An inspiring message

A few nights ago, Momo, my teenage daughter sat on a couch in the living room next to me and took a deep sigh as she mumbled, "I wish I had a teacher like him."

Then she showed me the message of a school teacher who gave the last homework to his student before he passed away. The message said:

The last homework
 No specific deadline.
"Become happy."
Perhaps I would be in heaven when you turn in this homework. Do not rush to hand it in.
Take your time. But please tell me face to face, "I have become happy." I will be waiting to hear from you.

What messages would you like to leave to your children or family? Ultimately, the message I would like to leave my children is the same. "Please find your happiness within your heart."

Christmas Story for The Magical Story Tribe

After reading the inspiring book, The Element in the bath on the Saturday morning, this story popped up out of my heart. I would love to make some collage based on this story later.

Sakura’s Christmas

Sakura lost her dad when she was only 3 years old. She was born in Seattle in the United States of America. But her mom decided to come back to Japan when Sakura’s dad passed away. Her mom said,

“Sakura, we will go back to my home country and be with our family.” Sakura was not happy about saying good-bye to all of her friends and wonderful neighbors. But she liked the idea of being with her family.

Sakura lived with her funny grandpa, loving grandma, two playful uncles and mom. Sakura was a happy girl loved by everyone of her family.

As soon as she got into a nursery school nearby her grandparents’ house, she made some good friends. The neighbors welcomed her and her mom and everything was just fine. Sakura stopped crying missing her dad little by little.

One cold winter morning, Sakura’s grandma asked her,

「さくちゃん、クリスマスには何をお願いするの?」

「えっとね〜。」

Sakura hesitated to tell grandma her wish.

「なにかな〜？」

「う〜ん。あのね。」

She looked at her grandma in the eyes and asked,

「サンタさんって本当にいるの？」

「もちろんよ。」

「さくのお願いは叶えてかなえてくれるの？」

「さくちゃんは、いい子だもん。かなえてくれるわよ。」

「なんでも。」

「そうね。サンタさんにお手紙書いてみたら？」

Sakura smiled and nodded excitedly.

She wrote a letter to Santa and put it in a envelope. She handed it to her mom and said,

「ママ、サンタさんに手紙だしておいて。」

At that time, Sakura has already forgotten her mother tongue, English. Her mom was sad and wanted her to speak it again. Her mom tried to talk with her in English but Sakura stopped speaking in English back. So, her mom got an idea.

“Did you write in English, Saku?”

“Hah? 何で？”

“well, Santa can’t read Japanese, can’t he? He is from North Pole.”

“Oh…どうしよう。書けないよ”

“ I can help you out.”

“OK!”

So, Sakura started practicing alphabet and got much better.

She asked her mum how to say some of phrases in English such as I wish to see. But she did not tell her mom who she wants to see for Christmas.

Her mom thought it would be Stitch from Disney channel. Sakura loved Stitch at that time.

After a few days of practice, Sakura managed to write a letter to Santa.

She handed it to her mom and said,

「ママ、じゃあ、サンタさんに出しておいてね。」

On the night, her mom opened the letter and it said,

Dear Santa,

Merry Christmas. Last year. Present. Thank you.

I wish to see dad for Christmas.

I am good.

Thank you.

Love

Sakura

“Oh, my, my.”

Her mom sighed. She had no idea what to do with Sakura’s wish.

She did not make Sakura sad on Christmas day.

She walked around her bedroom and thought about it. But she did not get any good ideas. So, she asked her family what to do.

Grandpa shrugged his shoulders. Grandma shed in tears. It was one of Sakura’s uncles, Hiro gave her mom a good idea,

「手紙を書けば？パパからって。」

「そうだよね。いいね。そうしよう。クリスマスだもん。」

So, her mom came up what to write. The other uncle, Yoshi volunteered to write it down on a Christmas card.

On the night before Christmas, Sakura’s mom sneaked into her bedroom and put the card under her pillow. She also put a little bracelet in a little box next to the pillow.

