If you’re just starting on the JET programme and are wondering if Genki English is right for you ….
Don’t believe me ( 🙂 ) have a read of this email I just got from Liz:
I just wanted to send a big THANK YOU for Genki English!
I came to Japan two years ago, and 6 months into teaching decided to go for the VIP pack.
It changed my teaching and really helped me develop as a teacher. I’m with the JET Programme, and my elementary schools gave me basic guidelines for lessons, but I just started going through the Genki Program and making sure each class had all the basics.
Your program gave me structure, and a whole lot of fun!
My kids love all the songs. Even the one class that isn’t fond of singing enjoys watching me bounce around the classroom. I too love all the songs (and sing them loooong into the night after a day of teaching), and being a “Genki English Teacher” really fits with my personality.
I finish up this August, and am really sad because there’s so many more songs I wanted to teach and sing with my students! I had last lessons at one school yesterday which involved: Rock, Paper, Scissors Song (with encore!), review of Super Hero song, and ended with “Can you speak English?” with the kids just doing the responses. It was a great way to end the lesson, and to give them my final message of “Never forget that English is fun. Always remember English=yes, yes I can.”
Thank you for the memories, and if I’m an English teacher again someday, you can be assured I will always be GENKI!
Keep up the good work!
Liz
What are you waiting for, let’s get started!
I’ve commented a few times on different subjects here, and I’ve told you a couple times how my kids at the city-sponsored kids eikaiwa I teach LOVE the Genki English lessons.
I’m also a JET (in my 4th year), and I bought the VIP pack 2 years ago. It was originally for my summer kids eikaiwa, but I then went on to use it in all my elementary schools (I have 9), and also in a special education class at one of my Jr High schools.
The response in every single class I’ve taught GE (including the one class that hated English when I first got here) has been phenomenal.
I actually had the Vice Principal at that tiny school of only 10 students stop me on my way out one day last Fall and ask me, “What are you doing with these kids?” At first I was a bit taken aback, not sure what he meant. Then he continued, “They have been terrible during English classes for as long as I’ve been here, but now they are laughing, singing, and saying phrases in English to each other for days after you finish a lesson.
I would like to say that it’s my fantastic teaching ability 🙂 but I know that a huge part of it is the GE lessons.
I would like to echo what Liz said about it giving my lessons more structure and making them way more fun than without it.
I can’t thank you enough for this gift you’ve given to all my kids!
George just sent this in:
“The main problem I had before I found Genki English was that the materials supplied by the school district “Hello Friends and Eigo Note” were painfully BORING.
They still are, but your materials and ideas are a sensational supplement to the bore-the kids-to-death books.
I like to think of Genki English as being the spice in an otherwise tasteless dish.
It’s up to the teacher to make it into Hamburger Helper or to turn the lesson into a gourmet meal that the kids will devour.
Thank you, Richard, for giving my lessons a boost!”
🙂