Transformers - student becomes teacher

Recently we were asked if we could provide a 'non-teacher' speaker for a high school-aged class, and from a 'different' background. We immediately asked Rukshini...

This young lady's English is tremendous, and she is a wonderful ambassador for Sri Lanka (who, as I write, are giving England a cricketing lesson at Headingley!). She is also a poster girl for everything that is wrong with Japanese education...unable to get into uni (here) despite her academic talent, worldly perspective, driven nature and obvious smarts...having bashed her brains out all the way through JHS & HS and catching Jim's attention within seconds about 5 years ago.

Destined for great things - with FCE

"For the first time in my life, I had opportunity to speak in front of a class at M school, not as a student. I was nervous full of doubts. How are they going to react? What if I say something goes wrong?
 
It's so much easier to be the student!
 
Preparations for the presentation well. I had a lot of advice and I was adamant to try my best. It was fun to do all the planning from a different perspective , get the new ideas but the real job lay ahead.
 
The few minutes before the class, I was shaking, but the moment I started talking the tension vanished. I was actually enjoying myself. It was more like a conversation than a speech. Ms R was very supportive asking questions and encouraging the students.

My theme was to speak about life in Sri Lanka and Japan. How do I see things as a foreigner in Japan, things I've learned...So I was eager to talk. There is so much to tell and it kept me going. The students were shy, but I could tell they were interested. 

In the second period, we had a Sri Lankan tea-time and questions from each student. I had to think back on some of them. “What surprised me most in Japan?"
To tell the truth, there were too many !

At the end of the class some students even thanked me 😃
I know how difficult it is to learn a language, especially if it has nothing interesting. You need the spark, that desire to learn....and I wonder if I had given them that spark..

So, it's easy to be student but it's thrilling to be a teacher!
 
I am no longer nervous. I could say I got over the fence. I'm quite looking forward to the next one, and thanks to Luna for providing me this wonderful opportunity 😆"

Mutsumi' delicious Apple Cake recipe

One of the benefits of being a teacher is that every now and then a student likes to show off their cooking skills by bringing something delicious to class for us all to share. Mutsumi made an Apple Cake, which was delicious as well as low in calories (very important for us women who are watching our figures), and was kind enough to furbish us with the recipe so we can try it ourselves at home.
Here is the recipe:

ingredients:

apples(Kougyoku) 3, soft flour 1 cup, eggs 3, sugar 1 cup, salad oil 1/4 cup, some baking powder, some cinnamon, some salt

Method:

1 Cut apples

2 Whisk the flour,baking powder,sugar,cinnamon,salt,egg,salad oil and apple in a medium bowl.

3 Plase baking sheet into mold, pour in.

4 Bake for 60 minutes at 170 degrees C.

From Mutsumi Maruyama

Postcard from Germany

Dear Tana

Hope you're OK.

I arrived in the Germany three days ago.

Today I went to see a castle Neuschwanstein.

It's really beautiful.

People call it 「Swan Castle」

The white castle in the forest likes a swan.

Probably you will think so.

Afternoon I went to shopping.

Then I was happy.

Because I could hearing to shop assistat words.

Thank you Tana !

See you again.

From Mutsumi

The Gift of the Magi, and other short stories

Q: Which story did you like best and why?

A: I like "Soapy's Winter Home". Because it's funny and sad.



Mutsumi

Holiday Postcard (homework)

Dear Tana

Hope you're OK. We have a holiday here!
We arrived yesterday in Aomori.
We saw “Nebuta Matsuri” last night.
“Nebuta Matsuri” is famous festival in Japan.
You can see it in picture. We had a good time.
I came here with my husband together. But this is'nt a honeymoon!
See you next Monday.
from Mutsumi