Next morning, Sakura’s family was got up by a big cheerful shout.

「ママ！おばあちゃん！おじいちゃん！見て！見て！パパからプレゼント。サンタさんが持って来てくれたの！」

Sakura showed the card and the present from her dad. She wore the bracelet around her wrist.

“Thank you.” She mumbled. The card says:

Dear my girl, Sakura

Thank you for your request for Santa to see me again on the special day.

He promised me to deliver this letter to you on the Christmas Day.

I was so happy to hear that you still remember me and think of me.

I am so sorry not to tell you this before. I am always with you, Sakura.

When you need me, I am there next to you. You may not see me but I am there. You may be able to feel me if you try. I am so glad and proud that you have made some friends and helped your mom to go back to Japan. You have learned Japanese so quickly. I wish I could understand what you say. But for me, just watching you grow is a gift. I am sorry that I can’t hug you like other dads. But please remember I am always with you.

Love

Dad

It was all written in English. But Sakura could read “dad”. She did not ask her mom what it was written. It was a message from her dad to her. She wanted to read it on her own. She used her mom’s old dictionary to understand the message. It took her very long time to get the message. She asked her mom what “always” and “be with you” mean. When her mom told her it means, 「いつも一緒だよ。」, she was so happy and felt as if her dad was there.

From the Christmas, Sakura always gets a card from her dad with a little present. Sakura became a big girl but she never questioned if Santa is real. For her, the Christmas card and a present from dad is Santa, the love. Once a year, on a Christmas day, a special gift will be delivered to you. That is if you believe in love.

The Element

Flow or zone or the new term, the element is a place your skill meets your potential. That is a place where you can be the best of your ability. That is a place where you feel right and find content daily. I think I have found a place like that. It is in the story circle with children. That is a place where I can feel their heartbeat and breath. That is a place where my beat and their beat make a unique harmony that nobody ever heard of before. The beat of our hearts and souls weave a story together. That is where I would find the joy and the meaning of my presence in this planet. It is not in the dark meeting room where everyone feel suffocated. It is not a classroom where a kid gets bullied by everyone that includes other student's parents and even some of teachers. It is not a school where children are judged by very restricted measures like mid-term tests, last-term test, proficiency tests, and other mini quizzes that kids get almost daily. It is not a place where kids would be controlled to be a heartless robot to serve our society. It is not a park where kids are proctored by mums and caregivers who love them only if they are obedient. It is not a grey street where children's laughters are prohibited. I don't belong those places. I belong to a place where kids can laugh their head off if that is what they feel like. I belong to a place where I can be accepted as who I am as I accept kids who they are. We can fight badly from time to time yet next minute we can hug each other. I belong to a place where I am allowed to speak genuinely. I belong to a place where nobody has to put a fake and cynical smile on her face. That is a place in the story circle with children. The story circle where we share all forms of stories of our own as well as others. That is my element and I would do anything to keep my seat there. Yes, I would.

"Why do I have to study English, Mum?"

It is one of the good questions my daughter asked me once. She is 14 years old, studying English at a private Jr. high school. She took the entrance exam and was accepted a year ago. When she entered the school, she was full of enthusiasm to learn English which she had been exposed as soon as she was born by her mum, myself. As soon as she became 5, we started going abroad and enjoyed our adventure in a different country. In Vaucouver Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, Australia and Guam we travelled on ourselves on a tour or visit my friends living there. She played with some of local kids and joined some of local summer programs for kids as well. She had no fear of speaking English in spite of her low English proficiency. Her speaking ability wasn't so bad as a Japanese kid who had never lived overseas. But her strongest skill in the second language learning is her low anxiety in communicating in English with locals. She developed an excellent non-verbal communication skill via exploring the foreign cities and being exposed to the local cultures.

