ＪＥＴの先生が「板高祭」準備の様子を綴ってくれました。

ＪＥＴの先生は板高にいらして２年目で、生きた英語を生徒に教えてくださいます。板高祭準備の様子をエッセイに綴っていただきましたので、御覧ください。

On Saturday, September 16^th, and Sunday, September 17^th, Itabashi Senior High School will host its annual school cultural festival. The day will be marked by a number of festivities and games all organized and administered by the students themselves.

With themes ranging from the familiar Toy Story and Alice in Wonderland to the more creative Ramen Jet Coaster, the students are doing a wonderful job expressing themselves and decorating their classrooms in extravagant fashions. The homerooms have been transformed into wondrous spaces, such as a casino or haunted house, to entertain the students and celebrate Itabashi High School. Some students are even going to dress up as their favorite characters to really bring the festival to life.

As I walked through the hallways as the students spent time preparing their homerooms for the festival, I was greeted and invited inside the classrooms by students eager to show off their creations. I was impressed by their creativity and handiwork and I was proud of all they had accomplished. I could tell that they were proud too, based on how excited they were to tell me all about what their theme of the day was going to be.

It isn’t just the homerooms participating in the festival, either. Many clubs, such as the girls’ dance club and the brass band are preparing to showcase their talents over the weekend. For many students, this is their first time participating in such an event, so they are very much looking forward to it.

The excitement is not just limited to the students. Many of the teachers are taking it just as seriously and helping the students put the finishing touches on all the hard work, they have accomplished the past week.

In a similar way to the school’s Sports Festival this summer, I was impressed by the level of student involvement. From the building of the sets, designing of the decorations and costumes, and even the purchasing of supplies, students were left in charge of it all. I think that adds another level of satisfaction to the festival when the students realize it was the result of their efforts that made this event so special. And as an American, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of English used and American culture referenced in the displays. A few different classrooms modeled themselves after popular movies, and two of them even modeled themselves after Las Vegas, Nevada.

I am sure this will be a festival to remember, and I am excited to see everything the students (and teachers!) have planned for the weekend.