Japanese

In term 3, I have been asking students how they feel at the beginning of the lesson in Japanese and they tell me their feelings or point out the emojis on the board. Children of all ages can benefit from mindfulness and it is simple and important to know and understand what they are feeling everyday. Some of them are excited and happy for the coming events on the weekend and some of them are sad because they only spend 15 mins with mum or dad in the morning. They are not afraid to tell us what they feel in the class and we cheer up and empathize each other before we start our lesson.

As we started this term with the introduction of World Emoji day, Grade 3 to 6 have had a chance to draw their feeling of emojis from Monday to Sunday. (We are learning and practicing the days of the week ) Then they explained how and why they have chosen those emojis. These are some photos of each class and it is very funny but impressive how they accurately express their feeling with emojis.

I would also like to introduce the above image of Hokusai's most celebrated piece of art, the Great Wave since NGV International has its exhibition at the moment. I haven't been to this exhibition myself yet, however, I hope I can include this resource in Grade 5 & 6 Japanese lessons this semester. 

https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/school_resource/hokusai/

It is a little bit long poem but I just thought I would share this with you all. Roger Keyes is an art historian and curator of Japanese art as well as a poet, and he ‘translated’ what he read in Hokusai’s paintings into this poem. 

Hokusai says look carefully.

He says pay attention, notice.

He says keep looking, stay curious.

He says there is no end to seeing.

He says look forward to getting old.

He says keep changing, you just get more who you really are.

He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself as long as it is interesting.

He says keep doing what you love.

He says keep praying.

He says everyone of us is a child, everyone of us is ancient, everyone of us has a body.

He says everyone of us is frightened. He says everyone of us has to find a way to live with fear.

He says everything is alive–shells, buildings, people, fish, mountains, trees, wood is alive. Water is alive.

Everything has its own life.

Everything lives inside us.

He says live with the world inside you.

He says it doesn’t matter if you draw, or write books. 

It doesn’t matter if you saw wood, or catch fish.

It doesn’t matter if you sit at home and stare at the ants on your veranda or the shadows of the trees and grasses in your garden.

It matters that you care.

It matters that you feel.

It matters that you notice.

It matters that life lives through you.

Contentment is life living through you.

Joy is life living through you.

Satisfaction and strength is life living through you.

Peace is life living through you.

He says don’t be afraid.

Don’t be afraid.

Look, feel, let life take you by the hand.

Let life live through you.

-Roger S. Keyes

https://www.mindfulnessassociation.net/words-of-wonder/awakening-now-2/

P.S. We are collecting shoe-size boxes for next week for our sumo match. Bring any if you found them at home, please. 

Have a lovely weekend everyone! 

Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

Kaori Bawden 

kbawden@sjyarrajunction.catholic.edu.au