The weather is changing again. It’s time to prepare for the autumn season and so the rains herald the change to come. It had been raining since last night and had continued until the morning. I was a bit restless this morning and I’m sure it wasn’t only from going to bed late. It’s the weather, I think. But I will continue to do my best and push on as the word of God reminded me in my quiet time. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Galatians 6:9 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/gal.6.9.KJV
I arrived at work at around 8:37. I took the bus this morning because it was raining quite a bit when I left home. But by the time I had come off the bus, I hadn’t needed to use my umbrella. The sky cleared up throughout the course of the day. I only had three sessions again today, like Tuesday. But today, the class that was supposed to have had their lesson in the fourth session on Tuesday, joined the first session today, with the other half of their classmates. So I stood before almost 40 students instead of the usual 20. This of course meant I needed to project more, to ensure everyone was hearing me clearly. It was an interesting challenge trying to move around to all the students. I realized I needed to go directly to the students who I know are at a weaker level first, because by the time I had gotten to them, everyone else was finished and they sat with blank faces. They had not tried to get my attention or ask a friend or anything. The Thursday students are more lively and intuitive, generally speaking, than the Tuesday students and today made it that much clearer, when I realised I couldn’t hear one side of the room. I managed to utilize the YouTube video I had created last night with the listening activity and also uploaded the answers to the worksheets that was done today. This helped the class to move a little faster and with all the changes happening now because of the coronavirus, I will need to integrate more of the online platform. I spent the last session marking the papers I had collected from the students. I hadn’t planned to collect them, but I realised, some students still don’t write when they are supposed to. I believe they really don’t understand at times, but at other times they simply make no effort. Some don’t even make the effort to say they don’t understand. I left school at 13:00 and made my way home. I could have left earlier, but I decided to engage the Japanese teacher next to me. I told them that I wanted to learn Japanese kanji and that led into a whole discussion and them showing me a book that the high school students used. I didn’t mind honestly. It was very hot and sunny, but there was a gentle breeze, as I made my way to the bus stop. The sky was so clear and beautiful. I was so hungry.
As soon as I got home, I made my way to the refrigerator and warmed up the leftovers. In no time, I was having lunch in my entertainment spot and catching a well needed break. I apparently don’t like being on break, because instead of focusing on my food or on the movie I had playing, I was studying Japanese on my phone. And I actually preferred doing this at the time. It’s no wonder my brain gets overwhelmed. While I was having lunch, my boss had called to advise of schedule changes. He advised that due to the extension of the state of emergency in our prefecture, classes for next week will start from the 4th period according to the schools regular calendar. That means I won’t have any students between the first and third periods for next week. I will still, more than likely, be expected to go into the office to do some kind of office work. This feels like I’m getting back some of the many hours that I have given without compensation, even though I’m sure I’m still going to be quite busy in the office. I think I’m still a bit new in terms of working freelance in a school environment. I observe other part-time teachers who are ready to leave at the strike of the last chime. I’m still learning.
I decided to do the laundry after having lunch, even though they hadn’t been soaking or anything, as is customary. It had crossed my mind to put them to soak from last night, but I hadn’t been sure of the rain. I finished putting the clothes outside sometime near 17:00. The face masks that I’d have soaking from last night were hand washed and also put out. While the washing machine had been going, I planted some new herbs including parsley, arugula or rocket and spinach, more like a vegetable. I’m going to finish off the day by putting away any loose items of clothing or anything in my apartment, record yesterday’s blog as well as rerecord the YouTube video that I had made for the high school students. This, because I could hear a little bit of disturbance while it was being played in the classroom today, but it was sufficiently loud otherwise.
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