Sweet Potato Pie
– Sugar and spice and everything nice

Yesterday I learned how to make sweet potato pie/cakes with the students – a much needed break from the boredom of doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING because of testing this week. We each made our own little design and put our individual pies in the oven. All of the girls were doing cute little hearts or Mickey Mouse ears whereas the boys just slopped their mix into the tin and called-it-a-day….EXCEPT this boy:

He got a little creative with his design.

He got me in trouble though. Well, not actual trouble, just disapproving looks from the teachers. He was like: “Kristen-sensei look, look!” So I looked…and I thought it was funny so I laughed. Out loud actually. The teachers didn’t think that I should laugh and encourage that behavior, BUT they never made him change his design. His man-made sweet potato boobs sat in the oven, rising as they baked…AND not one of the teachers said A WORD! It’s not my fault if they don’t control their students! At least the students are showing some kind of imagination, unlike most other days when they are like bumps on a log because they have been up all night doing homework! He said, pointing at the boobs: “Kristen-sensei, English what means?” But I am definitely smarter than the average bear, I knew if I told him, it would be the only thing he remembered the ENTIRE year and repeat it over and over every chance he got. It would definitely get back to me that I WAS THE ONE who taught him this word. So instead, I just looked at him confused like I had NO clue what he meant and responded “wakara’nai!”

Another Funny and Random Point
Janitors

I think Jenelle put it best:

So in Japanese schools rather than having the janitor clean, the students and staff are allowed the priviledge of cleaning the school every single day. This frees up time for the janitor so they can serve tea in the morning and dust the leaves of the plants and sit on the floor to clip their fingernails in the garbage. Each room has a broom locker which contains minature brooms and rags. The students proceed to sweep the floor and then run back and forth pushing rags along the floor (because mops would be too expensive).

HA HA HA so true!