Smith’s School of English Soap Box

Just like every other teacher here in Japan. I wake up each day and head to work. The difference is that I actually like going to work. My students are what keep me going. Seeing students improve as English speakers is great but what really moves me are the students (younger ones usually) that grow as not just English speakers but as individuals as well. English becomes something more to them. While I’m always armed with numerous things to do in class I appreciate it when the students themselves take charge and bring up something they’d like to discuss and get ideas from myself as well as other students. I’m a big believer in doing what you love so if students want to discuss something to do with work, economics, religion, love or whatever I’m all ears. Obviously to talk about such things requires vocabulary, grammar and a sense of English as a whole but in the real world these are things we discuss everyday so it’s both educational as well as very challenging. Learning to discuss about such topics is what it’s all about. Speaking freely, speaking confidently and learning at the same time.