So, when she marched into English education at the school, I didn't imagine she would ask this question, "Why do I have to study English?". In fact, I was quite offended by this inquiry of hers because I felt that my identity as a bilingual was questioned as well. I didn't answer well at that time. But later she started hating English as a school subject due to the miserable test scores she kept on getting at school. Finally, last semester, she became the worst three students in English and she asked me this question again. This time, I tried to answer her question sincerely because she looked desperately in need to hear my answer.

Here is what I said to her:

I didn't want you to abandon possibilities to take a part in the growing global village where no country boundaries, no ignorant discrimination towards race, nationality, gender, social status, education background and other measures that people used to have due to the lack of accurate information. But I am also aware of the pitfall of the so-called global village where developed and economically dominating countries exploit developing countries via using their cheap labour and products. Losing unique and outstanding cultural identities including the staple diet, the language and regional rituals would be a great loss for the multi-national world with numerous cultural heritages for the future generations. But taking a part in the global village would be better than isolating ourselves in the rapidly changing multi-cultural society. Because I believe that we evolve by adjusting to the changes and learning something new under a new environment. If we stop evolving, the humanity won't survive. And whether you like it or not, English has become a global language and it is one of the most useful tool to have as a communication with as many people as possible under the current circumstance. The status as a dominant language that English has might change as the global economics changes.  But for our generation, such a big change would less likely happen. So, considering the global current circumstance, it is my responsibility, as a mum, as a facilitator of learning for you, a guardian of your future to tell you the potentials of learning this dominant language, English. It is just a potential and it is you who open many doors by using the language as the key. Please remember that you have so many potential abilities to lead a life that you feel proud and love. It is possible to join the global circle to make things better for you and your children without learning English. But equipped with a good English proficiency get you in without so much hustle.  Besides, the way  English is studied at school is just one way. It is not at all the one and only way. In fact, there are so many ways that you may have difficulties to find the most suitable one for you. So, it is too early to stop exploring now and conclude that you don't need to learn English just because a way of studying the language is not suitable for you. Give English a chance to represent your own mind and soul. Once you acquire one more way to speak your own mind, it surely will enrich and empower your presence on this planet.

This is the answer from me to my daughter but I can't tell anyone who ask this good question in any other way.

Lessons for life

My daughter stopped going to the brass band. She needed a break from all the practice, pressures and unnecessary and unpleasant conflicts within the members. She became physically so sick that she had to skip school. To get her healthy teenage life back, she has decided to leave the club for a while. ( It can be for good.) After solving slightly serious problem, she has gained her health and became the cheerful girl again.  Thanks to my partner for taking his time and offering what she needs when she asked him how to play the guitar. I suppose her soul craved for music and the guitar was there. It was miraculous that she actually went up to his room and showed him her interests towards playing the guitar. He did not miss the chance to show her he is also in her cheering team. From that moment, her lesson for life has started.

It is not only about music or playing the guitar. It is about the legendary musicians such as Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Tracy Chapman, R.E.M,  and their legacy and souls. She has been immerged in their harmony of melody and lyrics. Their music got some power to move even the most apathetic girl towards real life at that time.

This apathy that my daughter showed and declared towards real life bothered me so much. I blamed all the digital culture she is surrounded by. In fact, I was about to organize anti-social networking group to protest this soul threatening addictive culture. She is really into tweet and social networking with other teens she has never met. Her favorite ones are called utaite-san or the singers who upload their own singings to Niko-niko douga (Japanese version of youtube). Some may be talented but many of them are just enjoying to share their performances and comments from the viewers. My daughter is one of the viewers. I won't be bothered if she was the one who upload her performance for it might be a sign of creativity and her own expression. It has been the hardest job I've ever got to take iPhone from her and get her in bed to get some enough sleep to live! Otherwise, she would go online all night long talking to someone she never met. What do you call that if not insanity or addiction?

But after she met those legendary musicians via my partner and his guitar lessons, the way she deal with social networking and online culture has changed. She started listening to great music and reading books as well. She must have realized the taste of good stories again. She also started going out with her classmates and other club members from her school who enjoy my daughter's presence and treat her  as a fellow human. I detect a bit of sweet scent of the puppy love that would burn your soul and show so many colors of emotions. One of the best lessons you can ever get if only you know what it is.

