If you want a chance to see the learning environment of a Japanese school while also getting to interact with adorable students who are eager to learn, then the ICC School Visit program is just for you!
I am a third-year international student in the Japanese course at the School of Creative Science and Engineering. I have always wanted to join the ICC programs but due to the pandemic, my busy schedule, and simply not being in the main campus hindered me a lot in doing so. So, when I first saw the email about the school visit, I was like, “I need to go.” I have always wanted to join these kinds of activities and boy was it enjoyable.
I have always been interested in going to a Japanese school, seeing what the environment is like and being able to utilize my English skill somewhere outside of classes. Teaching the students at Waseda Jitsugyo Elementary School was just exciting. They were so eager to know about me as well as my country. There was one time when a group cheered when they realized that I was assigned to their table. There was also a time when we cheered at realizing we had the same birthday and made everybody turn their heads toward us. It was very gratifying to be able to teach them English in a way that they seemed to enjoy as well.
In addition, during the visit I was extremely touched by the strong bond that the students have. We were lacking a volunteer so students from one group needed to be dispersed into the others. When the students heard this, they immediately called out for their friends to sit together. At first, I thought that this was just for one class, but I was completely mistaken. Every class had the exact same reaction, and it was really touching to see. They really were sweet kids that cared about their friends.
Altogether, the school visit was a gratifying and enjoyable experience for me, allowing me to interact with adorable students, share my English skills, and witness the close-knit relationships within the school community. I really recommend this to anyone who would like to experience something new.
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ICC organizes Outreach and School Visits several times each year, with elementary, junior and senior high schools. If you are interested, please watch for announcements. Subscribe to the ICC News emails so you won’t miss anything!
