I want to tell you about some interesting English books. They are easy to read. All books are from Macmillan-Heineman Publishing Company.
◯The Lost Ship
A ship’s crew finds a strange ship on the sea. The ship looks empty. It moves around with no direction. The sailors go on the ship. Everything looks like people left just one hour ago. They find a diary on the ship. In this diary…
◯The Arcade
Mike is a junior high school student. He loves playing games at the arcade. He goes there every day. He spends all his money there. He does not study anymore. His best friend is worried about Mike. One day, his friend looks at a game screen at the arcade. He sees something strange…
◯The Magic Barber
In this town, everyone has very long hair. One day, a barber comes to town. He opens a barber shop. Many people come to cut their hair. Soon, everyone has no hair at all! They are very happy. Then the barber leaves town. Everyone says goodbye to him.
A few days later, a wig seller comes to town. Everyone needs hair now! They all buy wigs from him. Soon the wig seller leaves too. Everyone waves goodbye to him.
Something is strange about this wig seller. His price list looks just like the barber’s price list. His van looks just like the barber’s van too.
My Experience with Students
I gave these books to my junior high school students for summer homework. Usually, students do not like homework. They do not like school either.
I used to think the same way. But then I read about some American schools. In these schools, students are sad when summer vacation starts! They are happy when school starts again! They love their school so much.
After reading about these schools, I read many more books. I wanted to change my teaching. I wanted my students to enjoy learning too.
I learned something important: In Japanese schools, all students must learn the same things. They cannot choose what to study. This makes learning boring. Students forget what they really want to learn.
So when I gave English books to my students, I made new rules:
・Students can choose which book to read
・Students do not have to read if they don’t want to
・No book report needed
・No test about the book
You might think no students would choose to read. But you are wrong! Many students chose books every summer. They said they enjoyed reading them.
Now you are an adult. Nobody tells you what to read. How wonderful! Please enjoy your freedom. Read English books that you really want to read!
私立学校に英語教師として勤務中、40代半ばに差し掛かったころ、荒れたクラスを立て直す策として、生徒に公言して英検1級に挑戦することを思い立つ。同様の挑戦を繰り返し、退職までに英検一級（検定連合会長賞）、TOEIC満点、国連英検SA級、フランス語一級、スペイン語一級（文科大臣賞）、ドイツ語一級、放送大学大学院修士号などの成果を得る。
アメリカで生徒への対応法を学ぶ為に研修（地銀の助成金）。最新の心理学に触れた。4都県での全発表、勤務校での教員への研修を英語で行う。現在も特別選抜クラスの授業を全て英語で行っている。「どうやって単語を覚えればいいですか？」という良くある質問に答える為、印欧祖語からの派生に基づく「生徒には見せたくない語源英単語集」を執筆中。完成間近。常日頃洋書の読破で様々な思考にふれているが、そうして得た発想の一つを生かして書いた論文がコロナ対策論文として最近入賞。賞品の牛肉に舌鼓をうっている。元英検面接委員