Her trampet seems like sucking her soul out of her but the inspiring music and the warm helping hands my partner offer to her have brought her vigor back. My lesson from her this time is to give enough space for children to grow on their own way. Do not judge teens or any other people based on my old conventions. One more encouraging discovery is that teens love cool and inspiring stories of real people!!!

Lessons for life would go on!

Making stories

I finally recovered  from the awful jet lag and my brain started functioning again. I was fully energized and refreshed during the summer vacation. Thanks to the jolly Northerners of UK!!! I had an absolutely fantastic time there. The great memories I got there make the nightmarish jet lag worth having. Revising  my research paper added a little too much spice on my life but it is over. I am ready to rock again!

To begin with my new adventure, I've got two big story-making projects going on at the moment. One will be held at Obaasan no chibukuro, a bookstore in Kokubunji with 10 other story& music lovers. This event idea was inspired when I went to see my friend's storytelling event with her own storybook at the place. The place got something extraordinary and I wanted to have regular magical event with stories and music. Tonight is the first event of the project. What I have in mind is to share the pleasure of telling stories and music appreciation. My additional purpose for this project is to make stories with others, based on a lot of story-making activities that are written in a book, Creating Stories with Children. Today I will try out the relaxation activity as I read my favorite poem. Then I will introduce, Fortunately-unfortunately activity. I can't wait to meet the others tonight.

Another project is at my new work. I finally persuade one of the elementary school's head master to permit my project. It is a play, based on Momotaro, the Japanese folklore. I have written a script and showed it to him, telling his students would be able to perform the play with a little bit of preparation. I have already made some musks of some characters for the play such as the Monkey, the Demons and etc. He promised me to support this project 100% and ask other teachers for their cooperations. Teachers are too busy to look after other affairs and I know I might have to plan and prepare for the project all on my own. I get a little bit supports from the teachers if I beg. The main purpose of this play is to show the pleasure of making and sharing a story with others to kids via taking a part in the play. It doesn't have to be perfect but I will encourage them to be the best they can. Otherwise, it will be dull.
For the theme music, I chose this tune:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maHkfrPrG6o

Lyrics: Come on let's go! Come one let's go! Come on let's go to Onigashima! We're gonna get, we're gonna get, we're gonna get the treasure back!


Through these projects, I truly hope to find more story & music lovers. If you are one of them, please join us via sending me a DM to my facebook page.

Summer Reading with Kids at Sunnyfield English

From tomorrow, the annual Summer Reading Course at Sunnyfield English will start. From 4 pm to 8 pm for 4 days in a row with varied aged and leveled kids, I am planning to read some stories. With high schoolers, I am planning to go virtual world trip, starting with this article on Day 1:
http://www.gogobot.com/awards/top_summer_destinations
Then on Day 2, learn more about some destinations on the list with Wikitravel such as
http://wikitravel.org/en/Barcelona
http://wikitravel.org/en/Hawaii
http://wikitravel.org/en/Helsinki
The destination will be student's own choice.
Then on Day 3, they will present the place they choose and share reasons why they choose the destination. Then we will decide which one is the most suitable destination for our own tour.
On the last day, we will share places to go and things to do in the place we decided to go on tour in the previous lesson.

For the elementary school kids, we will read books with summer-related themes.
Day 1: http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/EBooks/Kippers%20Diary/index.html#
We will write a week diary after reading this.
Day 2:http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/EBooks/The%20Sing%20Song/index.html#
And of course, we will sing a song:  http://youtu.be/BqVkRSO2h_M beacuse we will eat ice cream on the last day :-)
Day 3:http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/EBooks/Submarine%20Adventure/index.html#
We will draw things we can see under the sea.
Day 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1tzreJ-v2A
Finally: one of my favorite story, Swimmy. We will talk about this story and eat ice cream later on!

This is my plan and as you may know "Plan" is a subject to change :-)