As a class we do a lot of art work. Through my years teaching my students are so good at art! Why is this? Is it a generation thing, or are people wanting to learn a language seem to be good at art? Of course a lot of my students love anime, and drawing anime too. Middle school/high school students have their aptitude, and little kids have theirs. The lines that young students make are so bold. The older students finish their arts in perfection. I think art is deeply connected to language learning. It is a form of out put that assists in putting out what the students understand in Japanese. I am dealing with kids that want to sell their art on Etsy. I always look forward to their work.
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The other day I participated in a tea ceremony. This was my first time at a full on tea ceremony. It was the cherry blossom season tea ceremony. I was a little nervous, but sure to have a good time. I was so glad that I could celebrate the cherry blossoms. There isn`t much of a chance to celebrate something Japan in America, so I found a little joyfulness in this gathering. What I felt during and after the ceremony was that one can actually find Japan even in America. I know that in Japan it might be easy to find America. From all the imported culture and products from America. However, Japan with it`s complex culture, I feel like it is a little more difficult to find this in America.
As I looked back on this celebration with food, tea, and sweets, I thought that my teacher (the host) did a wonderful job putting everything together. Everything complemented each other, and gradually took me to my memory of being in Japan. What a wonderful thing to leave the ceremony with a sense of beauty and culture of Japan. I think this strikes the core of culture that it can transcend across countries, and it is still there. Why do little children`s art look so beautiful? I sat along my children student, and drew next to her. I looked over to the student`s art, and notice vibrant strikes of different colored crayons. You can`t quite make out what she is drawing, but nontheless the drawing is perfect in it`s own way. When I said your drawing is so pretty, prettier than mine she replies in a sweet tone, "yes, mine is prettier than yours!" Does the child know that her colors and lines are so beautiful? When did my drawing become so adult?
A lot of my students are so good at art. There seems to be two kinds of good in art. Good skill wise, or the undecorated beauty of art little children produce. Their art is so powerful and colorful. It makes me so happy everytime I sit down with a child to draw. Flowers are blooming. Spring is here. All throughout America there is crazy weather though. I always think when change of seasons come that nature doesn`t forget. When I saw the plums blossom this year I was struck with a feeling of happiness. The plums seems to have lots of fruites on them this year. Right when my mother visited my Wisteria flowered as well. They smell so good! I am wondering how big lavenders grow. I planted 2 lavenders in the beginning of this year. It has grown double the size of when I bought it. I see lavender bushes that are huge like 3 ft. I am wondering whether mine will be that big. I hope so! I still have the raised beds in my condo that I have to plant. I have to plant my patio plant family. Some herbs, flowers, and vegetables. This year will be an year of abundance.
I always wondered why people would spend hundreds of dollars on tea utensils. When I collected mine from Japan all of it (one complete set of tea bowls and other utensils) costed $1,000, which is pretty good for what I got. One day I got two tea bowls from my Japanese student, and it was so nice looking I put it in my tea dresser. Lately I was longing to make tea in that tea bowl. I took it out, and noticed that even if it was one of my favorite that I haven`t used it much. I had this image that you save the bowls that I like for when I host people. I asked myself why I do this. I soon realized that using the bit high end but the bowls that I like is what is going to give my tea making a bliss. Since then on I was looking at a little more expensive tea bowls online. I still have hesitation in buying tea bowls over $50, but I feel like I know the trick to making tea ceremonies and drinking tea magical.
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Erika SogaHere are some insights and comments on bilingualism, and language education. Archives
May 2024
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