thedrifter
01-30-09, 09:51 AM
Duck, Duck, Goose, is that your favorite animal?
Marines teach local elementary school students English
Lance Cpl. Stefanie C. Pupkiewicz
CHATAN TOWN, Okinawa (January 30, 2009) -- The English activities room on the third floor of Chatan Elementary School witnessed the chaos and fun of Marines and sixth-grade Okinawans participating in a conglomeration of the hot potato game and a language lesson, Jan. 22.
This game is part of the English Language Teaching Program. The program takes service members into local schools so they can help teach students English.
Service members typically travel to schools in the local area several times a month. Each session the volunteers participate in is different, said Hiroko Tomimura, the community relations specialist of Camp Foster. The volunteers visit different schools, different grades and participate in different activities.
It is important for children to start learning English at an early age because it is more difficult the older they get, said Marilyn Scherr, the English teacher at Chatan Elementary School. By college, the students are nearly fluent, she added.
For that morning at least, the Marines did not go by rank and surname. They introduced themselves by their first names to each of the three sixth-grade classes.
After the introductions, the Marines were asked questions by the students. Some of the questions were asked in Japanese but many were asked in English. The students, for the most part, wanted to know the Marines' height, age, occupation and hometown.
The Marines held up pictures with words that featured emotions, seasons, days of the week, months of the year, dates and weather conditions.
After assembling a calendar of sorts on the chalkboard about the current conditions, the students formed circles around the Marines to begin the game that was the main event of the lesson.
The students passed a ball around the circle while music played. Once the music stopped the student holding the ball was asked a question by the Marine in the center of the circle the student had to reply in English. When they successfully answered the question, the students went to see their teacher who gave them a sticker for their achievement. Once all of the stickers were passed out, the Marines rotated to the next circle.
"Are you ready?" Scherr asked the students as they settled back into the circles.
"Yes, I am," was the exuberant response from the students and Marines as the music began again.
"We are always looking forward to it," said Daiki, a sixth-grade student.
Tsubasa, another sixth-grade student, described himself and his fellow students as lucky to have the Marines come visit.
At the close of the last class, all of the students rushed out of the classroom to get lunch except for one girl. She stood by patiently with the principal, Tsukie Yonaha, awaiting the Marines as they departed.
She approached the group quietly, not making eye-contact. The principal told the Marines the girl wanted them to know how much she appreciated the Marines coming to her class and how much fun she had.
"Thank you very much," she said quietly before bowing and running out of the room.
For more information on volunteering contact Tomimura at 645-7766.
Ellie
Marines teach local elementary school students English
Lance Cpl. Stefanie C. Pupkiewicz
CHATAN TOWN, Okinawa (January 30, 2009) -- The English activities room on the third floor of Chatan Elementary School witnessed the chaos and fun of Marines and sixth-grade Okinawans participating in a conglomeration of the hot potato game and a language lesson, Jan. 22.
This game is part of the English Language Teaching Program. The program takes service members into local schools so they can help teach students English.
Service members typically travel to schools in the local area several times a month. Each session the volunteers participate in is different, said Hiroko Tomimura, the community relations specialist of Camp Foster. The volunteers visit different schools, different grades and participate in different activities.
It is important for children to start learning English at an early age because it is more difficult the older they get, said Marilyn Scherr, the English teacher at Chatan Elementary School. By college, the students are nearly fluent, she added.
For that morning at least, the Marines did not go by rank and surname. They introduced themselves by their first names to each of the three sixth-grade classes.
After the introductions, the Marines were asked questions by the students. Some of the questions were asked in Japanese but many were asked in English. The students, for the most part, wanted to know the Marines' height, age, occupation and hometown.
The Marines held up pictures with words that featured emotions, seasons, days of the week, months of the year, dates and weather conditions.
After assembling a calendar of sorts on the chalkboard about the current conditions, the students formed circles around the Marines to begin the game that was the main event of the lesson.
The students passed a ball around the circle while music played. Once the music stopped the student holding the ball was asked a question by the Marine in the center of the circle the student had to reply in English. When they successfully answered the question, the students went to see their teacher who gave them a sticker for their achievement. Once all of the stickers were passed out, the Marines rotated to the next circle.
"Are you ready?" Scherr asked the students as they settled back into the circles.
"Yes, I am," was the exuberant response from the students and Marines as the music began again.
"We are always looking forward to it," said Daiki, a sixth-grade student.
Tsubasa, another sixth-grade student, described himself and his fellow students as lucky to have the Marines come visit.
At the close of the last class, all of the students rushed out of the classroom to get lunch except for one girl. She stood by patiently with the principal, Tsukie Yonaha, awaiting the Marines as they departed.
She approached the group quietly, not making eye-contact. The principal told the Marines the girl wanted them to know how much she appreciated the Marines coming to her class and how much fun she had.
"Thank you very much," she said quietly before bowing and running out of the room.
For more information on volunteering contact Tomimura at 645-7766.
Ellie