, who was 13-year-old-ish at first, hoping she wouldn't have to think, but I was like, "why the fuck are you here if you don't want to think?" (not in those words, exactly) and was basically like, "I don't care if you study or not; it's up to you." and she was like, "yah; yur right" ("durn tootin'").. so anyway, something like that. She was laughing near the end, so I may see her again.

Had a couple of men, the first of whom is repeating the easiest book we have. I was like, "you gots to do homework, jack" and gave him some tips (don't use Japanese translations (if possible)) and some recovery English ("what does that mean?" etc), etc, so I hope it helps.

The other guy was even lower in a way, but we found a rapport that seemed to work. It was the first time I had met him, and only his third lesson there. I don't remember deets except his glasses made him look like the brainy chicken who hangs with Foghorn Leghorn.