Chapter 48: CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

Reads: 349
Comments: 1

PART VIII

BACK TO COLLEGE

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

The few days I had left before my college classes I spent taking that circle route on my cub and watching my favorite TV programs. Just to relax in their familiarity. And the night before my first classes I watched that wonderful historical drama taking place in the Heian Period with all those gorgeous costumes that I could now enjoy much better in full color on my color TV that I had recently bought. Then I went to bed a little early to be as fresh as possible for my students.

"I can't wait, little buddy, to see my new students" as we were putting to my college. "The girls that is, natch. And to seeing the second year students who were first year students before spring vacation."

Be-beep!

I purposely got to the college early and and parked my cub in the usual faculty parking lot. Among other things, I needed the extra time to first to go to see Fumie to get my new class lists for the spring semester.

"Good morning, David. Did you have a nice spring vacation?"

"Very good, actually. I went around Shikoku on my bike again. It was a lot better this time knowing where to stay and what to see and more time to do it in."

Fumie nodded. "Yes, that sounds nice."

"How was your vacation, Fumie? Did you go somewhere, too?"

"Yes. I went to Tokyo. But it wasn't for pleasure. It was to make inquiries at the Monbusho Ministry of Education about some future plans I have for the college. Well anyway, here are your class lists for the new academic year. I hope you enjoy them. Particularly your incoming freshman. You will be teaching them from the very beginning this time, not starting with them from the fall semester."

"I know. And I'm really looking forward to it."

"You'll be in the same classrooms you had for the second semester of the academic year. You remember how to get to them, don't you?"

"Of course. First year students in the New Building and second year students in the Main Building. Ah, will we be having our Tuesday get-togethers this semester, too."

"Yes, but only when we can. Many times I'll have to cancel because of all the necessary business arrangements I need to make for my plans for the future of the college. Now it's time to go to your classes. Your first class starts in ten minutes."

I went along the corridor and out the door to the stone path leading to the New Building. I could see students beginning to enter the building. But many of them looked confused, not quite sure where they were going. Yes, the girls were certainly fresh all right. And cute! A few of the girls came up to me and asked in Japanese where their classrooms were.

I pretended I didn't understand their Japanese, of course. I asked in English "What are you looking for?" They looked at each other not quite sure what to do. Then one of them held up a note from the Admissions Office.

I looked at the note, grinned and waved, "Oh, you're all in my class! Come, let me show you," as I gestured for them to follow. Still not quite sure, they did.

When we reached my classroom, I said "Take any seat you want," again gesturing with my hands. They entered the classroom and took seats near the back as other students also began to shyly fill the other seats. Again the vast majority were girls. But a few boys dribbled in and took seats as far away from me as possible.

The bell chimed.

"Good morning class." And motioned for them to reply. A few of the brave girls hesitantly tried, "Good morning."

I wrote my name on the blackboard as I said and spelled it out loud. Then I opened the attendance book and called the first student at the top of the the list's name, The girl answered "Hai."

I shook my name head. "'Here'" and motioned for her to answer.

"Um . . . here?"

I smiled. "Good!"

I called the next name on the roll.

"Here?"

I smiled again and called the third name. A girl again.

"Here."

The fourth name was a boy's. A long pause. "Hai" he reluctantly answered.

I shook my head. "'Here'!"

He just glared at me in silence.

Oh God, Here we go again. Having to teach two different classes at the same time! One for the girls and a totally different one for the boys.

After finishing taking the attendance, I opened the textbook. "Lesson number one, class" and held to book up to show the students the lesson I meant.

The girls opened their textbooks. The few boys just slouched in their chairs, leaving their textbooks unopened.

"What is in this picture?" I looked at my attendance book. "Ah, Miss Suzuki?" as I jotted a dot in the box for today next to her name in the attendance book.

Again some whispering among a few of the girls. Then one hesitantly stood up. "A cat?"

"Yes. Right. It is a cat. Very good!"

She smiled and sat down.

"What is the cat doing, ah Miss Reiko Tanaka?" and jotted a dot next to the name of one of the two Tanakas in the attendance book

"Umm, playing with a ball, . . . ah, Sensei?"

"Call me 'teacher,' please. And yes, it is playing with a ball. Very good." The same smile of accomplishment as she sat down.

"Why is it playing with the ball?" This time I purposely chose one of the boys. "Ah, Mr. Nishida?"

He remained slouching, "Wakaranai."

"No. Say 'I don't know' Mr. Nishida."

"Wakaranai!" he insisted, still slouching in his chair and glowering at me.

And so the class went. The girls trying eagerly though somewhat confused that I kept calling on a different student each time instead of asking them to raise their hands, the boys just slouching and saying only "Wakaranai" . . . if they they bothered to say anything at all, that is.

Then I had the students ask me questions about the picture. The girls began to enjoy the novelty of being the ones to ask the teacher questions instead of the other way around, the boys just saying "Wakaranai." Then I picked one of the students -- a girl -- to read the story. Then question-answer again.

And finally the bell chimed to end the class. As the students were leaving a few of the girls came up to me and said "Thank you, Teacher."

I smiled. "You're welcome!"

Submitted: July 01, 2024

Romance romance japan gaijin travel-in-japan japan-1970s

Like
Shelfit

Chapters

T
Prologue
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64

Add Your Comments:

Sign in to write a comment

Comments

B Douglas Slack

The first day of school is always the hardest--for students as well as teachers. It seemed as if all the boys had decided to be difficult as they could.

Bill

Mon, July 15th, 2024 6:35pm