A Teaching Moment

On Tuesday afternoon, I was walking outside from the gym back toward the main building at the school. School was over for the day, so the students were doing club activities and getting ready for sports or starting to practice. The volleyball team, some soccer players, and the track team were practicing some ceremonial marching thing for some event next month. Two girls, Ayaka and Moe (mo-eh) were sitting on the sidewalk watching the marching and the tennis players.

I sat down next to them and asked their names, and then apologized because they are both in my class, and had been earlier that day. We talked about the marching, and cellphones, and Moe's boyfriend, Manabu, who speaks really great English. When I say "talked," please understand that it's me attempting very crude Japanese, the two girls working hard to pull out and formulate English, and most conversations succeeding through a hybrid of the two languages. (Also, interestingly, I have noticed that Japanese students speak English better alone, but understand the gist of things best working with one or two other people trying to decipher meaning).

I asked the girls what clubs they were in, and both said "none." So I asked what sports they played. Again, "none." So I said "doushite?" which is "why?". Moe said that she used to play tennis and liked tennis, but she stopped. Again, I asked why, and she pointed to the tennis court and said, "Sempai. We fight." Sempai means "upper classman" or "older classmate" but also has some notions, sometimes, of mentoring (though apparently not so much). So it seems that some older girl was giving Moe shit so Moe quit playing tennis.

I told her that at least in March the older girl would graduate and be gone. I told her she should play tennis then, for sure. I also taught her how to give the finger (American style) and also the British V finger thing. And I said "gambatte" which is sort of like "good luck" but really means "do your best - try hard". They laughed and smiled and Moe said "OK!".

The next day, after school, she was in her sports clothes and practicing tennis with the rest of the team.

Sugoi.