Past lessons

We decided to ask a few members of the admin about their memories but as it was a last minute request, we tried to make it easier by asking them three simple questions. We thought it might also be helpful for our readers to see what we shall be asking many other people for our ‘hunt for history’ project for our next edition. With much appreciation to President, I.G. Mizuno; K.Yokoyama; M..Mori; M.Hasegawa and H.Nagoshi

Question: What are some of your favourite memories of KIFL from long ago? Close your eyes and take a mental snapshot.

President Mizuno
I have mental pictures of school events. The Admin and faculty Trip, the Sports Festival, Bus Hiking Trip. The overnight trip to Nikko for the Tourist Course … These events brought us together and we built closer relationships and better communication between Admin and Faculty and between Admin, Faculty and Students. Please take a look at the Sports Day Album so that you can see the fun we used to have at an event.

K.Yokoyama
As for me, my favourite memories are of the sports fairs we used to hold in various places on the outskirts of Tokyo. All the students and teachers participated in some way. We were divided into teams and the competition was strong. There were many games that lasted all day and the students would gather around their teachers as they enjoyed the excitement. At the end of the day, people were exhausted but happy. Another memory was “Gogeki-sai”. Student groups acted in dramas that were not only English but also other foreign languages. They were all wonderful memories for me.

M. Mori
What passes through my mind is a memory around 1977 of the English conversation night class. The students poured out and the examiners lined them up in four files of about some hundred meters. I recall that scene very vividly.

M.Hasegawa
The most dramatic memory is about a female student, Tomoko, I taught nearly 20 years ago. She was in one of my RW classes, which was the second lowest level in the English Major. She was shocked when she knew that her class was the second lowest when she entered KIFL. However, she did not give up making efforts to improve her English. She often asked me many questions and she brushed up her English drastically. In the early October, she asked me if she should participate in the KIFL speech contest, and I answered, “Why not try if you are interested. I will support you.” Soon, she wrote her speech draft and asked me to check it. I was surprised to read it because her insight into the world was very sharp and sophisticated. At that time, the number of the participants was quite a lot, around 50 or so, I remember. So, there were several preliminary rounds before the final round. She kept winning and, to my surprise, she won the semi-final round! She was one of the 7 finalists! Although she was eventually placed the 5th in the contest, it was a miracle to me. No, I should not say “miracle”. It was the result of her efforts. She looked very happy, and I was very happy to see it.

H. Nagoshi
I can see it now in my mind. I am with the Arizona Study Tour. It was in 1986 and 1987, if my memory is correct. I stayed at the dormitory for 45 days with 90 of our students. In those days, the students were unused to being away from home. It was the longest summer of my life.

Question: What experiences changed you and made you the person you are today?

President Mizuno
My transfer from Faculty to Administration - I started working as a general faculty member and then became a supervisor for some courses. After moving to Administration, I worked in Student Affairs, the Education Center, the Planning Bureau then back to the Education Centre.

As Director of Student Affairs, I went to a couple of countries to widen our Study Abroad programs. I had to negotiate with director of studies in New Zealand, The US and the UK. It was good experience for me to negotiate in other cultures. Working in the Curriculum Renewal Project as a director with Dr. Nunan and Professor Canlin was an especially good experience that gave me a lot of confidence in the work afterwards.

All these experiences broadened my views, made me what I am today, and I have a view of all the jobs of KIFL.

K.Yokoyama
I think it was the Study Abroad Tour to the States with 76 students 20 years ago. I cannot forget the wonderful memories of the 40 days I spent with them. I felt the true existence of a student by spending days together in a foreign country. I came to feel that the students were like my own family. After I came back to Japan, the students continued to be like younger brothers and sisters of mine, and since then, new students have become like daughters and sons. From then on, all students became like a precious family for me.

M. Mori
Coming in direct contact with students made me so eager to help them with something and to want to help others who will shoulder the next generation.

M.Hasegawa
The experience I had about Tomoko changed my way of thinking about students and also my way of teaching as a teacher here at KIFL. Especially I reconsidered my approach to students in the lower levels. “They can change drastically.” Many teachers think that students in the lower levels do not make effort and this means that some teachers do not make efforts in teaching them, either. They are wrong. The teacher should keep expecting his/her students to change some day. Tomoko helped me realise that.

H. Nagoshi
The experiences of being engaged in the making of the school schedule and the class schedule. Through this work, I could vicariously share the experience of being a student and a teacher.

Question: How can looking back help you look forward? What memories can be used to make a better future?

President Mizuno
I prefer to look forward to looking back. Not to look back with regrets so I try my best to do what I should do now. In order to check ourselves and the present situation, to look back at old experiences sometimes works fine but during any given moment in time, I always try do what I can do without any regrets.

K.Yokoyama
Every year, students enter KIFL and graduate two years later. Before they came, they had been looking forward to studying here and I always hope that they can have a great time and make wonderful memories with the friends and teachers in their life. The many students who have applied to KIFL over the years, have always raised my motivation a lot and that helps me to have more energy to help them.

M. Mori
Long ago we gave a stage show called, “English Drama” organised by the English teachers. I think we should have these performances again. To make them perform for their studies is good for their education and good for public relations as well.

The school slogan is “Languages are the foundation that links the world in peace.” We should use language more. For example, in name cards, letter paper and so on.

M.Hasegawa
Your memories, either good or bad, will be a lesson toward a better future. A good memory will turn into energy to do something and a bad one will help you avoid repeating the same mistake. You make a decision and take an action, and then the result becomes another of your memories. They may be good, or they can be bad, but they become lessons. The worst thing to do is not to make a decision and not to take an action.

H. Nagoshi
What helps me to improve myself are the hard experiences of when I failed, or mortification when my mistakes were pointed out by others.